Good Friday | 2026
Well, we indeed Turner eyes to Jesus tonight, don't we? That's a good thing about you guys, man. We're going to be in March and I'm in a minute, Mark chapter 15, where Pastor Clayton, just red wolf, cover some of the verses before that. But it's what a weekend to enter into as we think about the events of why we're here tonight. We think of the millions, that will gather around the world on this weekend to celebrate the resurrection and specifically tonight that will celebrate the death of Jesus, which sounds like a very strange strange concept. As we celebrate, Jesus dying on the cross between two thieves weed and put up the word good before Friday. But we do. So obviously, because we realized the story of the gospels written in the New Testament, don't end on Friday afternoon or Friday evening of Jesus dying. But it continues on the story doesn't end Friday, but continues through Sunday in really for going to be off for ourselves. It continues forever. It never ends because Christ has been raised and he lives forever more and the promise that we celebrate tonight as Believers. If you're unbelievably invite you to become a Believer had, that's our plea to you that because of what Christ has done through the gospel to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus that he calls all of us to repentance in to believe. And we celebrate that because tonight if you have trust in Christ, you have died with Christ and you will be raised with Christ forever and this is not a simple statement. This is a profound truth that changes everything about everything. What's interesting is on the heels of Resurrection, is this thing called the Feast of Passover. Are we find this? We discover this in scripture, if it's not something that started the week of the crucifixion, it something that dates way, farther back in history, if you look it up online and go back and study, it 1300 to 1500 years. This was practice. This thing I was into that we're going to talk about call Passover. If you're not familiar with an exit and Exodus chapter 12 and we're not getting a recap of the whole Bible where you going next to this for a minute, there was a time where the man mows it three, most of us know that name. I was called by God because he heard the Cry of his people in Egypt in slavery there. Crying out to God for freedom, from the oppression, in the judge in the yacht, the slavery, they were in and God uses Moses to go to the at 2, to go to Sparrow that time in Egypt and play with them. Think God said, let my people go and Pharaoh tells them. He tells me nine times the Lord judge's the land of Egypt with 10 plagues in the tenth plague is where we get this word Passover. 10th play was when God told Moses to go to pharaoh and say if you guys do not take a spotless or a lamb without blemish without broken bones, as an offering, take the blood from it and paint it over the doorposts of your house. Eat a meal with your family and trust your hide. If you don't do those things that your first born, son, your house will die. God, doesn't mess around the next morning, Sarah Rose, first born, son, died, and many others. And when that happened, those that had done what God has called them to do and painted the sacrificial lamb. That they had painted over their door. Post the blood of the Lamb, the Lord passed over their house. There was mercy and Grace given to them. That was God's provision in 1300-1500 years of the estimate of how long that even filled today, has been going on here or even. So what's the point of the cross? That was going on obviously longer today, in Exodus 12 14, the people got her actually called to remember this moment forever. And what's interesting is this ritual was done for 1300 to 1500 years up to the cross and never really fully understanding until the this weekend. What's this will even pointing to the entire Bible is a spider with have pointing to Jesus and every single Direction angle. Nothing in the scripture is not pointing to Christ about Christ. What Christ will do, that's what the Bible is all about. It's not the self-help book that points us to be better people and pointed to be like Christ because he is God In the Flesh. They perform this ritual for years until understand fully what takes place in Passover. The description I want to look at before we get, there is from Mark chapter 15. Before we get even to the finality of what I just spoke about, I want to read this first to you. March 15th 6 is, now that's Feast speaking Passover. He released under them. One prisoner who's whoever they desired and John chapter 18? This is made clear again, that they would take the time of Passover, a prisoner who was in bondage and they would free a prisoner during Passover switch Edition, that they did, it fits, within the Roman tradition, they were to do that during a major feast or Festival. It was also very symbolic is Israel was enslaved to Egypt in God with they would do this in symbolism of what took place. What was interesting about it is we see that this prisoner exchange had no.
