64-Crucifixion-II-A

And We Thought We Knew You:
Soul Journey with the Real Jesus

Crucifixion II
BOWELS OF HELL

12:00 NOON [1]
Thursday, about April 14, AD 30
Jerusalem, Judea

�� Abruptly all becomes quiet.� No rustling of leaves.� No chirping of birds.� No movement in the air....�

�� ...The sun turns black.

�� The people stir.� An eclipse?� No.� It's much too dark.

�� At first no one says anything.

�� They just stand, their eyes looking up futilely into the black noon-time sky. [2]

�� "What is it?" someone whispers.�

�� Some of Jesus' followers work their way closer to the cross to see if he is still on it.� He is.�

�� But he is motionless.� Motionless as in the depths of a well.� Motionless as in drifting amid nothingness.� Motionless as in the throes of a coma. [3]

�� The heartbeats of many in the crowd accelerate in anticipation of what worse thing may happen next.� They keep close watch on both Jesus and the sky.�

�� Some hold their heads with their hands in expectant horror.� God will surely now strike them all dead.

�� Undaunted, the chief priests and theologians rush about demanding a full explanation of what happened, and declaring that this man has now brought the curse of Satan down upon them.�

�� Others only kneel where they are.� It is God's hand.� God's wrath.� Do we dare defy him?

�� The soldiers quickly rise to their feet and stand momentarily looking up into the blackness.�

�� "Looks like that god of theirs has been pushed too far!� Wonder who he's angry with?� The strange one in the middle or the people?"

�� "Who knows?"

�� "Well, I don't care who he's angry with, just as long as he doesn't do any more than this."

�� "Wonder how long the darkness will last?"

�� "Forever maybe."

�� The soldier looks over at the crosses.� Could it be true that this could all have something to do with him?� Could he really be the son of some kind of a god?

�� "What have we done?"

�� "Come on, we've got to calm these people down," interrupts the commander.� "Can't let another riot get started.� Hey you ~ move there!"

�� It's so cold...so cold....� Where is your robe?� You need your robe to keep you warm.� Where is it, son of God?� What did they do with it?� Oh, it's so cold and black out there.� Where is the sun?� Where did it go?� Everything's so dark, so cold, so empty.�

�� Teeth gnawing.� Spasms in his jaw.� Teeth knocking and scraping against each other.� Chattering.� Grinding.� Gnawing.� Feverish chills.� Numbing cold.� Cold of the darkness. [4]

�� "If you're the son of God, make the darkness go away!"� An intrepid priest demands of Jesus.�

�� Submerging.� Submerging into a nauseating stench.� Can't breathe.� Can't breathe in here.� Choking.� Choking on the stench.� The stench of death....

�� Oh, that writhing pain.� Will it never leave?� So biting, so numbing, so cruel.

�� Jesus feels as though he is going backward, backward, backward into a deep cavern.� The voices sound so far away....

�� "If you're the son of God....� If....� If...."

�� Someone is now standing close to him.� Shouting!� Shouting in Jesus' throbbing ear!� Making it throb and echo and beat, beat, beat through his head!� Louder and louder!

�� "Ha-ha-ha!"�

�� "Ha-ha-ha-ha!!"

�� "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-!!!"

�� The laughter bounds back and forth and back and forth from one wall of his soul to another.� Bounding and rocking and diving.� Diving down deeper and deeper.�

�� "Come with me....with me...me...."

�� "Down to where you belong....belong....long....long...."

�� "Down....down...."

�� Can't breathe.� Can't breathe.� My lungs are collapsing.� I'm collapsing.�

�� Collapsing.� Falling.� Falling.

�� It's getting darker, darker, darker, darker....�

�� No end to falling.� Deeper, deeper, deeper.� No bottom to the pit.� Falling.� Falling.� Falling.

12:30 PM

�� Feverish.� Burning.� Hotter and Hotter.� The flames!� No!� Put out the flames!

�� Faster!

�� Hotter!� Hotter!� Hotter!

�� Centrifugal heat!� Lunging heat!� Deathly heat!

�� Hot!� Thirsty!� Falling!� Forever falling....

