Good Friday | Friday, March 29, 2024

Well, it is so good to see you all here on this Friday afternoon. We're glad that you are with us. If you were here last Sunday, I mentioned an old saying that I learned when I was growing up going to this church: "Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be broken." Thank you, Eli, for being flexible and ready to come down here and lead us this afternoon in worship.

When I showed up here at 10 o'clock, one of our faithful sound guys was having to leave because he was really in pain and also sick. Steve is probably going to urgent care, so we want to lift Steve up to the Lord. Emily and Nick jumped in to help, so blessed are the flexible. God always has people on deck, and we thank You, Lord, for that.

I'm glad that you all are here on this important day. This last week, I ordered something on Amazon. I'm sure none of you ever do that. As I was looking on Amazon, I realized that they are not the only retailers that have these items; there are lots of different places that sell them. It's probably something that some of you have had in the past, or maybe you have it right now. You might even have it on this morning. It's just a very simple little cross necklace. We've all seen these, and Amazon has every style, color, and size you could imagine. You can get them shipped quickly with Prime and all that jazz.

It's just a very simple thing, but you know, Jesus said, "Take up your cross and follow me." I certainly don't think He meant to wear a cross necklace when He said that. However, it is remarkable to me that this object has become the symbol for billions of people throughout the world. They identify themselves with it or associate themselves with others through it. Many people wear these; you might have one on right now to say that you're a follower of Christ, in some way bearing the symbol that you identify yourself with Him.

It is a remarkable thing that this symbol has come to represent. If you go back in time 2,000 years ago, this symbol that so many people identify themselves with or look to as a symbol of hope...

As a symbol of salvation, 2,000 years ago, the cross represented fear, shame, pain, misery, and death. It is an amazing and remarkable thing that now billions of people can pick up a cross for $4.99 on Amazon and have it shipped to them by tomorrow morning if they want to get one. It is incredible that we carry these symbols around; it is probably the most recognizable trademark of any group or association in all of human history for the last 2,000 years.

However, 2,000 years ago, the cross was a symbol of something much different. The Romans did not invent crucifixion, but they certainly perfected it and used it frequently at the time of Christ in the first century. It was not a symbol that people would have identified with or wanted to show to others as a sign of their association. Instead, it struck fear into the hearts of many and served as a constant reminder to those living under Roman rule and oppression not to rebel against Roman authority. The horrific nature of the cross instilled great fear.

One scholar, who is a critical scholar against Christianity but well-versed in first-century history, stated that crucifixion was about much more than pain and punishment; the goal was absolute humiliation. He explained that while crucifixion was not invented by the Romans, it was used extensively. It was considered the most horrible, painful, torturous, and humiliating form of execution possible. It was so heinous that it was reserved for non-citizens of Rome. This meant that if you were a citizen of Rome, you could never be crucified. You might commit an act so terrible that you could be executed, but they would not crucify you. Crucifixion was reserved for those who caused an insurrection or were suspected of potentially causing one against Rome. Many times, when a person was crucified, it was a public spectacle meant to instill fear in others.

They didn't die quickly. Oftentimes, it would take days for them to die on the cross, and they would be left out there exposed and naked. After they died, their remains would often remain on the cross to decompose as a sign to the people, making it very clear that they should never do anything against Rome, because this would happen to them if they did. Yet today, the symbol of the cross is worn as jewelry by millions, if not billions, of people. I think only Christ could redeem something so heinous as the cross.

The suffering of Christ, which we remember on Good Friday, is often referred to as Christ's passion. This is kind of a difficult thing for us because when we think of the word "passion," we often think of a strong, intense desire, especially in a romantic sense. However, the word "passion" also means deep suffering. So when we talk about Christ's passion, we are referring to the deep suffering that he endured.

It must be recognized that Jesus's passion, his deep suffering, was not only the agony of the cross. Although, as one scholar noted, the agony of the cross was about the worst form of execution that anyone could ever imagine, what Jesus endured was far more than just that. The cross was a huge part of it, but he endured so much more. His passion, his suffering, also included the betrayal of one of his closest friends. It is almost hard to call Judas a friend because of what he did.