What we're looking for, there's no exact Merit to why and who, but it was just simply be done as we re koncilja Mark 15. It says after verse six and there was one named Barabbas which lay bound with them that had made Insurrection with him who had committed murder and Insurrection in the multitude crying. A lot allowed begin to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them. I will answer them saying will you that I really since you the king of the juice for he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for Envy. But the chief priest move, the people that he would rather release Barabbas unto them and pilot answered and said unto them again. What will you that I shall do unto them? Whom you call the king of the Jews? They cry out again, crucify him and then pilot send them why what evil has he done? And yet again exceedingly crucify him It's a pilot willing to content with the people released Barabbas under them. Any delivered Jesus, we had scourged him to be crucified. Now, Jesus had been arrested. We understand the events leading up to this. Many of us will understand that that Peter. All right, I figured Judas would betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver silver. He was given into the hands of the Roman officials and they would take him away to be brutally beaten. Eventually crucified, but he receives still before the courts. They were bounced from place to place because no one really saw a reason to kill Jesus, but the very people who were angry and yelling at him and co-pilot was struggling. As we seen this text what to do with him and has he remember the custom of Passover? They would release a prisoner. He thought he was my chance. I will let Jesus go and we'll just this instead of light will be done, but that's obviously not what happened. But there was another man His name again, was Barabbas. And he was in jail for a very good reason, he started to Riot against the Roman government and in that Riot he killed someone but he was very much serving his due time that he deserved. Who's behind bars in another text, and John calls him a robber as well. That he maybe have a little bit of a rap sheet on. His, on his name, he has, he was in prison power deferred against these Chief Priests get Jesus released and they cried out for this murderer to be released in his place. Insurrectionist who caused Great harm and instead they said crucify Jesus, the one claiming to be the son of God. Which we fully testifying confess today. That's a true statement that he truly is the Son of God. It dawned on me this week as I was reading something for the very first time that Barabbas are they said Barabbas free, they accused Jesus not a bing a murder like Travis but being an insurrectionist like Barabbas that he was trying to get people to follow after a different teaching of the day that of Christ that of the scripture that God had called, Jesus to go into the world. To do that heat, they were, they were mad at him for causing, an uproar, not in the way in which Barabbas did. But in a way, that made them uncomfortable cuz of the sin within their own heart, It's all the people wanted a messiah coming to the world, understand that Jesus wasn't quite who, they thought he was going to be. They thought, Jesus would rise ride in with a, with a sword swinging around taking care of the Roman government. But he didn't do that at all, but Jesus came on a mission, and his kingdom is very different than wheezing physical War, but it carries great themes of surrender and lay his life down for others, not taking the life of others. As far as Jesus is swapped, if you will with Barabbas, Barabbas the prisoner, the murderer, the robber is set free. In Jesus goes to the Cross to die in the place of Barabbas.