�� Falling through the universe with no more sun, no more stars, no more earth.� Gone.� All gone.� Nothing left but the forever falling, the forever freezing from the cold, the forever burning from the speed, the forever choking from the stench of burning souls, forever thirst from no earth and no paradise and no water of life.� Forever nothingness. [5]

�� Faster, faster, faster!� Burning!� Blazing!� Fire all around!� All around!� All around!��

�� Laid out on the altar of the universe.� All exposed.� Juggler vein extended.� Heart beating out of the chest.� For the world to cut and slice and mutilate.

�� The hand of mankind raising slowly above its God.� The dagger of self-destruction.� The blade of ultimate arrogance.� How it flashes and glistens.� Can anything that beautiful be bad?�

�� Now slowly, methodically the hand of mankind thrusts its instrument of death and torture into the heart of God.��

�� Now bleeding.� Now dying.� Dying for consumption in the flame.� The sacrificial flame.� The flame of hell! [6]

�� No!� Jesus, this is all wrong!� You deserve heaven, not hell.� Heaven is your home, not hell.� You must go back before it is too late!

�� Jesus, now in limbo between heaven and earth, pauses in his spirit flight.� He can still change his mind.� What if he is too weak?� What if he can't do it?� No one has ever burst out of hell before.� It can't be done. [7]

�� He then remembers his promise.� He knows if he does not destroy justice by overcoming punishment from the Accuser, mankind will die without mercy.� He knows if he does not destroy death by overcoming annihilation from the Destroyer, mankind will die forever. [8]

�� So, as Jesus' body grows weaker and weaker on the cross, his spirit becomes stronger and stronger in its own realm. [9]� And though his body, hanging limply and despairingly on the cross can scarcely breathe, Jesus' spirit takes a deep breath and begins the plunge into the bowels of hell.

�� Closer and closer he plunges toward the impenetrable gates.� Closer and closer toward the wretched flames ~ leaping, licking, anticipating in delightful horror.� Faster and faster!� Faster still!� Don't stop!�

�� The closer he gets, the more his soul boils in anger.� Anger at the lying lures of Satan for mankind to self-destruct in sin.� Anger at Satan's delight in accusing mankind once they give in to him.� Anger at the punishment with which Satan anxiously rewards his followers.� Anger at the helplessness of mankind.

�� Punish me!� Not them!� Punish me!! [10]

�� With the power of ultimate love, Jesus plunges with an iron will.� Resolutely, he bursts through the gates of hell where he does not belong so mankind can burst through the gates of heaven where it does not belong!

�� Ahhhhhhhgh!� Ahhhhhhhgh!� Ahhhhhhhgh!� Oh the pain!� The excruciating pain!� Intolerable!� Hideous!� Unbearable!�

�� "What?� What's going on here?" Satan demands.� "Jesus, how did you get in here?"� Satan is trembling. [11]

�� Get me out of here!� No, don't!� Ahhhhhhhgh!� Help me!� Ahhhhhhhgh!� No, stay away from me!� Ahhhhhhhhgh!

�� Satan has power.� He controls mankind.� But he's never been able to control Jesus.�

�� Ahhhhhhhgh!� I can't stand this!� Ahhhhhhhgh!�

�� Then Satan realizes Jesus has not resisted him.� He's been suicidal.� Love has cashed in his chips.� Love has figured out what is more powerful.� Hate has actually won!� Satan is elated!

�� "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha...."

�� "What have we here?" his voice announces out of no where and out of everywhere.� A voice that is now gloating and cannot be escaped.�

�� "So you finally gave in and sinned, huh, Jesus?� Very good.� I always knew you couldn't hold out forever.� No one can, you know.

�� "Looks like we've run full circle.� You kick me out of heaven, and keep me out. [12] I kick you into hell, and keep you in.

�� "Turns out to be a fair exchange after all.� If I can't be god of everyone, God's son can't either.� You'll never leave here, you know.� I've got the keys. [13]�

�� "Once you're in here, the gate to hell is locked forever.� All those sins of those people.� You can never undo what they did.� I'll always remind you of it.� Justice, not mercy.� You can never escape the punishment.� So go right ahead and scream, Jesus.� Be my guest."

