Dear Father in Heaven: All praise and honor and glory today for God The Father, God The Son, and God The Holy Spirit. We just cannot thank You enough for what You did for us years ago on this day, the one we call Good Friday. While this day was very good for us, Lord Jesus, it was not good for You. Thanks for saving us and thanks for helping me write. Please now bless me with the message of Good Friday and then to get it dispatched. In Jesus' Name, I give thanks. Amen.
Dear brothers and sisters, it was nice to hear from some of you that I have not heard from in awhile. To those who said it was nice to relax and take communion at home, I just want to add amen to that. Today's message will be long again and I need to get started. However, I must share this. I had to go to the food store today. Upon coming out, a young man and woman with a baby in the mother's arms asked me, "could I use some help loading?" I said "please" and also said "I have a gift for the baby in my car." At first they did not want a gift for helping until they saw the "Read-N-Grow children's Bible I handed to them. Long story short, my car was loaded, the baby with these great big blue eyes was then anointed with oil and prayed for right at the Giant. I am clouding up right now. GOD IS SO GOOD, to put people in front of us to witness to. Thanks, Jesus, for doing that for me, and all honor and glory goes to Jesus Christ. Now to the message, and my writing will be in italics.
Luke 22:54-71 New International Version (NIV)
Peter Disowns Jesus
54 Then seizing Him, they led Him away and took Him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. 55 And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. 56 A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, "This man was with Him."
57 But he denied it. "Woman, I don't know Him," he said.
58 A little later someone else saw him and said, "You also are one of them." "Man, I am not!" Peter replied.
59 About an hour later another asserted, "Certainly this fellow was with Him, for he is a Galilean."
60 Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times." 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.
This will come up again later in a message, but today I want to ask you, have you ever denied Jesus Christ? Peter will get a chance to be reinstated showing to me that if you have denied Christ in the past, get on your knees and ask to be forgiven before it is too late you surely can be reinstated.
The Guards Mock Jesus
63 The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating Him. 64 They blindfolded Him and demanded, "Prophesy! Who hit you?" 65 And they said man other insulting things to Him.
Remember these things happened before Jesus was given a trial. Can you believe this? I want you to think about this. Last week on the TV news it showed how one person was down and others were standing around kicking the one down. It is going on even as we speak.
Jesus Before Pilate and Herod
66 At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and the teachers of the law, met together,and Jesus was led before them. 67 "If you are the Messiah," they said, "tell us." Jesus answered, "If I tell you, you will not believe me, 68 and if I asked you, you would not answer. 69 But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God."
70 They all asked, "Are You then the Son of God?" He replied, "You say that I am."
71 Then they said, "Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from His own lips."
While Jesus answered right up front that He was and of course still is the Son of God, of course it would be blasphemy to claim to be the Son of God, unless, unless you really were the Son of God. So you know what will be happening to those coming claiming to be Him.
Luke 23 New International Version (NIV)
1 Then the whole assembly rose and led Him off to Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse Him, saying, "We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a King."
3 So Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the king of the Jews?" "You have said so," Jesus replied.
Notice since Jesus has been taken prisoner He is not talking a lot. Notice He is telling them really what they want to hear. "Are you the king of the Jews?" could have been answered just "Yes."
4 Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, "I find no basis for a charge against this Man."
5 But they insisted, "He stirs up the people all over Judea by His teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here."
6 On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. 7 When he learned that Jesus was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see Him. From what he had heard about Him, he hoped to see Him perform a sign of some sort. 9 He plied Him with many questions,but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing Him. 11 Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked Him. Dressing Him in an elegant robe, they sent Him back to Pilate. 12 That day Herod and Pilate became friends -- before this they had been enemies.
13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined Him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against Him. 15 Neither has Herod, for he sent Him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. 16 Therefore, I will punish Him and then release Him."
18 But the whole crowd shouted, "Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!" 19 (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)
20 Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. 21 But they kept shouting, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!"
