You’re in My Place!
Opening Prayer
Lord, may I truly begin to grasp the magnitude of what You have done for me.
Read Mark 15:16–20
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
[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. [18] 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. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Where would you be without the grace and forgiveness of Christ? “Turn away now if you don’t want to know what happened” is a familiar suggestion beforerevealing the football results. But we also turn away here because we can’t watch the disturbingimages of Jesus suffering. The soldiers mock Jesus with the royal purple robe, the crown ofthorns, even the staff in his hands (see also Matt. 27:29).But if we watch Jesus, we see him stripped naked so that we can be clothed in righteousness; wesee him powerless so that we might have power and victory over sin; we see him entering intophysical death so that we might be saved from spiritual death; we see him about to be nailed tothe cross, but he is the King who reigns from the cross.Only a few weeks later Peter, who had just denied Jesus, was to stand up in the same city andpublicly proclaim the Good News of the Gospel (Acts 2:14). God has the power to transformevents! Many Christians around the world today know a similar physical suffering, pain andpersecution, but they also affirm that they are willing to suffer for Jesus because Jesus sufferedfor them.“Turn away now if you don’t want to know what happened” is a familiar suggestion before revealing the football results. But we also turn away here because we can’t watch the disturbing images of Jesus suffering. The soldiers mock Jesus with the royal purple robe, the crown of thorns, even the staff in his hands (see also Matt. 27:29). But if we watch Jesus, we see him stripped naked so that we can be clothed in righteousness; we see him powerless so that we might have power and victory over sin; we see him entering into physical death so that we might be saved from spiritual death; we see him about to be nailed to
the cross, but he is the King who reigns from the cross. Only a few weeks later Peter, who had just denied Jesus, was to stand up in the same city and publicly proclaim the Good News of the Gospel (Acts 2:14). God has the power to transform
events! Many Christians around the world today know a similar physical suffering, pain and persecution, but they also affirm that they are willing to suffer for Jesus because Jesus suffered for them.
Apply
Take some time to truly look at the reality of Jesus’ suffering. Thank him for what he experienced for you.
Closing prayer
Suffering Lord, forgive me when I turn away from mockery and abuse for my faith. Help me to stand firm in times of testing.
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