HE DIED AS A CRIMINAL (FOR US)

THEY FALSELY ACCUSED HIM....
THEY BRUTALLY BEAT HIM....
THEY NAILED HIS HANDS AND FEET TO A WOODEN CROSS.....
THEY CRUCIFIED TWO THIEVES ON EITHER SIDE OF HIM....
THE SOLDIERS CAST LOTS FOR HIS GARMENTS.....


THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS WAGGED THEIR HEADS AND FINGERS AT HIM...
TAUNTING HIM...THEY SAID; "IF THOU BE THE SON OF GOD, COME DOWN
FROM THAT CROSS"...."YOU CAME TO SAVE OTHERS BUT YOU CAN'T
EVEN SAVE YOURSELF".....THOSE THAT LOVED HIM STOOD BY IN TEARS,
POWERLESS TO HELP HIM.


AFTER HE DIED, HE WAS LAID IN A TOMB....NO FLOWERS, NO FANCY
ENGRAVED HEADSTONE...THERE WAS NO HONOR GUARD, NO FLAGS, NO
21 GUN SALUTE...THERE WERE NO DIGNITARIES SPEAKING WORDS OF
PRAISE OVER HIS BODY....BUT HE DIDN'T REMAIN THERE IN THAT TOMB
FOR LONG....IN FACT, ON THE MORNING OF THE 3RD DAY, THE TWO MARY'S
CAME TO DRESS HIS BODY....THEY DIDN'T FIND HIM IN THE GRAVE... HE
HAD RISEN AS HE SAID HE WOULD......


HIS CRUCIFICTION AND DEATH WAS / IS INTENDED TO BEAR THE SINS OF
HUMANITY, TO TAKE THE RAP FOR YOU AND ME....BUT HE WAS INNOCENT,
SINLESS, PURE....THAT IS WHY HIS DEATH HAS THE POWER OVER DEATH...


HE IS ALIVE FOREVERMORE AS HIGH PRIEST AND INTERCESSOR FOR THOSE
WHO LOVE HIM.......






                                                                 RONALD J LAMB