Good Friday is a day we should remember the sufferings of our Saviour. He is a man of sorrows because of His suffering. In some churches only the resurrection is talked about and though certainly we can not forget the resurrection – we most certainly can not forget his suffering. It is not a clean death. It was not a quick death. His abuse was severe.
It began by the religious Jewish leaders blindfolding him and hitting him and mocking him. It continued with the Roman army abusing him and mocking him. They beat him until he was so badly beaten that he was almost unrecognizable. If they would have just physically abused Him that would have been humiliation enough. But they taunted Him and mocked Him until he breathed his last breath. The religious leaders hurled insults at him until he died.
Isaiah 53:2For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
The agony of His suffering is tremendous but how it becomes revealed to us is when we understand that He did no sin. He never sinned. He was the Holy Son of God who surrendered His life taking upon Him all our sin and shame and guilt. He took on Himself the curses of the law – for every sin that was ever committed or any sin that could ever be committed. He willingly paid the price of sin which was death. He paid that price that cost Him His life – in the prime of His life. He could have resisted. He could have called for angels to fight for Him. He could have performed miracles and consumed his enemies. The miracle was in His obedience to God His Father. He went willingly to suffer and die for our sins.
Matthew 27: 27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.
28 And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.
29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!
30 And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.
31 And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.
Matthew 27:35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.
36 And sitting down they watched him there;
37 And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
38 Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.
39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,
40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.
41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,
42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.
43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.
44 The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.
Even their cruel mocking did not change His obedience. He did not deter from His purpose. He suffered and bled and died. There was above His head written – his crime – Jesus-King of the Jews.
The only way to truly remember the LORD is to remember all that he has done for us. When we identify with His death for us and because of us – His willing gift to us it will ignite a depth of love in us unlike any other. How could He love us so much to go through this entire humiliation? There is no love greater than for a man to lay down His life. I invite you to remember the sorrows of the Lord. He was touched with the feelings of our infirmities – He knows all manner of human suffering. His experience of agony – caused Him to identify us in the most personal way possible. He knows our sin, yet He loved us. Even because of our sin, He died for us. As we take the communion table of the LORD – remember the horror of His death. Remember the glorious power of His resurrection.
PRAYER
LORD I thank you that you took my sin and guilt and shame and sorrow. You were a man of sorrows. I thank you that you took all my pain on yourself. Thank you that you that you suffered and died for me. Thank you for setting me free because of your great love for me. Your love is higher, wider, deeper, longer, more vast than I can comprehend. Let the mystery of this great love you have for me wash over me and overwhelm me. Let my heart respond with love and passion for you. Let me remember your death, burial and resurrection – all of it. I receive your atonement for me. Amen.
