Holy Week: Good Friday
After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.
Did you sleep last night? After a good meal – perhaps after attending worship on Maundy Thursday evening, you climbed into bed and found the rest you needed at the end of a long day.
Jesus’ did not sleep last night. After the supper, after the hours spent in prayer, at last Judas arrived with a mob. Jesus was seized and dragged away. He was interrogated as they sought evidence on which to convict him.
Although it was illegal to hold a trial at night, the core leaders of the Jews met in secret to try him. Not all of the Jewish elders supported this decision. But all through the night the others sought a way to prove him guilty of something worthy of death. At last they had it from Jesus own mouth. “Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” “Yes, it is as you say…”
As the sun came up the council was convened and a quick official trial was opened and closed. Jesus was bundled off in the early dawn to the palace of the Roman governor so that they might have the proper permission for a death sentence.
In the space of a few hours Jesus was examined, passed off to King Herod to be examined more, beaten and returned. In the effort to have Jesus released, Pilate had him beaten again. But it was not enough. The crowd, recruited by Jesus’ enemies, called for his blood. He was given over to the executioners.
It was about 9a.m. when Jesus’ hands were nailed to the cross piece and it was lifted into place on top of the vertical post. His feet were nailed to the post and he was left to die.
We might think of many things to say at such a time. Words about the pain, about the injustice, about our tormentors. Jesus first words on the cross were about us. “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing.”
From 9 until noon Jesus hung on the cross, slowly weakening. People in Jerusalem and all over the world went about their business, working, shopping, resting. Just like you. At noon the sky was darkened, and it remained dark until 3pm. At last Jesus’ suffering was ended, and he let out a last breath.
Every day, about 155,000 people die in our world. Every day 7 billion people live, work, play, struggle, weep, hope. Jesus was only a single individual, and yet his death on that day changed the meaning of both life and death for all the others, because Jesus death drew the sting from death itself. And with his death Satan’s power over us was ended.
What will you do with this day? Will you find an hour to watch and pray with Jesus? Could you spend the time to read the 26th and 27th chapters of Matthew and remember? How will you praise God for this profound gift?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I stand in awe of your love for me. No words can express the immensity of what in those few hours you achieved. Lord, I pray, let me never forget this day. Let this day change all the other days that remain for me. And when, in my final hour, I breathe my last, let me rest in you. Amen.