June 18 Pierced for You

John 19:31-37 Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. 32 The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. 33 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. 35 The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. 36 “Not one of his bones will be broken.” 37 And there is another scripture that says, “People will look at him whom they pierced.”

FIRST, let’s note John’s assertion to the facts. John is careful to note the truth of Jesus’ side pierced. “The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true.”
   How horrible is the Jewish authorities’ cruelty! These murderous, self-serving leaders “convicted” Jesus in sham trials, forced the Roman governor to scourge and crucify Jesus. They urge Pilate to instruct the centurions to break his legs. This extraordinary pain to add to crucifixion’s incomparable strife is unthinkable. Yet, the Jewish rulers demanded it. In a great irony, this final insult against the Lord of the Sabbath is to preserve the Pharisees’ view of the sanctity of the Sabbath. Then they could “religiously” celebrate the Passover within the Laws of Moses. Did they ever think they were killing the Living Word, the One who fulfilled the law, whose love perfected the law?
   But God had another idea. His Son was dead on the cross. The Passover Lamb’s legs would be broken: Exodus 12:46 “The lamb must be eaten inside one house; take none of the meat outside the house. Do not break any of the bones.” And another prophecy regarding “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.” (John 1:29) is fulfilled. God keeps his own Law.
   And then Jesus’ side is pierced. This is evidence, my friends, clear and concise, that Jesus had died. Turn away the swoon theories and other lies deceivers use to make the resurrection a farce. Look to the dead body of your Savior. He must pass through death to become the Living Lord. God wants you to clearly know that his Son is dead on a cross because we all have sinned. To draw nearer to God, you must contemplate and mourn Jesus’ horrid death prophesied: Isaiah 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Living the Christian life is to grieve that our sin caused Jesus, the Son of God, to die for you.
   How do you respond to that?
 
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I thank you that in your death you opened the way for my salvation. I praise you, God, that I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20) Amen.