Have you ever sat in church on a Sunday morning and opened your
song book and sang the song "He could have called ten thousand angels?"
Have you ever thought of the pain and anguish Jesus Christ must have
gone through when the crowd asked to have Barrabus released and chanted
over and over "CRUCIFY HIM?" It makes you feel angry at the people 
although they are only pawns in God's total plan. But let's focus on 
the crowd. They placed a crown of thorns on his head, struck him with
what we term as a whip with shards of glass or some other piercing
instrument on the end of a lash. They placed a purple robe on him and
spat upon him and mocked him saying "Hail King of the Jews." Now, how
do you feel towards the crowd? They had Simon bear his cross and nailed
him to it to die of suffocation. It does not paint a pretty picture of
our anguished Savior. Now imagine that you are there. You stand looking
on at all that is going on and instead of praying that he would call
ten thousand angels, you are yelling "CRUCIFY HIM!" That is exactly
what happens every time we sin. We are turning our backs on the Savior
and yelling "CRUCIFY HIM!" Every time we sin we add one more lash or
spit once more in his face. This should make you think twice about
sinning. This should make you think twice about how much you should
love your Savior for giving his life for you. How it must hurt him who
suffered the terrible crucifixion on the cross for you and yet by 
sinning you crucify to yourself "The Son of God afresh, and put him
to an open shame." (Heb 6:6) Yet his blood still reaches out and cleanses
if you come back to him. Praise God for such a savior as Jesus Christ!
WRITTEN BY MELANIE SKINNER 8/21/98
                          THERE MUST BE RESPONSE                   
  1.Even though Jesus bore our own sins in his body as he died on the cross,
(Heb. 9:15; 10:10,12; I Pet. 2:24), it will mean nothing to you or me
unless we respond in obedient faith to him. He is the author of eternal
salvation to all those who obey him. (Heb. 5:8,9) It is in view of his
efficacious death that we are exhorted "Let us draw near with a true heart
in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from and evil
conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.(Heb. 10:22) Involved
in these words is the necessity of all sinners to sincerely believe, 
repent, and be baptized in water to be saved. Without this response,
Jesus died in vain so far as we are concerned. Even the cheif of sinners
to whom the Lord appeared on the road to Damascus was told three days
later in the city of Damascus, 'Arise, and be baptized, and wash away
thy sins; calling on the name of the Lord.' (Acts 22:16) Have you responded?
Why not today?
  2.Another response is necessary to keep acceptable to Jesus. "Let
us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering (for he is
faithful that promised.)(Heb. 10:23) To those who think that you cannot
fall, listen to these words: "Let him that thinketh he standeth take
heed lest he fall." (I Cor. 10:12) This should cause you to pray more,
meditate more, worship more, study more, and work more for Jesus. We 
should never let the devil puff our Christian lights by falling to his
temptations to sin, to be spiritually lazy, to be indifferent, and to
lose our love for the Lord.
  3.A third response is so necessary for us to be acceptable to Jesus.
"And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:"
(Heb. 10:24) We are all weak and apt to be discouraged at times. That
is when we need to lift one another up in the Lord's work. There are
times when we are tired and spiritually run down and need that boost
from one or more of our Fellow Christians to pick us up. So let's 
consider one another. The New King James version renders this: "Let
us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works." We
do this as we assemble together; so the next verse in part of the 
same sentence "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together,
as the manner of some is;" (Heb 10:25) No Christian can overcome this
world without regular assembling of himself with other Christians in
Bible study and worship. RESPOND TO THE LOVE OF THE SAVIOR.

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