Good Friday-His Body Broken For Us

Today is good friday. And on Good friday, we remember the cross, and the sacrifice of Jesus.

I wanted to help us understand the full context, and we have a great illustration of it that we use regularly - communion.

Luke 22:14–20 NIV

When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

One thing that doesn’t get enough attention about the story of communion is when Jesus was celebrating it. And he was celebrating it in the middle of a meal called Passover.

Passover was one of the most pivotal moments in God’s plan for Israel

This story was so important, it was foretold to Abraham when God established a covenant with him.

The story of egypt / passover was this: RECAP

The Passover Lamb died so that the people would be spared from death

Through passover, and later, the sacrificial system, The jewish people had a firm concept on this idea - that their sins had a cost. Their disobedience meant death.

And they were in a terrible spot in egypt. So when God rescued them, he didn’t just magically teleport them. There was a coming judgment against evil and sin in that nation.

And in the passover lamb, they had relief from that judgment. Something else died in their place. And the symbolism of this was not lost on them.

Good Friday is about the Death of The Perfect Passover Lamb-Jesus

Matthew 27:33–54 NIV

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. 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. 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!”

Jesus’ death means an even greater freedom for us through salvation

The israelites were oppressed by a foreign nation. But there’s a bigger problem - and that’s the sin that’s in every single one of our hearts.

They wanted religious freedom, or political freedom. But in the death of Jesus - we find freedom from the power of death itself.

There’s an amazing prophecy in the Bible that foretells the death of the messiah.

Isaiah 53:4–6 NIV

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.

The passover lamb was a temporary, one off. In Jesus - we have permanent and complete forgiveness of our sins.

Jesus suffered a death meant for us. He took OUR pain.

I love that last line. ALL HAVE GONE ASTRAY.

In Jesus, we don’t need to wander anymore

I’m sure every one of us has experienced something like that in some fashion. Some sense of just being lost. We sometimes call it ‘the dark night of the soul’.

1 Peter 2:23–25 NIV

When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

The bible calls Jesus the good shepherd. and in Jesus, we have someone who cares for us. Who walks with us every single day.

Through the cross, Jesus invites us to a relationship with God where we have total and complete forgiveness.