Matthew 27:35 And when they had crucified Him...

Mark 15:24 And they crucified Him...

Luke 23:33 ...there they crucified Him

John 19:18 There they crucified Him...

All the Evangelists agree. Jesus Christ was crucified. They state the reality without further commentary; however, their simple historical statement touches a myriad of emotions. When our hearts are soft, the resulting emotions rip into our hearts as easily as the stakes slid through the flesh of our Messiah.

They crucified Him. There is a sickening sadness in the statement. They did what? We did what? The Messiah, the Healer, the Rabbi, they crucified Him? How could the One who was God in flesh be nailed to a cross, subjected to one of the most horrible and disgraceful execution methods in history?

The shame of the situation is only amplified by the perfection of our Christ. It was all wrong, backwards, unnatural. What were we thinking? He was our Savior. He lived perfectly and did countless miracles and we responded with...jealousy and betrayal? rejection and blasphemy? mocking and crucifixion?

How horrible must our sin be that this was the solution? It's gut wrenching to think that my folly, my utter rebellion against God's utter perfection, necessitated the cross. God's blest plan for dealing with my sin was crucifying His perfect Son, and there's something painfully sad in that.

Thankfully, we read the historical statement with the 20/20 of hindsight. They crucified Him, and now the only way I could ever be considered righteous is available. My entire life now, not to mention my eternal future, hangs on the hope of the cross. Without it, I am doomed to a life of emptiness followed by the agonies of a just judgment. But my sin debt is paid! God's wrath is perfectly satisfied, and salvation can be mine!

My offences were nailed there with Him. I am free, free from the guilt and tyranny and condemnation of sin. I don't have to sin. And sin will never condemn me before God. Christ was cursed, and I was forever blessed. The horror of the sadness is matched and surpassed by the intensity of the joy.

"There they crucified Him."