Showing posts with label jesus' death. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jesus' death. Show all posts

Friday 10 April 2009

The day Jesus died

Dutch version / Nederlands > Jezus stervensdag

The High Council condemns Jesus

“When it became the day the elders if the people met with the high priests and the Scribes and had brought before the Sanhedrin, saying. "Are you the Christ? Tell us!" "If I tell you," he answered, "you will not believe; "And if I ask you, you will not answer. "But from henceforth the Son of man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God." Then they all said, "Are you then the Son of God." "What need we of further evidence? for we ourselves have heard it from his own lips."” (Lu 22:66-71 MONTNT)

 Jesus before Pilate

“Then the whole company rose up and brought him to Pilate, and began to accuse him. "We have found this fellow perverting our nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, and proclaiming that he is the Messiah and King." Then Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" And he answered him saying, "Certainly I am." And Pilate said to the chief priest and the crowd, "I find no harm in this man." But they repeatedly insisted, "He is stirring up the people throughout all Judea with his teaching which started from Galilee."” (Lu 23:1-5 MONTNT)

Jesus before Herod

“When Pilate heard the word "Galilee" he asked if the man were a Galilean, and when he learned that he belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction he sent him to Herod, who himself happened to be in Jerusalem during those days. Now when Herod saw Jesus he was exceedingly glad. He had long been wanting to see him, because he had heard so much about him, and was hoping to see some miracles performed by him. So he had been asking him many questions, but Jesus made no answers. Meanwhile the high priests and Scribes were standing around, and continually making accusations to him against him. Then Herod and his soldiers set him at naught, and mocked him, and throwing about him a gorgeous robe, sent him back to Pilate. Herod and Pilate became friends again from that very day; for before they had been at enmity between themselves.” (Lu 23:6-12 MONTNT)

 Pilate gives Jesus over to be suspended to a pile

“So Pilate called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, and said to them. "You brought before me this man as one who incited the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence, and I find no fault in this man regarding the charges that you brought against him. Neither does Herod; for he sent him back to us. You see that he has done nothing worthy of death. I will therefore, after flogging him, release him." "Now he had to release to them at the feast one prisoner." Then the whole crowd shouted out, "Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas." (This was a man who had been thrown in prison on account of a riot which had occurred in the city, and for murder.) Then Pilate spoke to them again, because he wished to release Jesus; but they continued to shout out and say, "Crucify! Crucify him!" For the third time he appealed to them. "But what crime has he committed? I have found in him nothing that deserves death. I will therefore flog him, and let him go." But they kept shouting the more insistently, demanding that he should be crucified, and their shouts won the day. So Pilate gave sentence what they wished should be done. He released the man who had been put in prison for riot and murder, the man whom they asked for; but Jesus he handed over to their will.” (Lu 23:13-25 MONTNT)

 Jesus is taken away to be hanged

“And there were led out with him to be executed, two criminals also. When they came to the place called "The Skull," there they crucified him and the criminals also, one upon his right hand, and one upon his left. Jesus kept saying, "Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, and the people stood looking on. Even the rulers repeatedly taunted him, saying, "He saved others, let him save himself, if this fellow is indeed the Christ of God, His Chosen One!" Even the soldiers made sport of him by coming up and offering him sour wine, saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself." For there was an inscription over his head, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. And one of the criminals who had been hung there kept reviling him, saying. "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us." But the other, answering, reproved him, saying. "Have you no fear of God even? When you are suffering the same punishment as he? "We indeed justly, for we are receiving due retribution for what we have done. But he has done no wrong." Then he added, "Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom." "In solemn truth I tell you," said Jesus, "that this day you shall be with me in Paradise."” (Lu 23:32-43 MONTNT)