Just like when we think about Passover, as the people of God, are they trust in God with everything they had? They painted the doorpost with the blood of the sacrifice plan, he might pass over their door and not judge them by taking their first. Before we see that God sent his son, any Colossians 1:15 says, he's the image of the invisible. God, the firstborn over all creation, God sent his son Jesus, to be the Passover Lamb for you. And I tonight that He sent Jesus to the Cross to die in our place, Jesus exchanges. In that moment when he died for you, and I, you are staying for his perfect righteous life and in his sacrifice, as we look to the cross and believe by faith, we are forgiven of our sins, all return to Jesus, and believe he's the son of God. He will pass over our sins as the Lamb of God, received our punishment and judgment in our place. Is true. As it was for Brianna set. The thing that we bring to the table to God, or the thing we bring to God, that, that we can offer to him, is just employee sin needing forgiveness. And that's exactly the swap that takes place. Play the bigger picture of Salvation, and that's what Jesus does and can do for us. He dies in our place and like Barabbas is swapped guess what, by our faith in Jesus Christ, we don't go to a cross, we don't face Eternal judgment, but Christ has taken that for us and we live in Freedom following After Time obedience He wants to cross again as we read the passages in the gospels, not defending himself. Was taunted by the other thief on the cross till I call your angels and lower us down, doesn't say a word to that man, but he becomes the ultimate sacrifice for sin once and for all no, more animals sacrifices, no more painting. The doorpost if you will. Christ accomplished, it Eternal work on the cross and that's why, we celebrate Good Friday. Because the Son of God came to die to die for our sins the just for the unjust as the scripture tells us and his crucifixion is the perfect the film at of God's Redemptive design until today just as it was required for the lamb without blemish to display in the blood to be spread today. I asked has Christ's blood shed on the cross, then apply to you has it been applied to you? Cuz it has and you've received Jesus as your savior. It's not something your parents or friend can do for you, is what price does in you. And if that's going to fly to you and we Rejoice today, we celebrate with us a somber reality that we don't deserve this by any means. We didn't earn it to Richie, B. We simply receive is today, if you don't know Christ, this is this is the story of how he can redeem your life and desires to This is the sign of a loved one that's been redeemed by Christ at Christ. His work on the cross has been applied to you. I love the song we just say variation of it nothing but the blood of Jesus the questions asked what can make me white as snow nothing but the blood of Jesus. Nothing. But the blood of Jesus Matthew 26-28. Search for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission or you can use the word forgiveness of sins. The wages. The Bible says of sin is death of payment of sin is death in, Jesus pays the price and he gives us a way to God, through his sacrifice, and there's one way to him and through, Jesus Christ. It's not about what you can do, the salvation's about what Christ has done for you. The Roman culture, the cross was a sign of humiliation. But today the cross is truly a sign of hope that we look to the Cross because the most cruel punishments happened on the most undeserving person to ever walk this planet. He went to the Cross to die for Sinners Like Us and stayed there, but Heroes victoriously, and if we have that atoning, sacrifice on our behalf, the promise that we have is eternal life, not just a little bit better of a life, the one that we will live forever with him. Forever never ending and that starts. Now as we experience is working our heart and life and we see him doing things in our lives. That will one day also spend eternity with him forever.
Have a look at the comparisons. Passover tells us one unified story that humanity is in bondage. Play God provides a way out that a substitute sacrifice is given and deliverance comes through faith and obedience. Today humanity is in bondage against in hell and death and the devil is not want anybody to follow Christ. Where in bondage but God provides way out and his name is Jesus and just provide a way out but he's a substitute sacrificed with you and I and he's the only one, I've heard many people say I am I dumb enough to have it done enough, can I do enough and interest know that the sacrum The Substitute of Jesus Christ in our place is what gives us freedom to walk a new life? And then lastly, Deliverance comes through faith and obedience. Obedience and faith in Jesus Christ. It only comes to believing what he had already said in his word and he tells us that is one way is through Jesus Christ, it's over the entire story from Exodus to the Cross, there's one there, unified message that we are the guilty ones and Christ is the perfect substitute and by faith in him judgement passes over us and we are set free. This is why we're here tonight. I think of the song. Hallelujah. What A Savior and we celebrate to me sing songs out when I feel like you're singing even louder earlier tonight because of the reality that you believe is true. And if you don't know this, Jesus, He is the true Lamb of God, who laid his life down, so you can have real true life in him. Nicholas in a word of Prayer. Do we are grateful tonight? That you have chosen.
What time pass to come in to die in our place? God, we're so undeserving of your grace and your mercy. Do we celebrate? Today is Good Friday because we realize how good of a time you are that you came to redeem mankind on a mission. So you can unite us back with God because of the Brokenness of sit in the world. There's a fracture that occurred in that, we cannot have that relation without the work of Christ on the cross. So I pray tonight, as we celebrate the crucifixion that we would do. So, with a humble heart, realizing that this truly
Is undeserved. But it is an offer to all who have not come to this knowledge yet. Got a genie comes and plays the song Christ Alone. We would dwell on these truths.
And we be moved to worship because of them. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
