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GOOD FRIDAY ISAIAH
52:13-53:12 HEBREWS
10:16-25 JOHN
19:31-42 MARCH 21,
2008 John
19:31-42
Since it was the day of Preparation, the Jews did not want the
bodies left on the cross during the sabbath, especially because that
sabbath was a day of great solemnity. So they asked Pilate to have the
legs of the crucified men broken and the bodies removed. 32Then the
soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who had
been crucified with him. 33But when they
came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his
legs. 34Instead, one
of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water
came out. 35(He who saw
this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true,
and he knows*
that he tells the truth.) 36These things
occurred so that the scripture might be fulfilled, ‘None of his bones
shall be broken.’ 37And again
another passage of scripture says, ‘They will look on the one whom they
have pierced.’ 38 After
these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a
secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take
away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed
his body. 39Nicodemus, who
had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of
myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. 40They took the
body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to
the burial custom of the Jews. 41Now there was
a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was
a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. 42And so,
because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby,
they laid Jesus there. “It is
finished!” What was required for our salvation was complete. The sins of
the world were placed on the back of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one that
knew no sin became sin for you and me. The one that fought temptation with
the word of God was slain in our place. The one that gave sight to the
blind, hearing to the hearing impaired and who drove out demons did it
once for all people. As we heard in Hebrews 10, Jesus is the great priest
over the house of God. He is the one that shed his blood that you and I
would have life. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the
world. By his blood we are made clean. By his stripes we are healed. Jesus
accomplished what no one else could do. He paid the debt that you and I
could not pay. It is
finished. Everything that needed to happen to restore you and me to the
Lord our God was now accomplished. What does his death mean for you and
me? Why do we call this day good when something so terrible happened? The
events of that day were anything but good but you and me and the people of
all times and in all places received their life and salvation on that Good
Friday. His death on the cross means healing for you and me. The blood of
Jesus Christ is the blood of healing. The one that was broken shed his
blood that sets us free from anything that would separate us from God.
When we claim the power of the cross we also claim the healing power of
God. Healing comes not only in body but in spirit. Healing comes to the
body of Christ as we embrace his cross. By his
death people were drawn to him. Two members of the Sanhedrin had been
secret followers of the Lord Jesus. They were silent followers because
they were afraid their Jewish brothers would not approve. Of course they
would not approve. It was already determined that anyone proclaiming Jesus
to be the Messiah would be put out of the Jesus told
Nicodemus during that night time visit that he would be lifted up that
anyone believing would have eternal life. Jesus also said that the cross
would result in people coming to the Lord. You and I have seen and heard
the story of our Lord’s passion. We know that Jesus suffered and died for
you and me. He died that we would have life. The Lord died on the cross to
destroy the power of death. His death on the cross defeated Satan and all
of his angels. Jesus took our sins with him so that you and I would be
judged innocent in the eyes of God. Because of our Lord’s death and
resurrection you are free to be children of God. You are free to come near
to the throne of God. Because Jesus died in your place you have everything
you need to live forever. You might wonder how someone can be a secret
disciple of the Lord. You really can’t be a secret follower. It took the
death of the Lord to set them free. It took the crucifixion of our Lord to
make the difference for Nicodemus and Joseph. You have now experienced his
death. You must no longer follow the Lord in secret. You must proclaim the
name of Jesus and do so boldly. You can no longer sit back but you must
bear witness to the Lord of glory. Several
times in this passion story we hear the words, “That the scriptures might
be fulfilled.” We just read in Isaiah 52 and 53 that the servant of the
Lord went to the slaughter as a lamb going to the slaughter. Jesus did not
open his mouth to plead his case. His case was to provide salvation for
you and me. His case was to give us the perfect life. He died in our
place. The prophets told it many times. The prophets told of his birth.
The prophets told of the Son of Man healing, setting people free and
bringing the good news. The prophets told of the Lamb of God taking away
the sin of the world. God’s plan of salvation has been in place since the
beginning. When Adam and Eve fell in the Garden of Eden God declared God’s
plan for salvation. The Savior of the world come and crushed the head of
the serpent. The Messiah would destroy the power of Satan and restore men
and women to Today we
look at the cross and we know that we could have been there to send Jesus
to the cross. You and I know that it was our sins that nailed Jesus to the
cross. With each blow of the hammer our sins were attached to Jesus’ hands
and feet. Our sin of idolatry was placed on the back of our Lord. Each
time we take the Lord’s name in vain we place another burden on the Lord
Jesus. When we fail to worship the Lord and study God’s word we have added
to his sentence of death. When we do not honor our parents and others in
authority we are spitting on his face. When we murder, commit adultery and
steal we increase the pain of his suffering. You and I have lied and
coveted that which does not belong to us. He died for all of our sins but
death is not the end. You and I are not left in our sin but we have new
life through Jesus Christ. They pierced his side with that sword. His
blood sets us free. His blood provides our salvation and we have life.
And so we
cling to the cross of Jesus Christ. We cling to the cross because the Lord
of glory died in our place. We remain faithful disciples because the Lord
loved us and we love one another. Because the Lord Jesus went to the cross
I have life. Because he took the nails for me I have hope restored. By his
stripes I am set free from all of the burdens that weigh me down. Our sins
are forgiven and we are free to be children of God and inheritors of
eternal life in the
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