Good Friday Message - 2024

[00:00:00] Today what I'll do is summarize John 19 which talks about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

[00:00:09] And if you'd like to follow along, I'll be in John 19 verses 17 through 30.

[00:00:15] I'm going to read the last three verses to begin.

[00:00:22] John 19 verse 28.

[00:00:30] We read Jesus knowing that all was now finished said to fulfill the Scripture, I thirst.

[00:00:37] A jar full of sour wines stood there so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a his-up branch and held it to his mouth.

[00:00:46] When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said it is finished and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

[00:00:58] And so we have gathered here today to remember the death of Jesus Christ, our Savior, the Son of God, the Messiah, the only innocent person who ever lived,

[00:01:14] who was murdered that day.

[00:01:18] He was the only perfect sacrifice.

[00:01:22] The only sacrifice that would ever matter, there had been countless sacrifices of bulls and goats and other animals for sin, but he's the last one.

[00:01:33] The only one that really mattered.

[00:01:36] His sacrifice for our sin washed away what we could never wash away.

[00:01:42] Today we consider the price he paid for us, the ultimate price.

[00:01:49] The price we could never pay for ourselves.

[00:01:53] And we remember that physical pain today, although we know what's coming on Sunday, those people didn't know what was coming yet.

[00:02:01] And so today we commemorate what he did and we remember the pain that he suffered for us.

[00:02:08] He endured that cross and the emotions that he felt, he was human like us.

[00:02:16] He was truly God, but he was truly human and he felt real pain like us.

[00:02:22] And he had real emotions like us.

[00:02:25] And his mother there watching it all had emotions too.

[00:02:30] I'm sure he struggled with each breath as it went on.

[00:02:34] He was being seen as something that he was not and he really wasn't being seen for what he was.

[00:02:45] And so this Friday, we remember what our sin caused Jesus that day.

[00:02:52] I think in this church culture, we don't focus as much on sin as maybe is healthy.

[00:03:00] It might lead us to believe that we really don't have a sin problem.

[00:03:05] And those sinners, those are the people on TV and those are the people in prison.

[00:03:10] But it's not me.

[00:03:13] But we in our hearts know that if we believe in Jesus, we know in our hearts that we have sinned too.

[00:03:20] And he went there in some portion because of our sin.

[00:03:26] And I think it's healthy to reflect on our sin because by reflecting upon it, we might better understand the place which our sin will always take us.

[00:03:34] And that is to death.

[00:03:38] Ultimately, that's all it ever offers us.

[00:03:41] And not just our death, but our sin really led to the death of Jesus Christ.

[00:03:50] And some of us might have thought, or we might hear, why did Jesus have to die?

[00:03:56] What was the reason he did it? Why does it matter to you or me?

[00:04:00] Well, he went to the cross to offer himself as a perfect sinless offering,

[00:04:06] which the Father considered a sufficient sacrifice for sin, the sacrifice to end all sacrifices.

[00:04:14] The only one that really mattered.

[00:04:18] And he did it to solve our problem of sin. That's why he did it.

[00:04:25] In our sin, if left unchecked would separate us from God's love forever.

[00:04:31] If we had no solution to our sin, if we couldn't fix our sin, it would separate us from the Lord forever.

[00:04:40] His sacrifice was one that we could never offer.

[00:04:44] Nothing we could ever do would be enough.

[00:04:48] We could never work hard enough or be a good enough person to reach that point to where God would say,

[00:04:53] okay, that's good enough. Not your perfect.

[00:04:56] We've already lost our perfection, anything that we ever would have had.

[00:05:00] You think back on how many times you might have told a lie or did something sinful?

[00:05:05] All of us have.

[00:05:07] We all have sin. We're all imperfect and we need to fix that problem.

[00:05:12] And it was a sufficient fix to that sin problem for all those who would believe in Jesus Christ.

[00:05:17] To say, I can't do it. I need help.

[00:05:20] And Jesus comes along and says, I'll do it for you.

[00:05:23] I'll live that perfect life for you. Trust me.

[00:05:26] You put your faith in me, you're trusting me.

[00:05:28] And I'll give you my perfect life, my perfect reward.

[00:05:32] And when you're before the Lord on judgment day, if you're in Christ, you believe in Him?

[00:05:37] He won't see your righteousness, which is always failing.

[00:05:41] He'll see the righteousness of Christ.

