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Out of the thousands of crucifixions that took place in first century in the Romans empire, why is the crucifixion of a Roman subject in Judea different? Why does the crucifixion of Christ separate Christianity from all other belief systems?
The apostle Paul teaches us that the message of the cross is foolishness to most and to others simply a stumbling block.[1]
To those that think it is foolish, the line of reasoning is something like this: what does a Jewish carpenter that lived two thousand years ago have anything to do with me today. Let alone that he was executed. Some would deny that he even existed or was crucified if He did live.
As a stumbling block, some cannot comprehend that God would become a man, fully God and fully man and let alone suffer and die for us. Not only did God become a man, but He became a servant. He was not born in a palace in a golden tub like we would think. God humbled Himself and was born in a poor family.
Yet to those that put their faith in the message of Cross, it becomes the power of God to salvation. The Cross is the power of God to set us free.
God condescends to us, born of a woman, who lived a sinless life and submitted Himself to the cruelty of man to be made a sacrifice for the sins of man. The humility of God serving man is drastically opposed to the world’s thought process.
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus left the glories of heaven to walk the dusty roads of ancient Judea as a Roman subject. He became a servant not to be one that is served.[2] He was obedient to the point death.[3]
Why would Jesus Christ do this?
6 While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man—though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die. 8 But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.
While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. This God’s love for us. Since all have sinned, we all need to be reconciled to God.
18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to bruise him; he has put him to grief; when he makes himself an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
Jesus Christ became the sin offering on the Cross. The difference between His crucifixion and the thousands of others that were done by the Romans is that His was a sacrifice. Not just a sacrifice but the Sacrifice. The sacrifice that brings us salvation. The cross separates Christianity from all other belief systems. No other belief system has their god sacrificing himself for mankind.
Next blog we will tie the sacrifice of Christ in with the Jewish Passover. As John the Baptist said, Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.[4]
Live repentance. Be zealous. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen
[1] 1 Corinthians 1: 18-24
[2] Mark 10: 45
[3] Isaiah 53: 10
[4] John 1:29
Be Zealous 
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