Good Friday – 2020

I don’t know you but this is certainly going to be an Easter season to remember! That little clip points out what so many families will be doing on Sunday morning-across our country and here in our church. There will be a laptop that’s opened up, there will be a phone that’s going or Youtube streaming on your tv where you will join us for Online Easter. Now how many of you are thinking about dressing up Easter morning-whether an Easter dress or a suit and tie or even a nice shirt? How many of you will still be pajamas with your bowl of cereal? At the end of the day it doesn’t matter what you’re wearing or if you’re still eating breakfast-what matters is that you’re joining together with our Dix Hills church family-not to be sad that our church building is empty-but to rejoice because the tomb is empty! That glorious, amazing truth is just as important and relevant as ever. In our world where there’s been so much death from the Coronavirus-we are so glad that there was a man who defeated death-the very thing we hate most. That when they went to finish off the grim task of preparing His body for burial-He wasn’t there. He had left the tomb, having been resurrected and now brings us the incredible hope of eternal life when we believe in Him. So I really encourage you to join us at 10am-Sunday morning-pajamas optional as we celebrate Easter and worship our Risen Savior.

But before we come to that glorious moment, we gather together for Good Friday. Everything about this day is turned upside down. Just think about it-the day we call “good” is the day when Jesus died. This is the day in which we remember that the Son of God, the greatest person who ever walked this earth, was crucified and put to death. How is it “good”? That’s what I want us to consider today. I think it’s almost impossible to consider Jesus’ emotions and mental state as He approaches Friday-because He knew what was coming on Sunday. Three different times Jesus was very clear in communicating this to His disciples. In fact, the 3rd time Jesus says it He’s very clear-Luke 18:31-34. Eventually they do understand it when they encounter the Risen Jesus-eventually He puts all the pieces together for them and they grasp the necessity of His death and resurrection. But Jesus already understands it all. He already knows what’s going to happen. He knows that He’s going to be miraculously raised to life on the 3rd day. The single-most greatest event in human history. He knows this turns out really well, that it’s the best ending anyone could ever imagine. And yet before He comes to that ending, before the resurrection happens-there’s a big thing in front of Him called the Cross. How do you keep your eyes fixed on something so glorious as the Resurrection, knowing you have to face some so horrendous as the Cross? I don’t think any of us can imagine that the depth of that. Sure, we’ve all had to endure finals during school knowing the joy of Sumer break was to follow-although this year Regents exams are cancelled! Or we’ve all endured a long, difficult season at work knowing we had a planned vacation coming up. But how does Jesus maintain the joy of what’s coming on Sunday, knowing what He has to face on Friday? It’s mind blowing-and it fills my heart with worship!

Did you notice how He said-v. 31b. And that points us specifically to the prophecy given 700 years before-Isa 53:5-7. That’s the part we know well-but look at the end-v. 12. Jesus was numbered with the transgressors-He was considered one of the guilty that day, in order to make intercession for the transgressors-which includes you and me and all who truly are guilty! And that’s the scene in Luke where I want us to pick up the story. Look at Luke 23:32-33. The transgressors spoken of in Isaiah 53 are the two criminals-they transgressed the law and are now being punished for it by facing the death sentence of the cross. And Jesus-even though He was innocent was wrongly accused and numbered right along with them. One of the most ironic statements in all the Bible is found in v. 24-25. Somehow the sinless, innocent Son of God-the most loving and forgiving person who walked the earth is sentenced and numbered among the criminals-while the rebellious murderer is set free. And that was Barabbas. He should have been the guy crucified in the middle with the other two criminals on his side. That would have made sense. Let the murdering Barabbas be hanging there while Jesus goes free. But that’s not what happens because that’s not what the gospel is. The gospel is the innocent dying for the guilty. Barabbas going free while Jesus dies between the criminals is exactly what the gospel is.

