~
● 1Cor 11:23-24 . . I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you,
that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and
when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said: This is my body which is
for you. Do this in remembrance of me.
The broken bread reminds the congregation-- and any visitors present --that
Christ's body was very nearly destroyed during his crucifixion.
The Romans whipped Jesus to within an inch of his life, slapped him around,
crowned him with thorns, and drove nails into his hands and his feet. But
that was child's play compared to what God did. By the time those hours of
darkness lifted; the Lord's own mother would have trouble recognizing him.
● Isa 52:14 . . Many were appalled at him-- his appearance was so
disfigured beyond that of any man, and his form marred beyond human
likeness.
The Romans aren't to blame for doing that to Christ; no, they had their fun
and nailed him up there, but it was God who put on the finishing touches,
viz: his own Father is responsible for the extreme severity of Jesus' injuries.
"It was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer" (Isa 53:10)
The below is an impassioned plea heard from the cross.
● Matt 27:46 . . My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Here it is again; this time with some parts that were omitted.
● Ps 22:1 . . My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so
far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
The Hebrew word translated "roaring" basically means a rumbling or moan.
In other words: people standing around the cross that day during those
three hours of inky dark couldn't see anything, but they could sure hear:
and what they heard were the dreadful sounds of a man in extreme
discomfort as God laid into him for the sins of the whole world.
But let's not make the mistake of feeling sorry for Jesus as if he were the
victim of some awful misfortune . . no, he doesn't want our sympathy,
rather, he wants our approval because it was for that very scene that the
Word of John 1:1-3 entered mankind as the flesh of John 1:14.
● John 12:27 . . Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? "Father,
save me from this hour" No; it was for this very reason I came to this hour.
It was God's will to crush him; and for a very good purpose. Relative to that
purpose I can honestly say: better Jesus on that cross than us in the lake of
brimstone depicted at Rev 20:11-15 where the lost will have to undergo
death akin to a foundry worker falling into a kettle of molten iron. I'd
imagine people will be in a white knuckle panic; shrieking, weeping, and
bellowing like wounded dogs as their eyes dart about looking for someone,
anyone, to help them. But the only person who can help them in any
meaningful way at all will be presiding. (John 5:22-23 & Acts 17:31)
The worst of it is: nobody is coming back from the second death because
according to Dan 12:2 and John 5:28-29 there's only one resurrection
allotted per person and the lost will be accommodated with it when they're
called up to face justice at the great white throne event.
* It's discouraging enough that the beautiful people have to lose their looks
the first time around-- to lose their looks a second, and final time, will be
devastating.
_