[00:05:45] That's what he offers us.

[00:05:47] And that should be a burden lifted off of our shoulders to say, I don't have to be perfect.

[00:05:52] Christ accepts me in my imperfection when I put my faith in Him.

[00:05:58] And so as we summarize John 19 today,

[00:06:03] we'll read between, or from verses 17 to 30.

[00:06:07] And we read there where Pilate encounters Jesus

[00:06:11] and Pilate washes his hands in the situation coming to a head between Jesus and the Jews.

[00:06:17] And Jesus was condemned and he was beaten. They put a crown of thorns on his head.

[00:06:23] They put a purple roe at Baron, and they mocked him sarcastically as king, king of the Jews.

[00:06:29] Laughing at him, scorning him from there Jesus went out bearing his own cross.

[00:06:37] To a place called the place of the skull, not a place you want to go to when you're carrying a cross.

[00:06:44] Because what does it mean when you're carrying your cross?

[00:06:47] Is it's your time to die.

[00:06:52] The world tells us to follow our hearts, doesn't it?

[00:06:56] Disney tells us to follow your heart.

[00:06:59] But as Christians reach called to deny ourselves, to take up our cross and to follow Jesus.

[00:07:10] Jesus told us that whoever will lose his life for my sake will save it.

[00:07:17] His hands and feet were then nailed to a cross.

[00:07:23] He was pierced on the side.

[00:07:26] They crucified him there with two others one on either side.

[00:07:34] Pilate had written an inscription, put it on the cross, which read Jesus of Nazareth,

[00:07:43] the king of the Jews.

[00:07:47] And it's ironic because he was the king of the Jews.

[00:07:52] But they didn't see him that way.

[00:07:59] When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and they divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier

[00:08:07] and also was tunic.

[00:08:10] And this was to fulfill scripture which says they divided my garments among them.

[00:08:16] We just heard Jacob read that from Psalm 22 and for my clothing they cast lots.

[00:08:24] While dying on the cross, Jesus said seven statements.

[00:08:30] One was, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

[00:08:37] But he wasn't necessarily asking the question alone.

[00:08:43] He was referring back to Psalm 22 which was a messianic prophecy about that day.

[00:08:51] He wants us to go back and see this is a fulfillment of prophecy, this is not a surprise to our Lord.

[00:08:57] This is happening all according to God's plan for the salvation of His people.

[00:09:03] Another one of those statements, Jesus said from the cross as they were killing him, was forgive them for they don't know what they're doing.

[00:09:16] Forgive them.

[00:09:19] They know not what they do.

[00:09:22] Even the people that were killing him at that moment, he had mercy upon.

[00:09:26] And the father, they don't know what they're doing.

[00:09:29] Have mercy on them.

[00:09:31] Could we do that?

[00:09:35] In that position Jesus still showed us heart of mercy upon wretched sinners in the act of killing him in the moment.

[00:09:44] And we read on him and we see that there was darkness for three hours at midday, a supernatural event at noon becomes dark and not just for a moment for three hours.

[00:09:56] When Jesus saw his mother and John, the disciples standing nearby, he said to Mary, behold your son talking about the beloved disciple John.

[00:10:06] And he said to John, behold your mother.

[00:10:12] And from that hour John took her into his home.

[00:10:19] And he said, just wonder, can you imagine the grief of a mother?

[00:10:29] The sorrow of a parent.

[00:10:36] To see your child endure such things.

[00:10:47] When they didn't deserve it.

[00:10:53] Some like John stayed close until the end, but many left him.

[00:10:57] Most people left Jesus.

[00:10:59] They thought this was the end.

[00:11:01] We had a good thing going, but this is over now.

[00:11:06] Jesus told us love ones to take care of one another as a family.

[00:11:13] And Jesus knowing that now always finished said to fulfill scripture, I thirst again another prophecy fulfilled.

[00:11:24] So they obliged and they put a sponge full of sour wine, of course on a hisophranch and held it to his mouth.

[00:11:34] Jesus tasted bitterness in a bitter sweet moment.

[00:11:38] He knew what he was doing on that cross.

[00:11:41] He knew it had to be done and he believed it or not did it joyfully, but it still hurt.

[00:11:47] It was bitter sweet.

[00:11:51] And after all that he had done coming to the completion of his earthly mission, what his thoughts must have been.