�� The sacrificial flames leap and lunge lustily.� Good is eaten alive by Bad.�

�� Ahhhhhhhgh!

1:00 PM

�� "Let me see, here.� Oh, my!� You were a very nasty man, Jesus.� You were as bad as they come to me.� Actually worse.� You were almost as bad as me!� Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha." [14]

�� Ahhhhhhhgh!� Please, someone!� Oh these flames!� Ahhhhhhhgh!

�� Go away!� Go away, Satan!� Leave me alone in my torment.� �Ahhhhhhhgh!

�� "Quiet down now!� I can hardly hear myself think.� Let me see.� What have you done?� Oh, my!� Your passions burned so hot you went from partner to partner to partner.� You spread all kinds of diseases that way too, which just made their bodies burn with pain.�

�� "I loved it when you bragged to all your friends how wonderful this type life was; you made lots of converts for me.� You handled my assignment quite creatively, I must say."

�� Burning....� burning....� burning....

�� Ahhhhhhhgh!� Someone help!� Hurry!�

�� Devouring....consuming....corroding flames....

�� Ahhhhhhhgh!� Get those flames away!� Ahhhhhhhgh!

� �� "Well, I must say you can have all the burning you like here.� You certainly loved it on earth.� You'll love it here too." [15]

�� Ahhhhhhhgh!� I can't stand it!

�� The fire bites at Jesus' legs, eats away at his arms, and engulfs his body in hideous torment.

�� Ahhhhhhhgh!� Stop the pain!� Ahhhhhhhgh!� Stop the pain!

�� Still the raging fire.� Forever incinerating.� Forever blazing.� Forever the inferno.

�� "What else?� Oh, look at these terrific dark deeds of yours.� Night time seemed to be your favorite time.� That way no one would see what you were doing.� The stealing especially.� But you didn't always need night to do that.� You found ways to steal right under the noses of other people at work in broad daylight.�"

�� Forever the voice out of darkness, for that is all there is.� How Jesus longs to see just once more.� He strains to see.� He squints his eyes.� Nothing.� He opens them wide.� Still nothing.� No joyful color.� No brilliant illumination.� No light of understanding.� Just the black, black, blackness. [16]

�� What?� Who's there?� What's going on?� Don't hurt me!� Who are you?� Where are you?� Stay away!�

�� Ghosts and forever shadows.� Night.� Murky, murky night.� Terrible darkness.� Darkness that goes bump in the forever night.�

�� "You know, at night, you outdid yourself with all the excuses to neglect people you claimed to love.� You stayed away at work late, went to ball games late, attended meetings late, just anything that made you feel important.� Such a hypocrite.� I loved it!� You were so creative!� Indeed, darkness was your favorite time.� So, you'll enjoy all the darkness you ever wanted here." [17]

�� Please, someone.� Turn on a light.� Just a flicker.� I can't stand this.� I'm so alone.� So lonely.� So terribly lonely.� Isn't anyone out there?� I can't see you.� Please come closer.� Someone, please.� I'm so lonely.

�� "Oh, come on now.� It can't be that bad!� Wait 'til you've been around here a few thousand years.� Or million.� Maybe you'll get used to it.�

�� "Now, what's next?� Oh, yes, you left a lot of people out in the cold so to speak.� You called it watching out for number one.� That was good.� After all, everyone else does it.� It was either those people or you.� Survival of the fittest is what you called it.� Me too.�

�� "You did well.� When a mistake was discovered at work, you blamed someone else.� If it was obvious you made the mistake, you said it was someone else's fault." [18]

�� I'm so cold in this darkness....� So cold....� Oh for a little relief.� From the cold, cold darkness.� A jacket to put on.� A blanket.� Anything.� Please, I'm so cold.

�� "Get control of yourself, Jesus.� You know, you don't make sense.� How can you be burning and cold at the same time?� Of course, you never did make sense.� Personally I think it's a great idea.� Kind of unique.� Kind of like sweet-sour.� Well, you've got hot-cold."