So what does Jesus say as He hangs there on the cross-v. 34-39. Here’s Jesus suffering the physical pain and agony of the cross. His hands and feet have giant nails driven through them. Just think how much your finger hurts when you’ve got a sliver in it. Jesus has nails in His hands holding Him to the wooden beams of a cross. He’s laboring to take each breath, feeling it in His hands and feet when he tries to rise up to take a breath. A crown of thorns has smashed on His head so that blood is running down His face and streaming into His eyes-and instead of people praising Him for the selfless sacrifice He’s making-they’re scoffing at Him, mocking Him, one of the criminals is railing at Him! When was the last time you railed at someone and hurled insults at them? But that’s what’s happening to Jesus. This criminal thinks-If you’re the Messiah, the Christ who’s come to save us, then do it! Save us now as we’re dying! But He didn’t understand that salvation only comes through the Messiah’s death. Back to Isa 53:12. Death had to happen in order to save the transgressors. But this criminal wanted a Messiah who avoided death. He wanted a Messiah who could jump off the cross and take him too-Save yourself and us! And he thinks if Jesus doesn’t do that than He must be a fraudulent Messiah.

But look at how the other criminal thinks because his insight is very profound-v. 40-41a. By hanging here we are getting what we deserve. Now we don’t know what these two criminals did. Luke doesn’t tell us their crimes-but they got the just penalty for their actions. This criminal is so clear on that-v. 41-and when you put those two phrases together you have the gospel. And it’s exactly the same situation for you and me-that just like this criminal we deserve to die because of our sins. Rom 6-the wages of sin is death. And that’s what God told Adam so long ago in OT-at the beginning of creation in the Garden-in the day you eat of that tree you will surely die-so don’t eat from it. Of course Adam does-and so now in the NT we’re getting this powerful story of a man dying on a cross because his sinful deeds deserved death. And yet, we’re also getting an even more powerful story of a sinless, innocent man dying on a cross-the one who has done nothing wrong-as the criminal says-because He was willing to die for us. Isa 53:12.

As we gather here on Good Friday we find ourselves in the same predicament as these criminals on the cross. No we’re not physically nailed there-but just like these criminals we deserve death because of our sinful actions. We’ve all done things that have gone against God’s law, we’ve done what we’re not supposed to do, we’ve turned away from Him and sinned and the wages we now deserve are death-physical death when we die, but more importantly spiritual death by being separated from God’s presence for eternity. And just like these criminals there’s not a single thing we can do about it to change it. Just picture these guys. Both criminals are stuck there, nailed there-helpless and totally incapable of getting off the cross and saving themselves. There’s nothing they can do to change it-except turning to Jesus. And that’s exactly what this second criminal does-v. 42-43. And that is one of the clearest and most beautiful pictures of grace in all the Bible because it highlights the fact that there is nothing we can do as sinners to save ourselves. What was this guy going to do in the remaining few minutes of his life? He wasn’t able to turn over a new leaf or make some much needed changes. But Isa 53:6. We went down our own path, we became lost and depraved, guilty as charged-Rom 3:23-and there’s nothing we can do-in our power-to change that. Spiritually speaking we’re just as helpless as this criminal. What could he do? He couldn’t make any much needed changes in his life, turn over a new leaf and live out the rest of his years being a kind and generous person full of good deeds. This guy didn’t have any days left-he had minutes-and yet the moment he turned to Jesus in humility, helplessness and faith-Jesus saved him-Today you’ll be with me in Paradise. Grace that saved even a wretch like that guy. Grace that saved a wretch like me. That’s why Good Friday is so good. The innocent, sinless Jesus died for guilty, sinful people like you and me. He has forgiven us and saved us and given us entry into Paradise to be with Him for eternity-all because He paid those wages of death that our sins deserved. We should have hung there on the cross-but instead Jesus did it for us-Rom 6:23. That’s what the criminal experienced-that free gift in Jesus! There on the cross he found grace and forgiveness and eternal life. And it’s no different for you and me! We need His grace and forgiveness just as much!

Luke 23:44-47. The centurion got it-just like that criminal got it. Do you get it? Do you see your Savior there on the Cross dying for your sins? Last Sunday, I said that the Cross isn’t a general thing-Jesus made a noble sacrifice by dying for the sins of the world. No-the Cross is a personal thing-Jesus made a noble sacrifice by dying for you sins! When you realize He’s hanging there for you-and the death He dies pays for you punishment-that’s when you get it. We’re going to sing Jesus paid it all-that all is your all. He paid it all for you when you trust in Him by faith.