Good Friday 2023

Scripture: John 19:16-30 (NLT)

So, they took Jesus away. ¹⁷ Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha). ¹⁸ There they nailed him to the cross. Two others were crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus between them. ¹⁹ And Pilate posted a sign on the cross that read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” ²⁰ The place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, so that many people could read it.

²¹ Then the leading priests objected and said to Pilate, “Change it from ‘The King of the Jews’ to ‘He said, I am King of the Jews.’ ”

²² Pilate replied, “No, what I have written, I have written.”

²³ When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided his clothes among the four of them. They also took his robe, but it was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. ²⁴ So they said, “Rather than tearing it apart, let’s throw dice for it.” This fulfilled the Scripture that says, “They divided my garments among themselves and threw dice for my clothing.”^* So that is what they did.

²⁵ Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. ²⁶ When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” ²⁷ And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on, this disciple took her into his home.

The Death of Jesus

²⁸ Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” ²⁹ A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. ³⁰ When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Devotion:

            We call it Good Friday. The day when our savior was executed. It is hard to think of anything good coming out of the death of an innocent man. Yet, our God is infinitely creative. We have seen in the gospels that God is able to bring life out of death. We set our hope on that happening again. Irrational hope to be sure but hope, nonetheless.

            The devil thinks he has won a great victory on that hillside of death outside Jerusalem. The devil does not know that his reign on the earth as its sole owner is about to be ended. He like us cannot see beyond the brutal facts of a dead body hanging on a cross. A mocking banner over his head reading in the three common languages of the people, “The King of the Jews”.

            Little did those in power then or now know the truth of those words. Jesus’ earthly life was finished but his heavenly reign was about to begin. Let us pray for eyes to see the one on the cross and mourn.

Prayer:

            Lord, we picture your dead body hanging on a cross on a hill far away and long ago. Help us to mourn our own sin that put you there. All you suffered, the agony you endured, seems so meaningless in this moment. Quiet our grieving hearts. Teach us patience to wait to see what you will do next. We know you are a God who does strange and surprising things. We wait in silent hope for you to act. Amen.

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