[00:12:01] What his emotions must have been.

[00:12:05] Hanging there in that cross.

[00:12:08] When Jesus said receive the sour wine he said, it's finished.

[00:12:17] And he bowed his head and he gave up his spirit.

[00:12:23] He had completed his divine assignment and paid the full price for our sins, praise God.

[00:12:32] And there was an earthquake.

[00:12:35] And the curtain in the temple was torn into.

[00:12:39] The temple, the curtain in the temple was very thick.

[00:12:43] It wasn't like drapes that we have today. It was very thick.

[00:12:46] Only God could have done that.

[00:12:48] He used an earthquake.

[00:12:51] Again the Father shaking the earth and granting direct access to Himself by the shedding of the blood of His Son gives us access to His throne now.

[00:13:00] The Bible says there is no more, thank you brother.

[00:13:04] There's no mediator between God and man but the man Jesus Christ.

[00:13:12] And the tearing of the veil symbolizes that on that day for us.

[00:13:17] We can walk boldly into the throne room of God because of what Christ did for us.

[00:13:22] After this Jesus was buried in the tomb and the whole world waited and the whole world wondered, was that it?

[00:13:33] Or would there be more?

[00:13:37] So on that day there were a lot of interactions by a lot of people in Jesus and I want to go through a few of them.

[00:13:45] To some degree I've done this before but I think it's appropriate and good Friday.

[00:13:50] You see the relationships of Jesus that he encountered that day, one was pilot.

[00:13:57] Pilot didn't know what to do with Jesus. He was in a tough spot.

[00:14:02] He was Jewish. Jesus was Jewish.

[00:14:05] The Jews wanted something done to Jesus. Pilot was a Roman and he had jurisdiction in that area but he had nothing against Jesus.

[00:14:14] He was in a tough spot.

[00:14:16] Pilot couldn't find any fault in Jesus.

[00:14:20] Pilot's wife even warned him to have nothing to do with that man because of her dream.

[00:14:27] Jesus understood pilots impossible situation and told him that his sin was not as great as that of Jesus accusers.

[00:14:38] Pilot unknowingly played an important role in God's plan that day.

[00:14:44] Whether he knew it or not.

[00:14:47] And what about Jesus and the Jewish leaders?

[00:14:50] The Pharisees, the members of the Sanhedrin.

[00:14:54] He was silent before his enemies. He had six trials the night before he died against different people.

[00:15:01] He was silent. He did not defend himself and that also fulfills prophecy.

[00:15:07] He wept over as the Jewish people because of their leaders suppressing the truth about him.

[00:15:14] And he was silent like a lamb led to the slaughter.

[00:15:20] And there's Jesus on the Roman soldiers who were just doing their job.

[00:15:29] Just following orders as they scourged and crucified him he prayed for their forgiveness.

[00:15:40] He said, Father forgive them they don't know what they're doing.

[00:15:46] He saw them as ignorant.

[00:15:52] He showed them mercy despite his life slipping away because of their actions.

[00:15:57] They just didn't know. They're just following orders.

[00:16:02] And we can't forget Jesus in the two thieves one on either side.

[00:16:06] Well he was on the cross he still spoke hope to the thief who would believe.

[00:16:11] And the last day of his life and the one who would not believe until that moment.

[00:16:20] Then of course Jesus sent his mother.

[00:16:23] He was still grieving or giving loving instruction to her as she watched this horrible event unfold,

[00:16:33] giving her to John the Apostle and giving John to her.

[00:16:39] What could have been going through a mother's mind?

[00:16:43] Then there was the Apostle next to her John in love he charged John with keeping Mary his mother as his own.

[00:16:51] Take care mom, he said.

[00:17:00] But I'm sure he did feel some comfort knowing that mom would be in good hands with his brother.

[00:17:09] And on another level we have to think about Jesus' relationship with the Holy Spirit that day.

[00:17:17] It was through the power of the Spirit that he still expressed mercy to those who were carrying this out because in our flesh

[00:17:24] I don't think any one of us could do that without the help of the Spirit.

[00:17:32] Of course Jesus and his father.

[00:17:36] The father heralded through his creation the central moment in history to that point by causing darkness at midday for three hours.

[00:17:47] The father was involved with that.

[00:17:50] The great earthquake that tore the veil in two.

[00:17:55] The father was involved with that.

[00:18:00] Many relationships Jesus had that day.

