Would You?

     Jesus was bound and given over to Pilote like a criminal going to trial.  He endured the trial humbly and never released any of His power (which would have freed Him).  Pilote did not want to kill Jesus, so he went to the people with an idea.  Before the Passover, it was tradition to release a prisoner.  I am sure it was political, so the Romans looked generous and like they cared about the Jewish people.  However, when the people had an option, they chose a notorious murderer to be released over Jesus.  Then they insisted that Jesus be crucified.
     Jesus was beaten and mocked.  It was pure torture and the guards seemed to enjoy it.  It reveals the cruelty that people have in their hearts.  Jesus was so abused that He no longer looked like Himself.  At this point, Jesus had to carry his murder device on His own back to where He was to be executed.  When He could not do it as a human, they forced a man in the crowd to help Him. 
     While on the cross the guards cast lots to see whom would take His clothes.  People walking by threw their insults at Him.  Yet, He refused to take anything to easy His pain.  After about six horrible hours of slowly suffocating in the brutal heat of the sun, the sky turned black for three hours.  At the end of the three hours is when Jesus called out to God.  With a loud cry to God, He died.  At that moment, God tore the curtain that separated the people from Him in the Most Holy of Holy rooms.  He tore it from the top to the bottom, so no one could blame the earthquake for it tearing.  Everything had changed.
     Now it was time to take care of the body.  Some people who had been there all day began to believe.  Preparations had to be made.  I think that His true followers thought there would be a miracle, so they had not bought anything for a funeral. 
     The question that applies today is: would you go through that?  If you were to die for your beliefs, would you do it with the strength that Jesus did.  Would you be willing to die to save others?  How much would you endure for Jesus?

Mark 15