Lent 2019 | Day 23 | Jesus is Mocked & Severely Beaten

One of the primary ways we find strength is by seeing Jesus and how much he loves us. For the next few weeks of our guided prayer we are going to take strength by meditating on what Jesus went through for us. The scripture teaches us that the greatest demonstration of Love is to lay down your life for another. Throughout Jesus’s time on earth he was continually “laying his life down” for us. Each day we’ll take one example of Jesus doing this and ponder it.

SCRIPTURE

------

Those who were guarding Jesus mocked and beat him severely. They also made fun of him, blindfolding him and slapping his face and saying, “Prove that you are a prophet and tell us which one of us hit you!” They blasphemed and heaped insult after insult upon him. -Luke 22:63-65

They kept on spitting in his face and hit him repeatedly on his head with a reed staff, driving the crown of thorns deep into his brow. They knelt down before him in mockery, pretending to pay him homage. -Mark 15:19

REFLECTION

------

(Ponder and grow in your awareness of Jesus’ life of sacrifice by reflecting on the following questions.)

Jesus, you are the Son of God. You are the All-seeing, All-knowing, All-present Eternal God. And yet, you chose to become a man, to be limited in your flesh. You allowed yourself to be blindfolded though Yahweh sees all. Surrounded by darkness, you let them curse your name - the name of God. With your own saliva you once restored the dignity of a cursed man. Here soldiers are spitting in your face to humiliate you. You came to set the prisoner free, but here you are allowing yourself to be bound, beaten, mocked, pushed, and slapped.

Jesus, loving and hurting; hearing the voices of your very own creations mocking you. These are the very ones you wove together in the secret place. The ones you carefully, thoughtfully, wonderfully, and skillfully shaped from “nothing into something”. (Ps 139:15) And here they are mocking you, demanding that you identify them. Jesus you know them better than they could ever know themselves. You know they need you and you are about to lay down your life for them. Don’t give up Jesus, for in a few short hours even one of these soldiers will see and say “Surely this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39)

RESPONSE

------

Jesus, I am as guilty as any of these soldiers. The pain of bearing my sin far outweighs any physical pain you suffered. Thank you. Thank you staying present. For staying in the moment. Thank you for not going into a rage. You could have exploded with anger and been completely justified. Instead you willingly laid your life down (John 10:18) and allowed yourself to be crushed (Isaiah 53:10). Your most Holy of sacrifices is a sacred offering. It was “pleasing to God, like an aroma of adoration—a sweet healing fragrance” (Ephesians 5:2), and by it I have freely received the priceless gift of your righteousness forever, and ever, and ever. Jesus you are “worthy to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” (Revelation 5:12)

Amen.