[00:18:04] And the Bible tells us that we're supposed to be like Jesus.

[00:18:08] Ephesians 5, 1 and 2 we read therefor be imitators of God.

[00:18:13] As beloved children and walk in love as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

[00:18:21] We're supposed to imitate God.

[00:18:28] Paul tells us also, 1 Corinthians 11, imitate me as I imitate Christ.

[00:18:33] We're supposed to imitate Jesus.

[00:18:36] Sounds like an impossible request.

[00:18:40] Look at what he's done on the cross. How could we ever imitate him in that?

[00:18:45] Certainly, we'll never have a day like that God forbid.

[00:18:49] But even to a lesser degree do we imitate Christ?

[00:18:54] Do we even try sometimes?

[00:18:57] On the good days or the bad days?

[00:19:03] Do we hold our tongues like he did on his worst day?

[00:19:09] If he ever had an excuse to not hold his tongue that was the day.

[00:19:13] But he held his tongue.

[00:19:16] Do we have grace with those around us who are confused?

[00:19:20] Trying to do the right thing, even though they're just following orders?

[00:19:27] Do we pray for those who hate us?

[00:19:32] Do we have a heart for those who don't know any better?

[00:19:38] Do we encourage people even when we're being attacked?

[00:19:44] Are we steady in the storm, keeping our wits when we feel like we're fighting for our lives?

[00:19:56] Are we leaning into the Spirit when the times are toughest?

[00:20:00] Do we lean on Jesus?

[00:20:02] When times are tough?

[00:20:05] Do we fix our eyes upon God when it seems as though there's no word to be found?

[00:20:10] On your darkest day.

[00:20:13] He said the words, my God, why have you forsaken me for a reason?

[00:20:17] And in that Psalm 22 it says,

[00:20:20] there's no one left to help.

[00:20:22] I feel alone.

[00:20:24] We feel like that sometimes.

[00:20:28] Do we fix our eyes upon God in those moments?

[00:20:33] Or do we hold back forgiveness from people?

[00:20:37] Or do we forgive even when they don't deserve it?

[00:20:43] Should make us ask the question, did you forgive the forgiveness he gave you?

[00:20:49] I know I didn't.

[00:20:51] Do we really imitate Jesus?

[00:20:57] And it's important to note that going to the cross was not God's backup plan.

[00:21:07] He knew mankind would fall into sin.

[00:21:11] It was always plan A for Jesus to go to the cross.

[00:21:15] And he did it out of the love of his people.

[00:21:18] He went to the cross as a willing sacrifice.

[00:21:22] Hebrews 12 tells us Jesus, the founder and perfector of our faith,

[00:21:26] who here it is for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.

[00:21:33] He knew what was coming.

[00:21:36] And he did it out of love.

[00:21:41] Bible tells us in Revelation 13 that God determined that Christ be slain

[00:21:47] and that it was not God's plan.

[00:21:51] It was the plan of the earth.

[00:21:55] It was always plan A.

[00:21:59] It was always God's plan to make a plan for fallen mankind through his son Jesus Christ.

[00:22:05] Truth is, we'll never be able to perfectly imitate Jesus.

[00:22:09] I think we all know that.

[00:22:11] That's not a hard sell.

[00:22:13] We can't.

[00:22:15] Against our sinful flesh every day.

[00:22:19] Even so, we still have assurance of our salvation in Jesus Christ.

[00:22:23] How is that?

[00:22:25] We still have assurance of our salvation in Jesus Christ because we're saved by nothing less than the grace of God through our faith in Christ.

[00:22:35] How well we're imitating Jesus doesn't weigh into the equation.

[00:22:39] Now, we imitate Jesus because we love Him.

[00:22:43] If we're in Christ, we want to imitate Jesus.

[00:22:47] But I thank God that my salvation doesn't weigh in the balance depending on how well I'm doing today.

[00:22:51] He gives us grace and we're saved by grace alone because we believe.

[00:22:57] First John 2 tells us, I'm writing these things to you so that you may not sin.

[00:23:03] For believers we don't want to sin.

[00:23:05] He goes on and he says, but if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ, the righteous praise guy.

[00:23:17] If you do sin, we have an advocate Jesus Christ.

[00:23:23] We're not saved because of how well we imitate Jesus. Remember that.

[00:23:27] We're saved only by His grace, praise God.

