And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to [the point of] death, even the death of the cross.
[Phl 2:8 NKJV]
Today is Good Friday. It isn’t a happy day if you think about what Christ endured to save us from our sins. It is a day where we should be filled with gratitude that He loved us enough to save us from eternal death.
Christ was tortured on this day 2000+ years ago. He endured unthinkable, physical beatings and torture. He had a crown of thorns shoved on his head. [Mar 15:17] His beard was yanked out. [Isa 50:6] He was flogged and then forced to carry the cross, until He couldn’t, that would be used to crucify Him. [Mat 27:26, Mat 27:32]
He was then hung on the crude, rugged cross where He committed His spirit to His Father when it was finished. [Luk 23:33, Luk 23:46] The cross that Christ was hung on was, in itself, torture. [Crucifixion of Christ] This after all the other physical and mental anguish He went through to save us from our sin. It was a horrific way to die. Yet, He did it for us.
How many of us really think about what he endured so we could have eternal life? How many of us think about it often, other than one weekend a year? Maybe more of us are thinking about it now that the world is in such turmoil and evil.
We can be thankful that God knew everything that would happen. He knew the first sin would be committed it the garden. He knew that the world would turn evil. He knew He would send His Son to save us.
Then they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead.”
[Mat 20:19 NLT]
Christ died for us because He is the only way.
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
[Jhn 14:6 NLT]
| Alan Jackson |
| The Old Rugged Cross |
Dear Jesus,
Thank you! You allowed yourself to be tortured and hung on a cross so we could have eternal life. You died a painful death so we wouldn’t have eternal death. Your love for us is so much greater than any of us really understand. Many of us have never been through, or will ever go through, anything close to the suffering you did to save us. We thank you, Jesus, for that selfless act of great love. We thank you for caring that much for us. It is truly a love that can only be given by God. Open hearts for those who have yet to find you. Help us who have found you be steady on your path to the finish.
In Jesus Name, Amen.
