It doesn’t take much skill to get lost in a world as complex as ours. Man loses his way primarily by two methods. First, by sheer selfish living. No man is an island unto himself. When we forget the fact that we have a responsibility to fellow pilgrims, we are lost. When we ignore the fact that we are our brother’s keeper, we are lost.

The second way we become lost is by careless living. The man who comes to the place where his attitude is, “I don’t care,” has lost his way. Most of the people who get lost, never intend for this to happen. They just get careless — about the company they keep, about the places they go, careless about the things they say and do.

Several years ago, a small boy fell into an abandoned shaft. Rescue workers came by the score. Finally, after two days and nights of digging, the little boy was rescued. After a night in the local hospital, he wanted to visit the place of his near tragedy. The little boy, aware for the first time that all this took place because of him, looked into his father’s face and asked, “All this took place because of me?”

Let’s go back for a moment across the centuries to the little city of Jerusalem. Suppose we could observe for a little while. Let’s stand by the gnarled olive trees in the shadows, and listen to that agonizing prayer, “...Father, all things are possible unto thee, take away this cup from me...”

Watch Jesus as they take him before Pilate. Listen to the false charges brought against him. Pilate found him innocent — then why are they taking him out to be scourged? Why are they beating Jesus, when he is innocent?

Look, Pilate is relenting! He is giving Jesus to the angry mob. The soldiers take him to the Praetorium where they mock him. Now you can see how cruel people can be. One man presses a crown of thorns on his head so hard that drops of blood drip from his brow. Another kneels before him, pretending to worship him. A leading member of the community strikes Jesus on the head. Another spits in his face.

They lead him to Calvary where he is nailed to an ugly cross. Hardened soldiers gamble at the foot of the cross for his garment. Slowly, life slips out of the body of our Lord, and the other two men who were crucified with him.

Joseph of Arimathea is given permission to remove our Lord’s body from the cross. Gently, he tears the nails from the torn flesh. Watch him as he carefully wraps the body of Jesus in a linen cloth. He places the remains in a borrowed sepulchre. Now, there is nothing left to see at Calvary except the bloodstained crosses and the marks of earth’s greatest tragedy. What do you say? Let us ask the question the little boy asked. “All of this took place in order to save me?” With all the force God has at his command, the answer comes rebounding, “Yes, all of this took place in order to save you.” With this, the worth of man is magnified beyond comprehension.