The Most Important Event In History: The Crucifixion Of Jesus Series

Every human being on planet Earth longs for a truly great leader, someone who is upright, incorruptible, someone who speaks the truth boldly, who is authentic, who is kind but firm, deep down we all long for that perfect leader.

Sometimes we get glimpses of greatness like this in certain leaders, I think of leaders like Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, or spiritual leaders like Billy Graham, or John Wesley or Smith Wigglesworth.

But in the end all our heroes fall short. They are just human. They make mistakes and they aren’t always kind or just.

We all long for a president, a king, a pastor, a leader who can transcend this world and it’s brokenness and make things right. That’s why we’re drawn to heroes and superheroes and stories and cinema and concepts of justice and injustice.

It’s rare for someone who is truly great, to make it into the seat of authority. We have a gap of leadership in our world right now. The ones who would make great leaders don’t seek leadership. And the most corrupt and petty seem to seek after the seats of power and find them, so they can gain money and authority from the position. This has led to great corruption in our world.

There was one man born into the world who was perfect. There was one man who was the perfect leader. There was one man who was incorruptible. His name was Jesus. Every word he spoke, perfect, every action he took, just and right. His kindness to clear and obvious, his justice so sharp and true, yet his mercy so ever flowing and his grace like a cloud of love and acceptance. That’s Jesus, the one true King of the Earth, the one true leader of leaders, who would be qualified to have total authority over every president, prime minister, parliament, congress, business, power, authority, and regime in the world, and would not in any way misuse that power, favor some over others, or violate the liberties of the people. His every decision is right. His every command is just.

We all long for a leader. Is it so hard to draw the conclusion then, that Jesus Christ would be and will be one day the perfect king of the Earth?

Yet on the Earth, two thousand years ago, when Jesus lived, he did not find himself often in the places of power and authority. And when it was so, his hands were bound, and he was being questioned.

We see him in Mark chapter 15, as recorded in the Bible, in a palace. But he is not there to be a leader, but he is being held captive.

How can this be?

It says in Mark 15:16-17, “16 The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. 17 They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him."

A crown of thorns, instead of a crown of gold. This was the plot of Satan, the devil, the adversary, the kill the son of God. A crown of thorns or a crown of gold, which would you choose?

In this life, as Christians, we may be faced with the challenge of being offered power if we’ll just give up Jesus. Would you deny the crown of gold for a crown of thorns? We may one day face that challenge.

But what can we gain, if we gain this whole world, but lose our souls after we die? Can that crown of gold save me after I’ve denied Jesus? No, certainly not. I would die with nothing but coins, having lost my very soul to the fires of hell.

Jesus understands that this world is not the end. This world is temporary. Anything we gain in this world is temporary.

But, if we gain Christ in this world, God’s word, we’ve gained something infinite. Something that goes beyond this world.

All that Jesus does here, is set on the backdrop that Jesus understands that this world is not the end. This world is temporary. There is a spiritual world that is more real than this world. There is a judgment after this world. This world has an expiration date. This world will one day be destroyed completely and God will start over with something entirely new.

So Jesus endures the trial of mockery.

In verses 18-20 they are mocking him, it’s not sincere. But it is factually true. He is the king of the Jews. He is king of all.

It says this: “And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” 19 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. 20 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.”