Growing up, I always looked forward to Easter
weekend. It stood out mainly because it was a 4 day weekend and quietly I
wondered what was good about the Friday that Jesus brutally died. Home, school,
and the community were Christian based so with time it all made sense to extent
that I merely went through the motions of observing it over the years.
This year however, as I attended Good Friday
day Service at my home church in Tacoma Washington, the senior pastor dwelt on
Jesus’ last words in the moments leading up to Him breathing His last. The
great gift that makes this a Good Friday, once again became alive in me and
here is why;
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Luke 23:34
Then Jesus said, 'Father, forgive
them; for they do not know what they are doing.' And they cast lots to divide
his clothing.
On the cross, we see love and grace. Even in
his pain, Jesus was so gracious to ask the Father to forgive us.
Jesus
answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
On the cross, we see hope. This statement was said to one of the thieves who was crucified beside the messiah. Even in his pain, Jesus gave hope to someone else and because of the cross, there is hope for everyone.
John 19:26-27
When Jesus saw his mother there,
and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, 'Dear
woman, here is your son,' and to the disciple, 'Here is your mother.'
On the cross, we see humanity. Jesus’ heart goes out to his mother and since he was fully man and dwelt with us, he understands the pain of his mother. While he is in pain, he is still compassionate and entrusts her to John.
Mark 15:34
And at the ninth hour, Jesus
cried with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means,
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
On the cross, we see unbearable pain and the fact that Jesus became our substitute. He takes a punishment He doesn’t deserve for us. He takes on the sin of the world becoming the worst of us. Oh what love!
John 19:28
Later, knowing that everything had
now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am
thirsty.”
On the cross, we see anguish. The man on the cross who had declared that those who drink the water He gives will never thirst again as the water He gives is eternal life was on the cross crying out that He was thirsty. With a snap of a finger, he could have changed all this but instead He went through this anguish for us.
John 19:30
When He had received the
drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his
head and gave up his spirit.
On the cross, there was completion. The sacrifice of His life for ours was done and because of that, we can stop trying to earn our own way to get God’s favor. We can rest in God’s completed work.
Needless to say, I had walked into church
while going through flares of pain, but listening to Jesus’ last words while on
the cross brought me to the realization that whatever I had going on was
trivial because of the cross.
By going through the pain on the cross, Jesus
had not only walked in obedience but also trusted the Father’s will. As a
result, He crushed the enemy and Friday’s pain leads us to victory on Easter
Sunday.
On the cross, Jesus accomplished what we couldn’t, He bought us salvation and my prayer as we celebrate this gift this Easter is that we daily entrust ourselves to the Father’s will too and surrender to him regardless of what may be going on around us.