[00:23:31] It's good news.

[00:23:33] If the gospel were that you had to be perfect and imitate Christ perfectly or almost perfectly, that'd be bad news because we can't.

[00:23:45] It's good news because it's by His grace, grace alone.

[00:23:50] Now when I ask one or two questions here of those in this passage that we just read in John 19,

[00:23:57] I wonder who you would most identify with.

[00:24:01] Maybe it'd be Pilate, but we have to know that there will come a point where you will have to deal with Jesus.

[00:24:13] And if you haven't yet, what will you do?

[00:24:17] He looked into the eyes of Jesus and he asked him a question.

[00:24:21] You remember the question was, what is truth?

[00:24:25] What is truth?

[00:24:27] As if to say, who can really know what the truth is.

[00:24:30] He was looking into the eyes of the truth.

[00:24:33] Jesus said in John 146, I am the way, the truth and the life.

[00:24:38] The truth about God was standing right in front of Pilate and he couldn't see it.

[00:24:48] What about the Jewish leaders?

[00:24:51] You might be still at odds with Jesus somewhere in your life.

[00:24:56] Why?

[00:25:00] I wonder if you will eventually do the right thing and obey the gospel and believe as Christ wanted for the Jews.

[00:25:11] What about the Roman soldiers?

[00:25:14] Maybe you just feel like you're just going along with the accepted dorms,

[00:25:18] just like society or just like everyone else, just doing what you've been told.

[00:25:23] Even if it's not quite right, you're going with the flow.

[00:25:29] Or maybe the believing thief that waited for the last day of his life to believe.

[00:25:35] I will ask you now, what are you waiting for?

[00:25:38] The last day? Do it now.

[00:25:43] Maybe you find that you're like the disciple John that he loved.

[00:25:47] Are you a friend of Jesus keeping close to the toughest of times?

[00:25:54] I think we like to think that we are.

[00:25:58] Well, his other disciples who aren't mentioned here or friends who are absent from the record.

[00:26:05] When things are confusing and difficult, do you put more space between you and Jesus?

[00:26:14] Until things get a little better.

[00:26:17] Are you unsure about him that the disciples were unsure? They scattered.

[00:26:22] You sure unsure about whether he is who he says he is?

[00:26:31] There's another relationship in that day in the account of the crucifixion which is that of Jesus and you.

[00:26:42] You, who sins? He was paying for.

[00:26:49] We're on his mind that day during that final hour.

[00:26:55] I believe it was last week I said in our church service,

[00:26:58] Jesus was God in human flesh and he had that capacity to know all things.

[00:27:04] And if he wanted to, he could have known the name in the face of every person that would ever believe in him.

[00:27:10] And he may have gone through that like a row of X's as he was hanging on the cross in his divine nature.

[00:27:15] I don't know.

[00:27:17] But he was there for a reason it was because of the sins of the people that would believe in him.

[00:27:26] The nails in his hands and the feet were not what held Jesus on the cross that day by the way.

[00:27:32] They did nail nails through his hands and feet but that's not what kept him on that cross.

[00:27:40] What kept him on that cross was his love for the people he was saving.

[00:27:48] It had to be done.

[00:27:51] Being the son of God, he could have come down anytime.

[00:27:55] He could have caused all the soldiers to be killed immediately by hosts of angel armies.

[00:28:01] He could have said the word and come off of that cross but it was determined by God that in order for there to be remission of sins,

[00:28:10] blood had to be shed.

[00:28:12] And all the blood of bulls and goats from past was not sufficient but this blood was sufficient.

[00:28:21] It was a great blood of Jesus, a sinless blood.

[00:28:24] That's what it would take and that's why Jesus stayed on the cross because the love he had for his people wasn't those three nails.

[00:28:31] It was the love for you and me.

[00:28:36] And if you believe in him, you can know that he was determined to do that for you.

[00:28:44] He stayed on the cross for the sake of all those who had come to faith in him.

[00:28:49] For all those who would obey the gospel and believe in him.

[00:28:53] Remember Hebrews 12, we read Jesus the founder and prefector of our faith, who again for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.

[00:29:09] Would you consider that a joyful thing you're about to partake in?

[00:29:17] At times we've heard people ask, why did Jesus have to die?

[00:29:22] Couldn't God just have snapped his fingers and saved everybody?

