I ran out of cooking gas and I don’t want to buy a new tank because I am moving to a new apartment soon and cooking gas is not allowed there. So I decided to bake something using the ingredients I have here. I initially thought of egg muffins but then went with an egg loaf instead.
I used 6 eggs, 1 small cabbage, 3 tomatoes, 5 cloves of garlic, 3 onions, a pinch of salt, a pinch of ground black pepper, a pinch of cayenne pepper, 3 tbsp of flour, and cream cheese.
I am reading about the crucifixion and what stood to me is what is said in Matthew chapter 27 verse 50. It says there that Jesus “yielded up His spirit”.
Jesus died voluntarily. He chose to yield (or surrender) His spirit. It was His choice to die. Jesus is God and He could have chosen to stay alive but because He loves us, He chose to lay down His life for us.
“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it 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 command I have received from My Father.” John 10:17-18
The chief priests and elders influenced the people to crucify Jesus but it’s not them who took His life. Jesus is God and He is sovereign. No one took His life. He chose to die on the cross on our behalf to save us from our sins and eternal damnation. Jesus is sinless. He didn’t deserve that suffering.
“And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, ‘You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.” VV. 39-44
“The rest said, ‘Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.” V. 49
Jesus could have saved Himself from the cross but He did not. Instead, He chose to subject Himself to it to fulfill the prophecy. It wasn’t like Jesus had no choice. He is always in control, being the Son of God. He couldn’t die unless He chose to. He didn’t save Himself so He could save us.
“Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: ‘They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.” V. 35
We cannot save ourselves. It says in Romans 6:23 that “the wages of sin is death”. However, the only one that God the Father will accept as an offering to cleanse us from our sins is the one that is sinless and that is no one else but Jesus.
In the Old Testament, people offered sacrifices that were the best, that were without blemish. Us human beings can never be sinless and therefore cannot be offered as a sacrifice as atonement for our sins. We have the original sin which is imputed to us by our foreparents, Adam and Eve.
“Love kept Jesus on the cross, not nails! Jesus did greater than come down from the cross; He rose from the dead, yet they did not believe even then.” enduringword.com
Devo: Matthew 27:11-26
“And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing.” V. 12
Jesus kept silent despite all the accusations hurled at Him. He did not retaliate nor vindicated Himself. He didn’t have to because He knows who He is. He is the Son of God and people’s accusations of Him don’t change His character.
It’s hard to keep silent when you’re bombarded with lies just for people to hurt you. Oftentimes, people will attack you personally when they can’t justify their hatred towards you. They will look for things to accuse you even if they’re not true.
“But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should as for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.” V. 20
“Then the governor said, ‘Why, what evil has He done?’ But they cried out all the more, saying, ‘Let Him be crucified!'” V. 23
They could not give a reason for wanting to crucify Jesus instead of Barabbas who was considered as notorious. They were just yelling, “Let Him be crucified!”
It also shows how people are easily influenced. When people say something bad about someone, we do not give the gossiped person the chance to explain his/her side of the story. Instead of getting to know the person, we just believe what others say. People will even come together against you just because of gossip. It’s difficult when people are destroying your reputation and say nothing.
God said in His Word that vengeance is His. He knows what people are saying behind our back. He is omnipresent and therefore hears every bad thing said about us. We will be accountable to every bad word that comes out of our mouth.
Words can make or break a person. The saying “Sticks and stones may break my bone, but words will never hurt me.” is a lie. They’re not just words. Words hurt, deeply. Words are powerful.
“Then Pilate said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?” V. 13
Jesus received many hurtful things but He kept silent. He endured all the pain in order to save us. Pilate knew that Jesus was handed over to Him not because of bad things that Jesus did but because of the envy of the chief priests and elders.
“For he knew that they handed Him over because of envy.” V. 18
“There is a time to defend one’s cause or one’s self, but those times are rare. When we rise to our own defense, we would usually be better off to keep silent and to trust God to defend us.” enduringword.com
“He saw that Jesus was a man so at peace with His God that He didn’t need to answer a single accusation.” enduringword.com
I went to Laguna today to attend my best friend’s son’s birthday celebration and dedication. I’m glad I was able to share that special moment with her and her family.
Devo: Matthew 26:36-46
“Jesus found victory at the cross by succeeding in the struggle in Gethsemane. Peter – just like us – failed in later temptation because he failed to watch and pray. The spiritual battle is often won or lost before the crisis comes.” enduringword.com
Prayer is very powerful. Temptations are overcome when we pray. When we pray, we enter the presence of God. We talk to the sovereign God. Many sins will be avoided if we will soak ourselves in prayer. Peter could have avoided denying Jesus if he watched and prayed. His mistake, however, is used as an example to us all that when we neglect prayer, we fail.
“Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” V. 41
“Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.” Matthew 26:45-46
This is painful. Jesus knew what would happen to Him but He did not escape it. Instead, He faced it. He knew they would kill Him but He went to meet the people who arrested Him and His betrayer. However, if Jesus didn’t obey God the Father and didn’t love us, we wouldn’t be saved.
Thank You, Father God in heaven, for your tremendous love for us that You sacrificed Your Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross.
Devo: Matthew 26:17-25
This is one of the most painful stories in the Bible. Jesus had His last supper with the disciples. He wanted to spend time with them before He was crucified. I read from the commentary, enduringword.com, that when Jesus said that His betrayer is the one who dipped his hand with Him in the dish, it was “not to point out a specific disciple because they all dipped with Him.”
“Instead, Jesus identified the betrayer as a friend, someone who ate at the same table with Him.”
Jesus chose all of His disciples. He called them one by one personally. The twelve disciples lived with Jesus for three years. They spoke with Him. They ate with Him. They learned from Him. They were intimate with Him. However, this story exposed the heart of Judas. His heart that was full of greed led him to betray his friend. He sold Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. It was said that that price is for the basest slave in the past. For that cheap a price, he sold the one who loves him the most. Clearly, he cared more about money than Jesus.
Another thing that struck me is when each of the disciples asked Jesus if he was the betrayer. They did not accuse one another and instead looked within themselves and sincerely inquired. It says in verse 22 that they were exceedingly sorrowful. Judas shamelessly asked as well despite going to the chief priests beforehand and agreeing to betray His Lord.
Jesus answered him plainly, “You have said it. (v.25)”
“Jesus did not say this to condemn Judas, but to call him to repentance. It is fair to assume that He said it with love in His eyes, and Jesus showed Judas that He loved him, even knowing his treachery.” enduringword.com
Jesus loved Judas so much that even after betraying Him, He still gave Judas a chance to repent by telling him that HE KNEW.
Father God in heaven, help me to love like You. Help me to love people who betray me. Help me also not to ever betray You, my God, my Father, my Savior, my Redeemer. May I never betray the one who loves me the most. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.