Challenge: Place of the Skull

Many of our biggest fears is being vulnerable. The idea that we would be exposed and open to judgment, attacks, and hostility from others, causes us to shutter. Here we see Jesus in the ultimate vulnerable position. He is stripped naked, hanging on a cross outside the city as an example of the power of the Roman Empire and arms held wide open nailed to the cross with no way to defend himself physically, emotionally, or spiritually.

We shouldn’t be surprised when Christ ask us to be vulnerable. He knows that it is scary, yet He isn’t asking us to do anything He hasn’t done Himself. When we are vulnerable, we open to both negatives and positives. We can hide and never let anyone into our lives, but we will be missing out on so much of the benefits of community. Vulnerability is a huge step, and here we see Christ make himself vulnerable so that we could receive the positives.

Matthew 27:32–44
As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.

REFLECTION
We see that those who were against Jesus take advantage of His vulnerable position. Why do you think they chose now to attack Him?

Has there been a time you were vulnerable and you were taken advantage of? What did you learn in that experience?

What does it look like for you to be vulnerable in your spiritual walk in order to be more like Jesus?

PRAYER
Spend some time today asking the Lord to reveal ways you could open up more in order to be shaped by the positives and negatives of being vulnerable.