Today, it being good Friday, I think it good to take a moment to remember what Jesus did for us on the cross. Good Friday symbolizes the day he died for our sins. Personally, I can admit that I don't like to think about it. I know we should be focusing on the victory, but I do sometimes overlook the weightiness of the cross.
Jesus grew up and knew what His fate would be. He knew what was coming, and He did it anyway. He knew that he would die a gruesome death. On that cross. He bore the sins of all mankind. He took the punishment that we deserve and then some! He suffered so that we wouldn't have to. He gave us new life. And He didn't have to do any of it. So why did He?
Matthew 26:39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (NIV)
He longs for us. He is jealous for us. He loves us more than we could ever fathom. He emptied Himself of all Godly power when He came to earth and let the work of His own hand mock and destroy Him. He came to save us and show us how to live. All because of His great love for us.
Deuteronomy 4:24 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. (ESV)
Philippians 2:7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (NIV)
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (NIV)
Remember today that He died for you. He took what you were worthy of upon Himself, the God of this whole universe! Can you even imagine a love like that? And He longs for your love and affections every day. He wants to give you a better life than you can even dream of. Are you willing to pay Him any attention? Are you willing to give your whole life for Him the way He did for you? Are you willing to love Him above anyone else? He is waiting for you.
Matthew 27:26-50
Some of the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into their headquarters and called out the entire regiment. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” And they spit on him and grabbed the stick and struck him on the head with it. When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified.
Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene,and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. And they went out to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”). The soldiers gave him wine mixed with bitter gall, but when he had tasted it, he refused to drink it.
After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. Then they sat around and kept guard as he hung there. A sign was fastened above Jesus’ head, announcing the charge against him. It read: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.
The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. “Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!”
The leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders also mocked Jesus. “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him! He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him! For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” Even the revolutionaries who were crucified with him ridiculed him in the same way.noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. But the rest said, “Wait! Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.”
Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit.
Jesus grew up and knew what His fate would be. He knew what was coming, and He did it anyway. He knew that he would die a gruesome death. On that cross. He bore the sins of all mankind. He took the punishment that we deserve and then some! He suffered so that we wouldn't have to. He gave us new life. And He didn't have to do any of it. So why did He?
Matthew 26:39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (NIV)
He longs for us. He is jealous for us. He loves us more than we could ever fathom. He emptied Himself of all Godly power when He came to earth and let the work of His own hand mock and destroy Him. He came to save us and show us how to live. All because of His great love for us.
Deuteronomy 4:24 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. (ESV)
Philippians 2:7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (NIV)
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (NIV)
Remember today that He died for you. He took what you were worthy of upon Himself, the God of this whole universe! Can you even imagine a love like that? And He longs for your love and affections every day. He wants to give you a better life than you can even dream of. Are you willing to pay Him any attention? Are you willing to give your whole life for Him the way He did for you? Are you willing to love Him above anyone else? He is waiting for you.
Matthew 27:26-50
Some of the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into their headquarters and called out the entire regiment. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” And they spit on him and grabbed the stick and struck him on the head with it. When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified.
Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene,and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. And they went out to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”). The soldiers gave him wine mixed with bitter gall, but when he had tasted it, he refused to drink it.
After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. Then they sat around and kept guard as he hung there. A sign was fastened above Jesus’ head, announcing the charge against him. It read: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.
The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. “Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!”
The leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders also mocked Jesus. “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him! He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him! For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” Even the revolutionaries who were crucified with him ridiculed him in the same way.noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. But the rest said, “Wait! Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.”
Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit.
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