Crucify Him, Crucify Him – Moe

Date: 21 Apr 2011

Comment: 44

He was unlike any man. There was nothing dangerous about Him. He brought hope that was never seen in anyone ever before. He spoke differently. He uttered words with compassion, yet with authority. He spoke as if the very words were His — truly they were.

In my eyes, he was no threat. He didn’t have an army or government. He didn’t even have a place to rest his head. His very friends betrayed Him and so did this crowd.

“Crucify Him, crucify Him!” they cried out.

They let their Messiah slip away right under their noses. He did greater things than any prophet, any man that ever lived. His compassion threatened them. His love scared them. His words often angered them. “A simple carpenter’s son” they cried out. With the same breath they gathered against him, yelling:

“Crucify Him, crucify Him!”

The people gathered impatiently witnessing his trial. There was no charge worthy of death. He wasn’t guilty of any crime. But the crowd cried out for justice… fake justice:

“Crucify Him, crucify Him!”

How can they be so foolish?

“Crucify Him, crucify Him!”

But… why?How dare they demand death?

“Crucify Him, crucify Him!”

I grew angry, and confused. How dare they condemn Him? How dare they demand death?

“Crucify Him, crucify Him!”

I was angry!

After trying to make sense of this event, I began to understand one very important truth. We blame the crowds for the crucifixion of Jesus. But that is not a correct assessment of the greater picture.

That crowd didn’t kill Jesus. The Romans didn’t kill Jesus. The Jews didn’t kill Jesus. He himself said:

“No one takes it [life] from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.” (John 10:18)

If I want a second chance at living as God had intended from the beginning, something had to be done. That something is to have Jesus, the messiah, bear the burden of my sin. That burden was death!

So, I too had to join this crowd. There is no other way I can get God without His crucifixion. It was my sin to pay. The father had laid my sin upon His shoulders. This sin had to be punished, had to be atoned for. Only Jesus was the perfect lamb of God.

If I wanted God, I needed Him to die. This was the only way. As much as I hated to hear those awful condemning words:

“Crucify Him, crucify Him!”

I understood that this was the only way to get God.

I joined that crowd, “crucify him, crucify him!” because by this very act (and later his resurection), I get a second chance at life. I get God. All of Him. Forever.

Moe is a God lover & fearer, husband & father who in his spare time living in NYC writes at Beta Christian and shares a modern look at Biblical figures every Friday (as well as teaching his children gang signs at dinner much to the dismay of his wife).

44 Comments

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Jim F April 21, 2011 at 4:43 am Reply

Thank God that I get a second chance! I thank God He laid down his life for me! Thanks for great reminder Moe.
- prudychick April 21, 2011 at 7:10 am Reply
  
  Thanks for visiting Jim.
- moe April 21, 2011 at 8:58 am Reply
  
  Yes Jim. Thank God for that. I would hate to see you living life as Jim 1.0 I like Jim 2.0 much better. :)
  - Jim F April 21, 2011 at 5:36 pm Reply
    
    That is truth - Jim 1.0 is very problematic!
Michael April 21, 2011 at 5:22 am Reply

so good. I was there too.
- prudychick April 21, 2011 at 7:14 am Reply
  
  I remember reading about when Mel Gibson made Passion of The Christ in the scenes where they are nailing Christ's hands to the cross that Mel was the one holding the hammer because it was for his sins that Christ died. That we held the hammer because of our sins.
- moe April 21, 2011 at 8:59 am Reply
  
  Indeed! Now you get to preach your experience and his great love.
Jason April 21, 2011 at 6:46 am Reply

Awesome job Moe.
- moe April 21, 2011 at 8:59 am Reply
  
  Thanks Jason.
Keri April 21, 2011 at 6:53 am Reply

Last week I heard John MacArthur say that God killed Jesus. It kinda made my skin crawl. I felt like screaming at the radio, "No He didn't! We did!" But, I like how you explain it here, Moe. Simply, He laid down His life, to atone for my sins, so that I could have a direct relationship to God through Him.
- prudychick April 21, 2011 at 7:12 am Reply
  
  I agree that is a struggle. It's hard to think that someone would willingly die for someone. It boggles my mind.
- moe April 21, 2011 at 9:00 am Reply
  
  Like a lamb to the slaughter he went willfully and did not defend himself. #IfThatAintLoveIDontKnowWhatIs (longest hashtag ever)
- Donald Borsch Jr April 21, 2011 at 11:02 am Reply
  
