Good Friday 2019

Good Friday Service

April 19, 2019

There are times when we come across something and think, “that just doesn’t seem right.” Maybe it was the first time we heard “Jumbo shrimp” or “deafening silence”. I thought this about the term “Good Friday” for a long time. How in the world is what this day is supposed to remind us of be called “good.”

Good Friday is traditionally set aside and remembered as the day that Jesus Christ was crucified outside the walls of Jerusalem. While that was probably one of the most noted events, there were many things that happened that day that are hard to see as “good” — at least on the surface.

Events of the First Good Friday

If you were to look at a timeline of events from that Friday in the life of Jesus, you would see some key points happening…

Jesus arrested and taken before the Sanhedrin — () the high priest, chief priests, elders and scribes of the Jewish people in a mock trial

Mark 14:53 CSB

They led Jesus away to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes assembled.

Jesus denied by His own followers — ()

Mark 14:66–72 CSB

While Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the high priest’s maidservants came. When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth.” But he denied it: “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about.” Then he went out to the entryway, and a rooster crowed. When the maidservant saw him again, she began to tell those standing nearby, “This man is one of them.” But again he denied it. After a little while those standing there said to Peter again, “You certainly are one of them, since you’re also a Galilean.” Then he started to curse and swear, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about!” Immediately a rooster crowed a second time, and Peter remembered when Jesus had spoken the word to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

Jesus tried before Roman officials — ()

Mark 15:1–5 CSB

As soon as it was morning, having held a meeting with the elders, scribes, and the whole Sanhedrin, the chief priests tied Jesus up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. So Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” He answered him, “You say so.” And the chief priests accused him of many things. Pilate questioned him again, “Aren’t you going to answer? Look how many things they are accusing you of!” But Jesus still did not answer, and so Pilate was amazed.

Mark 15:1–15 CSB

As soon as it was morning, having held a meeting with the elders, scribes, and the whole Sanhedrin, the chief priests tied Jesus up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. So Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” He answered him, “You say so.” And the chief priests accused him of many things. Pilate questioned him again, “Aren’t you going to answer? Look how many things they are accusing you of!” But Jesus still did not answer, and so Pilate was amazed. At the festival Pilate used to release for the people a prisoner whom they requested. There was one named Barabbas, who was in prison with rebels who had committed murder during the rebellion. The crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do for them as was his custom. Pilate answered them, “Do you want me to release the King of the Jews for you?” For he knew it was because of envy that the chief priests had handed him over. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd so that he would release Barabbas to them instead. Pilate asked them again, “Then what do you want me to do with the one you call the King of the Jews?” Again they shouted, “Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Why? What has he done wrong?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him!” Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them; and after having Jesus flogged, he handed him over to be crucified.

Jesus passed over and condemned by the crowd — ()

Jesus was handed over to be stripped, beaten, and crucified ()

Jesus was hung between two criminals — ()

Mark 15:27–28 CSB

They crucified two criminals with him, one on his right and one on his left.

Jesus was mocked by the crowds — ()

Mark 15:29–32 CSB

Those who passed by were yelling insults at him, shaking their heads, and saying, “Ha! The one who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself by coming down from the cross!” In the same way, the chief priests with the scribes were mocking him among themselves and saying, “He saved others, but he cannot save himself! Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, so that we may see and believe.” Even those who were crucified with him taunted him.

Jesus would die breathe His last on the cross — ()

Mark 15:37 CSB

Jesus let out a loud cry and breathed his last.

When you see these things and think that they all played out in roughly a time period of about 12 hours, on the surface it is not so easy to see why this day is called “Good Friday.”

But as Paul Harvey would say, “…and now, the rest of the story.”

In this life, we see that things are not always what they seem. There is a story that is being played out and told between the lines that we see.

While the events of that first “Good Friday” were tragic and gruesome, they were completely necessary because of the bigger picture that God was painting. What God was trying to show all people of all times that day some 2,000 years ago is the high price of sin and the limitless bounds of His love.

The High Price of Sin

The truth is that Jesus never once sinned during His 33 years on earth as a man (). This was necessary because if He was going to come and pay mankind’s penalty for sin, He had to be sinless Himself… and He was.

Hebrews 4:15 CSB

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.

The penalty that was thrown onto Jesus that Friday was supposed to come on each one of us who have ever sinned. The mockery, the beatings, the shame, the turmoil, the pain, the agony… that is the only thing that sin can ultimately bring to a person. It may feel good in the moment… it may numb the pain for a little while… but when it all settles, sin only brings death and separation from what we truly need ().

Romans 6:23 CSB

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

With the events of the first “Good Friday,” Jesus shows us what sin is really like and brings to you.

The Limitless Bounds of His Love

On the other hand, the reason that we call it “Good Friday” is because though everything that Jesus endured that day should come to us, He took our place so that it doesn’t have to.

1 Peter 3:18 CSB

For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

= For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God.

If you go back to Mark’s account, after Jesus breathed His last, something amazing happened…

= Then the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

Mark 15:38 CSB

Then the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

This was a curtain that hung in the Jewish temple. It was a very thick curtain — about two to three inches thick. It was created to separate the Holy of Holies from other parts of the temple.

The tearing of this curtain or veil signified that because of Jesus’ work on the cross, mankind could come through Jesus to God and have the relationship that was intended when God created mankind. There is no more need to jump through religious hoops or be kept at a distance… it is simply by faith trusting in Jesus Christ’s death in your place and for your sin that you can come to God and know Him fully.

That is why today is called “Good Friday”. That is why we meet here tonight to be reminded of that gruesome yet glorious event — when God’s only Son took our penalty so that we might become children of God.