The soldiers, the thieves, the witnesses-they watched Him there and Jesus knew as He died that He was their only hope.

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Calvary is a place we don’t want to visit. We don’t want to think of the sacrifice and spilling of blood. The advisory knows if we can spend any time there we can be transformed and made strong and will never be the same. We can turn our eyes to Jesus and be confident that He is Lord and the son of God.

Too Comfortable

The Roman soldiers saw and heard and came to a profound conclusion on the day of Jesus’s crucifixion. They watched Him there. These soldiers had surely heard of Him and His actions and words. They knew He was betrayed by one of His own and turned over to them as Roman soldiers for beating and mocking.

These soldiers are comfortable at this place where Jesus is crucified between two criminals. This Jesus Who fed multitudes, healed the sick and lame and oppressed, blessed children, forgave sins, gave hope was nailed to a criminal’s cross. This Jesus still heals and blesses and forgives today. This Jesus still reaches man today.

Are You Playing Games?

The soldiers cast lots at the cross for the clothes of Jesus. They were playing games similar to the games Christians play today. The blood of Jesus shed that day for our sins was so much more than a game to play on Easter Day. There’s hope for men and women who put their eyes on Jesus. These soldiers were confronted with the truth of Who Jesus is. They watched Him there. Jesus knew through the beating, the disrespect, the doubt, the insults, the hatred that He was their only hope.

They Watched and Believed

Even the thieves watched Him there. One thief believed in that moment and asked to be in paradise with Him that day. With a cry of “It is finished!”, sin and death were defeated. He died and rose as our defender and our rescuer. The soldiers and witnesses became believers that Jesus is the son of God. They watched Him there and recognized this was no ordinary man.

The stone was rolled away so our tomb of sin and death would be opened. He raised from death on the third day so we could raise from our death to sin. It was known then and is recognized, confessed, and professed all over the world today that He is the Son of God and the Lord of our lives.

Matthew 27:35-36, 39-44, 54

Luke 23:42-43