THE THIRD HOUR!

It was the third hour when they crucified him. - Mark 15:25

     You work the third shift, and when Pilate hired you he said, "There probably won't be a lot of action while you're here.  Mostly clean-up and preparation for our other crucifictions!"  For the most part, that has been true.  You haven't witnessed many executions and the amount of hands you've nailed to the cross has been under a dozen.

     But tonight is different.  When you punched in people were already screaming, "Crucify Him!  Crucify Him!"  It sounded like an angry mob.  Then you saw the person who became the wrath of their anger.  He was bloodier than anyone you've ever seen.  Murderer?  Traitor?  You wonder what his crime must have been.  The weird thing is some people are foaming mad while others are crying as if they've lost all hope. 

       You walk this Man up the hill at 1 in the morning.  This never happens.  No one is awake at this time.  But, today there are crowds of people - some of which are the leading religious leaders in the area. 

        Many of the people make rude insults and mock this man as you walk along.  You don't dare, but you realize that He is some type of "God" or so He thinks.

      At 3:00 a.m. you finally get to the hill and begin nailing.  The cries of his supporters are more deafening than the rants and curses from the mob.  As you raise Him on the cross, you sense there is something more to this man.  His sign reads, "King of the Jews!"....and you believe it. 

     This THIRD HOUR has been like no other!  What had been a boring job up until this point suddenly became life-changing.  While you usually spent your time sharpening weapons of deestruction and cleaning up the blood of criminals - you have spent this shift with who you think might be the Son of God! 

      When he finally breathes his last, it goes dark.  Completely dark!  So dark you can't see - and not for a moment, but from the sixth hour to the ninth hour.  A man comes to take the body, and all's you can think as you head to punch out is: "Truly, this was the Son of God!"

       Most mornings you go home tired, but because of this THIRD HOUR you will never be the same!