Good morning and Happy Easter. Giving honors to Pastor Deaver, Deacons on the roster, first lady and my brothers and sisters in Christ. Easter is the day when we celebrate Jesus Christ rising from the dead. He lived a sinless life and then died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. But though we all are familiar about the obvious facts of his death, how much do we really know? Our Savior was mocked, tormented , and hung on a cross where he took his last breath. In order for our sins to be forgiven, our savior endured excruciating pain and torture, which we must not take for granted. Though graphic we must be informed of the agony our Savior experienced in order for us to be saved. The day of his crucifixion Jesus was stripped of his clothing and his hands tied to a post above his head. Using a flagrum, which is a short whip consisting of several heavy, leather thongs, the whip was repeatedly brought down with full force again and again across Jesus’ shoulders, back and legs. At first the heavy thongs cut through the skin only. Then, as the blows continue, they cut deeper into the deepest layer of the human skin which is the hypodermis. Once it was determined that Jesus was near death, the beating stopped. The half-fainting Jesus is then untied and allowed to slump to the stone pavement. The Roman soldiers then found humor in the beaten Jesus claiming to be King. It was then a robe was thrown across his shoulders and a small bundle of flexible branches covered with long thorns was pressed into his scalp which then the copious bleeding began. The heavy beam of the cross is then tied across His shoulders, and the procession of the condemned Christ, two thieves and the execution detail, begins its slow journey. the beam is placed on the ground and Jesus is quickly thrown backward with His shoulders against the wood.
A heavy square, iron nail is then driven into his wrist and deep into the wood. The beam is then lifted in place at the top of the posts and the reading “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” is nailed in place. His left foot is pressed backward against the right foot, and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven through the arch of