  Keri, That is an interesting topic. Even I must confess I agree with MacArthur. God the Father did indeed kill His Son. He needed to. He said He would since the beginning and He did it to fulfill the New Covenant. Consider also that while on The Cross, God the Father turned His back on His Son. "My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?" He had to. God cannot abide in sin, ever. And at that moment, Jesus had taken ALL THE SINS OF THE WORLD onto Himself. WOW! Of course God turned away. He had to. His Holiness demanded it. I say all this looking back in retrospect. When these things were happening, it must have seemed horrible and wrong. But...well...we know how the story really ends. Good topic, Keri.
  - prudychick April 21, 2011 at 11:11 am Reply
    
    Thanks for visiting Donald.
  - Carla April 21, 2011 at 12:25 pm Reply
    
    I would also throw in a few more points into the "God killed Jesus" discussion. While I don't enjoy that statement and I think it can be misconstrued, your points Donald, are hard to overlook. When Jesus was in the garden praying He asked God if He would take this cup from Him, but if it was His will that Jesus die He would follow it. I would say then that they were both (if we can view them as separate when the are indeed one)culpable in the crucifixion. God wouldn't take this cup from Christ, wouldn't undo His will and original plan, and Christ Himself submitted to His Father's will though He had the power to stop it. Also the story of Abraham and Isaac is a prophecy. Abraham was asked to sacrifice his only son just as God would one day sacrifice His Son. So we might not like the phrase God killed Jesus, but our salvation is through God sacrificing His only Son for our sake. But in the story of Isaac we also see Isaac's obedience- the same as Christs. The truth is it was God's plan for Christ to die but Christ, Himself, willingly died. It is difficult for us to wrap our human heads around it. There is a reason for this. Satan knew of God's plan to send His Son, the King, and would of course try to stop God from prevailing. In all of the Old Testament prophecy and in Jesus' own words, salvation through His blood sacrifice is veiled with mystery. God could not let Satan know the full extent of His plan. It is a beautiful mystery that I am so thankful for.
Justin April 21, 2011 at 8:27 am Reply

This is great, Moe. Thanks for hosting our cool east coast brutha, Prudence. Jesus layed down his life and took it up again. That's power and truth that cannot be denied.
- moe April 21, 2011 at 9:01 am Reply
  
  Thanks Justin. My first #bromance was with Jesus man. Forever!
Ryan Tate April 21, 2011 at 10:51 am Reply

Amen! Just like Abraham led Isaac who carried his own wood to be sacrificed, God led his son, carrying the cross, the the ultimate sacrifice. Jesus wasn't spared because he was the Lamb of God and He loved us and gave himself up as a ransom for the world. "Oh praise the one who paid my debt and rasied this life up from the dead."
- prudychick April 21, 2011 at 10:59 am Reply
  
  I remember being a teenager when the symbolism of the sacrifice of Issac hit me. Thank goodness God provided the Lamb otherwise we'd all be carrying our sin to hell. Thanks for visiting Ryan.
- Donald Borsch Jr April 21, 2011 at 11:03 am Reply
  
  Beautifully and wisely said, Ryan. Awesome.
- moe April 21, 2011 at 11:21 am Reply
  
  Well said Ryan. Abe and Isaac were just a shadow of what was to come... except God didn't intervened with Christ. He let him be sacrificed.
Jon April 21, 2011 at 11:01 am Reply

Hi Prudence...Love the look of your site :) Great post Moe. It's things like this that we often look over because we've heard it all before. But, really there is so much power in these words. You, me, all of us were part of that crowd. The crowd that yelled to crucify Him, and the same crowd that received the ultimate gift of love and forgiveness through His crucifixion.
- prudychick April 21, 2011 at 11:09 am Reply
  
  I think even if we hadn't been in the crowd yelling crucify our sin yelled it for us. And Peter who was one of Jesus three best friends denied Him, what does that say about us? Yeah I think I'd be there yelling while still holding my palm branch from Sunday. Thanks for visiting!!
- moe April 21, 2011 at 11:23 am Reply
  
  Oh snap, now that you mentioned it. I think I saw you in the crowd. Were you wearing that light brown tunic on your head that day? :) Yes Jon, we represented that crowd... who ended up being the recipients of his amazing grace. #ThanksBro
  - Jon April 21, 2011 at 12:25 pm Reply
    
