Good Friday 2024

John 19:16–30 (NASB)

16 So he then handed Him over to them to be crucified. 17 They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha. 18 There they crucified Him, and with Him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between. 19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written, “JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” 20 Therefore many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Latin and in Greek. 21 So the chief priests of the Jews were saying to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews’; but that He said, ‘I am King of the Jews.’ ” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.” 23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His outer garments and made four parts, a part to every soldier and also the tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece. 24 So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, to decide whose it shall be”; this was to fulfill the Scripture: “They divided My outer garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.” 25 Therefore the soldiers did these things. But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then He said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour the disciple took her into his own household. 28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, to fulfill the Scripture, said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of hyssop and brought it up to His mouth. 30 Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

God’s work on the cross must come first.

This is true literally.

John 19:31 (NASB)

31 Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath …

We remember the cross of Christ on Good Friday because he was crucified on Friday and He rose from the grave on Sunday, so the cross came first, literally.

But it also comes first in priority.

1 Corinthians 2:2 (NASB)

2 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.

1 Corinthians 15:3 (NASB)

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures…

But it is also true for us spiritually in two ways.

If Jesus didn’t die for our sins, Him raising from the dead would have no benefit for us. It would just mean that He was immortal or that He has eternal life and couldn’t stop Him. But for us to have eternal life. sin had to be atoned for.

Romans 6:23 (NASB)

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Corinthians 1:23–24 (ESV)

23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Hebrews 9:22 (NASB)

22 …without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

2. We have to have the work of the cross applied to us, that is, the blood of Jesus, but we also have to put ourselves on the cross, that is, dying to self, giving ourselves fully to Christ who gave Himself for us.

Luke 14:27 (ESV)

27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

Galatians 2:20 (NASB)

20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Galatians 5:24 (NASB)

24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

God’s work on the cross is finished.

30 Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

1. There was nothing more for Him to do in order to defeat sin.

28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, to fulfill the Scripture…

Romans 6:10 (NASB)

10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all…

1 Peter 3:18 (NASB)

18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;

Hebrews 10:10 (NASB)

10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

2. There is nothing for us to do but believe.

Romans 4:2–5 (NASB)

2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness…

That’s what makes Good Friday good.

The Good Shepherd gave His life on the cross so that sinful mankind could be saved. That’s the Gospel and that’s good news.

If you believe. If you have faith and trust in the work of Christ on the cross for the forgiveness of your sins, then out of obedience, let’s remember what He did and prayerfully worship our Savior by partaking in the Lord’s Supper.

1 Corinthians 11:24–25 (NASB)

The Body

24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

The Blood

25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”