Good Friday

Remember - His love for you is so vast, so deep, and so strong, that He did this for you... And He didn't have to - He wanted to.

Oh the wonders of the love of God in Christ Jesus! He came to live for us, to grant us His perfect life. He came to die for us, to erase the burdens of our sin.

Hallelujah to the Perfect Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world. To Him be all power, all glory, all honor and praise! Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forevermore, the King upon the Throne, our blessed Redeemer, Savior... and Friend!

John 19:17-42 (NKJV)

And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center. Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was:

JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.

Therefore the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but, 'He said, "I am the King of the Jews."'"

Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written."

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece. They said therefore among themselves, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be," that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says:

"They divided My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots."

Therefore the soldiers did these things.

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!" Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.

After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!" Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, "Not one of His bones shall be broken." And again another Scripture says, "They shall look on Him whom they pierced."

After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus. And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews' Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.

Were you there?

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

When I Survey the Wonderous Cross

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

His dying crimson, like a robe,
Spreads o'er His body on the tree;
Then I am dead to all the globe,
And all the globe is dead to me.

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Linked at Third World County, TMH Bacon Bits, Stop the ACLU, Publius Rendezvous, Rhymes With Right

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Technorati Tags: Easter, Resurrection, Good Friday, Jesus Christ, Cross, Scripture, crucifixion

Comments

[ExPreacherMan]

1.

Kat,

Thanks for those great prsyer invoking thoughts. It is refreshing to see the words of the great old time Gospel Hymns.

Jack

[David]

2.

Thanks, R'Cat. Moving.

[Always On Watch]

3.

"Were You There?" is one of my favorites. What a great gospel-hymn! Many have recorded it, even Johnny Cash; I should break out that CD for Easter.

And these words from "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" always give me goosebumps:

Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

My Easter posting is up here. I followed the form you "taught" me at Christmas.

God bless you on the holiest of Christian days--Easter Sunday. Our Redeemer lives!

PS: R'cat, thank you for stopping by to comment on my student's "Good Friday" sonnet. Not through our own righteousness by through His!

[Wild Thing]

4.

Wonderful post!!

Happy Easter!!