The famous Dutch artist, Rembrandt, created an interesting painting of the crucifixion. One’s attention is first drawn to the cross and the One who hangs there. But when you look at the crowd that is in attendance you find that Rembrandt has included himself among the ones who are crucifying Jesus!

It is a good thing to be reminded of the fact that we are sinners for whom Jesus died. We can be as indifferent as Pilate, as scheming as Caiaphas, as callous as the Roman soldiers and as cowardly as the disciples. Yet Jesus died for us anyway.

Maybe, in a sense, we can find ourselves somewhere in the picture, standing next to Rembrandt.

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”—Romans 5:6-8.