�� "Now where was I?� Oh yes.� You were a master at showing righteous indignation and giving people the cold shoulder.� Especially at church.� Man, all those people you refused to talk to because of their sins.� Even your own flesh and blood.� You really showed them.�

�� "I never did like that mercy stuff.� You were a good example for me.� You did me proud.� Now you get all the cold shoulders in the world.� Like it?� Aren't you lucky?"

��� It's so cold.� I'm shaking.� I can't stop the shaking.� Please.� Do something!� Someone, do something!� Jesus' teeth gnaw and grind.� Forever exhausted from the shakes and trembling, the spasms and chilling. [19]

�� "I do wish you'd beg a little quieter.� You're disturbing the other beggars.� Now, where were we?� Oh, yes.� My, my, you did well on this assignment.� You managed to cause a lot of people's downfall. �You were so jealous of everyone!� That was good!� Jealousy will do the trick every time." [20]

1:30 PM

�� Jesus continues falling.� Falling through the empty universe.� Through the eternal empty cosmos.�

�� Falling....falling....falling....� Through the bottomless hole.

�� Where is everything?� Something to stand on.� Please!� Ahhhhhhh!� No floors!� No buildings!� No ground!� Ahhhhhhh!� No earth!� Stop my falling!� Ahhhhhhh!

�� "Oh, what a delightful sound!� Music to my ears!� Did you know, Jess, that your scream is in the key of E?� And that guy over there screams in the key of G?� And that woman to your left screams in the key of B?� What discord!� I love it!� Don't you?

�� "Now what else did you do?� Sometimes you literally pushed them to their deaths - from cliffs, buildings, bridges, whatever was handy.� You weren't particular.�

�� "Oh, this is a real winner!� You pushed your vehicle accelerator more and more until you managed to push people out of the way~- in intersections, in other cars, just anywhere you could find people in your way.� Crippled a lot of them.� Sent some of them right to their deaths.�

�� "You made the excuse they were all accidents.� Oh, I love excuses.� Don't you?� It just adds to the excitement!� Well, now that I've given you the initial push, you'll love all the falling you get to do here.� You'll feel right at home." [21]

�� Stop!� Stop!� Someone stop the falling!� I'm going to hit the bottom!� It's going to kill me!� Stop!� Someone help me!� I'm falling! �Falling!� Falling!� Help me!� Someone catch me!� Help!

�� But the falling continues on and on and endlessly on.� Still the falling.� Always the falling.� Forever the never arriving.� Eternal dilemma.

�� "Oh, quit your complaining.� You liked all this so much on earth.� Now you get it forever.� Lucky you.

�� "Now what else did you do?� Oh, you could really put up a stink about things.� You could really stir up a can of worms.� And you loved every bit of it, you devil!" [22]

�� Jesus continues to fight the stench that engulfs his senses.� The food and flowers and wonderful fragrances are all gone.� Forever gone.� Now just the rank, foul smell that gorges his nostrils.� He wishes he did not have to breathe.� He dreads the very breaths he must have.� Each friendly breath is his foe.� His nausea is endless.� Forever the retching and heaving.

�� "You're going to wear yourself out vomiting so much.� Of course, I could care less what you do to yourself.� You deserve it.� You are really rotten, Jesus.� Rotten to the very core.

�� "You know, I was really proud of you, every time you stirred people up.� Never satisfied unless there were people around you arguing.� How you loved a good fight.� It didn't matter to you what it was about.� What a chip on your shoulder.� You did me proud.� You could even get best friends at each other's throats.� Whole families.� Even the church.� There was no one you couldn't make a stink with."

�� Ahhhckckck!� Help me!� Ahhhckckck!� Please!� Ahhhckckck!� I can't stand this any longer.� Please stop it.� Ahhhckckck!� Ahhhckckck!

�� "You really make me sick, Jesus.� Is it my fault you did those things?� No.� Did I force you against your will?� No.� Did I move your hands and feet and tongue for you?� You were on your own.� You were such a sucker!� You know you're getting what you so richly deserve.� If you can't take it, you shouldn't have dished it out.. " [23]

�� The hideous, sadistic laughter once more.� Nowhere and everywhere and inescapable.� And still the relentless torment.

�� Ahhhhhhhgh!� Ahhhhhhhgh!� Ahhhhhhhgh!

