Is everything that is necessary to restore you to God and give you eternal life with Him already been accomplished?  Jesus said, “It is finished.”  Do you believe that is done?  Or, are you still DOING, DOING, DOING?It is Friday, the day of the Savior’s crucifixion.  Matthew 27:1 “When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.”  They had agreed that Jesus deserved to die, on a charge of blasphemy, but fearing the people and the Romans – these religious leaders were not about to stone Him to death.  Therefore, they plotted how to get Him convicted by Pilate under civil law.  Verses 2-3 “And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.  Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that He was condemned, repented himself (changed his mind), and brought again (returned) the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders.”  Judas experienced a guilty conscience, and apparent remorse, but only had a change of mind – not a change of heart.  So, a regretful Judas goes back to the Chief Priests and Elders, Verses 4-5 “Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood.  And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that (in other words, that’s your problem).  And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.”   Now to the Trial.  The charge that was leveled against Him was in stirring up sedition and treason – because Jesus claimed to be King – making Him guilty of rebellion against the Roman government.  Verse 11 “And Jesus stood before the governor (Pontius Pilate): and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews?  And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.”  In other words – it is as you say.  But even though He admitted that He is King, He added that “His kingdom is not of this world.”   Pilate received a warning from his wife, Verse 19 “When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just (innocent) man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.”  When Pilate learns that Jesus was from Galilee, he sends Jesus to Herod Antipas, but Herod sent Him back without a formal decision on the case.  Verse 22 “Pilate saith unto them (the multitude of Jews), What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?  They all say unto him. Let him be crucified.”   With that – Pilate literally washes his hands of the whole affair – has Jesus scourged – whipped and flogged – and had Him delivered to be crucified.  

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Verses 27-29 “Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.  And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe (which was purple – the color of royalty).  And when they had platted  a crown (a wreath) of thorns, they put it upon his head (in mockery of a coronation as King of the Jews), and a reed (a stick in mockery of a king’s scepter) in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!”  Truly, He is our King – bearing it all for us – in love and humility.  Verses 30-31 “And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.”  John 19:3 says they hit Him with their fists, as well.  “And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment (clothing) on him, and led him away to crucify him.”  This awful torture and abuse had taken its toll on our Lord.  Jesus was forced to carry his own cross to the place of execution.  But in attempting to do that, He was just too weak after all that He had been through the night before.  Verse 32-34 “And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled