Luke Part 3 Week 26

Day 1 

RECEIVE 

Luke 23:23-25 

²³ But the mob shouted louder and louder, demanding that Jesus be crucified, and their voices prevailed. ²⁴ So Pilate sentenced Jesus to die as they demanded. ²⁵ As they had requested, he released Barabbas, the man in prison for insurrection and murder. But he turned Jesus over to them to do as they wished. 

Even though Pilate could find no fault in Jesus, the voices of the shouting mob grew in intensity. This caused Pilate to agree with their demands and have Jesus put to death and released Barabbas. Then Pilate seemed to give up completely and turned Jesus over to the mob. It could do as it wished to Him and, of course, the mob wanted Him dead. 

REFLECT 

Have you ever been in a situation where a noisy crowd caused action to take place that it wanted? 

RESPOND 

Visit with a friend about how unreasonable all of this was. Even though Herod and Pilate both agreed Jesus was innocent, Jesus is turned over to a vicious mob who wanted Him crucified. 

Day 2 

RECEIVE 

Luke 23:26-28 

²⁶ As they led Jesus away, a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, happened to be coming in from the countryside. The soldiers seized him and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. ²⁷ A large crowd trailed behind, including many grief-stricken women. ²⁸ But Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.” 

Jesus had been so savagely beaten that He did not have the strength to hold up the cross as He walked to the place where He was to be crucified. Not much is known about Simon from Cyrene in North Africa, but Mark’s gospel in 15:21 mentions his two sons who apparently were well known to believers as no description is given about them. Grieving women were following in the crowd. Jesus told them not to weep for Him but for themselves because of what would eventually happen to them.  

REFLECT  

What would you have thought had you been following Jesus that day? 

RESPOND 

Visit with a friend about the characteristic of Jesus to always be concerned about others in spite of what He was suffering at the time. 

Day 3 

RECEIVE 

Luke 23:29-31 

²⁹ “For the days are coming when they will say, ‘Fortunate indeed are the women who are childless, the wombs that have not borne a child and the breasts that have never nursed.’ ³⁰ People will beg the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and plead with the hills, ‘Bury us.’ ³¹ For if these things are done when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?” 

Jesus then told the grieving women why they should be more concerned about future events than for Him at the time. What He predicted came true in the near, partial view when Jerusalem was destroyed in A.D. 70. The distant, complete fulfillment of His statement would be true during the seven-year Tribulation period mentioned in Revelation 6:15-17. 

REFLECT 

Likely Jesus referred to Himself as “when the tree is green” and to unbelieving Israel when He referred to it being “dry.” The judgment on the unbelievers would be worse. 

RESPOND  

Consider the coming judgment that will come on all who reject Jesus as Savior and Lord. Philippians 2:5-11 reveals people will either bow to Him in this life or as unbelievers they will bow in the next life. All people will someday meet Jesus face to face, either as their Savior or as their Judge. 

Day 4 

RECEIVE 

Luke 23:32-33 

³² Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. ³³ When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left. 

The word “Skull” is sometimes translated “Calvary,” which is from the Latin word for “Skull.” The two criminals were also put on crosses as they were being crucified with Jesus, one on each side of Him. 

REFLECT 

Imagine this horrible scene as the three were on crosses to suffer the most awful death known at that time.  

RESPOND 

Crucifixions were usually done where they received the most public exposure as this was the way the Roman government warned others not to rebel. John 19:20 records the place was “near the city.” There it would get a lot of attention. 

Day 5 

RECEIVE 

Luke 23:34 

³⁴ Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. 

Jesus prayed for those crucifying Him and asked the heavenly Father to “forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” The soldiers were so callous that they gambled for His clothes. This fulfilled the prophecy of Psalm 22:18. The Old Testament referred to their gambling as “casting lots,” but modern English translations refer to it as “throwing dice.” 

REFLECT 

Stephen, the first martyr of the Church, said almost the same when he was dying as Jesus said when He was being crucified (see Acts 7:60). 

RESPOND 

Join with a friend in reading Psalm 22 written by David and select verses that remind you of what occurred when Jesus was being crucified.