Take it up, Lay it Down
Take
up-Lay Down
Matthew
Chapter Twenty-seven
35
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.
40
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.
42
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.
43
He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for
he said, I am the Son of God.
Men
of ill repute see little of the consequences of their crimes. When
they commit them there is a built up mentality of “I am a victim of
society.” Once their victimization is declared, they become
entitled in their own mind. Entitlement, put very simply, means
“what’s mine is mine and whats yours is mine.” Thus they feel
no guilt, remorse or shame for their thievery, drug abuse or mayhem.
Not acknowledging their state of sinful embeddedness may ease their
consciousness for the wrong they do or have done but they must answer
for them all before God. In the fullest manner Judas acknowledged to
the chief priests that he had sinned. He made a confession before
man. He did face God also. Judas went and hanged himself, not being
able to bear the terror of Divine wrath, and the anguish of despair.
The Priest, Pharisees and Sadducee felt no remorse for falsly
charging Chist and perpetrating His murder on the cross. They had
been victimized by loss of followers and of temple income. They were
thus entitled. In their minds they did no wrong. But, they were
judged none the less. Thus many make light of Christ crucified. And
it is a common instance of the deceitfulness of such hearts, to make
light of their own sin by dwelling upon other people's sins. No
matter, the judgment of God is according to truth. Prophesy was thus
fulfilled. #Zec 11:12|.
It
was not usual for soldiers to put shame upon malefactors, by a
writing to notify the crime for which they were suffering. So they
set up one over Christ's head. This they designed for his reproach,
but God so overruled it, that even his accusation was to his honor.
Two robbers were crucified, one one each side of Jesus, at the same
event. He was, at his death, “numbered among the transgressors,”
that we, at our death, might be numbered among the saints. The chief
priests and scribes, and the elders, upbraid Jesus with being the
‘King of Israel’. A great number of people would like Him as the
King of Israel, if he would come down from the cross. If they could
have His kingdom without the tribulation through which they must go
to enter into it, they would praise Him as king. But without the
cross, then there would be no Christ and no crown.
Those
that would reign with him, must be willing to suffer with him. Jesus
said for Christians to “take up their cross and follow after Him.”
Some take it up then lay it down then take it up again half heatedly
following the example Christ gave us. We are to take up our cross and
lay it down at heaven’s gate in exchange for a crown. We are to
take the yoke of Jesus upon us and so linked to Him we survive. Thus
our Lord Jesus willing to to satisfy the justice of God by submitting
to the punishment of the worst of men took up His cross, carried it
to Calvary and laid it down; then spread himself upon it. It is
important for us to know that every minute recorded about the
sufferings of Christ, we find some prediction in the Prophets or the
Psalms fulfilled. Take up your cross and know God, know peace. Amen
11-25-19 BLL
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