Holy Week – Good Friday Mark 15:1-47

Good Friday was the last day of Jesus’ life on earth before His resurrection. He was betrayed by Judas, just as He said, and denied by Peter, just as He said. His disciples scattered, Just as He said.

He was arrested and was placed on trial falsely. (Isaiah 53:7)

He was condemned, scourged, and mocked (Isaiah 53:8). 

He was forced to hear the cries of the crowd to crucify Him. (Isaiah 53:3) – even to the point that many cried out “let His blood be upon us and our children” – Matthew 27:25

The soldiers made a crown of thorns and put it on His head and continued to beat Him and mock Him. He was led away to a mountain and made to carry His own cross (John 19:17, Genesis 22:6-7) to the place where He was crucified.

He was mocked, ridiculed, and taunted along the way, but there were some who mourned after Him. (Luke 23:27).

He was offered something to dull the physical pain, but Jesus refused, choosing to face the pain of death head on (Matthew 27:34).

He was nailed by the hands and feet to His cross. But knowing that his death was to atone for even these who drove the nails, Jesus begged the Father to forgive them. (Luke 23:34)

They stripped Him of His clothes letting him hang there naked on the cross, and gambled for them, Fulfilling another prophesy. (Psalm 22:18)

All of these things happened just as He said.

Matthew 16:21-23, 17:22-23, 20:17-19

Mark 8:31-33, 9:30-32, 10:32-34

Luke 9:21-22, 9:43-45, 18:31-34

Two prisoners were crucified alongside Jesus, again fulfilling prophesy (Isaiah 53:12). 

One mocked Him, but the other said, “‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise’” (Luke 23:39-43). 

While suffering the most cruel, unfair, unjust, and painful death a human body could endure, Jesus chose to respond in grace to the criminal beside Him teaching us there is always hope in His forgiveness – right up to the point of death.

That’s how perfect GRACE is.

Even in His disgrace He cared for His mother and best friend. (John 19:25-27).

Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Isaiah 53:6).

He accepted the drink he refused before, fulfilling another prophesy (Psalm 69:21)  

And then He died. The Holy Spirit, The Water, and The Blood all departed the earthly body of Jesus, our Savior.

Jesus was taken down from the cross, wrapped in linens, and placed in a tomb, fulfilling prophesy again even in death. (Isaiah 53:9)

This is what He did for us. To satisfy the wrath of God against sin. To close the separation between us and our God. To make peace between us and God by His blood; to wash us and cleanse us by the water of His word; to give us the Holy Spirit to dwell within us. Born again as new creation, holy and blameless before Him in love.

He did all of this… He suffered all of this – to bring us back into fellowship with God, the Father. Isaiah 59:2 says we have made a separation between ourselves and God by our sinful ways. He has turned His face away so that He won’t see us and He will not hear us…

Jesus died to fix that.

And then, just as now, most people don’t understand that and don’t even care.

We’re running out of time. I know this has been said over and again through the years, but as sure as you are reading this – one of 2 things is going to happen one day:

• Jesus is gonna come back, and we don’t know the day or the hour, and we will face Him.
• We’re all gonna die and none of us know the day or the hour, and we will face Him.

So, let’s all ask ourselves this prayerful question:

Will I meet Him as my Judge, or as my Savior?