(Friday) 03-29-2024 “Why Is It Called GOOD Friday?”
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Friday, March 29, 2024
(Good Friday Servce 5:30pm)
“Why Is It Called GOOD Friday?”
- Luke 23:33-34, “When they came to the place called The Skull [an Aramaic form of the Hebrew word Golgotha, meaning place of the skull; in Latin Calvaria or Calvary, meaning cranium] there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. But Jesus was saying, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’”-
When you consider all that had happened to the Lord already, His unjust arrest, a variety of mock trials, beatings, blasphemous contempt spewed out by the Jewish people, the religious leaders and the soldiers, as they mocked Him.
And how does our merciful Lord respond, He asks the Father to forgive them, when by all rights He could have brought judgment down upon them.
Paul said it this way (1Corinthians 2:8), “None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”
Acts 2:22-24 says, “Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This Man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put Him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised Him from the dead, freeing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him.”
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.”
Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
- Luke 23:35-43, “And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One.” The soldiers also mocked Him, coming up to Him, offering Him sour wine, and saying, ‘If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!’ Now there was also an inscription above Him, ‘THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.’ One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, ‘Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!’ But the other answered, and rebuking him said, ‘Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.’ And he was saying, ‘Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!’ And He said to him, ‘Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”
There were two criminals being crucified, one on either side of the Lord. One of them yelled insults at Jesus, the other saying, that although they deserved the punishment they were receiving, Jesus was innocent of any crime. Then the criminal speaking reverently about Jesus asked Jesus to remember him when He came into His kingdom, and Jesus affirmed that the man would be with Jesus in heaven, for he had clearly believed in Christ as Lord.
Jesus knew that His death was imminent and that He would soon be in heaven with His Father, and so, Jesus used “paradise” as a synonym for “heaven.”
Paul says (2Corinthians 12:4), “[that he] was caught up to paradise [where] he heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell.”
John writes (Revelation 2:7), that all genuine believers in Christ “will eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.”
So, paradise is the place of blessing and reward where all Christians go after death, or at the “rapture,” to live with God forever.
- John 19:26-27, “When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son!’ Then He said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!’ From that hour the disciple took her into his own household."
Consider all that Jesus had gone through the previous 5 days: At the beginning of the week they praised and adored Him, but today, they cried out for Him to be crucified. Jesus was betrayed, mocked, dishonored, beaten, unjustly sentenced, and then nailed to a cross.
And now, on that cross, Jesus expresses His love and care for His mother by entrusting her to John, “the disciple whom He loved.” And from that very hour John took Mary into his own household to care for her as his own mother.
What great love Jesus displayed for His widowed mother, and what responsibility He gave to His disciple John, whom He favored. This same John would outlive all the other Apostles.
- Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34, “At the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice [in Aramaic] , ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ which is translated, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’”
This is a quote from Psalm 22:1, looking ahead to when Jesus would take upon Himself the sins of the whole world, paying for them by His own shed blood.
At that moment, God the Father had to turn away from God the Son, as God’s wrath was poured out on Him (2Corinthians 5:21), “He [God the Father ] made Him [God the Son] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Habakkuk 1:13 says God cannot look upon wickedness [sin] with favor, and so, the Father had to turn away from the Son, as God poured out His wrath upon Him. Jesus was now alone, forsaken [abandoned] by the Father, for the one and only time in all of eternity.
Isaiah 53:5, “But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed.”
1Corinthians 15:3, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.”
Galatians 3:13, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”.
Hebrews 9:26, “Now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. ”
1Peter 2:24, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed..”
1Peter 3:18, “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit.”
1John 4:10, “He became the propitiation [atonement, appeasement, the only acceptable payment to God] for our sins.”
- “Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, to fulfill the Scripture, said, “I am thirsty.”.” -John 19:28
Jesus was only minutes away from death, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty.” This is referring to Psalm 69:21, “for My thirst they gave Me vinegar [sour wine] to drink.“
- John 19:30, “Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”
Jesus’ cry, “It is finished!” is one Greek word, pronounced teh-tel-es-sty [tetelestai]. This phrase was part of everyday life and language in Jesus’ time.
When a servant completed a difficult task that his master had given him to do, he would say to his master teh-tel-es-sty [It is finished]!
When the Jewish people went to the temple with their sacrifice, the High Priest would examine what had been brought and would use the Hebrew equivalent of “It is finished!” in order to express, "Your offering is accepted, you have fulfilled your obligation and reasonable offering.”
