First of all, Merry Christmas! I'm thankful that you've chosen to check out my blog today. It is a special day today because it's our Worship Wednesday, so I'm going to be covering some Christian topics. Mainly I want to explain how God and Jesus are symbols of giving. GOD GAVE HIS SON JESUS"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:16, KJV
JESUS GAVE AND GIVES BLESSINGS |
Jesus was killed for basically causing too much of a ruckus. The Pharisees didn't like that Jesus questioned some of the things they did. They didn't like that he healed people and made miracles. Jesus prayed in the garden before he was taken. He was so stressed out that he cried blood, which is a medical condition called Haemolacria. |
JESUS GAVE US THE GIFT OF SALVATION
"Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began..." - II Timothy 1:8-9
If you don't know what happens next in the story of Jesus, I'll tell you. Jesus died but three days later, he rose from the grave. He conquered Hell and the grave. Jesus' sacrifice gave us eternal life and forgiveness from our sins. One thing that has always sort have bothered me are those old hymns. |
The thought is that people are made up of two parts: the body and the soul. The one that you feed most will be the one that becomes stronger. So, if you live a worldly life of greed, you're feeding your body. If you live a life where you connect with God through prayer and worship, you're living a soulful life.
Any Christian will tell you that Jesus gave his life so that we could be forgiven of the wrong that we’ve done. However, Jesus gave much more than his life while he was on Earth. Let’s talk about it:
1: HIS TIME
Jesus gave his time to the people who needed it most. Those included the sick, the people living in sin, and others. He even gave time to those who abused God’s word or some of the laws of the time that were extremely critical and harmful to his people. Time is an important gift you can give to someone this season. |
2: HIS GIFTS
Because he is the son of God, Jesus was able to do many wonderful and amazing works through the power of his father. He never held this back from anyone who needed it or asked for it. He even re-attached the guard’s ear after one of his disciples cut it off in the garden when the Pharisees were coming to take Jesus. |
3: HIS WISDOM
Take some time to share some wisdom with someone this season. Teach them to do something they cannot do by themselves.
4: HIS HEART
Jesus put his heart into everything that he did. The scriptures tell us a story of Jesus’ passion and love for all people. He loved people who society didn’t love: adulterers, lepers, and tax collectors, among others. He never denied them anything and always did his best to help them in their situation. We should all aspire to put our hearts into all that we do, especially in the Christmas season. |
5: HIS EAR
Jesus is a listener. When on Earth, he always took time to hear from people and learn about them. He listened to their stories and helped them in their time of need. What most people lack in their relationships is, sadly, communication. It is one thing to hear someone say something, but it is another to listen and really comprehend what they’re saying. This is a blessing, and more people need it. |
Today, I want to reflect on a passage of scripture that I don't think I really took a lot of time to absorb and understand. It was sort of a footnote in the last message I heard at church (at the time of writing this), but I was amazed when I heard our pastor mention it.
GOD IS FAITHFUL TO US
"But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left." Exodus 14:29
In the above passage, God delivers the children of Israel from the Egyptians following several lifetimes of slavery. Moses parts the Red Sea with the power of God and the Israelites were able to escape. It is a common Biblical story, I'm sure you already know it! But there was something interesting in the passage that our pastor drew our attention to: the words "dry land." |
We all know how water works. Water that soaks an area of the ground will often turn muddy, making it harder to walk through. It can cause someone to slip or get stuck. But the Bible indicates that the children of Israel were able to walk across the area on "dry land." This passage really struck me because God helped the children of Israel escape captivity in a unique and somewhat unconventional way. |
And there are so many other examples in the Old and New Testament of God's faithfulness to provide for us, usually in a way we wouldn't think of. For a few examples:
- God gives Abraham a son in his old age while his wife is barren
- A woman is healed by touching the hem of Jesus' garment
- Jesus divides seven loaves of bread and a few small fish to feed 4,000 men and even more women and children
Personally, I can attest to having my prayers answered in a unique and unconventional way. I remember praying for finances for my family and getting a call a few days later from my grandmother asking if I had put some money in their account. I've had other things happen, such as my journalism job being replaced by a better opportunity at the job I currently work. Both of these were super unconventional in the way they came to me. |
THE MESSAGE
What I feel led to say is this: Everyone experiences times when they feel as though their prayers are going unanswered. With our human hearts and minds, we yearn for an immediate answer to what is bothering us. In actuality, we should wait upon God because he often puts things into our lives when it will make the best impact for us. And, just like he did for those Old and New Testament people of God, he will make the way clear for us. |
This unfortunately keeps a lot of people away from the faith. I've heard many people ask why they should believe in a God who lets people have cancer or allows tragedy to happen. In fact, atheism experienced a noticeable growth after Sept. 11, 2001. What people fail to remember is that not all things are from God. A lot of things come from the enemy. This goes into a whole other debate about God's all-powerful nature. If you have questions, pop them in the comments!
