April 6, 2012 Crucify--Forgive

Crucify—Forgive

Mark 15:12-14 “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them. 13 “Crucify him!” they shouted. 14 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

HOW AWFUL these words are. “Kill him! Nail his body to a tree! Let him hang until he dies! He deserves the worst death imaginable! Crucify him!”
Surely Jesus felt the anguish from David’s prophecy: Psalms 22:6 “But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads…13 roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against me.”
Oh, how these evil people screamed their hatred at the Savior, who is love. Oh, how deep the grief submerged his heart. Oh, how blind the eyes of evil that could not see the sin destroyer before them. What do you do, what do you say in response to the crowd who vilified your Savior? Could you say (Luke 23:34) “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
How do you respond to such a Savior? Here’s how: You can trust him completely to forgive your sins if you turn from your sin and turn to him. Do you think you have a sin so terrible that he will not forgive you? Then look at this scene. Hear the crowd cry, “Crucify him!” and hear Jesus say, “Forgive them, Father.” Hear his love against hatred. Hear his holiness against evil. Hear his peace against the rage.
Yes, you can trust such a Savior, who even forgives his killers. He loves you. Just ask him, and he’ll forgive you.

Pause and consider you can trust Jesus with your life.