You Were On The Mind Of Christ

On Easter morning, our youth group handed out tags to everyone in the congregation. Each one had a railroad nail through it with the words "When Christ was on the cross, you were on His mind." We hand-lettered each one and tied it up with ribbon. The teens were so excited to be able to share their hard work, and their faith, with the church family.

Before we began, though, I read them something I had written during the week while studying the last days of Jesus' life.

These tags are not just a project to do to take up time. It’s an opportunity to change your life. It’s an opportunity to change someone else’s life. If you understand the words you’re writing on this tag, you can’t have lukewarm feelings about them. Christ was hanging on the cross - beaten, battered, tortured and humiliated - and thinking about you. 

What had Jesus Christ been through? 
Matthew 26:50 - laid hands on Him, took Him
Matthew 26:67 - spit in His face, buffeted Him, smote Him with the palms of their hands
Matthew 27:2 - bound as a criminal, led as a lamb, delivered as a trophy
Matthew 27:26 - scourged
Matthew 27:28 - stripped, put in a scarlet robe
Matthew 27:29 - crown of thorns, mocked
Matthew 27:30 - spit upon Him, smote with the reed
Matthew 27:35 - crucified
Mark 14:65 - covered His face
Mark 15:1 - carried Him away
John 18:22 - struck with the palm of the hand

Physically, He was suffering agonizing torment, but that wasn’t enough. He was also in spiritual agony as the sins of the world - every single person who has ever lived since the beginning of time and is still to come - were laid upon Him. We can’t understand this. We can’t even begin to comprehend this. But we do know that He cried out to God, that His heavenly Father had to turn His back on Him because of that sin…your sin, my sin.

There are no words adequate enough to describe how horrific this scene was. But in the midst of it, He thought of you. He saw your face while the blood poured and the tears fell. Your name went through His mind. It would all be worth it if it allowed you a personal relationship with God.

While the life was draining out of Him, all Jesus Christ cared about was you. Those are the words on that tag. That is the hope for everyone who walks through those church doors on Easter morning. It’s not about a new dress or having breakfast together. It’s about letting each and every person in that sanctuary on Sunday know that Jesus died for them personally. That’s the gift that we’ll be handing out - a reminder that we are never alone, we are never forsaken and there is always, always hope.

I pray that the lives of our teens will be changed by their developing a deeper relationship with the Lord. I also pray that the church family and our community will be blessed by their prayers and actions.

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