Good Friday

Jesus had writhed for 3 hours on the cross in physical and spiritual darkness. The physical darkness mirrored the spiritual darkness as the Father poured out the wrath that had piled up from the sin of men since Adam. The Father poured out the punishment meant for the religious leaders who mocked His Son, for the soldiers beat and spat on His Son, and for us in our sinful state.

When Jesus said, “It is finished,” His divine nature (spirit, soul) separated from His perfect sinless body. His eyes closed and could no longer see the light of this world. His lungs released the stale air of this fallen world. The heart of Jesus stopped pumping out the blood that stained the cross red. His body hung lifeless on the cross of Golgatha.

Galatians 2:20 NASB95

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.

We now live in the flesh but not by the flesh.

When we repent and believe in Jesus, our old life is positionally identified with Christ so completely, that it is as if it was on the cross with Jesus. Our old life of sin is now dead in the eyes of God; Crucified with Jesus. The life we now have is “us,” but it is not “us” as we used to be.

Colossians 3:3–5 NASB95

3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Author D.C. McCasland suggests visualizing a castle that has fallen into ruins, overgrown with weeds and filled with debris. When a new owner buys the castle, they don't just put up a few decorations; they begin a massive restoration project. They must first tear out the rot and clear the rubble before they can rebuild it to a glory far beyond its original state. —Precept Austin

Colossians 3:3–5 NASB95

4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. 5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.

Precept Austin

Application: Our "hidden life" (v. 3) is the secure foundation of the new castle. However, the "earthly nature" listed in verse 5—greed, lust, and evil desires—is the "rot" that must be torn out. The restoration isn't a means to gain the castle; it’s the result of having a New Owner who has already claimed it.

John Owen

Despite being a brilliant scholar at Oxford, Owen experienced a deep, three-month spiritual depression in 1642. He felt utterly forsaken, finding no comfort in his own academic achievements or religious rituals. His transformation began when he realized that his old self—which relied on its own intellect and outward religious performance—had to "die" so that his life could be truly "hidden with Christ".

He eventually wrote a definitive work on this exact topic, arguing that a Christian must be "killing sin, or sin will be killing you". His life shifted from a pursuit of academic status to a radical focus on "universal holiness," fueled not by his own willpower, but by the Holy Spirit.

Name the "Target"

One of the ways that we kill sin is like a sniper who identifies his targets and dials them in through his scope. The Holy Spirit has already given the order for these targets to die because we have been crucified with Christ. A sniper cannot hit a target they haven't identified. Verse 5 lists specific "earthly" members: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed. Identify the specific "earthly" impulse you are currently trying to manage. Instead of managing it, follow the order and kill it.

Have you been crucified with Christ? Is the life you now live, lived by faith in the Son of God?

As believers, our eyes need to close to the light of this fallen world. Our lungs need to release the stale air of this fallen world. Our sinful heart needs to stop pumping blood that feeds our fleshly nature. We need to be crucified with Christ and consider the members of our sinful flesh as dead to sin. Instead, may our eyes see only Jesus, may our lungs breath in His pure word, and may our heart beat only for Jesus Christ our Savior.

We are going to have a time of silent prayer. Please use this time to affirm that you have been crucified with Christ. Affirm that your life is hidden in Christ. Target those members of your flesh that need to die to sin and ask the Holy Spirit for help in considering them dead. After you have prayed silently, I will close in prayer and that will be the end of our service tonight. At that time you are dismissed to meditate further on the death of our Lord on the cross.

Starve the Root: Treat sin like a weed that must be uprooted, not just trimmed. This means removing the "fuel" for that sin—whether it's specific media, certain environments, or habits that trigger "earthly" desires.

The "Superior Pleasure" Strategy: You don't just "stop" sin; you replace it. Use the "sword of the Spirit" (the Word of God) to believe in a "superior pleasure". When tempted by greed or lust, consciously contrast that temporary hit of pleasure with the eternal "glory" promised in verse 4.

Change Your "Uniform": View your old habits as a dirty, worn-out uniform that no longer represents who you are. Actively "put off" the old self and "put on" the new self by choosing actions that align with your new identity in Christ.

Lean on the Spirit: True mortification is impossible by human strength alone. It is "by the Spirit" that we put to death the deeds of the body (Romans 8:13), meaning we ask for His power in the moment of temptation rather than relying on our own resolve.