Good Friday
Pulpit & P
ew
Westside Christian Church
Good Friday doesn’t seem all that good. A guy is falsely accused, taken, judged, beaten, tried in front of one man, then another and a group of people who have been jealous of him since the start of his ministry.
Jesus and a band of 11 were praying peacefully when his treasurer, the betrayer Judas Iscariot, led a group of arresting soldiers to take Jesus away. He was physically abused, mocked, spit upon and accused of blasphemy.
When finally the crowd, yelling “crucify him, crucify him,” convinced Pilate to be rid of him and let the Jewish leaders do as they pleased. The leaders welcomed Jesus to a torturous beating, prodding him to the final place of shame and dishonor. They pierced his hands and feet with nails and slammed the cross into the ground to let him bleed out as the soldiers surrounding him played games for his garments.
As the thieves mocked on, the crowd spewed hatred looking for cries of mercy and whimpers of sorrowful regrets.
They got none of this. Jesus cried out, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”
He had compassion on his mother and passed his stewardship of her on to a friend. Jesus did ask God why he had abandoned him, a call for all to read Psalm 22.
Jesus did give them some satisfaction when he said he thirsted.
This became another opportunity for the soldiers to mock him, giving him spoiled vinegar.
Jesus finally cried out, “It is finished,” gave up his spirit and died.
This was not the begging, panic-stricken end the cruel crowd had hoped for. However, one may ask what did Jesus mean? What is finished?
This is where the good of Good Friday comes in. Jesus as the Messiah finished his duties.
His prophecies were fulfilled, he taught in parables, lived a sinless life and on the cross Jesus took the sins of us all and bore them.
In a humiliating way he took our transgressions and was sacrificed, atoning for our sins and as a peace offering to God.
The only task yet to do was to rise from the grave, showing himself to followers and ascend into heaven.
Good Friday is certainly good for believers. On that day, Jesus made the perfect sacrifice for us and for God. Now those who accept this sacrifice have a point of entry into God’s presence.
That point of entry into God’s presence is Jesus. What a great day Good Friday truly is. God’s blessings be unto you.
