When they grew tired of mocking, they lead Him away to be Crucified

Mark 15:16-20 NLT  

  16 The soldiers took Jesus into the courtyard of the governor’s headquarters (called the Praetorium) and called out the entire regiment. 17 They dressed him in a purple robe, and they wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head. 18 Then they saluted him and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” 19 And they struck him on the head with a reed stick, spit on him, and dropped to their knees in mock worship. 20 When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified.

We have seen many video representations of our Lord's crucifixion, most that drive us to tears because of the torture portrayed on the big screen. Having endured the mockery of a rigged trial, the Lord had to now endure mock worship from the very men who were torturing Him. The mock king's robe and the mock hailing of the King of the Jews were intended to break the Lord's spirit. Little did they know they were playing right into God's hands. This one human was cable of absorbing an eternity of mockery and torture and still give himself for the forgiveness of the sins for the very ones torturing Him. This one person, with the very nature of God, and who was God, as well as human, could take all they could dish out and more. In just three days He would rise triumphant and demonstrate that no power can contain Him.

I often wonder, when I read passages like these and view videos of the crucifixion, how much like those soldiers we in the church might be today. Do we mock our Lord when we go to church, sing our praise songs, listen with smiles on faces as the pastor preaches, and then go back to our world doing all the same things as we did them before? When we sing "all Hail the power of Jesus' name. . ." but nothing changes within us, are we not like these soldiers. Can we call Him King and not obey His Kingly commands? Dare we claim to call Him Lord, and not bend our knee in humility before Him who's very nature was humility. Dare we pray to be made 'more like Thee' in the songs and hymns, and then exercise pride and arrogance over others in our daily lives the rest of each week? When we grow tired of mocking him-- do we turn our backs, returning to the world of our ways, and in doing so, crucify the Lord of Glory again?

How are you living out your praise to the Lord in each activity of this very day?

Your servant in Christ's love

Dan Elliott

drdanelliott@gmail.com