He was scourged 

The skin on His back was shred

The blood

His face black and blue

where the Roman soldiers

punched and beat him

They hated him so much

they viciously plucked out the hairs

on his face

Thinking they would shame Him

making fun of Him

calling Him names

even placing a Crown on His Majesties head

A crown of thorns

The robe they put on him wasn’t enough

Their fun

wasn’t enough

they were so hungry

the Devil was let loose

he wanted to 

kill

steal

and destroy

 Him

God said NO

The torment was great

even to the point of Christ having to carry His cross

In His weakness

He was made strong

God made a way

and permitted a man for help

all the way to 

the place of the Skull

He laid on the cross

His hands and feet were nailed to the tree

no bones were broken

He looked out 

even out to our future and beyond

Yes, Father, this was worth it.

No greater LOVE 

than to 

lay down ones life

for ones friends

“You are my friends” He said, to them

and to us.

Christ died

They pierced His side

He hung there

bloodied

shredded

fiercely beaten 

His side pierced

His Father had to turn away

The SIN

Christ bore for the whole world

was too much for the Father to bear

His SPOTLESS

BLAMELESS

INNOCENT

Son

Covered

The stench of sin

was too much to bear

much less fathom 

It had to be!

The WAY to the Father

is THROUGH His Son

the Way to the Father

is to BELIEVE

in the Cross

For it was the Father’s good pleasure

for all the fullness to dwell in HIM

and through HIM

to reconcile all things 

to HIMSELF

having made PEACE 

through the blood of His cross

This was God’s fullness

GRACE

SALVATION

JOY

It was what Jesus had to endure for the JOY 

set before Him

the Joy of Pain (no)

the Joy of our Salvation!

the Joy of our new Life IN Him!

the Joy of HOME with the Father for Eternity.

This is why the Christ

LAID DOWN 

His life for His friends…  You are His friend.