Opening Verse
Worthy are You, Lord Jesus, to receive honor and praise and power forever! (Rev 5:12)
Text: Matthew 27:39–44
And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” Likewise the chief priests, also mocking with the scribes and elders, said, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.'” Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.
Devotion
“Our fathers trusted in You; They trusted, and You delivered them. They cried to You, and were delivered; They trusted in You, and were not ashamed. But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised of the people. All those who see Me laugh Me to scorn; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!” So David in Psalm 22 described Jesus’ feelings and crying out on the cross. And in another psalm: “As with a breaking of my bones, My enemies reproach me, While they say to me all day long, Where is your God?” (Psa 42:10). Let no one imagine that the Lord shook off their mockery of Him without feeling it. “Reproach has broken my heart, And I am full of heaviness; I looked for someone to take pity, but there was none; And for comforters, but I found none. They also gave me gall for my food, And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink” (Psa 69:20-21). It was part of His atoning work to pay for all the mockery and ridicule which men use and delight in on this poor earth. How many have their pleasure and pride in making fun of others! Jesus also had to bear this. Let the boisterous mockingbirds see and hear what transpires around the Lord’s cross. It should cure them of their shameful mockery. The weight of His holy, exhausted body pulled on His pierced hands and feet with unspeakable pain. Suffering none of us can imagine went through all His members like a fire, and in every nerve burned the pains of death. But even harsher the sting of being mocked broke His heart. It was harder than anyone imagines for God’s Son to be overwhelmed by the mire of shame. You should have come down from the cross, my Jesus, and they should have seen with terror that You are God’s Son. But the nails were forged in the counsel of the Eternal One, so they hold You fast. You love us with the love that is stronger than death and greater than all the agonies of hell.
Closing Prayer
So I will gladly be despised and reviled for Your sake. I too feel the very tempting power of derision and I am tempted to flee the cross. But with You I shall conquer and crucify the flesh. To be mocked for You shall be a thousand times greater honor for me than to be exalted to the golden thrones of worldly triumph. Grant me this grace that I never may dishonor You by ungodly living or by impatience when I suffer, but let me suffer as a Christian should and be mocked because the Spirit of glory rests upon me.
Keep us from these terrible things: from mocking You in Your saints on earth. Amen.
Hymn
O sacred Head, now wounded,
With grief and shame weighed down,
Now scornfully surrounded
With thorns, Thine only crown.
O sacred Head, what glory,
What bliss, till now was Thine!
Yet, though despised and gory,
I joy to call Thee mine.
Men mock and taunt and jeer Thee,
Thou noble face of Christ;
Though mighty worlds shall fear Thee,
How art Thou now despised?
How art Thou pale with anguish,
With sore abuse and scorn!
How doth Thy face now languish
That once was bright as morn!
What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered
Was all for sinners’ gain:
Mine, mine was the transgression,
But Thine the deadly pain:
Lo, here I fall, my Savior!
‘Tis I deserve Thy place;
Look on me with Thy favor,
Vouchsafe to me Thy grace.
Clairvaux, Gerhardt L 333:1-3 ELH 334-335:1.2.4 tr. Composite;
tune: Herzlich tut mich verlangen