Daily Reading 31

"The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!'" -John 1:29

Most "criminals" that were killed by hanging on a cross did pretty nasty things like murder. The "guilty" person had to carry a heavy cross beam through the streets, wearing a sign that stated the crime committed. Then when he arrived at the place of death, he was stripped and taunted.
This punishment was so awful that Cicero once wrote, "Let the very name of the cross be far away, not only from the body of Roman citizen, but even from his thoughts, his eyes, his ears."
Jesus experienced the feeling of shame for ALL of the sins that had or ever would be committed. He was not a liar, but felt the shame of one. He was not a cheater, but knew that people looking at him thought he was. He felt ALL of that shame. Jesus was not guilty. He hadn't done any of the things of which he was accused. he didn't deserve this punishment. We were the ones that did wrong. We deserved to be judged for our actions, not him. "BUT HE CHANGED PLACES WITH US." - Galatians 3:13.

Sometimes I can't stand to feel shame for the things I do. It is even worse for others to be aware of it. When I read these stories about Jesus' actions, I am always trying to imagine what it would be like to feel what he felt. In this case, I really don't want to feel all of that. Imagining what it was like to have so many people and God the Father looking at all of that shame heaped onto ONE person. He did that foe ALL of us! Man. I really need to try to do less shameful things.

Daily Reading 30

"Jesus . . . endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." -Hebrews 12:2

Here is a list of some of the things that Jesus endured at the cross:

• arms stretched across wooden beams
• soldiers' knees in his forearms
• metal spikes driven into his wrists and ankles

I think if any of us had been there, we would have wondered why he didn't try to stop them. When he turned his head and saw the nails, Mr. Max Lucado, the author of this daily reading suggests that he wasn't thinking about the pain. He was thinking of a long list. A list that includes all of my mistakes, your mistakes, and the mistakes of every person ever created. It included our selfish ways, our greed, lust, and anger. All of the things that we've done that we're not proud of were on it.

When he saw that list, he knew that somehow, there had to be a consequence. The sin that had been acted out resulted in death. And he knew that we were the source of that sin. He knew that each and every one of us would end up in eternity without God... So, instead of letting that happen, he took the penalty for us. He took the nails without fighting against them so that he could spend eternity with us.

What amazing grace!

Daily Reading 28

"The soldiers and the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium. . . And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. When they had twisted a crown or thorns, they put it on His head." -Matthew 27: 27-29

The thorns that were put on Jesus's head were a symbol of the effects of sin. They weren't identifying Jesus as a sinner, they were actually pointing to the fact that our sins are piercing Jesus. When a sin grows, it is sharp, pointy, and hurtful. What are some of the sins that were laid on Jesus with that crown? Shame. Disgrace. Discouragement. Anxiety. Worry. Guilt.
Before the thorns were laid on him, Jesus had never felt any of these emotions. He was without sin. When al of humanity's sin was laid on him, he felt them all. That is why he cried out to God for help, "My God, my God, why have you rejected me?" - Matthew 27:46 He actually felt and experienced all of those hurts, the agony, the pain. I think it is pretty amazing that he took all of that on himself.
You need to know that he did that FOR YOU. For each of us, but definitely FOR YOU.