Good Friday Special

While Jesus was praying in the garden, the mob led by Judas approached. Jesus was taken into custody, beaten, put on trial, mocked, beaten again, and finally sentenced to death on the Roman Cross.
While he was innocent of all charges against him and innocent of any sin against God, he was treated like a criminal. As a result, he was put on public display to humiliate and dehumanize him.

But this death sentence was much more than capital punishment. It was a punishment for all of humanity’s sins. Read John’s account of these final hours.

John 19:16–30

Mark adds another interesting detail.
Mark 15:37–38

It was the day of all days, the day that would become like night. Darkness covered the land until around three in the afternoon. Insults, beatings, and chaotic hatred spilled out from the crowd. And this man, this Jesus, hung on a cross between two criminals, condemned to the most painful, gut-wrenching, suffocating death that humanity had ever invented.



It’s also worth noting that this was not by accident. Jesus’ death on the cross was predicted nearly 700 years before Jesus’ birth.

Read Isaiah 52:13-53:12.

Jesus cried out and breathed His last. After His cry came the splitting of the curtain in the temple, the ripping from top to bottom as the old became new to all who would believe. The tearing of the curtain made it clear: no longer would there need to be a sacrifice in the holy of holies because Jesus did it once and for all. Even the Roman centurion, a witness to so many similar deaths, proclaimed the truth of this man: “Truly this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39) Yet so many, so often, choose to reject this God-man, Jesus, just as was done on that fateful day.

So How is the cross “good news” on “Good Friday”?

The storyline of the Bible teaches that we have sinned against God. Because of that sin, we now experience death. So no matter what you do, life is going in one direction.

Sin Brings Death. Not just physical but spiritual. Because of sin, we are disconnected from God.

Isa. 53:5 “he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities…”
Rom. 4:25 “[He] was delivered up for our trespasses . . .”
Rom. 5:8 “Christ died for us.”
1Cor. 15:3 “Christ died for our sins . . .”
1 Pet. 3:18 “Christ…suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous…”

Jesus declared himself to be God. He was also without sin. And when Jesus went to the cross, while much of our focus tends to be on what happened to him physically, what happened spiritually is essential for us to remember.

The punishment that we deserve from God was placed upon him.

Read 2 Cor 5:21

It was on this day that all changed. Atonement was made, covenant instituted, and blood spilled. The One who should have received the sacrifices became the sacrifice. The Lion had become the Lamb who took away the world’s sins. The floodgates of God’s wrath fell upon his only, perfect son. He made a way when there was no way, the only way to the Father—Jesus, the Son of God, Prophet, Priest, and King.


Reader, the most critical thing in your life is what you believe about Jesus. The most important decision you’ll ever make is surrendering your life to Jesus, allowing his sacrifice to cover your sins.

You will die. Jesus’ death can be the victory in your death.

Here’s the thing- we all face death. But because Jesus’ death covers me, one day I’ll stand before the Judgement Seat where Jesus will say, “I’ve paid your tab.”

For the Christ follower, this life is as close to hell as we’ll ever be.
For the non-Christ follower, this life is as close to heaven as they’ll ever be.

 Matthew 16:24 Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”