SCRIPTURE: Mark 15:34; Luke 23:46
Jesus cried out in a loud voice… “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?...” “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.
QUOTE: Max Lucado
Final acts. Final hours. Final words. They reflect a life well-lived. So do the last words of our Master. When on the edge of death, Jesus, too, got his house in order: A question of suffering. A call of deliverance. (No Wonder They Call Him the Savior, page 20)
STORY: (This list was published in 1979)
Experts estimate that if a normal cassette tape is played about 100 times a year, sound quality will deteriorate somewhat after about 10 years. But the tape itself will play on.
A lightening bolt lasts 45 to 55 microseconds.
The average running shoe worn by the average runner on an average surface will last 350 to 500 miles.
A hard pencil can write up to 30,000 words or draw a line more than 30 miles long.
Most ball-point pens will draw a line 4,000 to 7,500 feet long.
Leather combat boots have a wartime life-span of six months, a peacetime life-span of eight months (The army walks during war and peace.)
The projected life-span of a baby born in the U.S. today is about 71 years, nearly double what it was at the end of the 18th century.
The longest authenticated life-span of a human being is 113 years, 214 days. Studies show married people live longer than those who remain single.
A group of subatomic particles known as unstable hadrons exists for only one one-hundred-sextillionth of a second (10 to the negative 23 second)--less time than it takes light to travel a single inch.
A 100-watt incandescent bulb will last about 750 hours; a 25-watt bulb, 2,500 hours.
The number of times a light bulb is turned on and off has little to do with its life-span.
A one-dollar bill lasts approximately 18 months in circulation.
Practice footballs used by professionals last two to three days--a playing life of perhaps five hours.
Home teams are required to provide 24 new balls each game and these last only about six minutes of playing time.
OBSERVATION:
Jesus’ life lasted just 30 years. We remember those 30 years because of the last few days of his life.
A triumphant entry into Jerusalem to the shouts of the people … the cleansing of the Temple … the trial before Pilate … the shouts of the people to kill him … the walk along a street carrying his cross … nails driven into flesh … two others killed with him … a place called Calvary … some words spoken … a borrowed tomb … grave cloths hastily improvised because of the late hour … a large stone rolled into place … guards posted … But all of these events would have been forgotten rather quickly if it wasn’t for the events of the third day.
“He breathed his last” would have been the last words about his life if it hadn’t been for the third day. He would have been just another Messiah figure if it hadn’t been for the third day. The follower’s hopes would have been crushed if it hadn’t been for the third day. And our world would have been a lot different if it hadn’t been for the third day.
Life spans leave different impressions on us. Some things, as listed above, come along, do what they are designed to do and exit rather quickly. 30-years is not a long life span, at least not the way we live our lives today. 3-days or 7-days out of 10,950 days of Jesus’ entire life span doesn’t seem like much, but the impact, oh the impact … all because of what transpired that third day.
Resurrection. Empty Tomb. Grave cloths left behind. Life returned to a dead Messiah. And the world took notice of his life span because of that third day! And people still take notice, even those who do not believe remember because of that third day!
PRAYER:
O God, how can we express our gratitude for the unbelievable life, death and resurrection of Jesus? How can we share this great news with others? Thank you for his life, but more than that thank you for our life because of his. Amen.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment