Good Friday- the Death on the Cross

 

Good Friday devotion 4/2/21

Good Friday is the day we remember Jesus’ trial and death on the cross.  He was accused falsely and loudly; mocked; tortured; and crucified because He rightfully would not back away from His claim to be both God and King. 
Why do we call it “good?”  It is good for us that His sacrifice is made.  All the sacrifices made in the Old Testament point to His real and ultimate sacrifice and atonement for us. 
His blood shed for us is the blood of the sacrifice for our sins.  That is why He tells us to remember His blood shed when He instituted communion. 
The word “Good” in Old English is “Gott” and some say Good and God are synonymns in old English.  So we say “goodbye” which in Old English was “God Be with Ye.”  So “Good Friday” was “God Friday.” It is God’s day to bring human beings to Himself.  It is the fulfillment of so many prophecies (Isaiah 53; Psalm 22, 69; Gen. 2).  But it is the day the Lamb of God (Jesus- our ultimate Passover Lamb) takes away the sins of the world. 

 

Here are the seven sayings of Jesus no the cross.  Last words people say are important, and these words are important to us. 

·        1.1 1. Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.
         This indicates that the people were (and we are) blind to their own sin.  But it also indicates Jesus intercedes for sinners like us. 

·        1.2 2. Today you will be with me in paradise.
          Jesus said this to thief on the cross who asked to be remembered.  Paradise is not a different place but a synonym for heaven.  In that sense, we see salvation can come without a baptism or any good works at all- for the thief could not be baptized or have time to do good. 

·        1.3 3. Woman, behold, thy son! Behold, thy mother!
        Jesus said this to Mary and to his disciple John son of Zebedee.  It shows His concern for His family, His mother, and others. 

·        1.4 4. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

·               This is a quote from Psalm 22:1.  It shows the alienation and separation (what some call hell) He was going through for our sake.  It shows Jesus went through spiritual agony as well as physical agony. 

·        1.5 5. I thirst.
        The Maker of water thirsts!  This is the irony.  But this shows He really suffered and was human- for angels and spirits do not thirst. 

·        1.6 6. It is finished. (prophecies, suffering, atonement, law fulfilled)
        Jesus finished His work.  This is a great goal.  It was not just that His earthly life was finished.  The prophecies were fulfilled.  The suffering was done.  The atonement was made, and the law was fulfilled. 

·        1.7 7. Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.
       This shows great trust and peace.  He committed His spirit to God who would raise Him up.  Jesus shows us how to die.