Good Friday

Welcome. Welcome to Radius White Knoll as we gather to celebrate Good Friday. If you’ve never celebrated Good Friday well let me tell you why we do. We gather in remembrance of the most important 3 days in the history of the world. Some refer to it as sorrowful Friday, we call it Good because Sunday is coming and we know what that means! The gospel of John tells us that the creator of the universe has become flesh and He dwelt among us. He performed miracles confirming He was sent from God and even better than that, He forgave sins.

This past Sunday He would’ve rode into Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt while they sang His praises. And if they wouldn’t have, He said that the stones would’ve cried out! Because He is that worthy of praise. Though He would soon be betrayed by one of His own. Arrested and beaten as the scriptures foretold.

Isaiah 53:3–6 NIV

He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:11 NIV

After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.

So tonight we will walk through His time leading up to the cross and His time on the cross. Remembering the sacrifice that was made for us. And considering some of His last words, My God My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?

The title to a Psalm that everyone in the crowd would have known. We call it Psalm 22. A prophecy from King David that speaks of our Lord and our Lord is pointing us to it with some of His last breaths.

Psalm 22:6–8 NIV

But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads. “He trusts in the Lord,” they say, “let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.”

*Hailey Reads*

Matthew 27:27–31 NIV

Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

Song

Song

*Michael Reads*

Matthew 27:32–37 NIV

As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.

*Sally Reads*

Matthew 27:38–44 NIV

Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

*Scott Reads*

Psalm 22:12–18 NIV

Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. Roaring lions that tear their prey open their mouths wide against me. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me. My mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death. Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet. All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.

*Cyndel Reads*

Matthew 27:45–54 NIV

From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.” Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.” And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”

*Jacob back up*

Psalm 22:24 NIV

For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.

Psalm 22:30–31 NIV

Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it!

With some of His last breaths He points us to a Psalm that speaks of Him. Taking one more opportunity to show that He is the messiah the prophets spoke of. A prophecy that King David wrote 1000 years before Christ. Speaking of death by crucifixion, something that he would have known nothing of because it wasn’t even invented until hundreds of years later. Surely He was the Son of God! And He has done it!

So in remembrance of what He has done, we take communion. The night before Judas betrayed Him, Christ and His disciples shared a meal together. And during that meal Christ explained many things but one was that a new covenant with God was being established. That He was going to be the sacrifice once and for all. That when we take communion, when we share in this bread and juice, that we would do it in remembrance of the body and blood that was poured out on our behalf. No more goats and calves, the perfect lamb has been provided.

If you are not a believer, this isn’t for you. If you are a believer but you haven’t forgiven someone, or you haven’t repented of something, or whatever it may be that’s on your heart, go and do that first. Paul warns us that, 1 Corinthians 11:27 “So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.” We aren’t doing this for ritual, we are doing this out of reverence for who He is and remembrance of what He did for us on the cross.

So brothers and sisters, take the bread. This is the body of Christ broken for us. Take and eat, in remembrance of Him.

Take your juice. This is the blood of Christ, poured out for us. Take and drink, in remembrance of Him.

Prayer

Song

Song

Passion of Christ empty tomb video