Mark 15:25-26 "It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read: The King of the Jews."
We parred down our Christmas decorations this year a little bit. I was thinking that with some of our grandchildren going overseas and the fact that we’ll probably be spending Christmas in our son and daughter-in-law’s home that it would be nice not to drag everything out. …because what ever you put up you have to put away right?
But there is another reason that we decided not to deck the halls. We decided to take time to focus more on Jesus than all the flash and the sparkle that can be distracting. For years while our children were growing up we always hung a huge Nail near the inside of the Christmas tree reminding us that at Christmas we are celebrating the greatest gift of all time. God sent His one and only Son to earth fully knowing that He would one day die, taking on the sins of All the world.
I found the biggest nail I could find because I wanted to make an impression on the children. We don’t see gigantic nails every day do we? What are nails used for?
They are used to fasten things together aren’t they? The nails help make items secure so they don’t fall apart. There are different nails for different tasks and different nails for different materials used.
In Jesus day, the Romans crucified people with a type of nail that has an extra ridge. Three nails were used. Five inch nails were driven between the man's wrist bones and a seven inch nail through his heels. Attached is a picture of the type of nail used at that time for Crucifixion. It was found in Jerusalem in the First Century and has been placed in a museum there. This nail was driven in the ankle bone and still has the nail through it because it was bent and they were unable to remove it.
For the greatest effect, the victim was placed naked upon a fixed beam at a place right outside the city gates — the place of highest foot traffic in the city. The victim’s body would be stretched and distorted to fit the cross and then would be affixed to it by nails through the heels and between the ulna and the radius bones in the arms. The victim was left at eye level for those passing by to see the anguish in the condemned man or woman’s eyes. Life slowly left the body through any mix of asphyxiation, cardiac rupture, acidosis heart failure, or hypovolemic shock.
When Jesus was brought to Pilate by the chief priests, they had one goal in mind — to be rid of the man who played the most substantial threat to their ability to make money. They knew how to accomplish their goal while making it look as if they were completely innocent of His death in the eyes of the people (Acts 5:28). The chief priests knew that if they brought Rome a man whom they could accuse of sedition against Rome, the Roman’s would put him to death in a painful and public way.
We are told in God’s Word that Jesus was literally tortured, made to carry his cross and then made to lay upon that cross. The soldiers nailed Jesus to the cross but in all actuality, we nailed Him to the Cross. You and I, because of our sins, secured his body to the cross so that we didn’t have to deal with the guilt of our sin any longer! We thrust the nails in His body and crushed His heart. The guiltless Son of God silently submitted to our wishes.
Darkness came over the all the earth for 3 hours that day and a quiet hush fell upon land! His absence from humanity would be felt for 3 long days that I imagine drug on and on.
But God . . . I think these are two of the most beautiful words in the English language. But God . . . The child lay ill for several days, but God . . . the ground was deeply cracked and crusted with the abandonment of moisture as they hadn’t seen rain for several months, but God . . . my husband’s job was taken away, but God . . . But God in all His power and might raised Jesus from the dead giving us VICTORY over death, defeating the evil one and His plans to condemn us! Hallelujah!
And at Christmas we celebrate the commencement of God’s eternal plan to draw us back to Himself! He loves us so much that He made a way for us to spend eternity with Him never to be separated again. I’d say that is a reason to celebrate wouldn’t you? Praise be to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords who reigns forevermore.
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Dear Lord,
Nails remind me of the sacrifice You made on my behalf that I might have fellowship with You, never to be separated from You ever again. Oh how grateful I am for Your unfailing love! You willingly gave of Yourself. You could have gone back to Your Father's house and washed Your hands of everything but because of Your great love for us, You were obedient and followed through with His plan. Thank You. Thank You. From the bottom of my heart, thank You! My salvation is the greatest gift I have ever received. Please never let me get over the idea that You gave Your all for even me. I am forever indebted to You and desire to spend of the rest of my life glorifying You at every turn. Praise to You my Gracious Redeemer and Friend.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
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