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HIS STORY Close by stood his mother, John and the other women who had followed him. They followed him even to this place. Unashamed they stood by him, lending him their support. He was moved by their love. A smile came over his face as he looked intently at each one. This was a painful day for Jesus. This was a day he had dreaded. It was not the dying that he feared. It was not the brutality of this Roman form of torture that he dreaded. No, he was confident that he was right in the center of his Father's will. The outcome of this day's work filled his heart with joy. But, there was new ground before him that was horrifying. All of the events he had spoken of earlier had now converged. The events to come were repulsive and overwhelmingly bitter. He must have asked himself, "What will it be like?" and, "How will I respond to it?" To become a curse was foreign to him. He had never before tasted sin. Not only was the burden of sin a terrible difficulty, but he was also facing for the first time disconnection from his Father. Very soon he would face that abandonment. Soon he would know the depths of loneliness. The battle in his heart had already been won. He had faced that last night in the garden. All he had ever known was perfect holiness. As he searched his heart in these moments, his heart was pure. He had never sinned. He had never failed to please his Father. In the background he could hear the jeers of the soldiers and the chief priests. Those jeers now compounded by the accusations of the one who desired his position. Satan began to blast him, and along with his adversary, all of the dominion of darkness broke loose upon him. Every unclean and evil spirit left their assignments and descended upon him with their condemnation and judgment, "Adulterer!" "Murderer!" Baby-killing Abortionist!" "Liar, gossip, back-stabber!" "You lousy thief!" "Pedophile." "Prostitute!" "Homosexual!" "Unbeliever!" Every sin, every rebellious attitude, all of the bondage, all of it, all of your sin from the first to the very last was pressed down upon him. The blood tricked down his brow, off of his beard and fell to the ground. At the foot of his cross, the earth received his blood. Every drop from his hands and feet, as it were, called out to men and women, boys and girls everywhere who would embrace him, "You are forgiven." "Your guilt is taken away." "Completely pardoned." "Made perfectly clean, as white as snow." "Righteous before God." "Healed." "Completely whole." "Purchased." "Your sin-debt, paid in full." He closed his eyes and gave up his spirit. His head slumped. His heart stopped, and his body fell limp. His mother wept. Are you ready to see him? Will it go well with you when you stand before him? Jesus said that the reason that he came into the world was to save sinners like you and me. If you have never received him into your life, today is a great day to do that. If you want to receive Jesus into your heart, pray this prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, you know that my life is messed up. I have rebelled against you up until this day. But today, I am turning to you. More than anything, I want to have you in my life. I know that you died upon that cross for me. Please come into my heart and wash away the sin of my life. I give you now the control of my life. From here on, I belong to you. Thank you for saving me and accepting me as your child. In Jesus' name I pray, amen! If you prayed that prayer and received into your heart the Lord Jesus Christ, the Bible says you are a new creation in Christ. We want to encourage you to find a church family where the gospel of Jesus Christ is preached. Look for the first opportunity to be baptized and begin your new life as a follower of Jesus. If you have questions, we would love to visit with you. Call a member of our ministerial staff at 405-224-5196. Or you may e-mail our pastor at this address: johnny.tims@fbcchickasha.org
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The most important person in all of human history is Jesus of Nazareth. So important is he, that our calendar has been set by the events of his life. No other religious leader in all of human history has performed the miracles that Jesus did, displayed the power he displayed over nature, or after death, on the third day came to life again. It would not be fair to compare him to other religious leaders, because Jesus was not just a religious leader and neither was he simply a man. He was the one and only God-Man. His Spirit is still alive and at work in this world. Through the lives of His followers today and by his sovereign power he continues to influence and shape human history and transform the lives of people. May he bless you while you read HIS STORY. 
Imagine for a moment the scene surrounding Jesus' last hours on the earth before he died. Perhaps this telling of his story will reflect his thoughts and the forces at work around him on that day when he was crucified. (In this narrative are my ideas of what might have gone through Jesus' mind and what he might have faced in the spiritual realm as he was crucified). Through reading this, it is my hope that you might come to have a better understanding of how much he really loves you.
The sweltering heat from the sun was beating down upon him. The stinging of sweat mixed with blood running down into his eyes made his vision difficult. There was no chance of clearing them with his hands. They were fastened to the cross. The flies and gnats swarming around him were unrestrained. Looking through swollen eyes, he strained to see the scene below him. There were those who had just come to see the spectacle of this day's executions. Many of them didn't even know who he was. To the side of his cross, the soldiers, who had unmercifully beaten him and nailed him to this tree, were now throwing dice and gambling for his clothes. They were laughing and joking with each other. This was just another day, another crucifixion. It was their job. As Jesus had said, "...they don't know what they are doing." Beyond the roadway stood a very interested party. This was what they had planned. In their priestly garments they looked on with a condemning and mocking attitude. They had not personally driven the nails that day, but they were now hammering him with verbal abuse. Tears welled up in his eyes.
Darkness and heaviness descended upon the hillside. And one by one at first, and then loaded down upon him like an mountainous avalanche came all of the sin of humanity. What was terribly dreaded, the sinless Son of God now received into his very being -- the rebellion of Adam, the murder of Cain, all of the horror of the wickedness of mankind before the flood; the transgressions of those from the time of Noah up unto the very men hanging on the crosses on either side of him; and then forward in time, all of the wickedness of every generation to come. All fell upon him in full force. Unbearable pain,...agonizing despair,...sin's bondage and shame....unimaginable isolation. In those hours, for the first time ever,...he was alone. "Abba, (Daddy), where are you? Oh, I need you Father! It is worse than we thought. I am overcome. Please, don't abandon me!"
Jesus stepped down into hades during those 3 days his body was entombed and with authority he took back the keys of death and hades. On Sunday morning he opened those gates and stepped out of hades in mighty triumph, leading forth from paridise - the saints of old. Thunderous applause exploded from the heavens as the stone in front of his tomb was thrust from its place. Jesus re-entered his physical body. Life coursed through his veins. His once dead corpse in a flash was transformed into glorious resurrected life. He ascended back into heaven and someday soon..... he will return for His bride, the church.