Cross

Verses for Easter – Week 2

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He Couldn’t Stay on the Cross

After the crown of thorns
And they ripped the robe off His back 
And after the hammer and nails
When the lightening came down with a crack

While the life blood of Jesus poured out 
From the wound where they pierced His side
The crowd stood around looking up at His face 
 Then Mary bowed in her grief as she cried

And by the law He couldn't stay after sunset
He must be buried by the end of the day
So - Joseph of Arimathea
Begged Pilate to take Him away

He couldn’t stay on the cross after nightfall
He must be laid in the dark of the tomb
Till He rose with the breath of the Spirit
When the angel would roll back the stone!

And Joseph bought a linen shroud and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.  
Mark 15:42-46 ESV

He Couldn't Stay on the Cross by Peter Caligiuri 
copyright 2020 all rights reserved

Poured Out

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Poured Out

I am poured out like water and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax it is melted in the midst of my bowels. Psalm 22:14 KJV

As a teenager I always loved the Christmas presents I got from my stepmother Amy. She bought me beautiful expensive clothes, but she always left the price tag on! It was not that she minded spending the money, but she wanted to be sure that I treated her gifts with special care! In some ways God is a lot like Amy. God loves lavishing us with His grace, but He wants us to know the cost.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus said that His soul was sorrowful unto death. He agonized in prayer in order to accept the suffering of the cross. He asked if there was any other way and then sweat ran down His face like great drops of blood. Just hours after He had finished praying, Jesus was nailed to the cross. Today’s Bible verse tells us that He was poured out like water. The spear pierced His side and then the last drop of the lifeblood of Jesus flowed down to the ground. What a price He paid for us! Let’s be grateful to God for His blessings and treasure more greatly the gift we are given, by remembering the price that He paid.

When Did He Forgive Me?

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Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. Luke 23:34 KJV

As I grow older, I can’t say I have learned all of the answers, but I have come to discover some of the best questions. The funny thing is that when God gives an answer it is rarely as detailed as I would like. Today’s verse asks one of those. When does God forgive us? At the cross, when Jesus prayed, “Father forgive them!”  there were plenty of people in need of forgiveness, beginning with His disciples, who had run away. Then there was the crowd, milling about and hurling insults at the Lord, and of course the soldiers. Their hands had held the nails and they had shoved the crown of thorns on the head of Jesus. The list is endless, but today let’s consider the two thieves; who were crucified with Jesus. Scripture tells us that at first they both joined the crowd in cursing Jesus, yet somewhere along the way, one had a change of heart. That is when we hear him cry out, “Lord remember me!” How interesting that just after Jesus turned to that man and promised him paradise, that He makes His prayer; “Father forgive them.,” Forgive this thief, those hiding disciples, and the cursing crowd. Forgive the hands holding nails and, even the cowardly governor who has sent Me to the cross. Yes, Father forgive them.” Jesus’ request did not include “Forgive them all except, or don’t forgive them until. Jesus cried for mercy, both immediate and complete. Yet that day only a dying thief and a Roman executioner understood and received His gift. What about you? Are you wondering when God will forgive you my friend? The most wonderful news in the universe is, we don’t need to wait until we can figure out how it works or what we need to do before it will happen, because God has already forgiven us and all we need to do is believe!

At the cross, at the cross where
I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day!
Isaac Watts