Luke 23:26-43

The Crucifixion
26As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30Then " ‘they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!" ’ 31For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?" 32Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 35The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One." 36The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself." 38There was a written notice above him, which read:|sc THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 39One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren‘t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" 40But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don‘t you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." 42Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 43Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."



Devotion (by Rob Alsobrook)
Things don‘t always appear as they seem. The Jews of that day knew the prophecies of the coming Messiah and thought they knew what to look for, specific characteristics indicating what the Messiah would do to make known that that person was indeed the awaited Messiah.
But in the end, they missed the boat. They were blinded by their own pride and did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus challenged those people, just as He does today through His Word. Even as He was walking to where He would be crucified, He ironically was leading someone else carrying His cross. Christ does ask us to pick up our crosses daily and follow Him, even when it is tough.
I am always amazed at the fortitude of Christ and pray that when I am encountered by trouble and the challenges of life that I may recognize Christ‘s example and exhibit the same amount of resilience during times of trouble.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Open our eyes so that we may always recognize You and open our minds to better and more fully understand Your ways and example. Bless us with the strength and confidence to follow You even when things get hard, and never allow us to be without the hope in knowing that You will come back some day and we will be able to know and recognize You when you do return. Amen.