Personally, I try to remind myself that God has always answered my prayers in the way it best impacts me. I remember praying about all three of the men I dated, and all of those relationships, except the one that resulted in my marriage, ended.
All I ask to non-believers or those who aren't sure is to be open-minded and learn more about God and the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. You would be hard-pressed to find a Christian who hasn't experienced a prayer being answered in an unconventional way.
But one thing I almost always speak up about is Jesus. I want everyone to have as much information as they can so they can make an educated and informed decision about their faith. When I see something that seems wrong, I try to correct it or provide more information.
I absolutely adore the church we're going to. It seems like something is always said that hits home for me in one way or another. Some may say that that can be found in any church. But, if you're a churchgoer who has had a negative experience in a church, you know how different the atmosphere can be. A few Sundays ago, I got the metaphor I needed to relate my faith to others. |
DOCKING THE BOAT
Our lives are a lot like a journey across the sea. Our ultimate end will be to dock on solid ground. If you're crossing the ocean in an old ship, it could take you months to get to your final destination. But, at times, the captain may want to drop the anchor. The anchor is a constant reminder that you can ground yourself at any point. |
This series of sailing, anchoring, and taking up the tides again continues all of our life until we dock at our final destination: eternity.
WHEN THE ANCHOR DOESN'T HOLD
What people so desperately need to remember is that faith grounds us. But our faith can easily sink without something else. That something else can be different for everyone.
For me, that something else is the evidence I've found and have been taught. The clear evidence that Jesus lived, ministered, died, and rose again. Evidence that other people knew about Jesus. Evidence from eye witnesses and even hostile forces that wanted Jesus to disappear.
Here are some things others may tether to their faith:
- Blessings (home, food, AC, heat, a job)
- Family
- Supernatural experiences with God
- Your testimony
- Acts of kindness
All of these things are excellent ways to remind yourself that you can step out on faith knowing and reminding yourself that God did for you once and he will do for you again, but in HIS time. If you step out on faith without that tether of security and confidence and things don't happen how you want them to, your faith might sink and disappear from your life.
God's goodness is all around us. We can't just give up when the enemy throws his punches. Tether yourself to weather the storm.
As a Christian, this is why I like apologetics so much. It takes time to explore secondary knowledge found in the Bible that can aid in giving evidence for the existence of the Christian God. Today, I thought it would be fun to outline some of the scientific principles that are highlighted or hinted at in the Bible. Let's get started!
