Good Friday 2026

How deep…the Father’s love for us…that He would send His only Son, Jesus Christ…to die in our place!

Thank you for joining us tonight...as we pause this busy week...to stop and reflect on what took place some 2,000 years ago...on an Old Rugged cross

For many it may seem odd to call someones death good

We’ve ALL experienced death

And it sure doesn’t feel good

BUT, we know that for the believer death isn’t the end

It’s the beginning of life eternal with Jesus in Heaven

And we can only know and experience that reality…because of what happened on the cross…on that original Good Friday

When Jesus was falsely tried…beaten…mocked…and hung to die a criminal’s death

The cross…was an ugly thing

It was a brutal death, reserved for criminals…the worst of the worse

It wasn’t meant to provide a quick and easy death

Rather…

It was a slow, painful, public, and humiliating death

It was meant to punish wrongdoers

And it was meant to send a message to potential wrongdoers

And it was the means by which the perfect, and sinless Son of God…would be put to death

Where He would willingly lay down His life…for you and me

NOT because of any wrong doing of His own…but to die in our place

Tonight…for just a moment…I want us to think about what Jesus accomplished on that old rugged cross

John 19:28–30 ESV

28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

After this…

After Jesus was falsely accused and tried

After Jesus was beaten and mocked

After Jesus was made a public spectical

After Jesus was hung on the cross…to die a criminal’s death

After this…Jesus died

And in His final breath, He uttered this phrase “It is Finished”

But…what was Jesus talking about?

What was this “it” that was finished?

Follow me here…this phrase is the Greek word “tellestai”

It is a simple word packed with powerful meaning

That has power to change your life

What was Jesus saying when He said, “It is finished”?

1. It Means that Your Sin Debt is PAID

ILL: There is a debt crisis in our country

And it’s not just the government going in debt

WE...the people...are living in debt

Stats tell us the average home has $105,056 in debt

I imagine many of you here...understand the weigh of debt

BUT...here’s the big difference...

You can work your way out of physical debt

You can change your habits

In Dave Ramsay’s words...you can get mad at it!

BUT...there is cloud of spiritual debt hanging over mankind

Rom. 3:23…we all have this problem…

And it’s a debt...none of us can overcome

We can’t work our way out of it

We can’t get better

You can get mad at it, but it won’t change a thing

Because in sin, we are already fully guilty before holy God

Our sin...separates us from God

God would have been just to judge us in our sin

Because God is just…He had to deal with sin

Hebrews 9:22 “…without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

God must deal with sin

BUT…Because God is love…He personally dealt with our sin…on the cross

When Jesus breathed His last…the payment for our sin was paid in full

Colossians 2:13–15 “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”

It is Finished means...your sin debt is paid in full...

2. It Means the Judgement of God Stored Up for You...has Been Satisfied

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

How did Jesus deal with our sin?

He died in our place

Jesus was born to die

The Son of God…God Himself…born into this world…like us in the flesh

To do what we couldn’t do

To live a perfect and sinless life

To offer Himself…a sacrifice in our place

To pay our debt of sin…

But Jesus didn’t just pay the cost...biblically speaking...Jesus became sin for us

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

In a moment we are going to share in the Lord’s Supper together

We are going to break bread...and drink from the cup

The bread...represent the life and body of Jesus...broken for us

We remember...that Jesus suffered and died...in our place

He served the sentence of sin...reserved for us

So that...through faith...we could have His own righteousness

That means...we can be right with God

Don’t miss this...Jesus served your time!

He drank of the cup reserved for you

So that...you could drink of His

And be right with God

One short simple statement...packed with truth...

And there’s one more nugget of gold here

IT is Finished…

3. It Means Jesus Has Won…and so CAN You

What was lost in the Garden of Eden…has now been restored through the blood of Jesus

All that God had promised through His prophets long ago…was now fulfilled in Jesus

Through His death, Jesus defeated the powers of darkness

Jesus loosened the grip of Satan upon humanity

Jesus made a way for us to be right with God

Jesus…has…won!

So...Why do we call this Good Friday?

Because where there seemed to be no hope...Jesus made a way

See what happens next…

After Jesus breathed His last breath something amazing happened…well many things…

It turned dark

It thundered and the earth shook

Some of the dead arose and began to walk the streets

And the temple veil was torn in two

The tearing of the veil is significant

The temple veil was no ordinary curtain…it was massive

And it stood to separate the Holy of Holies from the temple

Only the High Priest would enter, once per year to make sacrifices to God

To enter unlawfully would lead to death

Because in sin we are unworthy to come into God’s Holy and Awesome presence

That veiled ultimately represented the great chasm between man and God

It represented our separation from God due to sin

By giving His life a sacrifice for ours…Jesus paid the full cost of that sin debt, satisfying the wrath of God towards those who trust in Jesus by faith

That torn veil symbolized that what stood between God and us has been removed

In Christ we can know and walk with God

That’s the good news of the gospel

But it didn’t come cheap…

It came at the cost of Jesus’ life

And that’s WHY we call Friday…Good!

Because what happened on the cross…was God’s love poured out on humanity

So that through saving faith…we could be made right with God

What is the proper response to such an amazing gift of love?

To remember and never forget

To give thanks and worship Him alone

To embrace Him as your Lord and Savior

We are going to take time now to do this as a congregation as we partake together in the Lord’s Supper

As our deacons prepare the table I invite you now…to bow your heads…

Take a moment quietly to reflect on these truths…

Evaluate your heart, maybe to repent of sin

Put your trust in Jesus alone…and to give thanks

(time of prayer)

As we prepare to partake of the Lord’s Supper:

If you are a believer…we invite you to join us as we partake of the bread and the cup

If you are not…we welcome you to observe

(I pass out trays to the deacons)

Ask: Richard Cutlip to lead us in prayer as we prepare to partake of the bread…

(once deacons come back…I hold my piece of bread up)

READ:  Matthew 26:26 “Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”” (then partake…)

(then ask congregation to turn cup over and open the top seal)

Ask: Robbie Best to lead us in prayer as we prepare to partake of the cup.

(once deacons come back…I hold up my cup)

READ:  Matthew 26:27–28 “And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (then drink)

PRAY…

As we close…you all recieved a nail when you walked in the door

We ask that you quietly and reflectively leave the sanctuary

As you exit…drop that nail in the bucket…and give thanks!