A young woman called her mother after watching The Passion of the Christ, “I forgot,” a sob escaped her lips, “I forgot what He went through for us.”

For many of us, the crucifixion of Christ has been neatly filed away as a fact of the faith, shielding us from uncomfortable emotions associated with the agony that preceded the first Easter. Richard Wurmbrand, who spent 14 years imprisoned for preaching his faith in Eastern Europe, said that when he preached on the Cross to those who had suffered behind the Iron Curtain there was not a dry eye. When he came to the West and preached the Cross, there was not a wet eye.

As we prepare for Good Friday and Easter, let’s remember what Jesus suffered for us.

Jesus suffered as He prepared to take our sin on the cross.

Then He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; … ” (Matt. 26:38, NASB).

And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground, (Luke 22:44, NASB).

During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission,”(Hebrews 5:7, NIV).

Jesus was betrayed by one of His 12 disciples.

But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” (Luke 22:48, NASB).

Jesus was disowned by one of His closest friends.

The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times,” (Luke 22:61, NIV).

Jesus was mocked and beaten by soldiers.

The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. They blindfolded him and demanded, “Prophesy! Who hit you?” And they said many other insulting things to him, (Luke 22:63-65, NIV).

Jesus suffered injustice from the religious leaders.

Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death, (Matt. 26:59, NASB).

Jesus suffered injustice and brutality from the government and the people.

And all the people said, “His blood shall be on us and on our children!”  Then he released Barabbas for them; but after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified, (Matt. 27:25-26, NASB).

And he said to them the third time, “Why, what evil has this man done? I have found in Him no guilt demanding death; therefore I will punish Him and release Him.”  But they were insistent, with loud voices asking that He be crucified. And their voices began to prevail. 24 And Pilate pronounced sentence that their demand be granted, (Luke 23:22-24, NASB).

Jesus suffered humiliation by being crucified as a criminal, being separated from His Father and taking our punishment.

About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”), (Matthew 27:46, NIV).

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God, (2 Cor. 5:21, NIV).

Hallelujah, what a savior!

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed,” (1 Peter 2:24, NIV)

¹⁰ And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all… ¹⁴ For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

¹⁵ The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this… ¹⁷ Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more,” (Hebrews 10:10-17, NIV)

Because Jesus was perfect through His sufferings, God won’t remember our sins, but we benefit when we remember the cross and the One who took away our sins. May we never forget what Jesus did for us.

Celebrating Easter,

Prayer Update: Thanks for your prayers. Larry’s eye pressure was back to normal today.

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