They that Pierced Him

Ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Mark 14:62.
As they [the Jewish rulers] gaze upon His glory, there flashes before their minds the memory of the Son of Man clad in the garb of humanity. They remember how they treated Him, how they refused Him, and pressed close to the side of the great apostate. The scenes of Christ’s life appear before them in all their clearness. All He did, all He said, the humiliation to which He descended to save them from the taint of sin, rises before them in condemnation.
They behold Him riding into Jerusalem, and see Him break into an agony of tears over the impenitent city that would not receive His message. His voice, which was heard in invitation, in entreaty, in tones of tender solicitude, seems again to fall upon their ears. The scene in the garden of Gethsemane rises before them, and they hear Christ’s amazing prayer, “Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.”
Again they hear the voice of Pilate, saying, “I find in him no fault at all.” They see the shameful scene in the judgment hall, when Barabbas stood by the side of Christ, and they had the privilege of choosing the guiltless One. They hear again the words of Pilate, “Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?” They hear the response, “Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas.” To the question of Pilate, “What shall I do then with Jesus?” the answer comes, “Let him be crucified.”
Again they see their Sacrifice bearing the reproach of the cross. They hear the loud, triumphant tones tauntingly exclaim, “If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.” “He saved others; himself he cannot save.”
Now they behold Him not in the garden of Gethsemane, not in the judgment hall, not on the cross of Calvary. The signs of His humiliation have passed away, and they look upon the face of God–the face they spit upon, the face which priests and rulers struck with the palms of their hands. Now the truth in all its vividness is revealed to them.
Maranatha p. 293
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Prayer Requests
—– I would like to ask for a prayer because they also found calcium deposits on her heart which can lead to down syndrome if anything else is found with it. Ian
—– Jan was just in a very bad car accident and is being life-flighted to _____. It does not like good and they were concerned she may not survive. Shannon is asking for prayers for her Aunt, her Uncle (who was in the car as well, but did not have major injuries), and their entire family. God is the Great Healer…Heidi
—–Please pray for good success and safe travels for Brian as he goes to AFCOE to learn to become a better soul winner for Jesus. Rose
—–Please pray for Billie who is having serious abdominal surgery today. Pray that God guide the doctor’s hands. Mike
—–Please pray for the Orris family during this time of mouning for the death of their son Billy.
—–Please pray for my friend John who has kidney disease. Rose
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Dear Friends
Mrs. Caswell was our neighbor when I was a little girl. My grandmother called her a recluse because she rarely left the confines of her home and had very strange ways. Really, she was just a very lonely lady who had outlived her friends and whose children had moved away. She owned two houses, one behind the other, and they were both stuffed full of her belongings. She never got rid of anything.
For some reason, she liked me and I often visited with her in her home. Because she liked me, she allowed me to play in her spacious yard. (If any other child or teen came into her yard, she would pop out of her house and chase them away.) How I loved that yard carpeted with grass and her flower garden filled with brightly colored blooms. My grandparents’ backyard was mostly dirt.
My favorite place to play in her yard was on the porch of the empty house in back. Many happy hours were spent there. When my friend, Janey, moved into the area, she was allowed into Mrs. Caswell’s yard as long as I was along. We used to like to peek into the windows of that old house and look at all the stuff she had stored in there. All kinds of furniture and boxes were stacked up half way to the ceiling. In whispered tones, Janey and I would wonder what were in those dusty boxes and where she had gotten all those things. It seemed strange, even to me as a child, that she would keep all those things. There were people right in our own neighborhood who could have used them. Why would she want to just hoard them and watch them slowly decay?
How often we are in danger of doing the same. Our Loving Creator has given us many blessings. Do we receive from Him to give to others, or do we gather all our blessings about us and hold tightly to them? Jesus said, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over” Luke 6:38 He commissioned His disciples, “And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.” Matt 10:7,8 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” 28:19,20
“No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.” Luke 8:16 Just as foolish as it sounds to turn on a light and then cover it so it does not shine, so is keeping to ourselves all of God’s treasures that He imparts to us both materially and spiritually. Just as He had wanted Israel to be His witness that other nations might learn of Him, so He asks us today to witness to all around us. “Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have showed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.” Isa 43:10-12
May we rightly represent our dear Saviour and the good news of salvation. May we share with others the blessings our Heavenly Father has bestowed upon us. May we be an everflowing channel of God’s love is my prayer.
Rose