[00:29:26] Why don't God just save everybody like that?

[00:29:28] The real question should be, why should God save anybody?

[00:29:35] We're all sinners.

[00:29:37] Why should he save anyone?

[00:29:39] We all deserve punishment. He's a perfectly just God.

[00:29:45] The question shouldn't be, why doesn't God save everybody?

[00:29:49] It's really why did he save anybody?

[00:29:51] When you think of it that way, we should really have more of a grateful heart about what he's done for us.

[00:29:58] God, you saved me through your mercy and grace.

[00:30:02] I didn't deserve it but you did it.

[00:30:06] And the reason he did it was love.

[00:30:11] Have you ever known love like that?

[00:30:14] God determined in the Scripture and his law that blood needed to be shed to wash away sin.

[00:30:25] And he chose such a thing as a bloody sacrifice like this,

[00:30:31] that was still revolting and disgusting to us,

[00:30:37] to give us a glimpse of how he sees our sin.

[00:30:46] It's ugly, it's wretched, and it's serious.

[00:30:55] And we have to take our sins seriously,

[00:30:59] our big ones and our small ones,

[00:31:04] because it's our sin that sent Jesus to that cross.

[00:31:10] Joyfully, we have to take our sins seriously.

[00:31:16] God takes our sins seriously.

[00:31:19] And by looking at the cross, what happened on the cross,

[00:31:22] we can see some small degree how ugly it is in the eyes of God.

[00:31:28] We can't make excuses for it.

[00:31:30] We can't compare ourselves to other people and say,

[00:31:32] well I'm better than him.

[00:31:33] I'm better than her.

[00:31:37] Are you perfect?

[00:31:39] No, that's God's standard.

[00:31:41] We can all say I'm not.

[00:31:43] I need help.

[00:31:44] I need a savior.

[00:31:45] I need Jesus.

[00:31:50] And we call good Friday good.

[00:31:52] Why do we call good Friday good?

[00:31:56] Because without Jesus' sacrifice on the cross,

[00:31:58] we'd have no hope of salvation.

[00:32:00] And that's never a good place to be with no hope.

[00:32:05] You ever felt hopeless?

[00:32:14] What he did on that cross that day gave us hope.

[00:32:20] He was hope that we will not have to pay for our sins.

[00:32:24] He paid for them.

[00:32:26] And if we put our faith in Jesus Christ,

[00:32:28] in that sacrifice, that's where it ends.

[00:32:31] Now because of my faith in Christ paying for my sins,

[00:32:35] I don't need to pay for them by God's grace.

[00:32:41] What do we save from?

[00:32:44] We're saved from God's penalty on sin.

[00:32:46] We're saved from God's wrath upon our sin.

[00:32:49] We're saved from God.

[00:32:52] If God's coming after you for your sin,

[00:32:56] and you've got to pay for it,

[00:32:58] it doesn't look good for us.

[00:33:00] Rather beyond the sight of righteousness in Jesus Christ,

[00:33:04] he's paid for it already.

[00:33:06] We put our faith in him.

[00:33:10] He's just.

[00:33:11] He punishes all sin, but he's also a loving God.

[00:33:14] That's why he sent Jesus Christ to make the way for us.

[00:33:22] This horrible act was committed

[00:33:25] by the only innocent person that ever lived.

[00:33:30] Good Friday is considered good because his death made a way for us.

[00:33:34] I made a way for eternal peace with God.

[00:33:37] Don't you want peace with God?

[00:33:40] If we put our trust in Jesus and not ourselves to save us.

[00:33:45] And I would challenge you if you haven't yet come to him today,

[00:33:48] believe in the gospel today.

[00:33:51] Bible says whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.

[00:33:55] Not complicated.

[00:33:58] And so at this time,

[00:34:00] I'd like for all of us to stand.

[00:34:02] We're going to partake in communion if you're comfortable enough to do that.

[00:34:05] If you need the elements, please lift your hands.

[00:34:07] Someone will be around to give you the elements.

[00:34:14] As we do that, I want to just mention a few things.

[00:34:20] We all want people to remember us.

[00:34:23] Humans are like that.

[00:34:25] We want people to remember what we did, who we were, what we were like.

[00:34:29] We want people to show up in our funeral.

[00:34:36] And the Lord tells us to remember him

[00:34:39] and what he did for us.

[00:34:41] And so that's what we do at this moment.

