Good Friday: It is all about HIS love (John 19:28-30)
Every year we organize prayer meeting in the churches
at Good Friday. The crowds flood into the churches hoping the special
blessings. The message is focused on the death of Christ is preached and exhort
believers to have personal relationship with the One who died on the cross to
deliver us from the wrath of God. But in reality, most of believers have failed
to love God or express their gratitude towards to HIM for what HE has done for
all of us.
We all eager to testify about the story of how God
saved us or how God supplied our needs or how God has healed. But on other
side, we are failed to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ
progressively (2 Peter 3:18). We don’t have time to spend in HIS presence being
calm and still or meditating on HIS Word. Therefore unfortunately, the 21st
Century has been known as ‘Age of Superficial Christianity’.
Today I just want to remind you that why Good Friday
and why the cross? I want you to look back the day where God had planned this
Good Friday. I would like to remind you that God is the author of Good Friday.
It was neither Pharisees nor Jewish people who demanded to crucify Jesus. It
was neither Pilate who ordered nor Roman soldiers who crucified Jesus on the
Cross. Even it was not Satan who planned Jesus to crucify in order to kill HIM.
Only God alone was the author of Good Friday. Now question is this: why God had
to plan Good Friday?
Why Good Friday?
In order to
answer this question, let me draw you attention towards four important truths
of which the Holy Bible talks in every page. They are basic and foundational
truth about God, Jesus Christ, man and world, on which whole theology of Bible
stands.
First Truth - God created Man
All around us, what we can see and cannot, from the micro to macro, everything what we can imagine, God created. Our beautiful nature around us is God’s creation. But moreover, the Holy Bible talks about the special creation of man. Bible says that God created us in HIS likeness and image (Genesis 1:27). That’s why, God looks for HIS image in us and desires we may grow and reflect HIS image. God created man perfectly innocent, without sin.
Second Truth - But Man Sinned
God created man perfect and holy and kept him in perfect and holy environment called the Garden of Eden. But from that perfect state; man sinned. Sin is to act which is forbidden by God’s holy standards. That is what Adam and eve did by eating a forbidden fruit.
Because of their sin, whole humanity fell into the sin. Rom. 3:23 says, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Here the glory of God means God’s likeness and image in man, which he lost because of sin. No one in the world can say that they are perfect and without sin. Even a child in mother’s womb is sinner. King David says in Ps. 51:5, “Surely I was sinful at birth, and sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” We all need to understand and accept that we are sinners. We are sinners not only by doing, but by nature and the wrath of God is upon us.
Third Truth - Man Shall Die
The Holy Bible says that God is holy and HE has to judge man because of his sin. Genesis 2:16 says, “... You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” The phrase ‘you will surely die’ is the statement of verdict to those who will eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But Adam and Eve did what God had prohibited and as a result of their act, death came. Rom. 5:12 says, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.”
We all need to understand that God didn’t create the death. It was the outcome of sin. When Adam and Even did sin, death entered into life. Rom. 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death…” James 1:15 says, “… desire …gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” Sin brought death in God’s perfect creation. As a result, man shall die, because he is sinner. You and I shall die because we have sinned against the Holy God.
When we say of death, we always think about only physical death. We need to understand the biblical perspective on death. According to God’s Word-Bible, death is a separation and scripture describes three kinds of death. (1) Physical death is just a biological process. As we grow older, our tissues become weak and lose strength to function properly or because of sickness or other reasons our mortal body couldn’t function systematically, as a result death occurs in our body. Physical body can be defined as the separation of spirit from the mortal body. No one can escape from it before Christ’s second coming, who has born in this earth. (2) Spiritual death is a spiritual state. Every human who has born, is spiritual dead. It can be defined as the separation from the Holy God. Every man, who doesn’t believe in Jesus as Lord and Saviour, is spiritual dead. But everyone, who has born in this earth, has opportunity to escape from it. (3) Finally, it is called eternal death. It can be defined as the forever separation from the Holy God and HIS presence. It is followed by spiritual death, but there is no escape from it. Therefore, we missionaries are committed to proclaim the gospel to whole mankind. We know that after physical death, there is no opportunity in order to escape from eternal death.
Now ‘man shall die’ means man shall be separated forever from God. It will not only separation but to live forever in Hell. It means also that man will live in hell forever. Now it is the time to decide where we would like to spend our eternal life – in heaven where God lives or in hell where God will judge evil.
