His Final Words: The Goodness of Friday
- David and Marilynn Chadwick
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
by David Chadwick
Jesus’s final words came on the heels of two very important days that we in the Christian faith know as Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. What made Friday so good? Because the cross secured our eternal life forever!
Thursday and Friday paved the way for Jesus’s last words to be released in power, precision, and purity…paving the way for a future and a hope for all who put their trust in him.
Jesus was arrested at midnight in the Garden of Gethsemane. Note that in that moment, he could have called down a legion of angels (600 to be exact!) to help him. But he didn’t. He had already submitted his life to the will of the Father: death on the cross. He knew he had to drink the cup of God’s anger so we wouldn’t have to do so. Jesus became the atonement for our sins.
Isaiah 53:5 says that the chastisement that brought us peace was upon him!
Think about the next hours of Jesus’s life. Arrested and then graciously saved the ear of Malthus – performing miracles and healing in the midst of betrayal and rejection. Brought before Annas and Caiaphas and falsely and unjustly charged. He was beaten and mocked. Imprisoned for several hours. Brought before Pilate. Lashed 39 times by the Romans, which was often referred to as “intermediate death.”
A crown of thorns crushed down on his skull, mocking him as the king of the Jews. Abused by the crowds as he carried his cross to Golgotha. Nails piercing through his hands. A spear stabbed through his side. Six brutally long hours suffering on the cross. After bearing the punishment and chastisement, Jesus was taken down and placed in a dark and dank tomb!
My dear friends, it should have been our tomb! All of Jesus’s experiences should have been ours! And on top of all of the suffering and punishment for our sins, we also deserve an eternity in hell! We don’t deserve the glory of the Lord apart from Jesus. But he did it all for us out of love. His love for us is SO great!
Pause for a moment and think to yourself…I am in that tomb with Jesus. There is no hope for me apart from his resurrection power. Might it happen? In the darkness of this moment, do I realize the price he paid for me? Is there a power that can open the prison door and set me free? Might it come soon---in a day, or two, or three? Can I possibly live in hope that my sins are forever forgiven and God truly has a plan and destiny for my life? Now? Forever?
The answer is “YES! Sunday’s coming…!”