First

  So this is the day, it is on this day that our calendar says that the actual killing took place, approximately two thousand years ago?  With this one, I was thinking about it's coming, and what it is that I should say about it. Because, unlike Palm Sunday, I knew what day today was when I woke up. But things being what they are, and this being a holiday and all, I probably should have written it yesterday? But here are a few quick points regarding this day and it's goings on. We won't get into the why of it, but suffice it to know, that the accusation was blasphemy. He was tortured before his death, this being a historical fact as well as a Biblical truth. But it is the zeal shown by those who had set out to do this torturing that is so compelling. There was a genuine hatred shown this man, and the soldiers who administered it, inflicted the pain as if it were a personal thing for them? The Roman soldiers treated meting out this torture not only as their duty, but they seemed to enjoy it? All this while the Jewish leaders who had wanted this, stood off to the side in full approval!
  But I think that the torture as heinous as it was, was not the worst of it? In my mind, the three years of disrespect and taunting that our Lord had to endure was worse? Imagine that wherever you are, you are always the smartest person in the room? Sounds like a good thing right? Probably not so much if you had to endure a bunch of fools and idiots bloviate about nonsense? This went on during the entire three years of his minisry, he listened to it, advising them when they would listen, but never telling them who he really was. But lets try to make this more understandable, something specific, rather then abstract.
You are the founder and President of a multi-national company. You employ hundreds of thousands of workers, and your company is responsible for pouring billions of dollars into the world's economy! But for whatever reason, call it a twist of fate, the company can only make a profit if no one knows who you are? In fact, again for the good of the company, you must agree to be a lowly worker, and listen to people who know far less then you do. Our little scenario is almost impossible to even consider, but that is exactly what Jesus agreed to do! That by itself is a hard enough to understand, but there is an added bonus for that Corporate President who agreed to do what ours did? While laughing and taunting our hero during the entire three years of his sacrifice and service, upon the completion of his time, they take him out back and kill him! And they aren't merciful in their killing, but they take their time, torturing him to the fullest, before finally, they afforded him the only dignity they will allow, the dignity of being allowed to die in peace.

It seems things got reversed, and it was the first story that became second? Coming soon to a post near you, The meaning of Truth.