Good Friday

~ A Quote ~

 

IT... IS... FINISHED!

 

Those are the last words of Jesus on the Cross. 

 

Hours of torture. Agony. Pain beyond imagination. A horrific day. A horrific death. And why?

 

For you. For me. For our future. For our salvation.

 

It's odd to call such a day “good.” I’m sure the disciples, as they watched their Rabbi hang on the Cross, thought this day was anything but good. Jesus’ death, to them, brought so much pain, confusion, and questions.

 

But we know what’s coming. We know what Sunday brings. We know the full story, and we wait with anticipation.

 

Why do we call today “good?” Because on the Cross Jesus paid it all for you and for me.

 

The Cross is what unifies sinful man to Holy God. Ephesians 2:16 reminds us, “that He might reconcile both [Jew and Gentile] unto God in one body by the Cross.”

 

“And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a Cross" (Philippians 2:8). 

 

Kevin Palau (2019)

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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Bible Version: Quotations are from the NKJV unless otherwise noted. Emphasis is added.

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Good Friday

~ Deep Despair ~

 

Consider The Realities…

 

1] It’s Friday.

 

2] Peter has been asleep.

 

3] Judas has betrayed Jesus Christ.

 

4] Mary is crying.

 

5} The disciples have lost hope.

 

6] Jesus Christ appears to have died just as all men do.

 

7] Satan is laughing. 

 

8] Jesus is buried. 

 

9] His tomb is sealed with a heavy stone.

 

9] Soldiers stand guard in front of the tomb. 

 

10] But they do not understand what will happen on Sunday!

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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Black Friday

 ~ A Pivot Point In Human History ~

 

Scripture  ~  “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.  But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4-5.

 

In The Dark  ~  There was darkness in the natural sense as well as spiritually. 

 

Natural Darkness  ~  “Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.  And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ which is translated, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’” (Mark 15:33-34).

 

Spiritual Darkness  ~  The disciples had put their faith in Jesus.  Now everything had ended in a way that seemed to destroy their faith.  What was Saturday like for them? 

 

They did not have the hindsight that we have! 

 

Comment  ~  The disciples did not understand on that black Friday what we now know.  It was yet to be realized that dark Friday’s tragedy would be overruled by the dazzling brilliance of Sunday’s triumph.  We now know that this Saturday is the only day since the crucifixion during which no one believed Jesus to be alive. 

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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It Is Finished!

 

~ You Cannot Add Anything! ~ 

Importance  ~  “It is finished” is the seventh and last statement from Jesus Christ while He hung on the Cross.  It is the most important thing that anyone can understand about the critical pivot point in all of human history. 

Common Misconception  ~  There is a widespread underlying assumption, or belief, that in order to get to heaven a certain standard of conduct is required.  But salvation is DONE and what you DO has nothing to do with entrance to heaven. 

Scripture  ~  “Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth.  So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished!’  And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit” (John 19:29-30).

Another Misconception  ~  Some believe that the crucifixion caught Jesus by surprise or that He was powerless to stop it.  Nothing could be further from the truth.

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.  Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:5-11).

Significance  ~  His destiny was the Cross.  His motivation was love.  His reason was you.

A thousand times in history a baby has become a king to rule a nation.  Only one time has a King become a Baby to save ALL nations. 

Jesus bore the crown of thorns so you could have the crown of life.

The Gospel is the only story where the hero dies for the villain. 

Jesus took all our curses at the Cross, so that we can take all His blessings.  Hallelujah. 

the key question:  “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15).  This is the most important question you will ever answer.  If you do not answer it, or answer it incorrectly, you have made the biggest mistake anyone can make!

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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