[00:34:44] We've come together in his name.

[00:34:47] On this day where he gave his life.

[00:34:51] And from 1 Corinthians 11, Paul writes about what happened on the day before the cross,

[00:34:57] the last supper.

[00:34:59] From 1 Corinthians chapter 11,

[00:35:01] Paul writes, the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed.

[00:35:06] Took bread.

[00:35:08] When he had given thanks, he broke it and said,

[00:35:10] this is my body which is for you.

[00:35:12] Do this in remembrance of me.

[00:35:14] What's partake of the bread today?

[00:35:16] And remember this is what he did on Good Friday.

[00:35:19] Jesus.

[00:35:23] In the same way, he also took the cup after supper saying,

[00:35:28] this cup is a new covenant in my blood.

[00:35:32] Do this as often as you drink it.

[00:35:44] Do you remember this of me?

[00:35:49] For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup,

[00:35:53] you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

[00:35:56] Amen.

[00:35:57] Let's drink the cup together.

[00:36:05] Dear Lord Jesus, we speak to you now and prayer.

[00:36:09] On the other side of the cross,

[00:36:11] we've put our faith in you.

[00:36:13] We are so thankful for what you've done and that Good Friday,

[00:36:16] many years ago.

[00:36:18] But Lord, it's still having an effect in our hearts today.

[00:36:22] Prayer that you bless these next couple days as we think back about our sin.

[00:36:29] How important it is in your mind that we consider our sin.

[00:36:36] But to you be all glory, pray in Jesus name.

[00:36:39] Amen.

[00:36:42] Please remain standing for a moment.

[00:36:44] Today as believers in Jesus Christ,

[00:36:48] we remember what happened that day and the cross many, many years ago.

[00:36:53] And we do know what's coming in a couple days,

[00:36:55] but for those people they didn't know.

[00:36:58] They didn't know.

[00:37:02] But as we go our separate ways this weekend,

[00:37:07] I challenge you to consider your sin as I consider mine.

[00:37:14] Let us focus on repentance and showing our thanks for his sacrifice for us.

[00:37:27] We'll sing one last song together.

[00:37:30] But first I'd like to read from Isaiah.

[00:37:38] Isaiah 53, Jesus was not alive yet.

[00:37:46] This is a prophetic passage about Jesus.

[00:37:51] He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows,

[00:37:57] and acquainted with grief.

[00:38:01] And as one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised.

[00:38:09] And we esteemed him not.

[00:38:13] Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.

[00:38:20] Yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted.

[00:38:27] But he was pierced for our transgressions.

[00:38:31] He was crushed for our iniquities.

[00:38:35] Upon him was the chest-eyesment that brought us peace

[00:38:40] and with his wounds we are healed from Isaiah 52.

[00:38:49] And they were amazed when they saw him.

[00:38:52] His face was so disfigured.

[00:39:02] He seemed hardly human.

[00:39:07] And from his appearance one would scarcely know he wasn't a man.

[00:39:49] And he was so disfigured.

[00:39:56] And he was so disfigured.

[00:40:03] And he was so disfigured.

[00:40:12] We can only help him.

[00:40:43] We can only help him.

[00:40:49] We can only help him.

[00:40:57] The Savior said,

[00:41:08] I strength in dealing small.

[00:41:13] Child of weakness watch and praise.

[00:41:18] Find me an all in all.

[00:41:25] Jesus paid it all.

[00:41:29] Paul to him I owe.

[00:41:34] Zim had left the crimson sting he was.

[00:41:47] Indeed I find a thy power

[00:41:52] and I owe.

[00:41:55] Can change the leprous spots

[00:42:00] and now on the heart of stone.

[00:42:06] Jesus paid it all.

[00:42:10] Paul to him I owe.

[00:42:15] Zim had left the crimson sting he was.

[00:42:22] And my soul

[00:42:26] and I think I have I

[00:42:30] will lie down in the face.

[00:42:36] I thought it's mine

[00:42:40] and I know how we'll live

[00:43:15] And I myself was raised, my name fell to real near.

[00:43:25] Jesus made it all up to me by the will.

[00:43:34] And still remember to save me,

[00:43:39] And watch me as long.

[00:43:44] Oh.

[00:44:14] of the early years.

[00:44:19] Bring us all the sorrow and all the longing for you.

[00:44:28] Amen.