Fourth Truth - But Christ Died In Our Place
Man sinned and destined to die in hell forever, but God loves us so much that HE prepared HIS begotten Son Jesus Christ to take the penalty of sin you and I deserve. Rom. 5:8 says, “… while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God never wanted to see HIS image, which is man, to perish in his sin. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that HE gave HIS one and only Son, that whoever believes in HIM shall not perish but have eternal life.” Compelled by divine love, Jesus Christ came down from heaven and lived just like other man, but HE never committed sin. HE came into the world with just one purpose that is to die in your and my place bearing the penalty of our sin.
On the cross, HE cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” Through this phrase, Jesus expressed the pain of the everlasting separation from the Holy God. We were sinners and supposed to be abandoned by God, but Jesus stood in our shoes and bore our penalty of sin for us, so that we may walk free.
First Truth - God created Man
All around us, what we can see and cannot, from the micro to macro, everything what we can imagine, God created. Our beautiful nature around us is God’s creation. But moreover, the Holy Bible talks about the special creation of man. Bible says that God created us in HIS likeness and image (Genesis 1:27). That’s why, God looks for HIS image in us and desires we may grow and reflect HIS image. God created man perfectly innocent, without sin.
Second Truth - But Man Sinned
God created man perfect and holy and kept him in perfect and holy environment called the Garden of Eden. But from that perfect state; man sinned. Sin is to act which is forbidden by God’s holy standards. That is what Adam and eve did by eating a forbidden fruit.
Because of their sin, whole humanity fell into the sin. Rom. 3:23 says, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Here the glory of God means God’s likeness and image in man, which he lost because of sin. No one in the world can say that they are perfect and without sin. Even a child in mother’s womb is sinner. King David says in Ps. 51:5, “Surely I was sinful at birth, and sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” We all need to understand and accept that we are sinners. We are sinners not only by doing, but by nature and the wrath of God is upon us.
Third Truth - Man Shall Die
The Holy Bible says that God is holy and HE has to judge man because of his sin. Genesis 2:16 says, “... You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” The phrase ‘you will surely die’ is the statement of verdict to those who will eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But Adam and Eve did what God had prohibited and as a result of their act, death came. Rom. 5:12 says, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.”
We all need to understand that God didn’t create the death. It was the outcome of sin. When Adam and Even did sin, death entered into life. Rom. 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death…” James 1:15 says, “… desire …gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” Sin brought death in God’s perfect creation. As a result, man shall die, because he is sinner. You and I shall die because we have sinned against the Holy God.
When we say of death, we always think about only physical death. We need to understand the biblical perspective on death. According to God’s Word-Bible, death is a separation and scripture describes three kinds of death. (1) Physical death is just a biological process. As we grow older, our tissues become weak and lose strength to function properly or because of sickness or other reasons our mortal body couldn’t function systematically, as a result death occurs in our body. Physical body can be defined as the separation of spirit from the mortal body. No one can escape from it before Christ’s second coming, who has born in this earth. (2) Spiritual death is a spiritual state. Every human who has born, is spiritual dead. It can be defined as the separation from the Holy God. Every man, who doesn’t believe in Jesus as Lord and Saviour, is spiritual dead. But everyone, who has born in this earth, has opportunity to escape from it. (3) Finally, it is called eternal death. It can be defined as the forever separation from the Holy God and HIS presence. It is followed by spiritual death, but there is no escape from it. Therefore, we missionaries are committed to proclaim the gospel to whole mankind. We know that after physical death, there is no opportunity in order to escape from eternal death.
Now ‘man shall die’ means man shall be separated forever from God. It will not only separation but to live forever in Hell. It means also that man will live in hell forever. Now it is the time to decide where we would like to spend our eternal life – in heaven where God lives or in hell where God will judge evil.
Fourth Truth - But Christ Died In Our Place
Man sinned and destined to die in hell forever, but God loves us so much that HE prepared HIS begotten Son Jesus Christ to take the penalty of sin you and I deserve. Rom. 5:8 says, “… while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God never wanted to see HIS image, which is man, to perish in his sin. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that HE gave HIS one and only Son, that whoever believes in HIM shall not perish but have eternal life.” Compelled by divine love, Jesus Christ came down from heaven and lived just like other man, but HE never committed sin. HE came into the world with just one purpose that is to die in your and my place bearing the penalty of our sin.
On the cross, HE cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” Through this phrase, Jesus expressed the pain of the everlasting separation from the Holy God. We were sinners and supposed to be abandoned by God, but Jesus stood in our shoes and bore our penalty of sin for us, so that we may walk free.
Why Cross?
Why did God allow HIS Son to die on the Cross? There
might be other way through which Christ could die for our sin. Why Cross only?
