Now it was the governor’s custom at the feast to release to the crowd a prisoner of their choosing. But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death. “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they replied. “What then should I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify Him!” “Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!” (Matthew 27:15,20-23 BSB)
Warrior;
What a powerful moment in History, in the Word of God, and in the HOLY WEEK. As a true believer of the Risen Christ, we must understand this moment in Time. The day is called Good Friday. Some might ask, “why do we call Good Friday “good” when it is such a dark and bleak event commemorating a day of suffering and death for Jesus”? It is good because it was the PURPOSE of Jesus’ incarnation. Jesus was incarnated to take on the sins of the World. Hear the Word of the Lord: For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21) For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus. (Romans 3:25-26) Good Friday, the Friday before Easter, is the Christian holy day to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus and His death at Calvary. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday, and Black Friday.
Leader, it was LOVE that kept Jesus on the Cross. It was not the “nails”, it was not the Roman soldiers, it was not because He was not able to do anything about it. Jesus Himself told us why He willingly went to the cross. It is written; Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” (Matthew 26:53,54) This is why this historic event in the temporal, and Spiritual world is called Good Friday, and it is second in importance, on the Christian calendar, even ahead of Christmas, where we celebrate the INCARNATION OF CHRIST! Good Friday, the crucifixion of Christ, is second only to the Resurrection of Christ which happened on the 8th day of Holy week, which we call RESURRECTION SUNDAY. For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. (Romans 1:16) For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) This is why this HOLY WEEK is one of the few things Covered in all 4 Gospels. To understand the importance of this day, this week, to God and to man, consider that there are only eleven events that managed to be included in all four Gospels. This point should NOT be lost, for it allows us to recognizes these ‘ELEVEN’ hold a special significance to the Father and His children.
Conduit, notice what constitutes a majority of the 11 items listed in all 4 Gospels. 1)John’s baptism: Mt. 3:1-17; Mk. 1:1-11; Lk. 3:1-22; Jn. 1:15-34. 2)Feeding of the 5000: Mt. 14:13-21; Mk. 6:30-44; Lk. 9:10-17; Jn. 6:1-15. 3)Peter’s Profession: Mt. 16:13-19; Mk. 8:27-29; Lk. 9:18-20; Jn. 6:66-71. 4)Anointing by Mary: Mt. 26:6-13; Mk. 14:3-9; Lk. 7:36-50; Jn. 12:1-11. 5)Triumphal Entry: Mt. 21:1-11; Mk. 11:1-10; Lk. 19:29-44; Jn. 12:12-19. 6)Last Supper: Mt. 26:17-30; Mk. 14:12-26; Lk. 22:7-23; Jn. 13:1-35. 7)Gethsemane: Mt. 26:36-56; Mk. 14:32-52 Lk. 22:40-53; Jn. 18:1. 8)The mock Trials: Mt. 26:57-27:31; Mk. 14:43-15:20; Lk. 22:47-23:37; Jn. 18:2-19:3. 9) The Crucifixion: Mt. 27:32-56; Mk. 15:21-41; Lk. 23:26-56; Jn. 19:1-37. 10)His Burial: Mt. 27:57-28:15; Mk. 15:42-47; Lk. 23:50-56; Jn. 19:38-42. 11)The Resurrection: Mt. 28:1-10; Mk. 16:1-11; Lk. 24:1-12; Jn. 20:1-18. Notice that 7 of 11 are HOLY WEEK! The greatest commandment in the Bible is to REMEMBER. Holy week is about remembering. As Jesus said at the LAST SUPPER, “Do this in remembrance of me”. This is also the purpose of one of the most important prayers in Judaism, the SHEMA, which we find in Deuteronomy chapter 6, verses 4-9: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. We are called to REMEMBER what God has done for us, this is why it is called the GOOD NEWS and this is why the day of Jesus’ crucifixion is called GOOD FRIDAY! May you remember that Jesus paid it ALL, and ALL TO HIM we owe!
Way of The Warrior- A Daily Devotional 