It's a day like no other in our celebration. I love Advent and Christmas. I love Easter and Pentecost...all are great, and joyful celebrations. But this day is not like any of those - the joy is muted and the tone is somber. It is the day that reminds us that we can call ourselves Christians, God's children, Heirs and Joint Heirs, because our Savior, Jesus Christ, went to the cross to suffer in our place.
John 19:16-18 (NIV)
16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus.
17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).
18 Here they crucified him, and with him two others--one on each side and Jesus in the middle.
16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus.
17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).
18 Here they crucified him, and with him two others--one on each side and Jesus in the middle.
Luke 23:44-46 (NIV)
44 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour,
45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.
46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.
44 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour,
45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.
46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV)
21
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we
might become the righteousness of God.
Isaiah 53:3-6 (NIV)
3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
It is a Good Friday - For us. But it came at a great sacrifice.
Today is a day to pause, think, and pray - "Lord, thank you for what you've done. I cannot begin to say what you have done for me; and how grateful I am for you because of that. May I honor you with my worship, with my heart, with my life - I owe it all to you!"
Peace to you my friends
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