    LOL Moe. How did you know? :)
Donald Borsch Jr April 21, 2011 at 11:11 am Reply

I shouted for His blood and His death like the rest. I raged and roared and my throat went sore from the screaming and the anger that took my soul. When He died and His body heaved its last I joined with the enemy and we all had a good laugh. "Here's your king, your savior, your God! Dead like your hopes, your plans, your hearts!" I joined in the celebration, the jubilation, the declaration that Jesus had failed and I marched proudly through the streets as others wailed. Three days later, oh the times they had changed as the tomb was shown empty and the followers were blamed. Something was wrong, how could this be? We all saw Him die up there on that tree. Imagine if you can my surprise and my shame when the door of my heart was opened by His Name. "But I laughed and hated and mocked You then and took such joy in your death...how can I be forgiven?" He smiles and nods and simply says- "I saw you the whole time,in the crowd of pain and looked forward to this moment, when you would be redeemed." Yeah. Something like that. Thanks, Moe, for that sprint of inspiration.
- moe April 21, 2011 at 11:24 am Reply
  
  Surely you didn't write that all up by yourself did you? If so, you need to be writing poetry bro. That was beautiful.
  - Donald Borsch Jr April 21, 2011 at 11:34 am Reply
    
    You were my muse, brother. Your article prompted this rather hasty display of poetry.
dustin April 21, 2011 at 11:23 am Reply

excellent word today, moe! thanks for sharing (and for prudence for hosting!). what a great reminder of the fact that we have access to the Father because of this. because of this relentless love, we are made new.
- moe April 21, 2011 at 11:26 am Reply
  
  Thanks Dustin. Prudence is a great host. She even put cookies for everyone under her profile pic. Wait...they are gone. I bet it was Justin that ate them all. :) New creation indeed Dustin. I like you a lot better redeemed.
  - prudychick April 21, 2011 at 11:29 am Reply
    
    It was a new Kiwi cookie recipe so probably. (Justin)
  - Donald Borsch Jr April 21, 2011 at 11:35 am Reply
    
    Moe, I've only ever known "redeemed Dustin". I agree. He's pretty cool.
Carla April 21, 2011 at 12:50 pm Reply

I really enjoyed your post today, Moe. As I child I always remember getting upset at Good Friday services when we read that part from the Bible that said Crucify Him! Crucify Him!. I loved the part where you said we had to join the crowd at one point because Christ took on our sin as well when He was up on that cross. It never ceases to move to know that Jesus willingly gave His life and went through the physical pain of crucifixion so that my unworthy soul could have eternal life.
- moe April 21, 2011 at 12:56 pm Reply
  
  Thanks Carla. I appreciate your feedback. This truth reminds me of why people don't understand what happened on that day. The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit, they are foolishness because they are spiritually discerned. But those of us who are saved, understand and worship a God who is willing to send his son to be cursed for us, so that we can have the honor of becoming children of God. #SoGood
- prudychick April 21, 2011 at 12:57 pm Reply
  
  "It never ceases to move to know that Jesus willingly gave His life and went through the physical pain of crucifixion so that my unworthy soul could have eternal life." Amen!! Thanks for visiting Carla.
seekingpastor April 21, 2011 at 1:41 pm Reply

Beautiful,Moe.I mean what you wrote, not you. Sorry for any confusion :)
- prudychick April 21, 2011 at 1:46 pm Reply
  
  Hi, thank you for visiting.
- moe April 21, 2011 at 1:48 pm Reply
  
  Why thank you Matt. It's OK to call another man beautiful. LOL. Thanks man, I appreciate it!
Jason Vana April 21, 2011 at 7:50 pm Reply

Amazing post, Moe. Amazing.
- prudychick April 21, 2011 at 8:26 pm Reply
  
  Thanks for visiting Jason.
- Moe April 21, 2011 at 8:43 pm Reply
  
  It's easy when He is so amazing. Man, I'm in awe of His love and grace. I can't even stand up without marveling at it and my heart pouring out in worship. Amazing Grace!
Melissa Brotherton April 22, 2011 at 9:07 am Reply

Whoa. I never thought of it this way, Moe! Those are some strong images, and definitely gave me pause today.
- moe April 22, 2011 at 9:15 am Reply
  
  Thanks Melissa. His crucifixion is the best thing that happened to us.

Crucify Him, Crucify Him – Moe

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