QUARANTINE AND PROTECTIVE MEASURES
"And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean. All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be." - Leviticus 13:45-46
According to the Encyclopedia of Medical History, "The idea of contagion was foreign to the classic medical tradition and found no place in the voluminous Hippocratic writings." In the olden days, people believed that making someone bleed or driving a giant nail into their head would relieve pain and cure ailments. However, this Bible verse, from a book said to be written in 500 B.C., not only talks about quarantining someone who is infected with a disease, but also tearing their clothing, shaving their head, and making them to alert others to stay away from them, because they are sick! |
THE WATER CYCLE
"Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out. For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof: Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly." - Job 36:26-28
The water cycle is detailed in the Book of Job! Job talks about how God "draws up the water" (evaporation), turns them into "small drops of water" (condensation), then he "pour down rain" (perception). Hebrews and Romans are credited with the idea of the water cycle, but it obviously wasn't scientifically discovered until much later (the 20th century, according to "Historical Development of the Global Water Cycle as a Science Framework"). |
SANITATION MEASURES
"Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad: And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee:" Dueteronomy 23:12-13
Cleanliness is next to Godliness, as the old saying goes. This might be a little gross, but the Bible actually talks about human waste and how to bury it away from a living site. Deuteronomy was believed to be written around the 7th century B.C. Being around human waste was found to not only be stinky, but also bad for your health. Throughout the following years, people would die from prolonged exposure to human waste, which can make you sick! |
THE STARS ARE INNUMERABLE
"As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me." - Jeremiah 33:22
7/3/2019
"TURN THE OTHER CHEEK" DOESN'T MEAN "BECOME THE PUNCHING BAG:" HOW TO RESPOND TO HATE
Read Now"But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on they right cheek, turn to him the other also." - Matthew 5:39
Just by logic, most would interpret this to say that you should let someone continue to abuse you either physically, spiritually, or emotionally. In fact, the lack of "retaliation" when someone wrongs you might be why some people don't want to learn more about Jesus. So, I wanted to clear some things up for today's #WorshipWednesday post!
LOOKING AT CONTEXT
During this verse, Jesus is teaching a number of moral lessons to a multitude of people. What is vastly important is to recognize the verse that comes just prior to the one I quoted at the beginning. Remember that it is important to read the verses around the verse you've picked out. People tend to cherry-pick the Bible, use verses out of context, and use those verses to control others and their opinions on certain views. |
"Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:" Matthew 5:38
It seems clear that the culture to which Jesus was teaching had strict laws on the treatment of others. If someone wronged you in some way, you were generally entitled to getting that thing back from them. You might even get to walk away with more. You've likely seen the scene in Aladdin where Princess Jasmine grabs and apple and gives it to a child. The shop keeper sees this and wants to cut off her hand because she used it to steal something from him. Same concept back then! Here is a verse from Deuteronomy (Old Testament): |
"Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you. And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you. And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot." Deuteronomy 19:19-21
WHAT JESUS MEANS IN THE TEXT
Strength is mentioned numerous times in the Bible. Most of the time, it is in reference to the strength of the Lord. The Bible emphasizes that we're all human. When someone hits at us, our natural reaction is to hit back. It takes the strength of something supernatural to help up to control ourselves with grace and dignity when under fire. |
I notice that, when I'm dealing with something and decide that I'm going to respond, I usually have to write out my natural feelings, backspace, and write something with a little more grace and dignity. It is by no means 100 percent graceful or kind. I'm sure I leave a few jabs in my response. However, I try my hardest and I'm learning more and more every day. |
TIPS FOR RESPONDING WITH THE LORD'S STRENGTH
- Pray about it. You can take a bit of time to think about it. I did this after I received a short, rather emotionless condolence from my father after my grandpa died. I decided to pray and think on it for a few days, and decided the best thing to do was walk away from the situation. I didn't respond as best as I should. I took time to point out my father's flaws and where he went wrong in supporting me and my brother. However, I didn't make a gigantic fool of myself.
- Try journaling your "human" thoughts about your situation, or find a trusted friend to vent to. I get a lot of advice from my mom, husband, and the four close friends who I sometimes vent to.
- Take some time. Don't respond right away. The quicker you respond, the less graceful and kind your response will be.
- Know when to respond and when to ignore. In life, there are some people who will get it when you respond to them. However, there are others who are oblivious to their own behavior and don't recognize that they are being rude or mean. Know when to avoid the abusers and when to stand up for yourself and others.
- Don't be a doormat. Jesus is often referred to as a door, but he never refers to his creation as a doormat. If you don't think the person will respond to your kindness, it is OK to simply walk away. It's OK to decide not to hang out with them anymore. It is OK to decide that they are toxic. Jesus thinks so much of us, even though our actions say otherwise. If he doesn't think that way of you, don't think that way of yourself.
