Luke. 23: 26-56.

Today I am inspired to write this preacher through a reflection of a song entitled: "if I had been there" and I asked myself - if I had been there, among the crowd that your death asked, that I crucify you, I would have also asked who will crucify you? And the answer in my soul echoed ... if I have to admit, I would have been there too.

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Obviously, this act of love that Jesus made on the cross invites us to constantly reflect on our condition before God. His death on the cross was the price of our redemption.

Luke recorded in his Gospel the first words that came from the lips of the Lord when they crucified him: "Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34). Christ had taught his followers to forgive those who wronged him. Now he was corroborating with his personal example what had only been words. The best teacher is the one who teaches with his example.

With the fact of having been crucified between two thieves, Jesus was fulfilling a prophecy of Isaiah: "Therefore, I will give him a part with the great ... because he poured out his life unto death, and was counted with the sinners, having taken the sin of many, and prayed for the transgressors "(Isaiah 53:12).
There we were each one of us. We are all transgressors, because we have rebelled in one way or another against the will of God. Therefore we can count ourselves among those for whom the Lord prayed and for those who gave His life on the cross.

I hope that this message will allow us to better recognize the greatness of the meaning, which is in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on our behalf. Jesus paid the price of our redemption with his own life. Jesus submitted to the cruelty of men carrying his cross, which did not belong to him and he did not deserve it either.
The bible tells us that after the executioners crucified Jesus, those who made up the execution squad divided the Lord's garments by casting lots of dice like a game of chance. This had been prophesied in Psalm 22:18.

Jesus' face had been brutally beaten by the temple guards, who slapped him and wounded him after being interrogated in front of Caiaphas. In addition to preparing a crown of thorns and pressed on the forehead of the Lord causing more wounds ... others mocked him by bowing and greeting him with the phrase: "Hail, King of the Jews!" (John 19: 3). The face of Jesus was wounded, bloodied, spit and pale at the time of the crucifixion. Even his beard was battered and parts of it were ripped from his face, according to Isaiah 50: 6. No wonder, the prophet spoke about the suffering Messiah in the following terms. "There is no appearance in him, no beauty; we will see him, but without attractiveness so that we wish him ... as we hid his face from him, he was despised, and we did not esteem him "(Isaiah 53: 2,3).

To all this, I ask: What motivates the cruelty of men against their fellow men? Man is capable of experiencing extreme emotions in his life. He can love deeply and he can hate with all the intensity of his soul. Very often, their negative emotions generate very cruel acts. Our society has had to establish laws to stop the cruelty of man towards animals and also have created systems and penal codes to punish the mistreatment of human beings.

Jesus suffered an inhumane treatment at the hands of Pilate's soldiers. The biblical account implies that everyone rejoiced in making Jesus a toy for his own amusement and entertainment, by applying cruel and shameful punishments before taking him to the cross. These acts of cruelty were beyond any legal permission.
But, what really motivated all the cruelty and inhuman treatment of men towards Jesus? Some commentators are of the opinion that it was all because the lives of the soldiers were very unhappy and bitter. Whenever they could use a prisoner to have fun they did it with great pleasure. In itself, the Romans of that time were very cruel. Seeing others suffer caused pleasure. What is the difference with current men? That's why I started saying that "I would have been there too" and what do you think?

But while the reason for the mistreatment and cruelty is the hatred and bitterness that is in the hearts of men, the root of that hatred and all the misery that a man can experience is sin. Sin not only embitters the heart of man, but also makes him insensitive to the evil he causes others. Jesus died to take away sin, and for the hearts of those who believe in Him to produce love instead of hate, good feelings instead of cruelty.

When you learn that someone has committed a criminal act, what are your feelings towards that person? Do you want the most cruel punishments to be applied to you and to be treated without mercy? Or do you feel that even though that individual has done wrong and deserves to be punished, should he be treated with dignity?

Do you know what Jesus did? I forgive your enemies and you know what was the most incredible? His expression: "Father, forgive them, they do not know what they are doing" what an extreme, awesome, incredible love ...! Why beloved? Because man without God is not capable of understanding the things of God. And our Lord knew it very well.
Beloved ... today Jesus is extending his hands to you and telling you, as he said on the cross, "I forgive you, you do not know what you are doing". Jesus did not come down from the cross for love of you, for that deep love for the sinner, that is why today we believe in Him. Christ paid with his own life the price of our redemption.

Blessings!