So they took Jesus and He went out carrying the cross Himself, to a place called Skull Hill (in Hebrew, Golgotha). And there they crucified Him, and two others, one on either side of Him with Jesus in the middle…When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided His clothes between them, taking a quarter-share each. There remained His tunic, which was seamless – woven in one piece from the top to the bottom. So they said to each other, “Don’t let us tear it. Let us draw lots and see who gets it.” This happened to fulfill the scripture which says – They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.”
So begins the account in the Gospel of John of the crucifixion of Jesus. It had only been a day since He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Father, let this cup pass from me. But not My will – Yours be done.” Now, abandoned by many who had been His closest companions, He hung on a Roman cross between two thieves. Added to the horror of the Roman punishment, He bore the real burden of Calvary – to be the propitiation for mankind (John 2:2), the Lamb of God Who became sin so that we might know righteousness. (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Jesus spoke seven times from the cross. Over the next weeks leading to Resurrection Sunday, seven women will discuss these words and the message we might receive for our Christian walk.
Join us beginning next Sunday as we consider “Words from Golgotha”, the crucifixion of Christ.
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