5/29/2019
STORY TIME: I HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE AT CHURCH, BUT I'M STILL A CHRISTIAN & HERE'S WHY
Read NowBut there comes a point where something is said or done that causes a lot of Christians to decide they no longer want to go to church or have a relationship with God anymore. There are a few things that happen: their parents were too strict, they never really connected with the messages, or someone in church said something that put them off.
IF ALL CHRISTIANS ARE GOING TO BE THIS WAY, WHY SHOULD I BOTHER COMING? CHRISTIANS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE BETTER AND KINDER.
I would be lying if I said I never asked myself that question. Today, I want to talk about a bad experience I had at a church that Jonathan and I were attending when we were married. I'm not going to reveal anything about the church or any names of the pastors. My intent is not to blast this church, but to explain what happened and why I'm still a practicing Christian. |
SOME BACKGROUND
Jonathan and I were not married yet and we both had kind of fallen off of the wagon when it came to prayer and church. We decided to check out a church that was literally right behind out house. We went there are the messages felt familiar. I grew up in a conservative Baptist church, and this church was very similar. |
LISTING THE ISSUES
Things started getting pretty hectic at my job. My boss left the job, which added a hefty work load onto the rest of us. This was a big change for me. If you've been reading my stuff for a while, you know I have anxiety disorder. If you also have this disorder, or know someone who does, you know that mental issues can start messing with you physically. |
Shortly after we stopped coming regularly on Wednesdays, but still coming on Sundays, Jonathan received a text message from the assistant pastor. He told my husband to "be a man" and make me come to church. This was not OK. You are not allowed to judge someone's manhood because they aren't forcing their sick wife to hop up and go to church when they wouldn't be able to focus on the message and might actually cause distraction to other churchgoers.
Out of kindness, we did try to come in on more Wednesdays for a while, but this SAME PASTOR would comment on the fact that Jonathan was smelly from working outside in 90+ degree weather. He had long hours and wouldn't have time to shower or change before we had to go to church. This also rubbed us the wrong way. |
She never asked us when we were were available. She would just make a schedule and post it. If we had issues, we went to her afterwards. After telling her I would be gone for Christmas, she huffed and fussed at me in front of children and adults and told me, "I'm going to take you off the schedule entirely because you always need something changed." |
SO I WAS BARRED FROM SERVING IN THE NURSERY BECAUSE I ASKED HER IF I COULD SWITCH DAYS WITH SOMEONE BECAUSE OF HER NEGLECT WHEN MAKING THE SCHEDULE. THIS REALLY HURT BECAUSE I LOVE CHILDREN AND NEVER COMPLAINED ABOUT SERVING IN THIS CAPACITY.
WHAT FINALLY HAPPENED
I realized after all of this that I was just angry every time I came in to church. I felt like I had just been gossiped about. I found out that another awesome couple had left the church because this same assistant pastor was guilting the husband into doing a ton of work for the church for free and it was putting a strain on their marriage. |
But we decided to start looking for different churches. One of my coworkers told me about her church and we decided to give it a visit. From the moment I walked in, I knew it was going to be different. However, since our first visit, I never leave without feeling 1,000 times lighter. I leave with love in my heart and a good message to get me through to the next service. I wasn't getting that at our old church. It felt repetitive and mundane. It felt judgey and harsh.
YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT, AT THIS OLD CHURCH, THE PASTORS WOULD TALK ABOUT SPECIFIC PEOPLE BEHIND THE PULPIT. THEY WOULD TRY TO DISGUISE WHO THEY WERE PREACHING ABOUT, BUT THE CHURCH WAS SO SMALL THAT EVERYONE KNEW.
WHY I'M STILL A CHRISTIAN
After all, our call is to be like Jesus. It isn't like Jesus to name call or to treat someone with disrespect because they don't fulfill your requirements for the perfect person.
I'M STILL A CHRISTIAN BECAUSE IT ISN'T GOD'S FAULT THAT SOME HUMANS ARE AWFUL. I HAVE SEEN AND CONTINUE TO SEE PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TO BE CHRISTIANS GOING THROUGH STRUGGLES OF THEIR OWN. CALL IT KARMA OR CALL IT GOD, BUT I THINK THAT IS TEACHING THEM A LESSON.
