Today is the day that Christians all over the world remember the tremendous and holy sacrifice of the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. We call it Good Friday and it's interesting to me because for some reason there are many people who do not understand why it is called "Good Friday".
Afterall, what is good about a sinless man who claimed to be the Christ that Israel was waiting for, being scouraged and beaten beyond recognition? What is good about the mother of Christ having her heart broken and the disciples of Christ being scared out of their minds that even they ran away and denied who He was?
This is not some pretend story that religious people all over the world just believe because it's interesting. No, it's a historical fact that the man Jesus, who was known as the Christ, willingly walked a dusty road and bore the cross, where He would die for the sin of the whole world.
But the story is even greater than that, for Jesus didn't merely take up his cross and willingly stay put so that men could nail him on the cross, but He endured so much more.
Isaiah 53 tell us the whole story. But let's highlight a few things so we can remember what Jesus did.
Isaiah 53:3-5
He was (D)despised and forsaken of men,
A man of sorrows and (E)acquainted with grief;
And like one from whom men hide their face
He was (F)despised, and we did not (G)esteem Him.
Have you ever felt despised? How about forsaken of men? Have you ever cried, wept, and mourned and felt like it would never end? Have you ever wanted to hide? Have you ever been despised and hated?
Jesus knows. He has too.
4Surely our [b]griefs He Himself (H)bore,
And our sorrows He carried;
Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten of (I)God, and afflicted.
Did you know that your griefs and your sorrow Jesus, Himself, carried alone? No one helped him. No one ever cared to offer help. Many mocked him because He loved that much. Yet, Jesus did it.
Have you ever been smitten of God or afflicted by God? Smitten means to be struck, as with a hard blow. Afflicted means to be troubled greatly with mental or bodily pain...has God ever done that to you?
It's one thing to be attacked and hurt by man, but what if GOD did that to you...would you stand?
Jesus was and He took it...for you.
5But He was [c]pierced through for (J)our transgressions,
He was crushed for (K)our iniquities;
The (L)chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by (M)His scourging we are healed.
Jesus was also pierced through ... punctured...through his skin, his heart, his very soul...for OUR transgressions. Our sins, our choice to violate the law, to break the rules, to disobey His commands. God pierced HIM...
But not only that, He was crushed for our iniquities. Our wicked acts, evildoing acts, crushed Christ. And then the chastening...in other words, the suffering...for OUR well being, fell on JESUS...
And by His scourging....whipping, lashes, torture....WE are healed.
JESUS endured all of these horrific things, that words cannot even remotely begin to express, so that you and I could receive forgiveness and be pardoned for all of our wretched sin.
Good Friday is remembering that.
Good Friday is honoring the One who loved you so much that He stepped in your spot and received all the punishment and payment for sin that YOU truly deserve from God.
See, contrary to popular psychological teaching, you are NOT a good person. No, you are a sinful, wretched, bad, bad, BAD, person.
Romans 3:12 tells us that there in NONE who do good, no not one.
But Jesus is good. Jesus knew that if he paid the price for your sin, that you and God could be in complete fellowship forever.
In fact, Jesus wanted that so much that He actually endured separation from His Father while he was on the cross when He cried, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
He knew what abandonment was like because He experienced it.
Jesus knows everything you have ever gone through, because he has experienced it a zillion times more than you ever will.
And HE LOVES YOU with a LOVE so real, so tender, so sacrificial, that He considered it worthwhile to endure such hostility from men and be nailed to a cross so that we could all be forgiven.
All you have to do is receive what Jesus did. John 1:12 declares,
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become (A)children of God, even (B)to those who believe in His name."
Do you believe on the name of Jesus who is the Christ? If not, why? Jesus did all the things we've listed here and so much more so that you could be forgiven of your sin, and be with Him forever as you live eternally with Him. That is what He wants.
To be honest, that is what I want from you too.
There is nothing more important in your life than coming to the place where you accept what Christ did on what we call Good Friday. It is vital to your future. It is vital to your eternity in heaven.
Jesus died in your spot so that you would not have to go to a place, we call hell, that was literally created for the devil and his angels. Hell was not made for the human soul to go to, it was made for the devil.
And I can tell you that the devil would like all the company he can get in hell. But Jesus doesn't want that...
No, Jesus endured all the torture, scourgings, beatings, spit, piercing, etc, so that you do not have to. His love is real. His love is pure. His love is holy. His love was poured out in blood for you.
That is why today is Good Friday and that is why today we remember Jesus who is our best example of persecution.
