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FOOTSTEPS TO THE CROSS (AN EASTER STORY)
Freelance writer Lupie Riley
These are the steps our Savior took leading up to the cross. Jesus sacrifice sealed the New Covenant that brought mankind forgiveness, immortality and restoration with God the Father of all creation.
1. We find Jesus in the upper room having the last supper with his disciples. He fills a basin of water and with towel in hand he begins to wash the feet of his followers setting the example of humility. Jesus tells them "a servant is not greater than his master nor the messenger more important then the one who sends him." Communion follows. Judas is identifyed as the betrayer. Satan enters him and he excuses himself from the assembly. Jesus tells the disciples that Satan has no power over him but he will freely fullfill what the Father requires of him.
2. Jesus and his disciples move on to the garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prays in such anguish and despair he sweats great drops of blood. The disciples sleep.
3. Judas appears with a squad of soldiers and police the chief priests assigned to him to arrest Jesus. Peter, in a rage cuts off the ear of Malchus, the High Priests servant. Jesus miraculously restores his ear. The disciples flee leaving Jesus alone with Peter following at a safe distance. Peter denies even knowing Jesus three times much to his regret.
4. It was chilly that early morning when Jesus was bound and taken to Annas, brother-in-law to Caiaphas, the High Priest. A soldier strikes Jesus with his fist and Annas sends him on to Caiaphas. After the trial before Caiaphas Jesus is sent to the palace of the Roman Governor, Pilot where his accusers demand his crucifiction. Pilot sends him on to Herod who was under Galilee's jurisdiction and happened to be in Jerusalem at that time. Herod's soldiers began to mock and ridicule him. Herod sends Jesus back to Pilot.
5. After much protest from the crowd Pilot hands Jesus over to them releasing Barabbas. Pilot lays open the back of Jesus with a leaded whip leaving his body cut and bleeding after 120 Roman lashes. The soldiers take off his clothing and place a purple robe on him, placing a crown of long thorns upon his head. They continue to mock, punch, spit upon him and hit him on the head with the stick they had given him as a sceptor.
6. It was 9:00 in the morning when they nailed Jesus to the cross. The place was Golgatha or "skull hill". He hung there in exruciating pain, agony, bleeding profusely until 3:00 that afternoon. The chief priests and Jewish leaders mocked him as he hung on the cross. Jesus was given given sour wine on a sponge and it was at this time he gave up his spirit and died. Pilot ordered a sign to be posted above Jesus head that read 'King of the Jews". At the time of his death darkness had moved in and there were earthquakes and rocks broke. The curtain secluding the people from the Holiest place in the temple split apart from top to bottom opening the way to have a personal relationship with the great I AM. A soldier pierced his side and blood and water flowed from the wound. Prophecy was fullfilled at that moment that said "not one of his bones shall be broken and they shall look upon him whom they pierced." Joseph of Arimathea wrapped the body in a long sheet of linen (the Shroud) and laid him in a newly hewn tomb. Pilot had the Jewish leaders use their own police force to guard the tomb because they were afraid Jesus followers would steal his body. After the resurrection they bribed the soldiers to say that his body had been stolen and even to this day this deception is still believed among certain Jews.
7. Early Sunday morning the two Mary's discovered the large, round stone at the entry way of the tomb had been moved and Jesus body was no where to be found. Two Angels announced to the woman that Jesus had indeed arose from the grave. The forty days that followed Jesus appeared to his disciples walking through walls and preparing a meal for them in his new body. The same kind of body we will have as believers in the rapture. After 40 days ended many witnesses saw him rise up into the air and disappear among the clouds.
Note: What would our faith be today if Jesus never arose from the dead? Would we be worshiping a make shift God to fill that void in our hearts? Our God/man Jesus is alive today giving us as a free gift of hope, forgiveness, immortality (new bodies),and eternal life with him and our loved ones that have passed on. He took upon himself all the sins of the world and paid the price that was ours to pay. This Easter make it special for yourself and invite Jesus into your life if you have not done so. He will come in as the Spirit Comforter to be with you forever giving you strength, wisdom, peace and hope for a glorious future.
Verse: John 19:30 "When Jesus had tasted it, he said, "IT IS FINISHED" and bowed his head and dismissed his spirit." Luke 24:45,46,47 "Then he opened their minds to understand at last these many Scriptures! And he said, "Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah must suffer and die and rise again from the dead on the third day; and that this message of salvation should be taken from Jerusalem to all the nations: " There is forgiveness of sins for all who turn to me."
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