The people of his ignoble day harassed him, hunted him, and lied about him until they got him where they wanted him - on a T-shaped scaffold intended for the worst of criminals!

But though it is true that Jesus thus suffered, nevertheless when we look at Calvary, we are not witnessing a murder. We are not witnessing the death of a martyr. We are not witnessing the execution of a political revolutionary who made a mistake in public relations and got himself crucified. We are not witnessing drama - an actor following a script!

Jesus never won an Oscar - because he wasn’t acting. Calvary was dead serious. Calvary was a sacrifice. It was God dying in man’s place. That’s why he came!

It is true that Jesus was often tempted to turn on the bright lights and play for the audience. He was tempte…