SermonStudio

Object:
Dice and a robe

You will remember that Jesus was beaten and given a crown of thorns to wear in our last story. The very end of the story told us that the soldiers led Jesus up a hill called Calvary to be crucified. It was a hard walk since they made Jesus walk back and forth and up and down the streets to warn other people about what could happen to them if they acted or did anything like Jesus did. This is what they did with everyone who was crucified.

At the top of the hill there was a place where a hole had been dug for the bottom part of the cross. They took off Jesus' clothes and put them in a pile, then they nailed Jesus to the cross. You can imagine how much Jesus must have hurt when this happened. But He stood the pain. The cross was lifted high in the air with Jesus on it so that everyone could see Him. It was a terrible way to die. The people who knew and loved Jesus were crushed. They cried and screamed, but mostly they just stood and prayed for God to give Jesus strength.

The soldiers were different from the other people. They had seen lots of men die and many of them crucified. They knew this was their job, and they tried not to listen to the cries and screams of Jesus' friends.

One of the things that the soldiers did get at the time of the crucifixion was the clothes of the man who was put to death on the cross. The soldiers seemed to like the idea that they got something for nothing. The Bible tells us that the soldiers divided Jesus' clothes into four piles, one for each of them. Since His robe was seamless, it was considered more valuable, so they decided to gamble for it. They would roll some dice, and the man with the highest number would keep it. There was Jesus dying on the cross with nails through His hands and feet, and the soldiers were gambling and playing games for His robe. It doesn't sound real, but that is what happened. Jesus is praying; the soldiers are playing.

We don't know which soldier won Jesus' robe or anything else about it, but it is something to think about. Yet, we think that Jesus knew what was going to happen because the scriptures of the Old Testament had said that this was going to happen. It was one more time that a person could remember that the death of Jesus was according to a great plan that was made by God.

Above His head was a sign that had been made by Pilate which read, "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." Around Him were many of the people who had followed and loved Him. But also at the foot of the cross were some men who were trying to forget that Jesus was even there. Jesus thought of his mother Mary at the foot of the cross and asked His disciple John to take care of her. He remembered another man who was being crucified that day not too far from Him, and He forgave his sins and promised him a place to live with God forever. He remembered that He was dying so that everyone could live forever with God. He even remembered to forgive the soldiers who did not know what they were doing to the Son of God.

That is why I have this picture of some dice and a robe for you. It is to help you remember Jesus and the love that He has for you. Some people try to forget Jesus so that they can have things for nothing or things that they should not have. You and I have that kind of a problem when we wish that God did not know what we were doing or thinking. You and I will remember Jesus and the way that He was crucified that day in Jerusalem.

God bless you. Amen.