Path To The Cross

This little devotional gives you a good look into the start of what Jesus' path looked like to the cross.

It's an interesting read and needs to be meditated on and hopefully will bring about a need to dig deeper into the way's and word of God.

God Bless.

Path to The Cross

Leah DiPascal

Today's Reading: Mark 15:1-32  Mark 15:19-20 (NIV) "Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him.  And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him." 

It may seem a little odd to be reflecting on Jesus' betrayal, beatings and crucifixion in today's reading, since yesterday we celebrated Christmas. But everything surrounding Jesus' birth points directly to His purpose for coming to earth in the first place. Like weaving a red ribbon through a Christmas wreath, the Father's love and shed blood of Jesus weaves His birth and crucifixion together like a salvation ribbon for all of humanity.  What God declared in the garden, Jesus accomplished on the cross. (Genesis 3:15) What God promised from the beginning, Jesus fulfilled once and for all times.  Although the details of today's reading in Mark 15 are beyond harsh and hard to fully comprehend, we must remember that Jesus was not a feeble, helpless man who was forced to endure suffering. During those excruciating hours leading up to His last breath, all power and authority in heaven and earth was fully available to Him.  Jesus didn't endure all the suffering and anguish because He was obligated to us. Jesus endured it all because He chose to. No one took Jesus' life. He gave it up willingly. His perseverance and pain was enveloped with an outpouring of love and desire to do the Father's will.  Look at His own words …  "The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life-only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."  John 10:17-18

Jesus laid down His life as the Sacrificial Lamb so that you and I would be saved from sin, death and eternal judgement.  Jesus allowed Himself to be …  Harshly bound so we could be set free.  Falsely accused so we could be fully acquitted for our sins.  Convicted like a criminal so we could be set free from the chains of hell.  Flogged and beaten so we could receive wholeness.  Spit upon and stripped of His dignity so we could be accepted like royalty.  Jesus chose to …  Wear the crown of thorns so we could wear a crown of victory.  Carry the weight of the cross so we wouldn't have to carry the weight of shame and condemnation.  Remain silent in His sufferings so we could sing liberating songs of joy and praise.  Hang between two criminals so we could be held closely by the Father.  Wrap Himself in a cloak of dirty sins so we could be wrapped in a pure robe of righteousness.  Be forsaken by the Father so we would never be forsaken or forgotten.  Refuse the numbing cup of wine with myrrh so He could fully drink the cup of suffering assigned to Him on our behalf.  Jesus was resolved from the first moment to the last, to do the Father's will. To accomplish His redemption and salvation assignment. He never wavered. He never backed down. He never questioned His purpose.  And as our Savior determined to remain on the cross and be crucified, He looked out on the crowd and said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34). Even in those unimaginable moments — when pain and rejection swelled to its greatest intensity — Jesus extended His love. Pouring out His life as a drink offering. Revealing undeniable compassion to save the world. And that, friend, is the greatest love story this world will ever know.  Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for enduring the cross for me. Thank for bearing all my guilt and shame as You carried the total weight of my past, present and future sins. You chose to do what no one else possibly could. You chose to fulfill the greatest assignment, regardless of what it cost You, for my sake. I am forever grateful because of You, Lord Jesus. It is in Your holy and glorious name I pray, amen.  More Moments: There are over 300 messianic prophecies in the Old Testament that were fulfilled in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Below are a few of them recorded in Psalm 22 which Jesus fulfilled on the cross. Read More My Moment: Jesus endured six trials between the time He was arrested and later nailed to the cross. Today's reading includes the fourth trial before Pontius. Mark 15:15 says, "Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified." When was the last time your desire to "satisfy the crowd" led you to make a "Barabbas" decision, instead of choosing the way of Jesus?