�� "Oh yes, you are going to burn in those sins forever.� You're going to die a million deaths, and it will be just the beginning.� You're mine forever, just like all of mankind.� How I hate everyone.� They're all like me.� And how I hate you, Jesus.� But now you're mine.� Forever mine, and there's nothing you can do about it. [24]

�� "By the way, see all those people across the chasm over there in paradise waiting to be taken into heaven?� They'll never make it.� You'll never get out of here to take them.� You're forever in my grip.� They'll always be nearby where they can hear the screaming and everything else that goes on here in hell. " [25]

�� Ahhhhhhhgh!� Ahhhhhhhgh!

�� "You and I, Jesus, are about to start all over.� Remember when you put your newly created people in the first paradise, the Garden of Eden some people called it?" [26]

�� Ahhhhhhhgh!� Ahhhhhhhgh!

�� "Well, I'm getting ready to cross over that chasm and re-enter paradise.� I did it before and I can do it again.� You know I have the power to do it.� Man can't cross the chasm.� But I can.� I've got the keys in and out of hell.� Remember?"

�� Ahhhhhhhgh!� Ahhhhhhhgh!

�� "I'm going to tempt them all over again.� Yes, indeed.� And you're stuck here in hell.� You can't do a thing about it.�

�� "I succeeded before, and I'll do it again.� You lost before, and you'll lose this time too.� Except this time, it will be forever.� No more second chances.� You were their only chance and you blew it.� Too bad.� They'll all hate you for it, you know."

�� Ahhhhhhhgh!� The burning.� Burning of conscience.� Burning of sin.� Burning of self-destruction.

�� "And you know how I'm going to do it?� The same way I did it before.� The same way I always do it.� Lie to them.� They love my lies.� They think my lies are easier to believe than your truths.� Such fools.� I'm going to convince them you don't really exist; because if you did exist, you wouldn't have made them die in the first place.� Great idea, isn't it?" [27]

2:00 PM

�� Jesus' energies are turning from pain to anger.� Love demands anger.� Anger at sin and self-destruction.� Anger at the god of Hatred who convinces people the God of Love is against them.

�� No!� I will not allow it!�

�� Satan is shocked at Jesus' burst of courage.

�� You will never cross that chasm!� I will take the keys of hell away from you.� Jesus strains to take control.

�� I will break out of here and save those in paradise forever!� You will never be able to touch them! [28]

�� "Now don't get so upset, Jesus.� Remember all your pain.� That fire's really burning.� Hurts, doesn't it?"� Satan must continue to plant doubt in Jesus' mind.� "Besides, all your so-called friends deserted you at the cross."�

�� I will no longer allow you to accuse them, Satan!� I forgave them from the cross. [29]� That means, their sins no longer exist.

�� "But what about everyone else?" Satan hastens to remind Jesus.� "Their sins are the ones that sent you here to hell.� What about them?� They're the cause of all this, you know."

�� I forgive them too.

�� "But remember all those times they laughed at you?� All those times they called you my son, the Devil's son?� Remember all those times they insulted you?� Come on, now!� Nurse those offenses.� Don't ever let them forget what they did to you!"

�� Jesus continues undaunted.�

�� As far as I'm concerned, no one in the history of the world ever sinned, and none of those people laughed at me or insulted me.

�� The moment Jesus forgives the world of its sins all the burning and falling and cold and stench and darkness is gone.� Jesus is once more strong. [30]� And once more Jesus is the Water of Life, the Foundation of the Saved, the Wall of Salvation, the Light of the world. [31]

�� Satan quickly hides his eyes from Jesus' brilliance.� How he hates the light.

�� I have come to do the will of my father in heaven. [32]�� Satan, hand me the keys!

�� Attack, Satan!� Attack!� Satan knows his only weapons against such power are intimidation, insults, accusations.�

�� "The way you acted in the park when they arrested you was a farce.� You should have let Peter go ahead and whack off a few heads.� All he got was one lousy ear.� Then you go and put it back on the guy.� You are so stupid.� You lost all their respect.� No wonder your so-called friends deserted you.� You couldn't even stand up to those guys.� You all but put the chains on yourself.� You're a real moron."

�� Hand me the keys!

