Crucifixion

GOD’S LOOKING AT YOUR LAMB

| Sandra Pavloff Conner
photo courtesy of Aleafar @ pixabay.com

This coming Sunday is Palm Sunday, which begins the Holy Week before Easter. Throughout Holy Week, Christians all over the world focus on the suffering and crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ, contemplating the awful price He paid for man’s rebellion and sin. John the Baptist introduced Jesus as “The Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world.” (John 1:29).

Then on Easter Sunday, we celebrate the fact the Jesus rose from the dead, with forgiveness for all sin, and made His own righteousness available for anyone who will receive Him.

The Word of God also says, in the book of Hebrews, “He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. …We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Now where there is forgiveness … there is no longer any offering for sin. Since, therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus … let us draw near [ to God ] with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith.”

As believers consider what Jesus has done for all mankind this season, it would be good to remember this truth: Even under the Old Covenant, when a man brought a lamb to be sacrificed for his sin, neither the priest nor God Himself looked at the man to see if he measured up to a certain standard so that his sacrifice could be accepted and his sin forgiven. The only thing they looked at was the lamb itself. If the lamb was unblemished — spotless — perfect — the sacrifice was accepted, and the man walked away free of all guilt and condemnation.

So it is in the better covenant that Jesus instituted by becoming our Lamb – through His death and resurrection. In the New Covenant — as in the Old — God is not looking at you and me to see if we measure up well enough to be forgiven or to be admitted into His presence. He’s looking at your Lamb. He’s looking at my Lamb. So we can rejoice, beloved! We can go free from all sin and guilt and shame. We are forgiven and accepted totally and freely — for OUR LAMB IS PERFECT!

Lenten Poems — week 6

| Sandra Pavloff Conner

 

 

SATAN CAST DOWN - GOLD LARGER

THE PRICE IS PAID

How deep and dark the grave in which they laid the Lord.
And naught to give Him hope except the Father’s Word.
But ’twas enough, for God had said, “When day three comes,
You’ll rise with life anew and come again to Home.”

Throughout the vigil, silence reigned and men did mourn.
And in the halls of Hell, the demons, they did groan:
This man from off the cross had stormed their barriers staid.
Hell panicked at the word from Heaven: “The price is paid!”

Then Jesus, Son of God and Son of Man, stepped forth
And grasped the keys of Death and Hell with violent force.
Then rose through realms beneath to burst from earth and grave.
His shout of victory rang abroad: “Mankind is saved!”

 

 

 

 

Lenten Poems — week 5

| Sandra Pavloff Conner

 

JESUS IN GARDEN - NEGATIVE -KAREN'S WHIMSY

 

O, Lamb of God
So pure, so holy, undefiled,
You came so meekly,
Vulnerable, a tiny child.

You took our sin
And took all of its consequence.
You chose the cross,
And on it your lifeblood was spent.

But for what cause,
When tempted in the garden that night,
Did you still choose
To let yourself be crucified?

You told us, Lord;
If we’d just listen, we would know.
You said, “Because
I love the Father, I will go.”

Lord, work in us
That holy and obedient love,
That we, when tried,
Will speak and act only for God.