When a merchant at the market place made a sale and payment was handed to him, he would say teh-tel-es-sty, i.e., “I am satisfied with your payment.”
Jesus took our punishment for sin; He cancelled all our sin debt by paying it Himself, with His own life, everything was completed according to the sovereign will, purpose, and plan of God. Sin separates us from God, if we want to go to heaven to be with God, the curse and condemnation of sin must me removed. God sent His Son for this purpose. Jesus died on the cross to defeat the power of sin to condemn us. Salvation is now complete. "It is finished".
Isaiah 53:5-6, “He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
Romans 3:23-24, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
Romans 10:13 “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Jesus' proclamation, ”It is finished,” is God’s sovereign and eternal verdict for all who believe in Jesus Christ, having become victorious over sin, through God’s One and Only Son.
Everything is complete. “It is finished!”
- Luke 23:46, “And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ Having said this, He breathed His last.”
The Son of God accomplished all the Father had for Him to do to fulfill all righteousness, to secure salvation and redemption for all who believe in Him. But notice, Jesus says “I commit My spirit into Your hands” [cf.. Psalm 31:5].
God the Son gave up His spirit, Jesus’ life wasn’t taken from Him, nor did He just expire; His body was going to die when He sovereignly chose for it to die, but His spirit would be with the Father in heaven.
John 10:17-18, “For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”
As Jesus hung on the cross, there was total darkness from noon to 3 pm, as God’s wrath was poured out on the Lamb of God. Once Jesus had taken full punishment for the sins of the world, Jesus’ mission was finished, forgiveness for sin having been made effectual, salvation was granted to all who believe in Him. Our sin debt to God has been paid in full (John 1:29), “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
At the moment of Jesus’ death (cf. Matthew 27:51) the curtain separating the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place, separating the Holy God from unholy humanity, was ripped in two, from top to bottom (60’ x 30’ x 4”). What do you think the Father was saying by ripping the curtain open that prohibited entrance into God’s presence?
He was sovereignly declaring that all may enter! Everyone may come into His presence (Hebrews 10:19-22), "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body …let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith.”
Romans 10:13, “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 17, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”
John 20:31, “These have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing [in Him] you may have [eternal] life in His name.”
Jesus Christ did what no one else could do, He took away the curse of sin forever, for everyone who will repent of their sin and believe in Him (John 14:6), Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
And that is why such a horrible, dark, and sorrowful day is called, “Good” Friday.
Pastor Mike Hale
>’(((><
Good Friday Chronology
Jesus Arrested, early morning
(Matthew 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-52; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:2-12)
Jesus stands before Annas
(John 18:13-14, 19-23)
Jesus stands before Caiaphas, He is condemned and Mocked
(Matthew 26:57-68; Mark 14:53-65; Luke 22:4a, 63-65; John 18:24)
Jesus stands before Pilate
(Matthew 27:11-14; Mark 15:1b-5; Luke 23:1-7; John 18:28-38)
Jesus is sent to Herod
(Luke 23:6-12)
Jesus is returned to Pilate, where He is sentenced and flogged
(Matthew 27:15-26; Mark 15:6-15; Luke 23:13-25; John 18:39-19:16a)
Jesus is mocked by soldiers
(Matthew 27:27-30; Mark 15:16-19)
Jesus is led to Golgotha where He is crucified about "the third hour" (9 AM)
(Matthew 27:31-34; Mark 15:20-25; Luke 23:26-34; John 19:16b-17)
Soldiers cast lots for Jesus' clothing
(Mark 15:24)
The chief priests teachers insult and mock Jesus
(Matthew 27:39-40; Mark 15:31; Luke 23:36-39)
Jesus blesses a criminal
(Luke 23:40-43)
Jesus speaks to His mother and to John
(John 19:26-27)
Darkness covers the land from
"the sixth hour" (12 noon) to "the ninth hour" (3 PM)
(Mark 15:33)
Feeling alone Jesus cries out to the Father
(Matthew 27:46)
Jesus says, "It is Finished"
(John 19:30a; Luke 23:46)
There is a mighty earthquake
(Matthew 27:51-52)
A centurion declares, "Surely he was the Son of God!"
(Matthew 27:54; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:47)
Soldiers break the thieves' legs
(John 19:31-33)
A soldier pierces Jesus side with a spear
(John 19:34)
Jesus is laid in the tomb
(Matthew 27:57-61; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42)
Pastor Mike Hale