The Way of the Cross – Jesus Takes Up His Cross (Thoene)

JOIN US TODAY AS WE FOLLOW JESUS TO THE HILL OF CALVARY WHERE HE WILL DIE AS THE FINAL SACRIFICE FOR OUR WRONG-DOING.

YOU WERE THERE:

We wait with the crowd beside the Roman executioners as Jesus is led out into the street to jeers and mocking.   Beneath a hail of spit,  blows, and  whips, Jesus hefts the Cross onto His shoulders...He is already bleeding from the lashes which tore away the flesh of His back.

As He shoulders the cross,  His kind and sorrowfilled eyes meet yours.    His look says to your heart..."I carry this for you..."

This cross has been thousands of years in the making.  Its weight grows greater each time I look for someone to blame for all that I lack within myself.   Each time I insist that a sin someone committed against me must be punished,  I add an ounce of weight to the burden my Savior carries for me. The cross He carries is the cross of BLAME...of VENGEANCE.

WHEN HAVE I SAID,  "Well he certainly deserved that!?"   When have I said,  "It's only fair.   Look what she did to deserve that...?"   Jesus, when have I,  through my inability to forgive,  laid more weight upon your innocent shoulders?

THINK ON THESE THINGS IN YOUR LIFE AS YOU WALK THE WAY OF THE CROSS WITH JESUS.

PRAY WITH US: 

Jesus, each step you take today is made harder by my hardess of heart.  You carry the weight of blame so that no one else ever will...not even me.  By the power of your Holy Spirit,  please give me the desire and the strength to forgive...to lighten your cross.  AMEN

Heavy was the gift of Pilate's soldiers.  Weight of the ages on His shoulder...Jesus carried this burden for me!

CHANGE THE WORLD FOR CHRIST:

Overcome the whip of unforgiveness which rips the back of your loving Savior!    Pray today for the blessings of repentance and revival and God's love in the lives of all those who have wounded you!  Remember Jesus carries the sins which others committed against you!   He carries the immorality, the cruelty, the lies, the deception, the anger and avarice of ALL who confess and ask Him for forgiveness and who REPENT and turn back to the Way of the Cross.  Would you, by your refusal to forgive,  withhold the blessings of heaven from anyone after your Savior walked the Way of the Cross for your sins? Heaven and Hell are real and the eternal destiny of every human will be either one place or the other.  Only The Way of the Cross leads to eternal life.  All other paths lead to eternal destruction.  For this reason Jesus said, "Father,  forgive them! For they don't know what they are doing!"

Shalom in the Name of Jesus!
Bodie Thoene