Chrissy Siggee

THEY CRUCIFIED MY LORD – The devotion

Mark 15:25-28
And it was the third hour, and they crucified him. And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS. And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.

We have covered already the cruelty of inhuman treatment of Jesus by the soldiers, servants and the people, who assembled to witness his beating. Much can be said again about the unwarranted punishment my Lord received prior to His crucifixion. We have also read and heard repeatedly of the death of Christ. Many of us have seen the “Passion of the Christ” movie. Without playing down the significance of the crucifixion itself in any way, let’s move on to the mysteries of His death.

The message of the cross is indeed a mystery. The message can be learned through the Scriptures, movies and witnessing. Prophecies and teaching was recorded throughout the Old Testament; including the Psalms.

“I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” 1 Corinthians 1:4-10

Yet…it’s not only that we see in the death of Jesus the highest demonstration of God’s love, but also of His infinite sorrow and compassion. The mystery of the depths. “But as far as the east is from the west, so shall he remove our sin”. (paraphrased) Not even an earthly father can pay the penalty of his child’s transgression, nor can any man pay the price of sin of another.

When Paul speaks of the suffering of Jesus on the cross, he deals with facts so awe-inspiring that he calls them: “the depths of God”. (1 Corinthians 2:10) These mysteries are so deep that they are unfathomable of all human thinking – even more unfathomable as the deepest, unreachable, bottomless ocean. This act of love is beyond measure. But, by His Holy Spirit, God reveals it to even the youngest of children, the most simple minded, and the educated. His love for us is infinite. Although we cannot understand these mysteries, we thank Him with absolute gratefulness and humility.

My hope, my strength, my redeemer, my God, my King and my all…they crucified my Lord.

© Chrissy Siggee

THEY CRUCIFIED MY LORD – The Poem

Beaten and humiliated,
They led my Lord away
To the mount of death—
He was nailed and hung
On a wooden cross—
Naked and shamed
Like a common thief.

They mocked

They cursed

They laughed

Bleeding head hung low,
Nail ripped hands and feet
A body slashed and torn—
Blood flowed down
Onto the rugged ground—
Pain and dread
Painted on His face.

Shame

Sorrow

Shunned

Blamed and disgraced,
All purity discredited
Guilt and sin He bore—
My beautiful Jesus,
You did this for me—
You bled and died
So I could live.

They seized His clothes

They pierced His side

They crucified my Lord

© Chrissy Siggee

BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD!

Did you know that the words Lamb of God, as a title of our Lord, occurs twice in the Gospel of John and once in the one Peter?

However, John uses the same title in Revelation about 30 times. It’s clear that The Lamb of God would have meant a great deal to John who leaned on Jesus and knew the secret of His Redeeming love… perhaps better than any of the twelve disciples.

John 1:28-30
These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, after me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.

Peter doesn’t use this title directly, but in speaking of our redemption from sin. In 1 Peter 19 – 18 he says “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, even the blood of Christ…

With all the names of Christ used throughout the Bible, The Lamb of God would without a doubt, touch me the most deeply. None speaks more strongly of our deliverance from the slavery of sin. I can only capture a glimpse of how John felt about our Saviour.

Is it redemption that we desire? Then it must be redemption by the blood.
The cross of Christ is the only hope of the world. A world that often declare things like “Behold our new methods”, “Behold our human-brotherhood” of even “behold this new opportunity” and forget the only real cry that needs to be boasted. “Behold the Lamb of God.”

John 3:16 says
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Father, thank you for the most powerful act of love to mankind: giving us your only Son to bring deliverance to all. Thank you for the redemption of our sins so we may be saved by Grace. Amen

© Chrissy Siggee

Scripture Verses used are from the King James Version of the Bible

“MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?

Both Matthew and Mark recorded these words cried out by Jesus on the cross. These same words occur interesting enough in the opening verse of the Twenty Second Psalms. Yet neither Matthew nor Mark referred to them as a fulfilment of prophecy and after six hours of agony in body and soul on the cross, this cry escapes from our Saviours lips. There were not many words spoken by Jesus while he was on the cross. The words He spoke were recorded specifically.

His first words were “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do”—-a prayer for pardon.

His second proclamation made was a promise of peace.

“Today you shall be with me in Paradise’

His third was one of kindness to and for his mother.

“Woman behold thy son….Son behold thy mother.”

When the darkness had fallen, three last announcements where uttered. They followed in rapid succession.

“I thirst”

“It is finished”

“Father into thy hands I commend my spirit” –

Then, there was this cry of sorrow.

“My God, my God, why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?

There is something of extraordinary power and feeling in these words of Jesus on the cross. This is obvious from the fact that both Matthew and Mark have diligently given the words in the language our Lord used.

“Eli Eli, lama Sa-bach-thani”

Nowhere else in Scripture do we find this recurrence of these words except in the Twenty Second Psalm? The cry expresses suffering that was never at any other time felt in this world and I believe, never will again.

To the historian, to the poet or the theologian, the description and the language of these words in Psalms 22 might suggest it could have been either history or prophecy.

Matthew and Mark may have not recognised the connection. However, Jesus, a learned scholar of the Scriptures from a very young age, would have known the Psalms well. He said many times through out His ministry “it is written”.

To the believer, nevertheless, this cry is a revelation of the deep suffering and anguishes our Saviour bore, and a proof of His infinite love for sinners.

It challenges us, with all the saints, to be strong to understand what is: ‘..the length and breadth and height and depth of the love of God”…

If the cross is the fundamental Truth of the New Testament, this cry is the heart of this truth and its inmost expression. This is the Holy of Holies to the reverent reader of the story of the passion.

by Chrissy Siggee

Scripture Verses used are from the King James Version of the Bible

…THEY PARTED HIS GARMENTS

And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take. Mark 15:24

This stripping of Jesus was so appalling that it was referred to in all four Gospels.

Matthew, who observed that this occurrence was a fulfilment of Psalm 22:18 “They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.”

Mark, who himself fled naked from the mob in the garden.

Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
John also refers to the Psalm, as Matthew did, but also gives the most detail and accurate description of the whole agony of the crucifixion.

The Christ lived in purity and dignity of manhood. Almost all pictures of the crucifixion give us the view of a dignified Jesus. But one gospel records the scene—“They stripped Him,” John said. Naked He came from His mother’s womb, and naked He hangs from a tree.

Adam experienced the shame of nakedness in Eden because of his transgression. So too, the Son of God took our sinful flesh and the shame of our nakedness upon Himself.

I believe there were two elements to the crucifixion; one of the physical and the other of the mental suffering. Jesus was despised and rejected, even by His own friends. He was oppressed by sinners, held in contempt by the soldiers, cursed my men and stripped of His garments.

His garments. His seamless robe. A garment fit for a king. His clothing wouldn’t have been a beggar’s rags.

But when I read Psalm 93:1 “The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.” It put a put a whole new perspective and horror to the story. They parted His garments and cast lots…

© Chrissy Siggee

Scripture Verses used are from the King James Version of the Bible