Thought for Thursday April 5th

April 5, 2012

Easter Week, Day Four

He Was Crucified and He Died

    Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.  And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.  And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.  And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.  And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. And sitting down they watched him there; And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.  Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.  He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.  The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.  Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

- Matthew 27:27-54

Quote of the Day

“Above all powers:  Above all kings: Above all nature And all created things: Above all wisdom: And all the ways of man: You were here before the world began: Above all kingdoms: Above all thrones: Above all wonders The world has ever known: Above all wealth And treasures of the earth: There's no way to measure What You're worth.
Crucified; Laid behind the stone: You lived to die Rejected and alone;
Like a rose Trampled on the ground: You took the fall And thought of me
Above all.” – Lenny La Blanc & Paul Baloche (lyrics from ‘Above All’)

Today’s Thoughts and Insights

“On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

To the old rugged cross I will ever be true,
It's shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then he'll call me some day to my home far away,
Where his glory forever I'll share.

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.”

-       George Bennard (lyrics from ‘The Old Rugged Cross’)

Today’s Prayer

Father, may I kneel at the cross: take up my cross and follow you and always give thanks for the lamb who took my place on the cross at Calvary.

“To your majesty and your beauty, I surrender.

To your holiness and your love, I surrender.

For You’re an awesome God; who is mighty:

You deserve my highest praise:

With all of my heart: And all of my life,

I surrender.”

– Steve Bassett & Sue Rinaldi (lyrics from ‘I Surrender’)

“I’m forgiven, because you were forsaken;

I’m accepted, you were condemned:

I’m alive and well, your spirit is within me,

Because you died and rose again.

Amazing love, How can it be

That you my King would die for me?

Amazing love, I know it’s true:

And it’s my joy to honor you,

In all I do, let me honor you. “

-  Lyrics from ‘Amazing Love’ by Billy James Foote