Easter, Once More 再一次的复活节

Easter is the time that we recall the crucifixion and the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ in the year 33 AD.

Three men, Jesus included, were crucified together that Friday, April 3rd AD 33.

Just imagine this - a man weighing at least 120 kg nailed on the wooden cross by three nails (perhaps three pairs of nails) one on each palm of the hand and one on the two feet bounded together. Logic would tell us that the nails could not hold the body upright for long. Gravity would dictate that the two hands would be torn and the human body would fall.

So, the suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ was a lot worse than just being nailed on the cross. In order to stablise the body, the Lord’s backbone would have to be hooked into the timber frame resulting in sever pain of the spine.

Jesus dies on the Cross - in cartoon format: https://youtu.be/tzz6N5j3wAc

The other two men crucified with Jesus were robbers, deserving punishment.

One of these two robbers, perhaps the one to Jesus’ left, shouted at Jesus angrily, “If you are the son of God, why can’t you save yourself and save us now,” (see Luke 23:39). This man was angry with himself for getting caught. He was angry at the world for punishing him. He was angry with Jesus for not being able to save him. He died with sin in him and with sin on him. He thought that he deserved to be freed without repentance, to receive the grace of God without believing.

The other robber rebuked the first, saying, “Don’t you fear God since you are under the same sentence? We have been punished justly but this man who has done no wrong and yet he is punished with us.” (see Luke 23: 40-41)

This robber then turned to Jesus and repented.

Jesus answered him with these words, “Verily I say to you, today you shall be with me in paradise.” To look at this robber in another way, this robber died with sin in him but not with sin on him.

Jesus had done no wrong. He had not sinned. He, therefore, died with sin on Him but not with sin in Him.

He died with all the sins of the world on Him - our sins, our wrongdoings, the deed of ours that deserve punishment. He suffered the crucifixion for us all.

The least we can do in return for this blessing is to do what the second robber did - Repent, Confess our sins and have faith in Him so that He can deliver us to Heaven.

Let us bow our heads and pray.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for sending Jesus Christ to our world to give us salvation. We thank you, Lord, for looking after us through all of our troubles even when we have sinned. We know that Your Kingdom will come. We know that in this period of coronavirus You have taken steps to ensure our safety. We pray that for those who succumb to this deadly disease. May they be fully blessed and be with You up there in Heaven. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.

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复活节是我们回想起公元33年主耶稣基督被钉十字架和复活的时候。
Fùhuó jié shì wǒmen huíxiǎng qǐ gōngyuán 33 nián zhǔ yēsū jīdū bèi dīng shízìjià hé fùhuó de shíhòu.

公元33年4月3日星期五，三个人（包括耶稣在内）一起被钉在了十字架上. Gōngyuán 33 nián 4 yuè 3 rì xīngqíwǔ, sān gèrén (bāokuò yēsū zài nèi) yīqǐ bèi dīng zàile shízìjià shàng.

试想一下-一个至少重120公斤的男人在木十字架上用三只钉子（也许是三双钉子）钉在手掌上，一个用两只脚绑在一起。逻辑告诉我们，指甲不能长时间保持身体直立。重力会指示两只手会被撕裂，而人体会掉落。 Shìxiǎng yīxià-yīgè zhìshǎo zhòng 120 gōngjīn de nánrén zài mù shízìjià shàng yòng sān zhī dīngzi (yěxǔ shì sān shuāng dīngzi) dīng zài shǒu zhǎngshàng, yīgè yòng liǎng zhī jiǎo bǎng zài yīqǐ. Luójí gàosù wǒmen, zhǐjiǎ bùnéng cháng shíjiān bǎochí shēntǐ zhílì. Zhònglì huì zhǐshì liǎng zhī shǒu huì bèi sī liè, ér réntǐ huì diào luò.

因此，我们的主耶稣基督所受的苦难远不只是钉在十字架上。为了使身体稳定，必须将主的脊梁钩在木框架上，从而导致脊椎严重疼痛。Yīncǐ, wǒmen de zhǔ yēsū jīdū suǒ shòu de kǔnàn yuǎn bù zhǐshì dīng zài shízìjià shàng. Wèile shǐ shēntǐ wěndìng, bìxū jiāng zhǔ de jǐliang gōu zài mù kuàngjià shàng, cóng’ér dǎozhì jǐchuí yánzhòng téngtòng.

被耶稣钉死在十字架上的另外两个人是强盗，应受惩罚。 Bèi yēsū dīng sǐ zài shízìjià shàng de lìngwài liǎng gèrén shì qiángdào, yīng shòu chéngfá.

这两个强盗之一，也许是耶稣左边的强盗，愤怒地对耶稣喊道：“如果你是上帝的儿子，为什么你现在不能拯救自己并拯救我们”（见路加福音23:39）。这个人因为被抓到而生自己的气。他因惩罚他而对世界感到生气。他因无法拯救他而对耶稣生气。他因罪与恶而死。他认为自己应该得到释放而没有悔改，得到上帝的恩典而不相信。
Zhè liǎng gè qiángdào zhī yī, yěxǔ shì yēsū zuǒbiān de qiángdào, fènnù dì duì yēsū hǎn dào:“Rúguǒ nǐ shì shàngdì de érzi, wèishéme nǐ xiànzài bùnéng zhěngjiù zìjǐ bìng zhěngjiù wǒmen”(jiàn lù jiā fúyīn 23:39). Zhège rén yīnwèi bèi zhuā dào ér shēng zìjǐ de qì. Tā yīn chéngfá tā ér duì shìjiè gǎndào shēngqì. Tā yīn wúfǎ zhěngjiù tā ér duì yēsū shēngqì. Tā yīn zuì yǔ è ér sǐ. Tā rènwéi zìjǐ yīnggāi dédào shìfàng ér méiyǒu huǐgǎi, dédào shàngdì de ēndiǎn ér bù xiāngxìn.
另一个强盗斥责了第一个人，说：“既然你在同一句话下，你就不惧怕上帝吗？我们受到了公正的惩罚，但是这个没有做错任何事的人却受到了我们的惩罚。” （看:路加福音23：40-41）