Last Spring, Shenandoah County witnessed a resurrection that many never thought possible. After over 31 years of absence, Bible classes returned for students enrolled in Weekday Religious Education at each elementary school! What began last year with fourth graders expanded to include second graders this year and will grow even further next school year to include third graders. Parents who wish to enroll their children or who have questions should visit www.weekdayreligiouseducation.com.
Last year’s instruction covered Holy Week including Palm Sunday, the Last Supper, Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion, and His resurrection on Easter Sunday. During the lesson on the crucifixion, teacher Mikayla Whetzel asked her students why Jesus was struggling so much carrying His cross. One boy immediately answered, “Cuz that thing was heavy!”
That boy was right. Condemned prisoners were usually required to carry their own crossbeam, or patibulum, which weighed 75-100 pounds. Imagine having two 50 pound feed bags strapped to your shoulders after having been mercilessly beaten by the Romans with the meat of your back in shreds.
That thing was indeed quite heavy. Three of the Gospels tell us it so heavy that while Jesus initially carried it Himself, Simon of Cyrene was enlisted to tote it the last stretch to Golgotha because of Jesus’ struggle.
But as Jesus carried this piece of hewn wood, He carried something infinitely heavier: our sins. On Him were laid all the times we’ve worshipped other gods, dishonored parents, committed lust, adultery or fornication, stolen, coveted, broken the Sabbath, lied, killed, or took His Holy Name in vain. Every one of them was laid upon His back.
Your sins and mine and everyone else’s were strapped to Him that morning. All the times we failed to love our neighbors and maybe even hated them, the times we’ve done the expedient thing instead of the obedient thing. The times we refused to speak for Him. No wonder that thing was so heavy.
If each of these sins weighed only one ounce, the weight is unthinkable. The burden of all humanity’s sin was upon His back and on His heart as He trudged up Skull Hill. Although Simon carried Jesus’ cross part of the way, the full weight of our sins was on Him all of the way. And as He died that Good Friday, the ground shook as He stomped the Serpent’s head fulfilling God’s promise in Genesis 3.
Thankfully, Good Friday isn’t the end of Jesus’ story, nor ours. In the greatest comeback of all time, Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday conquering death once and for all and offering eternal life to all who will receive it. But there can’t be a resurrection until there’s a death and so we must pause at the cross to look on the One pierced for us.
And we must do more. If we are to have our sins forgiven and enjoy everlasting life, we must accept what Jesus did there on Good Friday by asking God to save us through Jesus’ actions. It’s not automatic but it is freely available to all who ask in repentance and in sincere faith.
Last May, 21 people were ruthlessly murdered in an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. One quick-thinking fourth grader, Miah Cerrillo, described how she played dead. She even covered herself with her friend’s blood which most believe spared her life.
This is a powerful illustration of what we must do with Jesus’ blood. He took our bullet, our cross, our hell. He died so that we could be spared, but we must accept and receive His blood in place of our own. He has paid our price and died for our sins.
If you never have, do that this Good Friday that you might be spared. And if you have, thank and honor the One who carried your heavy sin and died in your place that day.
Blessings, George