WHO IS THAT MAN HANGING ON THE CROSS ?

“HE came unto His own, and His own received Him not.”

 “Who is that man hanging on the cross ?”

Is he not the man who fed the thousands with just five loaves. Is he not the man who called himself the Bread of Life ? Where are the thousands He has fed ?  They say that he could change stones into bread.                                                                            

But is His hunger for material bread ?

“Who is that man hanging on the cross ?”

Is he not the man who changed water into wine, and because of that the wine steward was chided for leaving the best wine for the very last ? I was there.

Is he not the man who said he would quench the thirst of justice, the thirst for love, the thirst of mercy….and now, he thirsts, and cries out; “I am thirsty”

But, is His thirst for water ?

“Who is that man hanging on the cross ?”

Is he not the man who cured the Centurion’s servant ? Is he not the man who gave back the sight to the blind ? Is he not the man who said: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”

But where are the Centurion, and his servant ? Where are the all those who were healed, the blind who received sight ?  Now, He is the one who  cannot walk, for he is nailed to a cross.

“Who is that man hanging on the cross ?”

 Is he not the man who gave back the strength in the limbs so that sick men could walk ? Is he not the man who told the paralytic: “Take up your bed and go home” ?

Is not this the man who cured the deaf, who gave speech to the mute? Is he not the man who raised to life  from death, the daughter of Jairus ? Is he not the one who gave back to the widow her dead son ? Is not this same man who brought back Lazarus from the death ?

“Who is that man hanging on the cross ?”

If this is the man who cured all sickness, who gave sight to the blind, who gave hearing to the deaf, who gave speech to the dumb, who gave strength to the paralytic, who cured clean the lepers, who gave back life to the dead, who showed nothing but mercy…….

“Who is that man hanging on the cross ? “

“ … He is Jesus, a wonderful man,”   said Josephus Flavius a pagan historian. “This truly was the Son of God,”  said the pagan Centurion under the Cross. “My Lord and my God,”  said Thomas, one of His apostles.                                     “He founded an Empire upon love,”  said Napoleon Bonaparte.                                             “He became a ransom for the world,” said Mahatma Ghandi.                             “He was the first to seek a better life for mankind,” said Mikhail Gorbachov.           “He is the very centre of History,”  said H.G. Wells.                                                     “He was an extremist for love, truth and goodness,”  said Martin L.King Jr.              “He laid bare the inmost core of spiritual truth,”  said Geza Vermes.                        “How terrific was his fight for the world,”  said  Adolf Hitler.                                       “He died like a god,” said Jean Jacques Rousseau.

“Who is that man hanging on the cross ? “

He is the GOD-MAN who took my place on the cross, He suffered for my evil doings, He died to redeem me. I should have been scourged, I should have been crowned with thorns, I should have carried the cross, I should have been crucified. I should have been buried amongst the Pharisees.

YET, as a proof of HIS love for me, HE took my place, no wonder John wrote:

GOD IS LOVE.

“Love was hanging on the Cross.”