“They took Jesus and led Him away” (John 19:16)  

He spent the night before in agony, the early morning interrogated by the Sanhedrin, and then He was dragged before Pilate, then to Herod, then back to Pilate. They wanted Him dead, but did everything in their power to make it look legal. It wasn’t. They had the Romans perform the final act of the play. The soldiers whipped Him senseless, paraded Him before the Jews, giving them a choice between a notorious criminal and the perfect Lamb of God. The decision was already fixed for you by God before the foundation of the world, so your name could be written in the Book of Life (Revelation 13:8) 

 Christ was sent by the Father to be the final sacrifice for all time. “He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10). Now we see Jesus brought before the priests and rulers, who pronounce Him guilty; but it’s God Himself who imputes our sins to Him. “The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). 

 As the substitute for our guilt, bearing our sin upon His shoulders, represented by the cross; we see the great Scapegoat led away by the appointed officers of justice. Beloved, can you feel assured that He carried your sin? As you look at the cross upon His shoulders, does it represent your sin? There is one way by which you can tell whether He carried your sin or not. Have you laid your hand upon His head, confessed your sin, and trusted in Him? If you have, your sin lies not on you; it has all been supernaturally transferred by the Father to Christ, and He bears it on His shoulder as a load heavier than the cross. 

 Let the knowledge of Christ bearing the sins of all who trust Him motivate you to unconditionally obey Him in all things. “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity" (2 Timothy 2:19).