"But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."Jhn:12:32
Good Friday is the Day that Christians throughout the ages Consider the Great good that was accomplished for us all. Good Friday is part of Holy Week ,Known as the Triduum, which means the Three Days
The Lord Jesus bore our sins and
died in what the culture of the day considered to be the most humiliating death
imaginable, that of crucifixion. That on the Cross Jesus dealt with any and all things which might keep us from eternal life. Because of the Cross humanity is with out excuse.
Crucifixion was a means of death that was
reserved for only the worst of criminals, and was not an acceptable means to
die for anyone who was a citizen of the Roman Empire. It was, in the view
of the people of the day, a disgraceful death. Painful and shameful, there was
no easy way to be crucified.
Nothing could make it less terrible, the
bearing of all or part of the cross, the beating which preceded it, then the
public procession of death, all eyes upon the victim as he walked to the
place of crucifixion.
Arrival at the site of crucifixion
provided no comfort for the condemned person. The condemned would be stripped
of their clothing, emphasizing that the person had nothing which could not be
taken from them.
The condemned stood battered and shamed,
vulnerable and altogether alone. Then they would be nailed or bound to the
cross piece. The hoisting of the cross, this process was no less
painful as the condemned was lifted up before present all so all
could see.
This was the death that our Lord Jesus
experienced for us all, and he did it willingly all to show us the love of
the Great God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Cross was not, nor
is directed toward God, to somehow satisfy or pacify him, but rather, the cross
is directed toward us to show us God's Love for us.
The Cross
Jesus was born to die, to face this
humiliation: "Lamb that has been slain from the foundation
of the world" Rev:13:8b
The Cross of Jesus takes away any and all of
our excuses and leaves us all no reason to be excluded from a relationship with
the great God. That is what the cross really accomplished, it was the moment in
the stream of human history when God's great love was openly made manifested to us and
makes God's eternal decree of forgiveness, love, grace, reconciliation,
atonement, sanctification tangible and undeniable.
The cross just shows us what has been
eternally true, God wants to include humanity in his divine love for all
eternity. This is the love that God has within the communion of the Trinity,
the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We all can have a part of the divine love
relationship all through Jesus.
A Sacrificed Life
Many look to Calvary as the day when Jesus
sacrificed his life for us, but what Calvary really did was to show us what had
always been true, that is, Jesus scarified His whole life, His whole
life, all His life, all His life. That is, Jesus would accomplish the
will of God in life and in death .
The Cross was simply the logical conclusion to
a life built on complete sacrifice to the will of God. Jesus' life could end no
other way. The Cross declares for all time and eternity that Jesus would rather
die than be found outside of the will of God.
"Saying, Father, if you be willing,
remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but yours, be
done." Lk:22:42
"Then said I, See, I come (in the volume
of the book it is written of me,) to do your will, O God" Heb:10:7
He Alone
Jesus went to the cross, he did what no other
could ever do. Jesus perfectly carried out the will of God to the point of
death all for us. Nothing would keep Jesus from walking in the path the Father
sent him to trod. No other could do this. Jesus faced the shame and
humiliation, the pain and sin's imputation all cast upon him.
"Who his own self bore our sins in his
own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live to
righteousness: by whose stripes you were healed." 1Pet:2:24
"For he has made him to be sin for us,
who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him". 2Cor: 5:21
None of us could have been the Savoir of
humanity, only Jesus has that exulted place. All the gifted
humanity, all the moral ethical, pious or righteousness, or good intent of any
and all of us could not have accomplished what Jesus did. There is no Prophet,
nor Priest, or King, Judge or great teacher, philosopher, not even the
Apostle. None of us could have manifested atonement for humanities' sinful
state. Only Jesus could and did. Jesus being fully human, and fully God, perfect
Deity and sinless humanity in one person.
Only Jesus could and did. Yet, Jesus being
fully God never used his Deity for his own advantage, rather, Jesus
was and is always in perfect surrender to the will of God. None of us could
have borne that Cross perfectly in all its pain suffering and shame and
humiliation, our lives could never atone for our race's sin. Only Jesus could
do this.
The Cross as horrible as it was, as
humiliating as it was, it is in truth, the place of highest exultation, for
Only Jesus could have accomplished the perfect conformity to the will of God
and perfectly manifest all that God's divine eternal decree offers us.
The Cross shows us the perfect uniqueness of
our Lord, that Jesus and Jesus alone is the Christ, he is that One by whom the
Great God reconciled humanity to himself. It is, in its humiliation the
Highest place of Exultation!
"Neither is there salvation in
any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among
men, whereby we must be saved." Acts: 4:12
Salvation In Jesus alone.
"But I, when I am lifted up from the
earth, will draw all men to myself."Jhn:12:32
"It is because of him that you are in
Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our
righteousness, holiness and redemption"1Cor:1:30
"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the
law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who
is hung on a tree." Gal: 3:13
Beyond the Cross
Jesus knew what lay beyond the Cross, he knew
that in his humiliation that Glory awaited.
"Looking to Jesus the author and
finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the
cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of
God." Heb:
12:2
"For whoever exalts himself shall be
abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted" Lk: 14:11
None Greater, has come lower to be lifted
higher than Jesus.
" God also has highly
exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:" Philp:2:9
Jesus the Object of Worship
"Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the
Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and
honor, and glory, and blessing." Rev: 5:1
The Cross is that place of high exultation,
for only Jesus could do what no other could do. Jesus is lifted up
higher than any other, for Jesus alone is the One who accomplished
for each of us our salvation. All Glory to Jesus!....
Benediction: May we each and all ever look to Jesus
who has the highest place today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen
Topinabee Community Church
Topinabee Michigan
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“If Its Not About Jesus, Its Not About Anything!”
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