�� "Doesn't look like you're very well liked by most people, actually.� They practically beat you to a pulp, didn't they?� Man, you must have really made them mad.� And you even let them do it.� Couldn't you do anything right?"

�� Hand me the keys!

�� "You think you're really something, don't you?� Well, you're nothing.� A nobody.� You claim you're the son of God.� Don't make me laugh.� If you were the son of God, you'd have taken yourself down from off that cross like everyone tried to get you to.� But you're not.� I'm surprised they haven't put you in the loony bin yet.� Son of God.� What a farce."

�� Hand me the keys!

2:30 PM

�� Satan grows more nervous.� Intimidation has worked on everyone else.� It is not working on Jesus.� He must change his tactics.� All he has left is doubt, enough doubt to conquer faith.

�� "You know, that so-called father of yours probably doesn't even exist."

�� My father and I are united forever! [33]

�� "Stop kidding yourself!� He was only a figment of your imagination.� All that power you had to perform miracles?� That was me, not him.� If you are the son of God...."

�� Those words again.� Those doubting words:� IF....� Just like at the beginning.� If you're God's son, turn these rocks to bread....� If you're God's son, jump off a tower....� If you're God's son." [34]

�� "IF you are the son of God, go ahead and grab the keys, but you'll never get them to work.� You can't break out of hell.� No one has ever done that."

�� N O O O O O O ! ! ! ! ! !� Jesus is angry.

�� "Your father, if he exists, has deserted you.� If you are the son of God, he would rescue you."

�� N O O O O O O ! ! ! ! !�� Jesus has had enough of Satan's lies.

�� Jesus' anger at Satan is now out of control.� Jesus must be reunited with his father.

�� "Furthermore, if you're the son of God, you'd come down from the cross....the cross....the cross...."

�� Doubt is moving back into Jesus' mind.� He is willing himself back to the earth.� He must search for his father.� His father is not in hell.� Heaven cannot be in hell.�

�� Jesus must burst out of hell.� For the sake of himself, God's son.� For the sake of all other sons and daughters God longs for.� They'll never be able to escape unless Jesus controls the keys.

�� Father, where are you?� Father, I have a gift for you.� It's all the forgiven ones.� I completed my sacrifice!� And I have the keys! [35]

�� The aroma of incense.� The sweet scent of prayers rising in search of God.� Jesus' prayers.� They are lifting him.� Lifting him higher and higher! [36]

�� Father, where are you?� I can't give you my gift.� I can't find you.� Father?� Father?

�� With both doubt and hope, Jesus races frantically through the corridors of hell.� Zooming.� Looming higher and higher.� Soaring.� Faster.� Faster.� Faster.

�� And defiantly bursts out through the gates of hell.��

�� Father!� Where are you?� It's so dark....� So cold....� I can't breathe.� Oh, this pain!� This horrid pain!� Oh Father!� Help me!� Help me!� Father, where are you?�

�� F A T H E R ! ! ! ! [37]

�� Jesus regains consciousness and realizes he is still on the cross.�

�� Oh, Father.� I need you.� Where are you?� It's so cold.� So dark.� I can't stand it.� I hurt so much.

�� Jesus, isn't there anyone out there who can help you?� Isn't there anyone at all?� Have they all left you ~ alone?� All forsaken you?

�� Uhhhchch.� Uhhhchch.� Uhhhchch.

�� Jesus struggles for the next breath.� The scarce breath.� The breath that eludes him like his father.�

�� Oh, God, your son can't see you.� The sins.� They're gone.� You can come back now.� Jesus needs you.

�� Jesus grows frantic.� What if Satan was right?� What if Satan is god now?� What if Satan just let him out of hell to find out for himself?

�� In desperation, the Savior's eyes defy every painflooded muscle in his broken body.� He looks up into the heavens wildly searching.� Cracked, bleeding lips part and implore, "MY GOD!� MY GOD!"� His voice horrified, his eyes wide, desperate.� His thick tongue forms the slurred words.

�� "WHY HAVE YOU DESERTED ME?!" [38]

�� Think, Jesus.� What else did that psalm say?

�� God...will...answer.... [39]�� Yes, Jesus, give him a little more time.

