By Chanel Bingham

Holy Week is a special time of observance for those of the Christian faith, with Easter being the holiest day of the year. As I prepare my heart for reflection and the remembrance of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, I am always completely and utterly overwhelmed at His willingness to lay down His life and suffer such great agony for my sins.

In the Gospel of John, we find where Pontius Pilate ordered the flogging of Jesus prior to his crucifixion. During Biblical times, a flogging, or scourging, was used to humiliate, degrade and inflict excruciating pain on the accused individual.

To ensure unbearable agony, a whipping apparatus was used called a flagellum. The flagellum was comprised of leather thongs of various lengths, weighted with small lead balls and having sharp pieces of bones tied at varying intervals.

The flagellum was not merely a whip used to cause deep bruising and large whelps; rather, it was used to lacerate the skin, tearing through subcutaneous tissue to the underlying skeletal muscles as the solider came down upon the back, buttocks and legs with intense force. Often times, this horrific practice would lead to extensive blood loss, shock and even death.

After His flogging, the Roman soldiers slapped and ridiculed Jesus. They made Him a crown of thorns and clothed Him with a purple robe, symbolic of royalty. Pilate presented Him to the people, who called out for His crucifixion.

“Then the soldiers led Him away into the courtyard and called the whole company together. They dressed Him in a purple robe, twisted together a crown of thorns, and put it on Him. And they began to salute Him, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ They kept hitting Him on the head with a reed and spitting on Him. Getting down on their knees, they were paying Him homage. When they had mocked Him, they stripped Him of the purple robe, put His clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.” Mark 15:16-20

As I grieve over the high price of my sin, which was paid in full by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, I also rejoice in the beauty of Sunday morning, as Jesus victoriously conquered sin and death in His glorious resurrection.

“But the angel told the women, ‘Don’t be afraid, because I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here! For He has been resurrected, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay.’” Matthew 28:5-6

In applying this beautiful truth to my life, I find a hope for my future, healing for my brokenness and forgiveness for my sins. At the cross, I find freedom, peace and a place of new beginnings.

God’s gift of salvation in Jesus Christ is a free gift offered to all mankind. His death and suffering on the cross was the ultimate act of love and self-sacrifice offered for you and me. As we look to the Lord, confess our sins, repent and place our trust in Christ, we find freedom in the salvation made available through the death, burial and resurrection of our Savior.

“If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.” Romans 10: 9-10.

I pray that as we remember the suffering of Jesus on the cross and celebrate His resurrection on Easter Sunday, that God’s love and presence will be magnified in our hearts and lives.

Rejoice! Christ has risen!

Chanel Bingham is a freelance writer, blogger and public speaker. She resides in Thorsby with her husband and four children. You can visit Chanel at www.thepolishedcanvas.com or on Facebook at “The Polished Canvas.” Her column publishes each week.