It is easier said than done to ignore chaos around you to worship. When the stuff happening around you starts to impact your relationship with God and your ability to absorb a message, it is probably time to find somewhere new to learn and grow. And that's OK.
My hope for you is that you'll never let a bad experience at a church keep you from a relationship with God. Every church will have some sort of flaw in your eyes. The church I go to now if larger and not everyone knows me, which is very different for me. However, I am willing to sacrifice that for a message that touches my soul and leaves a smile on my face. |
So, for today’s #WorshipWednesday, I thought it might be interesting to share some famous songs that you’ve probably karaoked or jammed out to in the car that are said to be based on Bible verses or have some sort of imagery related to the Christian faith.
Let’s get started:
1: CARRY ON MY WAYWARD SON | KANSAS
"And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want." - Luke 15:12-14
Lyrics from the song say “I was soaring ever higher, but I flew too high,” implying that the son was living the high life, but quickly found himself being “tossed about…like a ship on the ocean.”
2: JOSEPH, BETTER YOU THAN ME | THE KILLERS
"Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost." - Matthew 1:19-20
Some give-away lines include “are you bad at dealing with the fame, Joseph” and “you’re a maker, a creator, not just somebody’s dad.”
3: THE SOUND OF SILENCE | DISTURBED
"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." - John 8:12
“People talking without speaking, people hearing without listening,” is a reference to what a lot of people think heaven will be like. Many believe that communication with God will be more of a mental thing than a spoken thing. But, as the writer of the song implies, it doesn’t make sense to them made clear by the line “Fools said I you do not know, silence like a cancer grows.”
The writer then finds that the words were like silent raindrops.
4: WHERE IS THE LOVE? | THE BLACK EYED PEAS
"Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also." - Matthew 5:38-39
The song then says “Can you practice what you preach? Won’t you turn the other cheek?” The song then goes on to specifically as “father” for help and send guidance from above.
In Matthew 5, Jesus tells others that they should turn the other cheek and refrain from retaliation when we are wronged.
5: HOW FAR IS HEAVEN | LOS LONELY BOYS
"For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:" - II Corinthians 5:1-2
The song has lyrics like “cause I know there’s a better place than this place I’m living,” and “I’ve been lost in my own place, and I’m getting weary.” This translates well with Corinthians 5:1 which says “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”
One of the pastors jumped up on stage after the last worship song had ended to tell the congregation that the head pastor was out, and that we would be watching a video of a service that was previously recorded. I was pretty excited, because I never leave church without a good word.
But this was the word that I needed to hear.
I usually try to alternate between Wellness and Worship Wednesdays, but I think that today will be a sort of hybrid. Today’s post will be about applying the lesson that I learned to a life with anxiety. Specifically, I think today’s post will help you combat imposter syndrome. I saw a post from a fellow local blogger. She said that she had woken up with imposter syndrome, meaning that she didn’t feel good enough. |
I often find myself waking up and wondering what in the world I think someone as small and insignificant as me is going to accomplish. Sometimes, this burden gets even heavier when you don’t get many views, likes, or shares on your post. You feel like you’re not reaching the right people.
I think I finally am beginning to understand the message God had for me when we watched the sermon on Sunday. The sermon was out of Mark 5.
“And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains…” – Mark 5:1-3
I don’t want to spend too much time on this, as I don’t want to regurgitate the message and pass it off as my own. What you need to know is that Jesus left the many to tend for the one who needed him most.
This really hit me, because Christians often fail to truly and deeply understand how personal our relationship is with Christ. Because his sacrifice was universal, we don’t understand how it applies to the personal. Have you ever noticed how exclusive things make you feel special? I can’t tell you how many emails I get that say “you’ve been specially selected to receive this exclusive discount.” |
He came to this man after leaving the thousands of people, some of which I’m sure could have used something from him. He met the man right where he was. This man was said to be filled with demons, and his name was Legion. Our pastor explained that, while demons do exist, demons were also said to be things like different ailments or problems.
