He came to pay a debt He did not owe,
because we owed a debtwe could not pay.
Jesus had endured the agony of the scourging. He was stripped of His clothing and His hands tied to a post above His head. The Roman Legionnaire then stepped forward with the flagrum in his hand. This was a short whip consisting of several heavy, leather thongs with two small balls of lead attached to the ends of each . The heavy whip was brought down with full force, again and again on the torn and bloody back of Jesus.
When the centurion determined that Jesus was near death, the beating stopped. The half-fainting Jesus was then untied and allowed to slump to the stone pavement, wet with His own blood. Thinking it a great joke they continued to mock and abuse Him until they tired of their sadistic sport.
Isaiah the prophet who lived many hundreds of years before Jesus walked the dusty streets of Jerusalem prophecised: “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed”. Isaiah 53:5
Jesus is led away to be crucified, making him carry his own cross.
The heavy beam of the cross was then tied across His shoulders, and the procession of the condemned Christ, two thieves and the execution detail, began its slow journey. The weight of the heavy wooden beam, together with the shock produced by copious blood loss, was too much. He stumbled and fell. The rough wood of the beam gouged into the lacerated skin and muscles of His shoulders. He tried to rise, but human muscles had been pushed beyond their endurance.
And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. Matt 27:32. Ironically Simon was made to bear the cross of Jesus when Jesus was actually bearing Simon’s cross by dying in his place.
They came to a place called Golgotha (in Aramaic) , meaning “The Skull”. ‘Calvary’ comes from the Latin.
Here, the beam is placed on the ground and Jesus is quickly thrown backward with His shoulders against the wood. The Legionnaire feels for the depression at the front of the wrist. He drives a heavy, square, wrought-iron nail through the wrist and deep in the wood. Quickly, he moves to the other side and repeats the action, being careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flexing and movement.
The beam is then lifted in place at the top of the posts and the title reading “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” is nailed in place. The left foot is pressed backward against the right foot, and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven through the arch of each.
Despite the agonising pain that seared through his body, Jesus looked down on His jeering tormentors and said,
“Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.”
His heart of Love even at this time thought of others and reached out with words of forgiveness.
The soldiers gambled for Jesus’ clothing. When they did this, they fulfilled a prophecy which said, “They divided my garments among them, and gambled for my clothing.”
Psalm 22:14-18:
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
Jesus was crucified between two robbers. One of them mocked Jesus, but the other said, “Don’t you fear God? We are guilty, but this man is innocent. Jesus, please remember me in your Kingdom.” Jesus said to him, “Today, you will be with me in Paradise. No pomp or ceremony, no long-winded prayers, just a repentant sinner receiving forgiveness from His compassionate father.
His last commands to His apostles was the Great Commission, to go out into the world and preach His Gospel that men might be saved and here, even here on the cross He reached out once again for one more soul.
If you take Calvary out of the Gospel, you have no Gospel to preach
Paul… Five Fold ministry ireland
because it is Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary that redeems us all from sin.
The crowd and the Jewish leaders mocked Jesus, saying, “He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him”. Matt 27:42 kjv.
“He saved others..” Ironic again that little did they realise they were actually testifying to the Glory of God that Jesus healed and saved others.
It was the middle of the day, but darkness came over the whole land. It stayed dark from noon until 3:00 in the afternoon.
that He gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life. JN 3:16
Many women were there including Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses and the mother of Zebedee’s children and others which followed Jesus from Galilee ministering unto Him.
When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. John 19:26-27
Here Christ again demonstrates His compassion, love and humanity, this time concerned for the welfare of His mother. In the Ten Commandments, such was the importance of honouring our parents, that in this command He promised a reward. “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you” (Exodus 20:12).
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Jesus cried out to His Father as for the first and only time the Godhead, the trinity are separated as Jesus bears the sins of the world…. for you and I. Jesus fulfilled the prophecy Psalm 69:21 by saying, “I thirst”.
Then He cried out, “It is finished! Father, I give my spirit into your hands.” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. In John 10:18 regarding His life Jesus said, “No one taketh it away from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment received I from my Father“.
When he died, there was an earthquake and the large curtain in the Temple that separated the presence of God from the people was torn in two, from the top to the bottom.
From the writings of Josephus, a famous first century Jewish historian, this veil was somewhere near 60 feet high. Josephus also tells us that the veil was four inches thick and that horses tied to each side could not pull the veil apart. The tearing of the veil dramatically symbolised that the shedding of His own blood, was sufficient atonement for sins. The way into the Holy of Holies was open for all people, for all time.
Through his death, Jesus opened a new and living way for people to come to God.
Jesus saith unto him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me”.
John 14:6
When the soldier guarding Jesus saw everything that happened, he said,
“Certainly, this man was innocent. He must have been the Son of God.”
Then Joseph and Nicodemus, two Jewish leaders who believed Jesus was the Messiah, asked Pilate for Jesus’ body. They wrapped his body in cloth and buried it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then they rolled a large stone over the opening.
Jesus has Paid in Full the price of our salvation, to be reconciled with God. He offers you this free gift now.
Although the offer doesn’t expire until you do, many who plan to seek God at the eleventh hour, die at 10.30.
The Repentance, Miracle prayer
At the end of the Calvary page, Jesus asks, “Who Do YOU Say I am?”
Five Fold Ministry Ireland 
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