Red Letter Friday

Intro

On Good Friday we re-tell a story that is familiar to us all

The betrayal, arrest, trial, torture and crucifixion of Jesus

On this Good Friday we are going to look at the account in John’s Gospel and focus on what Jesus said during these events

We can all it “Red Letter Friday”

What Jesus said reinforced what He did: It shows us what He held dear as He walk the road to His death

Pray

Jesus Cares For Others (John 18:1 - 11)

Our story opens with Jesus in a garden with his disciples… except for Judas

Judas had left earlier when Jesus had revealed that he was the betrayer

Judas returns to the garden… with a group of armed soldiers

Jesus is not caught by surprise, in fact John tells us that He “[knew] all that would happen to him” (v. 4)

Armed with this knowledge, Jesus asks, “Whom do you seek?” *Continue reading John 18:5-8*

Facing down unfair trial, torture and death, Jesus revealed that he cares for others.

He willingly gave himself up so that his disciples would be safe and free

Fulfilled his words earlier in John 17:12, here saying “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.”

He cared for His followers then, and He cares for His followers now

How many of us would be so sefless if we knew the time of our death?

Jesus went through it all FOR you and me; He cares

Shown again in verse 11 after Peter makes things worse by cutting off a servant’s ear (read John 18:11)

Jesus was willing to go to the cross, because of His care for His people

Jesus Cares For Justice

Jesus is arrested and brought before the high priest, who questioned Him about his disciples and teaching

Jesus responds by saying *read John 18:20-21*

The normal process for a trial would be for witnesses to be questioned; Jesus is calling for a fair trial… calling the legitimacy of this trial into question

Which is why an officer strikes Jesus for talking negatively about the high priest (is not fair)

Jesus again responds with His desire for true witnesses *read John 18:23*

Through these words, Jesus shows His care for justice

The trial was anything of the sort; a sham; a mockery; an excuse to get rid of an influential teacher that was causing the religious elite trouble

Yet this care for justice goes deeper: Jesus was willing to endure an unfair trial and execution in order to bring about God’s justice and mercy

He died so that ALL sin could be paid for (God’s justice was carried out)

He died so that we could be free from the penalty of sin and receive forgiveness (grace)

Jesus Cares for the Truth

Next, Jesus is brought before the Roman governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate

He tries to give Jesus back to the Jews to punish according to their laws, but the people want him dead… which only Rome can do

So Pilate takes Jesus into his headquarters and asks the question, “Are you the King of the Jews?”

Was the charge brought against Jesus that would make Him appear as a threat to Rome

Jesus again exposes the unfairness of this charge by saying *read John 18:34*

*Keep reading John 18:35-38*

Jesus IS a king (THE King), but not in the way that Pilate or anyone else expects

More than anything, this conversation shows that Jesus cares for the truth

His Kingdom is true

Supernatural, not natural. Unseen, not seen. Yet true and real in every way

He came to bear witness to the truth

He IS the way, the TRUTH and the life. Jesus is the way we come to the Father

Everyone who is of the truth listens to His voice

Do you believe the truth that Jesus is the Son of God, King of Kings, and his death paved the way for you to be with God?

Or do you find yourself lost and skeptical like Pilate, “What is truth?”

Jesus Cares for His Mission

Pilate may not have been convinced of Jesus’ truth claim, but neither was he convinced of his guilt

He offers the people Jesus or Barabbas (a robber); they choose Barabbas

He had Jesus cruelly flogged and mocked with a twisted crown of thorns upon His head and a purple robe (further mockery of the claim to kingship)

Then Pilate wants to hand over Jesus again to the people who cry in response, “Crucify HIm! Crucify Him!”

The Jews finally describe the reason for Jesus needing to die: He has claimed to be the Son of God

This frightens Pilate who takes Jesus aside and asks where He is from. When Jesus is silent Pilate says, *read John 19:10-11*

Jesus knows the reason this is happening; He is aware of His mission. God is at work here.

Pilate relents to the will of the people, and they take Jesus to Golgotha (the Place of the Skull) to be crucified

Jesus is nailed to the cross through his hands and feet, hanging there with criminals on either side

Pilate also inscribed a sign on the cross that read, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews”

Once more we see cruel, twisted irony

Jews wanted to change it to a personal claim, but Pilate doesn’t give in (he must have been impressed by Jesus)

The soldiers took Jesus garments and cast lots for his tunic (to fulfill Scripture)

As Jesus hung in agony, in the process of dying, He musters up the chance to look after his mother

He sees His mother standing next to the disciple whome he loved and said, *read John 19:26-27*

Further dispaly of what we already learned: Jesus cares about others… would we be that selfless?

At the very end Jesus shows His commitment to the mission He was given; He cares for His mission

Knowing all was finished, he said, “I thirst”

This was to fulfill Scripture, likely Psalm 69:20-21.

Shows a keen awareness to what was going on (in the garden, before Pilate, on the cross)

*Read John 19:30*

Communion

Full of His care for others, for justice, for truth and for His mission, Jesus died

This morning we remember - not only the death - but love and care behind this sacrifice

Give instructions to come forward and receive communion… then lead communion itself

The Tomb is Full

The Jews asked that Pilate break the legs of those being crucified to ensure they died and were removed before the Sabbath (Saturday)

The soldiers break the legs of the 2 criminals, but when they get to Jesus they realize He is already dead

Once again, to fulfill Scripture that none of the Messiah’s bones would be broken

One soldier does pierce the side of Jesus with a spear (presumably to ensure He is dead)

Once more, to fulfill Scripture that the Messiah would be pierced

Joseph of Arimathea, a secret follower of Jesus, asked Pilate for the body of Christ

Nicodemus (yes, THAT Nicodemus) helps Joseph prepare Jesus’ body for burial by wrapping it in linen clothes and embalming with spices

Then they laid the body of Jesus in a brand new tomb in a garden

On Friday, the tomb is FULL.