Before the betrayal that happened during the week of Passion Week, Judas was regarded as one of Jesus's closest friends, close enough to be trusted to carry the money bag, as the Gospels tell us. So not only did Jesus endure the suffering of the cross, the most heinous and horrible execution ever devised, but he also endured the betrayal of a close friend. Furthermore, he was forsaken by all of his trusted followers when he had told them that...

They would forsake Him. They all swore they would not do it. There’s no way I would ever do such a thing. I swear on my life, basically, that I will not do such a thing. That’s basically what Peter said: "Though I have to die with you, I would never betray you." And yet, he forsook the Lord, and they all did. They all fled, just as the prophets foretold: "Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will scatter."

He was betrayed by a close friend and forsaken. He was rejected by His people, the same people who, on Palm Sunday, as Jesus came into Jerusalem, proclaimed Him as Messiah. When they said, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord," they were proclaiming Him King and putting palm branches down before Him as He entered Jerusalem. Then, just days later, they would reject Him. Not only would they reject Him, but they would choose a known criminal to release instead of Him. Knowing that He was innocent, they would then cry out, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!"

Betrayed by a close friend, forsaken by all of His nearest trusted followers, and rejected by His own people, Jesus's passion and suffering included being lied about. It included the injustice of a sham trial and the injustice of political persecution. It included being misunderstood and misrepresented. He was mocked, beaten, tortured, shamed, and embarrassed, and all of that occurred before the actual crucifixion.

Before He would carry the cross outside of Jerusalem to the place called Golgotha or Calvary, He would be mocked, beaten, and shamed. He was spat upon and whipped with a whip intended to rip the flesh away from the body. He received 39 lashes with that whip, so it’s very likely that His entire back was exposed down to the bone of His ribs. He was punched in the face by Roman soldiers who put a covering over His face so He couldn’t respond or react to the blows that came to Him as they mocked Him.

Prophesy, who hit you? He was crowned with a crown of thorns. He was stripped naked and forced to carry his cross. He was crucified naked; that's normally how the Romans would do it, to openly shame them in a public place before his weeping mother who was there.

I don't think we can comprehend what is called The Passion of Christ, the suffering. When I say The Passion of Christ, many of you remember the movie that came out a number of years ago and probably saw it. I remember seeing it in the theater when it came out. Many of us from the church went and saw it together, The Passion of the Christ. That movie portrayed the beating better than any other portrayal that we've ever seen before, and it was a horror to watch.

The theater I went to was the biggest one they had over here in Escondido, and it was completely silent the entire time, other than some weeping in the room. Is there any suffering greater than what Jesus endured in his passion? Not just the cross, but the cross was certainly a huge part of it.

The author of the book of Hebrews wants us to behold Christ. That is exactly what Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea at that time, said after he had Jesus beaten. He had him stand before the people and said, "Behold the man." The author of the book of Hebrews wants us to behold Christ as well. He lifts him up and writes in Hebrews chapter 12, where he says, "Looking unto Jesus, who endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself."

He wants us to behold the man, to see him, to see what he endured in his suffering. Earlier in the book, in Hebrews chapter 4, the author writes, "Seeing then that we have a great high priest who passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weakness, but was in all points tempted." The word "tempted" there is better translated as "tried" or "tested." He was in all points tested as we are, yet...

Without error, no sin was present. It was not for His own sin that He went to the Cross; He endured the Cross in every aspect and in every way. Jesus was tested and tried.

When we find ourselves in a place where we feel rejected, misunderstood, misinterpreted, ashamed, lied about, mocked, or betrayed, we can look unto Jesus, who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself. He endured far more than we could ever imagine. Just as the prophet Isaiah predicted in Isaiah 53, a beautiful passage of Scripture, we read: "He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and we hid, as it were, our faces from Him. He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement, the punishment for our peace, was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth."

Why this suffering? Why endure the shame of the Cross? Why endure not just the suffering of crucifixion, but also all of the mocking, the beating, the torture, being betrayed and forsaken?

