“When they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots…
“Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ And some of the bystanders said, ‘This man is calling Elijah.’ And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. But the others said, ‘Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.’ And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.
“And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split… When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, ‘Truly this was the Son of God!’
“There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him…
“When it was evening, there came… Joseph, a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus… And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb.” Matthew 27:35,45-51,54-55,57-60a
In the hours crackling around the crucifixion of Jesus, many were swept into the variable crowd. They witnessed His brusque treatment by soldiers, His silence before mockers, and some even took part in deriding this man doomed to die. Simply curious, or instigating conflagration, each was part of a pivotal moment in history that defined their heart. (Isaiah 53:3; Matthew 26:59-63; 27:27-37,39-41)
While in the flesh, we deal daily with a madding world. Constantly challenged and sometimes crushed by a myriad of voices and persuasions and options, we’re called to take a stand. Opinions and reactions to Jesus abound, with many ignorant altogether. Confronted with Him and the truth of His crucifixion, we are forced to respond. Whether silent or horrified or awed, passionate or inquisitive without commitment, we display by word and action who we say He is. (Matthew 16:13-16; Mark 8:27-29; Luke 9:18-20)
What is my involvement with the Lord Jesus? Do I stand by at a spiritual distance and allow others to make assessments, feed me information, shape my thinking? Do I skirt intimacy with Him, resisting vulnerability and believing I’m safer sequestered in the shadows of self-rule? Do I shrink with fear of being publicly identified with Him, choosing to blend or join in with those who taunt, accuse, reject, or ignore Him? Or am I bold to stand by His word? Would I offer Him a sponge to revive when all others revile? Do I step up and out to defend His name? How I treat Him indicates my state of reverence and belief. (Matthew 26:58)
“Stand up, stand up for Jesus,
the trumpet call obey;
forth to the mighty conflict
in this his glorious day.
Ye that are men now serve him
against unnumbered foes;
let courage rise with danger
and strength to strength oppose.” ~George Duffield (1858)
Lord, help me stand by You always in glad faith and bold witness, to the praise of Your glory.
As the rain and snow 