 

~~~
(Photo courtesy of Karen’s Whimsy)

 

 

 

 

Lenten Poems — week 4

| Sandra Pavloff Conner

NAZARETH, ISRAEL - EDITED

Nathaniel’s Answer

Nathaniel was a man who knew no guile.
He walked with Jesus, loved Him all the while.
When first he heard His name, a question posed
But waited ’til the answer was disclosed.

“From Nazareth can any good come forth?”
He asked of those who knew that city’s worth.
He asked for meditation, not reply,
Yet found the answer true in Jesus’ eyes.

And although from the garden he did run
With others as they scattered one by one,
As Roman guards led Jesus, bound, away,
There came a reckoning after the third day.

As Mary ran to spread the glorious news,
Nathaniel, hidd’n with others, all confused,
Received her words with doubt, and hope, and fear,
And hungered so His Master’s voice to hear.

Then Jesus stood among them, His work done:
Salvation for the world from Nazareth comes.

 

 

 

 

Lenten Poems — week 3

| Sandra Pavloff Conner

CRUCIFIX - FOR YOU - GOSPEL GIFS

SUFFICIENT

Seized and stripped and slapped and spit upon,
Scornful salutations; sorrow; shame;
Satan stalks the Son of God and Son of Man
Scarlet stripes, scalding tears, searing pain;

Search the scriptures, surely they the story tell:
Insatiable evil strikes; the Lamb is slain.

But surely, it’s my sins He bore, my sorrow and shame,
My sickness, my distress, my grief, my pain.

Submitted Sacrifice: He sealed the promise;
Sufficient, He bought me peace with God again.

 

 

 

 

Daily Post Prompt: Purple – The Royal Color

| Sandra Pavloff Conner

PURPLE EQUATION 2

Christ’s blood seeped from the puncture wounds the thorns produced around his head. His blood ran freely from the scourging that tore apart his back and torso. It gushed from his side slashed open by the soldier’s spear. His bright red blood mingled with death’s morbid, black shroud that afternoon on Calvary’s infamous hill.

But during the somber three days following that seemingly fatal failure, that precious red blood inundated the black of death — mixed with it and overcame its fearful depths — and thus created the regal color of victory. And purple reigns forever, the color of royalty upon the throne of the universe. Salvation is complete.

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Those of you who visit both this site and my ‘Hangin’ Out With God’ site, will notice that today I’ve chosen to post the same response to the prompt on both. I hope you don’t mind.
To participate in the prompt visit Daily Post.

***

Lent: Meditating On The Sacrifice

| Sandra Pavloff Conner

CROWN OF THORNS ULTRA MODERNTHE SACRIFICE

A crown,
A diadem,
A shackle placed upon the brow.

Bestowed
Contemptuously,
And scarlet robe on shoulders bowed.

The grief,
The agony,
The tortuous, mutilating pain.

All born
By Innocence
To give me peace and health again.

A cross,
On Calvary:
To execute the Father’s plan.

A tomb,
Now empty stands:
He’s paid the price for every man.

~

The Treasures of Christmas

| Sandra Pavloff Conner

CROSS, MNGR MESSAGE -- NEG BLUE BCKGRD
Gingerbread and stockings …
Christmas trees and holly …
Loving friends and family …
Peace and hope and laughter —
These belong to Christmas.

God’s rich love for mankind …
Word made flesh incarnate …
Coming for one purpose:
Dying that I could have life.
Christmas belongs to me!

~

Poems of Passion Week – Day 7 – ‘The Price is Paid’

| Sandra Pavloff Conner

 

SATAN CAST DOWN - red - for blog
How deep and dark the grave in which they laid the Lord.
And naught to give Him hope except the Father’s Word.
But ’twas enough, for God had said, “When day three comes,
You’ll rise with life anew and come again to Home.”


Throughout the vigil, silence reigned and men did mourn.
And in the halls of Hell, the demons, they did groan:
This man from off the cross had stormed their barriers staid.
Hell panicked at the word from Heaven: “The price is paid!”


Then Jesus, Son of God and Son of Man, stepped forth
And grasped the keys of Death and Hell with violent force.
Then rose through realms beneath to burst from earth and grave.
His shout of victory rang abroad: “Mankind is saved!”

 

