Cross: Jesus Built the Cross that Killed Him

Centurion -- (enters, notices audience, hesitates, looks back to exit, makes a gesture of helplessness, continues to DC)

They (points to exit) tell me that I might be the first Roman Christian here in Jerusalem. They asked me to give my testimony. Roman soldiers are not supposed to get involved with matters of politics or religion. So, you'll pardon me if I'm not very enthusiastic about this.

You may not be terribly enthusiastic about me being here after I tell you that I was the one who beat Jesus thirty-nine times with a cat-of-nine-tails. That wasn't my idea. That was Governor Pilate's idea. The other rabbis were jealous of Jesus and wanted him dead. But Governor Pilate couldn't find anything to hang him for. He thought a beating would satisfy them. I was just following orders! I kind of liked the guy. He was the most well behaved prisoner I ever whipped. He was so calm. He never even cursed at me like they always do when I rip their backs open with my whip. By the time I finished, he was a mess. I thought he was going to die, but I was able to revive him with a bucket of cold water.

Then, to my surprise, a few minutes later, the governor gave the order to take him away and crucify him. I told the governor right to his face. I said, "That's not fair! First of all," I said, "The guy hasn't been convicted of anything! And second, you don't give a guy thirty-nine lashes and then crucify him too!"

Pilate said, (whispering) "Just do it! The rabbis are stirring up the crowd. If we don't get rid of him, we're going to have a riot on our hands!"

What was I going to do? Disobey? So, I mounted the cross on Jesus and led him out of the palace.

By now, there were thousands of people lining the streets on the route to Golgotha that day, almost as many people as showed up the previous Sunday to welcome him as messiah the king. I don't know how they all found out about the execution. The other rabbis tried to keep the trial a secret. But the people found out anyway. Most of the people were crying and trying to reach out and touch Jesus one last time. I had to crack the whip to keep them out of the way.

Then something happened that changed my life forever. Jesus fell. When I was helping him back up to his feet, I just happened to see that the name "Jesus" was carved into the underside of the cross.

I said, "Hey, Jesus, the guy who made this cross has the same name as you."

Jesus said, "When I was a carpenter, I made this cross myself."

I said, "That's ironic."

Jesus said, "There's no irony. I knew I would die on this cross."

"Wait a minute." I said. "I heard you were a carpenter. But that was over three years ago. You mean to tell me that you knew three years ago that the cross you were making was going to kill you?"

"Yes." He said.

"And you made it anyway?"

"Yes." He said.

"Why?"

"I came to die." He said.

"You really are the King of the Jews, aren't you."

"Yes." He said.

Well, I couldn't let a king carry his own cross! So, I chose the biggest man I could find from the crowd and made him carry the cross the rest of the way to Golgotha. It was the least I could do for a visiting king.

Then, three days later... Well, you know the rest. (exits)

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