As the author of the book of Hebrews writes in Hebrews 4:15, "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tested as we are, yet without sin." Therefore, in light of all this, let us come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and grace and help in our time of need.

It has been asked, and it is a valid question: How could you call this day Good Friday when you think about all the things that went on? When you hear what I just shared about the mocking, the torture, and the beating?

The different things that happened on Good Friday prompt us to ask why we would call such a horrible event, probably the worst event in all of human history, "Good Friday." Obviously, all the things that occurred during Jesus's suffering and passion are not good. However, the door that is opened through what He accomplished is good.

Let us therefore come with boldness before the throne of grace to obtain mercy and to find grace in our time of need. Jesus opens the way by His death on the cross. From the earliest point of the church, when it first began, they proclaimed that He died for our sins according to the Scriptures. This is what Paul records in 1 Corinthians chapter 15; that is the good news of the Gospel. He died for our sins according to the Scriptures.

When Jesus was on the cross, hanging there, it was not just the physical suffering He endured—the shame, the betrayal, and the forsaking—but there was also a spiritual event happening in the unseen realm that we cannot fully comprehend. We might grasp some of the visible suffering that took place on the cross and everything that led up to it, but there was something else occurring in the unseen realm that we do not see. As the prophet Isaiah says, He was wounded for our transgressions; the chastisement for our peace, the punishment that allows us to have peace with God, was upon Him. He bears our guilt and shame upon Himself, and through His death, He opens the way for us to come boldly before the throne of grace to obtain mercy and grace in our time of need. The way is open.

I think that is a significant part of the reason we refer to this day as Good Friday. The way is now open. Of course, Good Friday is not the end of the story. As was said in a very famous message years ago, "It's Friday, but Sunday is coming." That is what we look forward to and rejoice in. However, the shame, pain, and horror of Good Friday were necessary so that the Lamb of God could take away the sin of the world. That is what Jesus came to accomplish. As I shared last Sunday, Good Friday was always the purpose; it didn't happen to Jesus—Jesus came to make it happen.

Happen so that He might deal with sin, death, and suffering. Pastor Mark and I were on the Questions Podcast yesterday. One of the questions that came in had to do with suffering and pain: Why is there suffering, and why doesn't God keep us from that? The Bible answers the question of where suffering comes from. It is given to us in the opening pages of Scripture that suffering comes as a result of sin. Sin brings death, and death comes into the world, causing all the suffering and brokenness that we see.

The Bible tells us where this suffering comes from, but it also tells us that Jesus came to deal first with sin. That is what He came to address at His first coming on the cross. He comes and deals with sin, but ultimately, He will come again to resolve the issue of suffering. In His eternal Kingdom, there will be no more tears, no more death, no pain, and no sorrow. We look forward to that in hope, and we can look forward to that hope today because of the cross.

That which caused fear in the hearts and minds of every person 2,000 years ago is now worn by Christians—billions of them around the world. Why? As a reminder of our salvation and the hope that we have because of the cross. That's the gospel; that's good news. That's why it's Good Friday. Amen.

Father God, I thank You for the message of this horrific day. Jesus, we thank You that You, who knew no sin, became sin for us so that we might receive Your righteousness. We, who were once far from You, who were in darkness, You have come to reconcile us back to a right relationship with You, to bring us back into fellowship with Yourself. You brought us out of darkness by the cross and into Your marvelous light.

You have made it possible for us to stand in hope of the glory of God and rejoice in You because of the cross. I pray, God, that we would not only know that and be reminded of it today, but that we would share it with other people. There are so many people in desperate need of Your grace, and the way has been opened unto Your throne of grace to obtain mercy and grace in our time of need. There is not a one of us here today that does not need it constantly, and there will never be a time when we come to You and there is not enough.

Come, Lord. We thank You for Your grace, and we thank You for Your sacrifice. We rejoice in You; we worship You today for what You accomplished on our behalf. What we could never do for ourselves, You accomplished. You said on the cross, "It is finished." We thank You and praise You. It's in Your name that we pray today. Amen.