In a familiar garden, He cried out, desperately, for the passing of this course before him, yet He humbly forfeited his broken will to the Father’s all encompassing salvation plan.
Asking his devoted followers to remain attentive to his agony was his simple request but it was long forgotten, as sleep pressed in and as He alone took up the cup of living sacrifice.
Stepping forward into this night of death, He was met with a brutal kiss of betrayal, as sticks and weapons were wielded but rendered ironic when He volunteered to be seized.
Ropes now bound the hands, whose touch had healed the multitudes of sickness and pain, as false accusations and questions were hurled in disgust at this compassionate One.
He was struck as He offered truth, cast off from one authority to another in mockery, while his identity, ministry and very utterances were scoffed at, with heaps of ridicule.
Royal attire was draped upon his severely beaten body as judges were called to condemn, eventually they placed a crown of cutting thorns on his head, driving it into his brow.
Even as this assault wore on with savagery, no one spoke out requesting mercy, as endless noisy riotous calls to crucify, rose unjustly from raving, shouting crowd.
Nails pierced his flesh, fixing his battered bodily frame upon a torture intended cross, yet even here He offers forgiveness, as He takes his final breath, of a life given in supreme love.
His life was over and most of those He called apostles had long disappeared into fear, leaving someone else to find a place to lay this seemingly forgotten rabbi and prophet.
Hope was gone and a gloom settled over all the earth and his followers vanished into hopelessness, And He was quietly put in a new tomb surrounded by guards to guarantee his remaining.
What no mighty armies could ever deliver and what no earthly powers could ever attain: this Savior, forever secured for all time, in the shedding of his life giving, sin negating blood.
Can we ever in anyway express our thankfulness for this greatest of sacrifices in our Savior’s giving of his life, that we might again be children of our Heavenly Father in every way.
Yet, as surely as Jesus lived, He leads us in life. As surely as He died, He redeems us in every way. As surely as the brutal stripes were inflected on his broken body, He has broken every curse and healed us all.
The good on the Friday, which will ever be called “Good,” is simply a gift, as our Savior who had no sin, took all of our sin and secured for us our complete forgiveness forever as He imparted to us his righteousness.
This is the greatest exchange in history and all who believe, are recipients of this, the greatest of all blessings, our salvation by grace. Thanks be to God!
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, Even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved (English Standard Bible, Ephesians 2:4-5).
