John 19:31

John 19:31 states, The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the Sabboth day ( for the Sabboth day was a high day), besought Pilate, that their legs might be broken, and they could be taken away.  The Jewish leaders were not concerned about Jesus's suffering on the cross.  They were even willing for Him to endure more suffering, having His legs broken, as long as it did not interfere with their worship service.  The Sabbath was a high day.  It was important to them, and they didn't want the Lord of the Sabbath to interrupt their rituals.  We can wonder how they could have been so blind, but do we ever want Jesus to hurry and get out of the way so we can get on with our rituals?  There is a difference between real worship and going through rituals, and the Jews that day were not concerned with real worship of God.  Had they been, they would have bowed at the foot of the cross.  We today, when we are truly worshipping God, must bow at the foot of the cross.  Some today see rituals, like taking the bread and the wine, as a saving action.  Some see the cross of Christ as an inconvenience to worship.  They do not want to believe that the shedding of the blood of Christ was necessary.  I believe that another reason the Jews wanted Christ dead and buried was so they could truly feel victorious. As long as Jesus was alive, even on the cross, if He was Who He said He was, He might still claim victory.  We may attempt to leave Jesus on the cross today, but as the Jews, especially their leaders should have known, He was never going to stay there. When we come to the foot of the cross today, it is an empty cross pointing us to a victorious Savior.  Though the suffering of Jesus was real, it is His victory we celebrate.  May we never allow the concern for rituals make us attempt to get Jesus out of the way.