It sounds to me like this man was most notably depressed. He cut himself and cried. He was alone. He felt abandoned by everyone and everything. The people he likely grew up around threw him out and made him live among the dead. He felt worthless. Like nothing he did would ever matter. Then along came Jesus. In the Biblical narrative, Jesus tells the demons to come out from the man. They go into a herd of pigs and the man is free from them. His whole life changes. |
My anxiety has not gone away, but I can attest to the fact that it is a whole lot better when I stay close to Jesus. Most of all, this story taught me that, if Jesus thinks that I or this man who was so bound down by society and his own problems are both good enough, why shouldn’t I?
Jesus left thousands of people to help one man. If that doesn’t have you smiling bigger each and every day, I don’t know what will. This week, remember that you are loved. Stop telling yourself you won’t amount to anything, or your efforts are in vain. Do what you love, and never apologize for it.
For today’s Worship Wednesday post, I wanted to talk about some of the science behind some of the conditions that Jesus suffered from on his way to the cross. And, if you’re a non-believer who thinks I will be saying “he didn’t really die and rise from the dead,” then don’t bother reading. I fully believe this happened.
So, let’s get in to this:
JESUS SWEATS BLOOD
In Luke 22, we find Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. During this chapter, Jesus has the Passover meal and heads to the Garden along with some disciples to go pray. “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” – Luke 22:44 |
While this could just be a sort of imagery in Luke to mean that Jesus was praying with great effort, it seems his situation would warrant the medical side of this very real condition.
JESUS SCOURGED
After he is betrayed by Judas, Jesus is taken to Pilate by the Pharisees. According to the American School of Oriental Research, there were many devices used by the Romans to scourge those who were to be punished. One of these include braided whips with bits of metal at the end. Although there isn’t a ton of information about it, we know that it was bad by the repeated language in the gospels. In Mark 14, we are told that Jesus was struck in the face again and again. We also know that he was stripped of his clothes before he was scourged. |
CROWN OF THORNS
Mocking was a big part of Jesus’ crucifixion and is mentioned a numerous amount of times. In Mark 15:17, it says “And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head…” Imagine having a bunch of thorns sticking into your head at all sides. The thorns are commonly believed to be from the Euphorbia milii. |
I never really connected it before, but I wonder if they chose thorns because of his parable of the seeds where he says that seeds are often chocked by thorns. Interesting!
But, at this point, we know that Jesus is severely stressed, he has taken a beating with a very dangerous weapon, and he has had a crown of thorns placed on to his head.
CARRYING THE CROSS
According to medical Dr. Bill Gaultiere, the weight of the cross was insane. The French architect Charles Rohault de Fleury did some research on the fragments of a cross in 1870 and determined that Jesus’ cross weight about 165 pounds. It was three to four meters high (9 to 13 feet tall) and a cross beam that was two meters wide (6.5 feet wide). |
“And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.” – Matthew 27:32
JESUS' TIME ON THE CROSS
It is a popular belief that Jesus was nailed to the cross during his crucifixion. These nails were large and made of metal. It is said he had a nail in each hand as well as one through both of his feet. Because his feet and hands were nailed, and his back was torn up from the scourging, he would have to suffer a great amount of pain |
Usually, to make sure that they couldn't escape, the guards would break their knees. This didn't happen with Jesus.
"Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water." - John 19:32-34
This makes the person want to breathe to get more oxygen in the body. However, if the person can't breathe well, it causes damage to tissues which cause capillaries to leak!
- Admit to God that you are a sinner
(Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23). - Repent, turning away from your sin
(Acts 3:19; 1 John 1:9). - Believe that Jesus is God's Son and accept God's gift of forgiveness from sin
(Romans 5:8; Acts 4:12; John 3:16; John 14:6; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 1:11-13). - Confess your faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord
(Romans 10:9-10,13).
HOW TO GET TO HEAVEN
God is a perfect being who designed each and every one of us. He is sinless, good, and perfect. However, after Eve ate that apple, sin was released into the world and, as a result, everyone was born into sin and everyone does wrong. Only those without sin can enter into Heaven. But don't worry, Jesus came down to Earth and paid your sin debt do you could go to Heaven. Jesus is our salvation and offers us a way to Heaven. A way to live with Him forever. Here is what you have to do:
A—ADMIT
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