3:00 PM

�� Three hours of darkness have passed ~ three long, torturing, black eternal hours.� The darkness lingers still.

�� Still Jesus searches, his bleeding heart beating desperately in search of the blood that is now so thick and scarce.� Broken.� His very soul bent low, the love it bears crushed and rejected.

�� His speech is now so weak, people must strain to hear him.

�� "He actually calling for Elijah!"

�� "He's delirious!"

�� He becomes nauseated.

��"Let's just see if Elijah comes to save him!� God surely won't!"

�� Nothing.� As usual.� Nothing happens. [40]� For Jesus' work is now completed.

�� ....The prophecies are all fulfilled now, Jesus.� Hear that?� Fulfilled at last.� All told centuries ago ~ where you would be born, where you would grow up, how you would teach, how you would live, how you would die.�

�� Something comes to mind.� What is it?� Right after man's fall...."The serpent will bruise my heel and I shall crush the serpent's head."� Yes, that's how it was said ~ so many millenniums ago.... [41]

�� ....Just a few more moments now.� Just a few more deadening moments.� Then release.� Then you will be with your father again.� Oh, it's been so long.� Soon now, it will be all over....

�� Jesus' heavy laden heart struggles with his dehydrated broken body to pump thick, heavy, sluggish blood to a resistant, barely living being.

�� "I thirst," he whispers.

�� One last request.� It is time to will himself to die. [42]�

�� Can they refuse?� No!� Look!� Someone has had mercy on you, Son of God!� He's taking a sponge dipped in vinegar, and now...and now...he is offering it to you, thirsty Savior.� A drink.

�� With the weariness of dying, Jesus takes the vinegar and it momentarily helps the nausea. [43]�

�� His tormented swollen heart labors slower and slower.� Gradually and increasingly surrounded by a contemptible, mocking serum, his heart strains even harder as it struggles to pump just a few more drops of blood.� Slower it pumps, and slower.... [44]

�� ....Everything is getting so dim, so hazy, so blurry....� Where is everything going?� Around and around.� Spinning, spinning, back, farther and farther, faster, faster, faster!

�� He groans.� "It...is...finished...." [45]

....Finished. Your work all completed. Everything as planned. �And now, oh Lamb of God, die!� The sacrifice is completed.� But for your sins, Son of God?� No, of course not.� You have none.� You've been perfect, unselfish one, from your human birth, the whole way.� All of this has been for the others. [46]

�� ....Everything is getting so far away....so far away....so far away.� It's so lonely....no one here....so hazy....all alone....forsaken....desolate....

�� ....Something drawing....something....something drawing you to it.� What is it?� Where is it coming from?� Look up!� But the pain ~ the cramping relentless pain ~ so merciless.� Torturing to the very end.� But look up.� Look up!� Quick!� Don't you see?

�� He calls out.� "Father!"� Yes, he's coming for you!� "Father!� I know you're there.� My spirit...it's yours!" [47]

�� ....Just a little more now!� Just a little closer....�

�� His head lifts up in all the defiance of death.� His body jerks and writhes, his knotted muscles strain.� Just a little closer now....�

�� His heart swells...trembles...and bursts.� And with a loud piercing cry that shakes the foundations of the earth, Jesus sends his liberated spirit rushing at last to the outstretched arms of God. [48]�

�� "Oh my son!� My son!" [49]

LIFE APPLLICATION

1.�� Imagine yourself as a military private and now a prisoner of war.� Now imagine your general, your commander-in-chief, breaking into the prison camp and telling the commandant that, if he will turn you loose, he will stay and take the punishment for you.� How would you feel?

2.�� Think of the worst thing you ever did.� Now imagine Jesus doing it.� That is what he had to do on the cross.� He had the take our sins as though he had done them instead of us.� How will understanding this help you the next time you are tempted to do something wrong?

3.�� Satan tries to undo everything God does.� God creates, so Satan kills.� We are born healthy, so Satan gives us diseases.� We love everyone in early childhood, so Satan creates misunderstandings and selfishness to create hatred.� Relate this to mankind starting out sinless, and God doing everything possible to make us sinless in his eyes through Jesus.

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