Apostle Paul declared that Christ’s death, burial and
resurrection was according to the Scripture. He writes in 1 Cor. 15:3, “… that
Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, that HE was buried, that
HE was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures …” It was prophecy
in the Old Testament which should be fulfilled literally. In Isaiah 53:12b – “…
because HE poured out HIS life unto death, and was numbered with the
transgressors.” During those days, Romans used to punish notorious criminals by
hanging them on the cross. Therefore, Jesus had to go through this vicious
death in order to be numbered with the transgressors. Jesus said seven words on
the cross and each word stand for a nail on the coffin of Satan. Today we are
going to meditate HIS two words.
I Am Thirsty (vs. 28-29)
In our
scripture portion, vs. 28-29 says – “Later,
knowing that all was now completed, and so that the scripture would be
fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A Jar of wine vinegar was there, so they
soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and
lifted it to Jesus.”
It Fulfilled the Messianic Prophecy
Bible scholars say that there are more than 360 prophecies in the Old Testament which has fulfilled in the life of Jesus literally right from HIS birth to HIS death on the cross. And we see here that small prophecy written in Ps. 69:21 took place literally. In Ps. 69:21 says, “... and gave me vinegar for my thirst.”
It Manifested the Humanness of Jesus
Most of us may think that Jesus was God and HE suffered the pain on the Cross with supernatural power. But truth is this, Jesus suffered on the Cross being an ordinary human completely. Heb. 2:14 says, “… HE too shared … humanity so that by …death HE might destroy him who holds the power of death-that is, the devil.” HE experienced the agony of death and physical struggle with death. HE felt thirst and expressed that thirst into words, manifested that Jesus was died on the cross being human and bearing our penalty of sin as criminal.
It Fulfilled the Messianic Prophecy
Bible scholars say that there are more than 360 prophecies in the Old Testament which has fulfilled in the life of Jesus literally right from HIS birth to HIS death on the cross. And we see here that small prophecy written in Ps. 69:21 took place literally. In Ps. 69:21 says, “... and gave me vinegar for my thirst.”
It Manifested the Humanness of Jesus
Most of us may think that Jesus was God and HE suffered the pain on the Cross with supernatural power. But truth is this, Jesus suffered on the Cross being an ordinary human completely. Heb. 2:14 says, “… HE too shared … humanity so that by …death HE might destroy him who holds the power of death-that is, the devil.” HE experienced the agony of death and physical struggle with death. HE felt thirst and expressed that thirst into words, manifested that Jesus was died on the cross being human and bearing our penalty of sin as criminal.
II. It is finished (vs. 30)
Vs. 30 – “When
HE had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, HE bowed
HIS head and gave up HIS spirit.”
There is a word in Greek for ‘It is finished’ – tetelestai. It was common word among
merchants, means ‘the price is all paid.” It was also used by priests when they
found a sheep, ready for sacrifice. When
Jesus said, “It is finished” indicated that HE died on the Cross as the Lamb of
God and paid all penalty of sin. The phrase ‘It is finished’ is rich in its
meaning and has so many meanings – (1) It means that Commands of God the Father
were now fulfilled perfectly. (2) It means that all Old Testament prophecies
concerning Christ and HIS suffering were now fulfilled. (3) It means that the
requirements of God’s judgment were fulfilled perfectly and God’s wrath towards
humanity was finished. (4) It means that the final work of our redemption and
salvation has finished. Tetelestai -
‘It is finished’ manifests that Jesus paid all penalty of our sin and invites
each one of us to enter into eternal life through HIM.
Conclusion /
Application
A boy was caught by police in a road accident. When
Police enquired this boy who caused this particular road accident, they found
him driving without license and he was miner. Therefore Police took him before
the Judge.
Judge shocked as he looked at boy, for this boy was
his own beloved son. And this boy had to pay penalty for his crime. So Judge
proclaimed judgment with tears, saying, “You must pay 50, 000 rupees in order
to repair vehicles and to pay victims’ medical bill and if you are not able to
pay, you have to go into prison for six months.”
When this boy heard this verdict, he became so sad.
Right after finishing session of the court, this judge
went straight to this boy and took his check book, and signed 50, 000 rupees.
He said to this boy, “my Son, take this check and pay your penalty. I have paid
all.”
In same way, God has done. Today I just want to remind
you that God has paid our all penalty by offering HIS own Son Jesus Christ.
Good Friday is all about the love of Father. It is a simple declaration that God the
Father loves you so much.
Let’s pray
together!
(It is delivered on 30th March, 2018 at Phulbari Sewa Mandali in the occasion of Fasting Prayer at the day of Good Friday)
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