Image courtesy Ian Britton on Flickr Matthew 27:32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. The cross was a symbol of sin, and death: a terrible sign of cruelty and rejection. Our Lord Jesus carried the cross, but He was too weak to continue. His physical strength was gone as he underwent a sleepless night of interrogation, merciless beatings, without nourishment and help. As He walked down the Via Dolorosa (the Way of Suffering), He fell beneath the load of the cross. A man by the name of Simon, was compelled to (forced to) bear Christ’s…

Mark 15:30 Save thyself, and come down from the cross. And the Lord Jesus hung on the cross outside that crowded Jerusalem that day, many came to watch the death of One so pitiful, so misunderstood, so despised and rejected of the people. Even though He had, in His life, demonstrated the kindness, mercy and gentleness of the loving Heavenly Father, many called for His crucifixion. As He hung there, many cried out, “Save Thyself, and come down from the cross.” Could the Lord Jesus have done so? To the soldiers He said Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more…

Image courtesy Dave King on Flickr 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. The apostle Paul started his ministry strongly and ended faithfully when Nero ordered his execution for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Time and again, Paul faced persecution, opposition, disappointment, and severe tribulation in the service of the Lord Jesus. Yet, his attitude was “None of these things move me” (Acts 20:24), “for me…

Matthew 27:35 they crucified him Those who have seen, heard or known about the cross will have known that the cross is the cruelest method of execution ever been invented by man. Our Saviour was crucified by the Romans. The decision to crucify the Lord Jesus was made by Pilate, the cruel Roman governor who, five times in the gospel, declared that the Lord Jesus was innocent. The thief on the cross declared that the Lord Jesus did not deserve the crucifixion, and the Roman centurion admitted that the Lord Jesus was the Son of God. Why was the Lord Jesus crucified? Because it was the plan of God Yet…

1 John 4:8 God is love There are many attributes of God manifested to this undeserving world, but the one attribute that changes the life of everyone who comes to God is the love of God. There are three types of love in the Bible: eros – the intimate love between man and wife; phileo – the friendship love between two close companions, and agape: unconditional love; the love that gives and meets the needs of the one loved, without asking for anything in return. God is agape! Hear three wonderful thoughts about God in his love. God is love God does not just possess love, He is love! His…