Matthew 27:31  When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified. (NLT)

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Some years ago, we were watching a television show we enjoyed when one of the characters with the sweetest of faces said one of the most dismissive statements about Jesus I’ve ever heard. I cannot watch that show again. 

Sometimes it feels like satan himself writes television and movie dialogue. 

Even good guys in today’s entertainment often misuse and abuse the name of Jesus. 

I wonder if these writers will ever get tired of mocking Jesus? Those who were assigned to the crucifixion detail mocked Jesus mercilessly. They nearly beat him to death before they nailed him in place. They dressed him up in a kingly robe and a thorny crown. They used him as a punching bag. They ripped his beard from his face. (See Isaiah 52:13-53:12.)

When the fun and games ended, they put Jesus’ own clothes back on him and led them away to be crucified. It was time to sit and wait for him to die. This normally took days. Awful, terrible things happened to the body as it leaked away life. 

A crowd gathered to watch Jesus die. They mocked him. They taunted him. They hated him. 

Eventually, everyone got tired of mocking him. Most wandered away. 

Darkness fell in the middle of the day. An earthquake shook up things. Jesus had one last thing to say. There were no smart-aleck remarks to his famous last word. 

Jesus has the final word. He does not mock us. He invites us to know him for who he really is. His great love reaches beyond our worst insults.

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I will not linger with those who mock Jesus.

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Our Father, I will exalt your name forever. I will not use your name carelessly or unkindly. Please deliver people from the evil of denigrating your nature and character by overwhelming them with your mercy and grace. Put a new song in their hearts and new words in their mouths. Amen.