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

Instead of affirming what’s wrong in us, celebrating what’s wrong in us, hiding what’s wrong in us, explaining away what’s wrong in us, if we can admit, that there is something fundamentally broken within me, and in need of restoration, we can begin to make our way, through the all night despairs of Jesus, through the false trial, through the beatings and mockery, along the road of carrying his cross, to the hill of Golgotha, and through the crucifixion, and see ourselves in it.

I’ve done wrong. I’ve sinned. I’ve done ugly things. I’ve hated. I’ve refused to forgive. I’ve wanted to get back at them. I’ve been selfish. I’ve been rude. I’ve abused others verbally. I’ve misused my own body. I’ve added to the evil in the world.

And I deserve God’s justice. But because Jesus Christ received God’s justice for me, I can be free. I can be forgiven. I can have all my sins forgiven. Because Jesus Christ became sin for me.

Here in verses 28-32 I think we see the last temptations of Satan against Jesus. It says this 29-32: "Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 come down from the cross and save yourself!” 31 In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! 32 Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.”

I believe Satan was speaking through these people mocking Jesus. I believe Satan was giving his last temptation, “Come down from the cross.” Instead of dying, Jesus was being tempted to stop it from happening right there. But Jesus didn’t listen to those lies. It was not his place to come down from the cross. But it was his place and his mission to die on the cross. And he would not waiver from that mission.

Understand that you will face demons and their lies in your life. They will whisper lies to you. And you have to know in those moments the truth of God’s word to counter those lies. Also recognize when the enemy lies to you he try to get you to think it was your own thought. But it wasn’t. he planted that thought. And you can reject that thought as false. Happens to me all the time.

The enemy plants a lie and I laugh to myself, and say, haha, nope, that’s a lie. It’s not from me either. It’s from the enemy. And I disregard it as a lie.

The lies are usually like this: Well that proves God is unjust. God is mean he doesn’t really love you. God can’t be trusted. God did something wrong there. Look at all you’ve been through why would God let that happen? All sorts of lies and questions and accusations meant to draw me away from God. Don’t buy it. Don’t believe it. Trust God. Deny the lies of the enemy.

Three hours later we see the following events take place: "At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34 And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).