"How Casual", by Pastor Kevin Lynch

Mat 27:35 - "And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots."

Crucifying Jesus meant nothing more to the Romans than swatting a fly.

After all, those soldiers on the death detail probably had taken part in hundreds of them.

It has been said that they crucified so many people that they started to run short of wood to make the crosses.

It is said that the main roads into Jerusalem were lined with crosses with the corpses in varying stages of decay hanging from them.

Just an example of Roman justice.

Death was treated casually. After a while one would not notice the crosses any more than we take note of the telephone poles we pass everyday.

In the case of Jesus, He was just another day at the office.

It is perplexing as to why Pilate agonized over sentencing Jesus.

He must have condemned thousands of people. Yet, he went to great extremes to allow Jesus to talk His way out of it, to offer alternatives to the people, and to even challenge the Jewish leaders as to the validity of their charges.

Pilate's wife even had a dream about Jesus and warned him not to have anything to do with Him. No, Pilate saw something. Felt something.

Why?

Because Jesus was not run of the mill. He was NOT a criminal. He was the Son of God sent from God on a mission.

This was meant to be.

The cruel element of the world had to work together to make this happen.

Jesus had to die so that we could live.

Want to know what love is? There it is. Willful submission to execution so that we could be free from our sin. A Father allowing His only Son to suffer so that we wouldn't have to.

Wrap your brain around that today.

Hopefully your heart will follow.

Be blessed in Him!

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><