 Jesus dies on a wooden pole as a criminal

“After crucifying him, they parted his garments among them by casting lots. Then they sat and watched him there. They also placed above his head his accusation written, This is Jesus The King of the Jews At that time two robbers, also, were crucified with him; one on his right hand, the other on his left. Those who passed by reviled him, wagging their heads saying. "You who were going to destroy the Temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!" In like manner the chief priests, too, with the Scribes and elders, kept taunting him. "He saved other," they said, "himself he cannot save. He, the King of Israel! Let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe on him! He put his trust in God. let Him deliver him now, if He cares for him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God!’" In the same way the robbers also who were being crucified with him, dept reviling him.” (Mt 27:35-44 MONTNT)
“It was now about the sixth hour, and a darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the curtain of the sanctuary was torn in two in the Temple. Then with a loud cry, Jesus said, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit!" And after uttering these words, he yielded up his spirit. When the army captain saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, "This man was really innocent!" And all the crowds who had assembled to see this spectacle, after witnessing what had been done, were returning beating upon their breast. But all his acquaintances and the women who had been his followers continued to stand at a distance, looking on.” (Lu 23:44-49 MONTNT)
“Now from noon darkness fell upon the whole land, until three o’clock in the afternoon. But at three o’clock Jesus cried out in loud voice, "Eli, Eli, Lama Sabachthani?" (That is to say, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?") When they heard this, some of the bystanders said "He is calling for Elijah!" At once, one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filling it with vinegar, put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. But the rest said. "Let be! Let us see whether Elijah is coming to save him!" And Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit. And lo, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two, from the top to the bottom; the earth quaked; the rocks split; the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised.” (Mt 27:45-52 MONTNT)

Saturday 10 January 2009

Certainty in a troubled world

Be Prepared




For the inhabitants of Pompeii on a certain day in AD79 it was simply just another day, or so it seemed. Little did they realise that the very next day a volcanic eruption would bring a sudden end to their existence. Similarly the thousands of people killed by the tsunami in December 2004 were taken by surprise.
The uncertainties of life
Our lives are full of uncertainties and we do well to remember that. The Apostle James, in his usual direct manner, writes in James 4:13-15 “Go to now ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there, and buy and sell and get gain: whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this or that': In a world of uncertainty it is important to look to the eternal and unchanging truth revealed in God's inspired and living word, the Bible.


The certainties of God's Word
The Gospel of Luke opens in chapter 1:4 with a reference to “ ... the certainties of those things wherein thou hast been instructed':
There is no question about the truth and importance of the gospel message. The death and resurrection of Jesus marks the central point of God's master plan for the world. This is still a work in progress as we await another crucial step, namely the return of Jesus. It is recorded in The Acts of the Apostles that as Jesus ascended into heaven a promise was made in the most plain and simple words as follows:
" ... Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven': (Acts 1:11). For all of us the return of Jesus cannot be more than our lifetime away and in fact is likely to be near at hand as the signs show.
The signs
The Bible tells us of signs indicating that the return of Christ is near. The Apostle Paul, writing to Timothy in


2 Timothy 3:1-3 states 'This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, (without self-control; NKJV.), fierce, despisers of those that are good': This looks like a perfect snapshot of society today when man places himself and his desires at the very centre of God's universe.
Jesus spoke of the similarities of the days of his second coming with the days of Noah when, as we are told in the book of Genesis that the earth was filled with violence. In Matthew 24:7 Jesus speaks of the time when "Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places': which ultimately will herald his return. Does that picture seem familiar? With the world economic situation full of uncertainty the words of the prophet Haggai seem relevant. "Ye have sown much but ye bring in little; ye eat and have not enough ... and be that earneth wages earneth wages to put in a bag with boles':
(Haggai 1:6).


What a good description of inflation! The plain words of Paul give certainty in a troubled world.
God will act
Paul told the Athenians that God
" ...hath appointed a day, in the which be will judge the world in righteousness by that man that he hath ordained,' whereof be hath given assurance to all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead': (Acts 17:31). Writing to the believers in Thessalonica Paul says "But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord cometh as a thief in the night': (1 Thess 5:1-2)
While none of us knows his/her immediate future God has revealed His ultimate purpose in the pages of scripture. God is not the author of confusion but He gives us a hope that cannot be shaken and a promise that is sure and certain. Let us believe God's message in this day of our opportunity and prepare ourselves for the return of Jesus by serving him now.
RICHARD BUCKLER