~~~

 

 

~~~

 

Poems of Passion Week – Day 5 – ‘Christmas Promises Crucifixion & New Creation’

| Sandra Pavloff Conner

 

MANGER AND CROSS - NO WORDS

“What will Christmas bring, Mom?”
“Why, Son, ’twill bring you lots of toys and joys.”
“What else will Christmas bring, Mom?”
“Well, fun and games with other girls and boys.”


“But later on in life, Mom,
Will Christmas mean a lot when I am grown?”
“Oh, yes, it will mean more, Son.
For as you grow, a great truth you’ll be shown.


“You’ll learn that Jesus came, Son,
Not just to be a babe in manger sweet,
But to grow up a strong man,
Horrible death and suffering to meet.


“He came to take our sin, Son
And pay the price for it on Calvary.
So God could look upon us all
And shout, ‘From sin and all its curse you’re free!’”


“But I love the little babe, Mom.
I don’t want to think He died for me.”
“That’s what makes Christmas grand, Son:
That Jesus came to die and set us free.”


“You mean, the little baby, Mom?
He had to die and never live again?”
“No, Son, on Resurrection Day,
He rose victorious o’er death for all men.


“This truth of Christmas time, Son,
I think you now begin to understand:
It was the birth of death to sin,
And of eternal life for every man.”

 

~~~

 

 

~~~

 

Poems of Passion Week – Day 3 – ‘Sufficient’

| Sandra Pavloff Conner

 

CRUCIFIX - FOR YOU - GOSPEL GIFSSeized and stripped and slapped and spit upon,
Scornful salutations; sorrow; shame;
Satan stalks the Son of God and Son of Man:
Scarlet stripes, scalding tears, searing pain;
Search the scriptures; surely they the story tell:
Insatiable evil strikes; the Lamb is slain.
But surely, it’s my sins He bore, my sorrow,
My sickness, my distress, my grief, my pain.
Submitted Sacrifice: He sealed the promise;
Sufficient, He bought me peace with God again.

~~~

 

~~~

 

Poems of Passion Week – Day 2

| Sandra Pavloff Conner

 

 

CROWN OF THORNS ULTRA MODERN

 

 

 

BARABBAS

My heart pounded
As they dragged me out.
They stood me close beside Him,
And I looked about.


The crowd was frenzied:
With rage and raw disgust.
I wasn’t sure the real cause–
Why they fumed and cussed.


I glanced beside me
To catch a glimpse of Him,
But what my eyes saw in His
Convicted me within.


When guards shouted,
“Who is it going to be?”
Then I understood they’d choose
To set one free.


“Free Barabbas!
Set Barabbas free!”
I could not believe my ears:
They chose, not Him, but me.


“What of Jesus?”
Then asked the guards.
“Crucify Him! Crucify Him!
He is not our God!”


My shackles fell off:
By law a free man.
Pilate called for water then
And there he washed his hands.


The day grew dark
As He hung there,
Upon a cross with thieves each side,
Then He said a prayer.


He prayed, “Forgive them.”
Did that include me?
When He said, “It is finished!”
I knew He’d died for me, Barabbas.

 

 

(Scripture Reference: Matthew 27)

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Poems of Passion Week – Day 1

| Sandra Pavloff Conner

 

CROSS WITH CROWN OF THORNS - BLUEWell, I started off okay with NaPoWriMo, but as the days progressed, I haven’t kept up my end of the challenge. I don’t think I need to make that one of my goals this year. However, I do have a similar goal, though shorter. I am setting myself the task, during Passion Week, of writing one poem a day about the suffering, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. I want to focus in some special way on His suffering and death, and then His glorious victory and resurrection for my sake.

I can’t think of a better way than to create a poem every day from today – Palm Sunday – through Resurrection Day – Easter Sunday. In fact, since much of the church in several parts of the world celebrates Easter Week (the week following Resurrection Day), I think I will even write a poem for Easter Monday of that week as well.. I hope these poems add to your commemoration of our Lord’s loving sacrifice and to your celebration of His glorious salvation.

 

Here’s Today’s Poem:

 

SACRIFICE

A crown,
A diadem,
A shackle placed upon the brow.

Bestowed
Contemptuously,
And scarlet robe on shoulders bowed.

The grief,
The agony,
The tortuous, mutilating pain.

All born
By Innocence
To give me peace and health again.

A cross,
On Calvary:
To execute the Father’s plan.

A tomb,
Now empty stands:
He’s paid the price for every man.

~

 

 

 

~~~