A birthday anniversary!

In my previous post, I made the point about "birthday anniversaries" and mentioned that I have two. There was, of course, the day of my physical birth day - and Facebook will be reminding all of my Facebook friends about that, during this coming week; but there was also my "second birth day" - and I celebrated that today!

Like most of the truly significant points in our lives, I recall it as if it had happened last night! In those far-off days, reaching into the mists of time (okay, that's a slight exaggeration!), it was not uncommon for young teens to still attend Sunday School (we didn't even have fancy 'hip' names for it!), and I was no exception. I attended the Boys' Brigade Bible Class in the morning, and Sunday School in the afternoon (as well, of course, as both morning and evening worship services!). My teacher, in the afternoon Sunday School was a Mr McCloy. One day, perhaps having discerned that the time was right, he gave me a small book. It was entitled "The King of kings", and was based on the silent film of the same name. That film was the second in a Biblical Trilogy, produced and directed by the famous Cecil B DeMille. As the title indicates, it was based on the life, death, and resurrection, of Jesus of Nazareth but, unlike the Biblical record, it went into much more detail in certain areas.

Remember, that with my personal upbringing, for which I am forever grateful, I already knew the Biblical record. However, those who recorded it, were writing for a contemporary audience and that may be the reason that details of, for example, the crucifixion, were not included. People in the 1st century AD did not need to be informed about it! It was, after all, a popular spectacle!

This book was different and, as I read the account of the crucifixion I realised, for the first time, some of the horror that lay behind the simple Gospel record: "And they crucified Him." I learned about the prior flogging - that the whip was like a "cat o' nine tails" and had pieces of bone, and lumps of lead, tied into each of the thongs, so that the very flesh of the victim's back was ripped up. I learned that when Calvary was reached, the heavy cross was laid flat on the ground; the victim flung on top of it (Roman crucifixion squads were not noted for sharing the "milk of human kindness"!), and long, blunt nails were hammered, viciously, into the wrists, and the overlapping feet, of the victim. His arms were then securely tied to the cross-beam of the cross, as they actually took the body's weight (the nails were to hinder any movement); and the cross was then raised so that the foot of the vertical beam dropped into a prepared hole. Can you imagine the pain that just that one stage caused to the victim?

As the victim hung there, shamefully exposed (the loincloth in a crucifix is added for the sake of decency), his body sagged. This led to him being unable to breathe properly. The solution was to push against his feet (securely fixed to the cross) - but this caused excruciating pain. Gradually, he found it impossible to push, and died from suffocation and choking on his own blood. Of course, this could take many hours, and as night fell, the temperature dropped rapidly, and so exposure hastened the death.

That is, in itself, a very abridged explanation. For those who wish to learn more, and have the stomach for it, there is a useful site at 

https://mudpreacher.org/2012/04/03/the-crucifixion-of-jesus-in-excruciating-detail/

Please note, also, that when the soldier pierced the side of the Lord Jesus with a spear, eye-witness John records: "But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water." (John 19:34). When I was younger, I read those words with a picture of two streams - one 'water' and the other of blood - coming from Jesus' body much as two flavours of ice-cream from a "Mr Softee" machine! However, what the apostle actually saw was a clear serum (which looked exactly like water) with clots of blood in it. This, pathologists confirm, signifies the rupture of the heart and is, alone, confirmation that Jesus had suffered physical death.

So what happened 61 years ago, in my own bedroom? Simply this - I realised, for the first time, something of what the Lord Jesus had suffered physically, and I knew that He had done so for me. Some understanding of the spiritual cost came much later!  That was when I prayed the simple words:

"Come into my heart, Lord Jesus; come into my heart today. Come into my heart Lord Jesus; forever with me to stay."

He came - and He has stayed. I have not always been a great disciple; a good witness; a fine example. Yet He continues to love me, and guide me, and walk with me. And He will do the same for you. Acknowledge, even now, that you are a sinner. Admit that you are unable to do anything about your own sin. Accept that, at Calvary, He did all that was required. Believe that He died on the cross, and rose from the tomb. Confess your new faith to someone else. Find a Christian fellowship in which the Gospel is faithfully preached, and God's written Word accepted in its entirety, and obeyed in every area. Fellowship with other disciples of Jesus. Be prepared to see changes in your life, and in your relationships. But be assured, you will never regret such a decision.

There is a link, if you scroll down, that you may find to be helpful in your new life. And remember that you, too, will now have two birth days to celebrate!