For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
It feels like a bitter sweet moment for God have sacrificed his son's life for the salvation of mankind. Using the term "Good" Friday almost seems to overlook the other side of the experience "anguish". Jesus Christ gave his life so we may have eternal life but he did so in such a horrific suffering. I can't image Mother Mary's anguish as she watched her son Jesus Christ be judged, ridiculed, whipped, and crucified. Her heart must have broken in a million pieces. It must have taken every ounce of faith in God for her to go from one moment to the next. She hurt too because she raised him, changed his diapers, and fed him. She watched him grow, played with him, and sang to him as a child. As he grew older, she began to learn from him. He taught her discipline and submission to God. Before her eyes the Christ child became the Savior of the world.
I can't even begin to image how Mary felt to see her son suffer. My son will be 18 years old in a couple of weeks and he is getting ready to leave to college. I have raised him alone for many years. It has been a blessing and challenge to raise such a good young man. I did the best I could to raise him with love, faith, and courage. He is the son of my womb, a gift from God. I have so much love for him and the thought of him suffering hurts deeply.
At 3pm on Good Friday many Christians will stop to pray and mediate on the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us on the cross. Never has greater love been shown. I encourage you to stop in remembrance and reverence.
Jesus Sentenced to be Crucified
Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, "Hail, king of the Jews!" And they struck him in the face. John 19:1-3
The Crucifixion
Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull. Here they crucified him, and with him two others, one on each side and Jesus in the middle. John 19:16-18
Jesus and his Mother Mary
Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. John 19:25-27
The Death of Jesus
Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:28-30
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