This is a Good Friday

Matthew 27:27–61 NIV

Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. 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!” Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons. As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.

Intro: How can this Friday be Good?

Jesus dies - seems like the worst Friday ever.

This is a Bad Friday: Jesus died and we are guilty

*They were guilty -

Judas betrayed him - The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.

Caiaphas rejected him - He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses?

Peter denied him - I don’t know what you’re talking about… I don’t know the man!

The Crowd turned against him… Let him be crucified!

Pilate washed his hands of him - I’m innocent of this man’s blood… it’s your responsibility!

*We are guilty -

We weren't there, but we aren’t much different

We have betrayed Jesus when we said we loved him, but when Jesus didn’t seem to be helping us, we put our trust in money or status or politics or people instead

We have rejected Jesus when we have refused to believe or trust his word about who He is and what He has done for us

We have denied Jesus when we stood in a room of people talking about the problem with Christians these days, and we chose to be silent

We have turned against Jesus when we sang about how wonderful he was at church and then went home and acted like we didn’t know or care anything about him.

We have washed our hands of Jesus when we have claimed to be innocent while we blamed everyone else for their sin

If they were guilty, then so are we

-Let it sink in... Repent (ongoing re-commitment)

This is a Bad Friday: Jesus died and he was innocent

*They claimed Jesus was guilty of being a failed pretender

Messiah

The religious leaders demanded Jesus tell them if he was the messiah and were furious when he said it was true. “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”

Pilate offered to release Jesus the Messiah to the crowd, but they shouted him down: “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!”  

King

soldiers dressed him up, insulted and mocked him - Hail, King of the Jews

Pilate wrote Jesus’ crime on the sign: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews

The religious leaders mocked him: He’s the King of Israel! If he comes down from the cross, then we’ll believe him!

Son of God

The crowd and the religious leaders shouted at him on the cross… “Save yourself! Come down from the cross if you are the Son of God!” “Let God rescue him now i he wants him, or he said, ‘I am the Son of God’”

* God showed that Jesus was innocent: Jesus truly is who he claimed to be

God’s Signs

As he suffered, Darkness for three hours

At the moment he died, The curtain was torn in two, the earth was shaken, the rocks were ripped apart, and the tombs were broken open

The Truth

Irony - after all the mockery of the priests and pilate, the soldiers and the crowd… when the roman centurion, of all people, saw what happened when Jesus died, he knew the truth: Surely he was the Son of God

-Let it sink in...

Believe that Jesus truly is who he claimed to be (ongoing re-commitment)

But this is a Good Friday: Jesus chose to die so we can be forgiven

* Jesus chose to die

he knew he would

“We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”  

he submitted to God’s will

“My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”  

he didn't defend himself

Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?”  

Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.  

* Jesus died so we can be freed, forgiven and restored to covenant relationship with God

Taught his disciples

just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  

Lord’s Supper

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.  This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”  

We are guilty, and Jesus is innocent… but Jesus took all our sin and guilt, all the evil in the world and all it’s consequences… he took it all on himself.

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.  ()

 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.”  ()

- Let this sink in...

receive God's forgiveness (ongoing re-commitment)

Concl’n: Even though we are guilty, Jesus is innocent, and he chose to die so that we can be forgiven.

Let this Sink In

Repent of our sin, Believe who he is and what he has done, Receive forgiveness (ongoing re-commitment)

This is a Good Friday