22 For the third time he spoke to them: "Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in Him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have Him punished and then release Him."
23 But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that He be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided to grant their demand. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.
As we look above Pilate and Herod, once enemies, were now friends, but neither wanted to issue the "death warrant." Both wanted to wash their hands of it but after pressure they gave in and turned Jesus over to be crucified. Sort of like our modern-day politicians who stand up but don't stand for anything. How many of them have given in to murder? We see it all around today, none of our leaders want to stand up for Jesus even today. Oh, don't get me started. They support abortion, gay marriage. Do we have any politicians with a "BACKBONE?"
The Crucifixion of Jesus
26 As the soldiers led Him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A large number of people followed Him, including women who mourned and wailed for Him. 28 Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the time will come when you will say, 'Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!' 30 Then "they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!"'
31 For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"
People were weeping for Jesus and He told them not to cry for Him, but for what is coming ahead. You see Jesus knew, knew what was ahead. You think about all the things that have happened just in our lifetime. The wars, the murder of all the Jews in Germany, the killing of Christians by the bad Muslims. Black on black crime, people raping others. People overdosing on drugs and dying, babies put in the trash, I could go on. Today, folks, we must look at the death of Jesus on the cross as a victory for us. We must indeed HOLD ONTO JESUS. HE DIED FOR US.
32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with Him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals -- one on His right, the other on His left. 34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
I must write here. Jesus is calling out as they are putting Jesus to death on the Cross for His Father in heaven to forgive them. This teaching us a real lesson about forgiving. Do you remember back sometime ago a young white man was attending a church with most of those attending being African-American? This man shot up the church and killed many. Do you remember how one lady of color was interviewed and said, "I will never forget this, but I do forgive you"? How hard that must have been, and still she was following what Jesus wants.
35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at Him. They said, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is God's Messiah, the Chosen One."
36 The soldiers also came up and mocked Him. They offered Him wine vinegar 37 and said, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself."
38 There was a written notice above Him, which read" THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
39 One of the criminals who hung thee hurled insults at Him: "Aren't you the Messiah? Save Yourself and us!"
40 But the other criminal rebuked Him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
43 Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."
Brothers and sisters, I have stood beside a few people in hospitals that were sick and led them to the cross. That is known as a bedside conversion or deathbed conversion. I was told by one pastor that there is no such thing as a bedside conversion and to show him that in scripture. I referred him to Luke 23:39-43. Please, if you know someone in the hospital and you are not sure if they know the Lord, get someone to their bedside, or better yet, do it yourself. Lead them to Jesus!
The Death of Jesus
44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit My spirit." When He had said this, He breathed His last.
Stop right now, not for a moment of silence, but to SHOUT OUT PRAISE THE LORD, for when this happened our victory was won. Praise god, Praise God, Praise God.
47 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "Surely this was a righteous man." 48 When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. 49 But all those who knew Him, including the women who had followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
The Burial of Jesus
50 Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God. 52 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body. 53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. 54 It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.
55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. 56 Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But the rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.
Dear brothers and sisters, today to me, there is only one song to close with and it is one of my most loved hymns. Please travel now with Jesus, love and hug on Him. And God willing, I will be having Son Rise service here on Sunday Morning. Love ya.
Pastor Dan
The Old Rugged Cross
On a hill far away stood an Old Rugged Cross,
The emblem of suff'ring and shame;
And I love that Old Cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.
So I'll cherish the Old Rugged Cross
'Til my trophies at last I lay down.
I will cling to the Old Rugged Cross
And exchange it someday for a crown.
To the Old Rugged Cross I will ever be true,
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He'll call me someday to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I'll share.
So I'll cherish the Old Rugged Cross
'Til my trophies at last I lay down.
I will cling to the Old Rugged Cross
And exchange it someday for a crown.
So I'll cherish the Old Rugged Cross
'Til my trophies at last I lay down.
I will cling to the Old Rugged Cross
And exchange it someday for a crown.
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