Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker
Three Nails and Three Days
Countless hymns and songs have been composed regarding the account of Jesus’ crucifixion, tender burial, and miraculous resurrection. Although I can’t remember one message I’ve heard on Resurrection Sunday (that’s not to say they weren’t good) I certainly remember the hymns and songs. Music has always greatly impacted me – it’s simply the way I was created by my Maker. One day, I stumbled across a YouTube video featuring Dolly Parton singing “He’s Alive.” Written by Don Francisco, this song has been performed by numerous recording artists. We can only imagine those three days when Jesus was on trial, scourged, nailed to the cross, was buried, and rose again. Thankfully, once in awhile a songwriter and vocalist will team up and present a song that will ignite and fervently burn its message into our hearts.
Biblical Greek scholars and historians agree that death by crucifixion was one of the cruelest and most barbaric forms of punishment. Josephus, the Jewish historian, described crucifixion as “the most wretched of deaths.” The grueling act of crucifixion was entirely in the hands of the Roman authorities and was reserved for the most-serious offenders. (And we know Jesus was innocent.) This type of death was the most humiliating, debasing, shameful, and painful method. During the scourging, Jesus’ flesh was ripped to shreds and His body was bruised from head to toe. He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. At the cross a Roman soldier drove a five-inch iron nail through each of His wrists into the crossbeam. Then a long nail was driven between the bones of His feet. Jesus’ precious blood streamed from His head, hands, feet, and side, and from the cuts and gaping wounds caused by the scourging.
Believers should reverently take time to ponder what Jesus went through because we never want to treat our salvation cheaply. We mustn’t overlook the high price Jesus paid on the cross for the whole world (John 3:16). Because of Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection, we can celebrate every day knowing that Sunday’s on the way! As followers of Christ, our hope is built on the firm foundation of Jesus’ powerful and miraculous resurrection. He’s alive! He’s no longer in the garden tomb! The lost world needed a risen Savior and that’s exactly what we got! Joseph of Arimathea had no idea that Jesus would only borrow his tomb for the weekend.
After witnessing Jesus’ horrific circumstances, the grieving Mary Magdalene approached the tomb. When she and Jesus spoke by the garden tomb very early that first resurrection morning, we can only imagine her rapturous joy when she finally realized who He was! It was more glorious than when Jesus had previously cast the seven tormenting demons out of her! King Jesus didn’t waste any time giving Mary Magdalene a most-important assignment.
“Don’t cling to Me,”Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find My brothers [disciples] and tell them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God’” (John 20:17 NLT). Mary Magdalene quickly found the disciples and excitedly told them,”I have seen the Lord!” Then she delivered Jesus’ message to them.
Earlier in the Book of John, Jesus prophetically spoke to the Jewish leaders about His upcoming crucifixion and resurrection. “Jesus answered and said to them, Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19 WBT). They did and He did.
The Key: Three nails and three days changed everything.