" The soldiers took Him away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium), and they called together the whole Roman cohort. They dressed Him up in purple, and after twisting a crown of thorns, they put it on Him; and they began to acclaim Him, "Hail, King of the Jews!" They kept beating His head with a reed, and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him. After they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they led Him out to crucify Him. They pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to bear His cross." Mark 15:16-21 Good Morning my beloved, We welcome you to worship in the name of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We're glad that you are here with us today. We can no longer afford to be indifferent, burying our heads in the sand and ignore the reality that Christian persecution is rapidly increasing in many countri