What's So Good About It?

We in the church have often been accused of speaking a foreign language. Christianese is the term that is used and I get it. We say some weird things when you're not from the inside. I have also often heard people in the church say that we should change how we speak. I think there is a middle ground to be held but if we ever stop saying things like, "The blood of Jesus makes me clean." then we are missing the whole thing.

I know. It does sound very cringey. BUT that doesn't change the truth of the statement.

It is by the blood of Jesus that my sins are washed away. It is through His horrific death and glorious resurrection that I am forgiven and find new life. It is by His name alone that I have the ability to approach the throne of God.

So what's so good about today?

'The soldiers took Jesus into the courtyard of the governor’s headquarters (called the Praetorium) and called out the entire regiment. They dressed him in a purple robe, and they wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head. Then they saluted him and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” And they struck him on the head with a reed stick, spit on him, and dropped to their knees in mock worship. When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified. A passerby named Simon, who was from Cyrene, was coming in from the countryside just then, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. (Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus.) And they brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”). They offered him wine drugged with myrrh, but he refused it. Then the soldiers nailed him to the cross. They divided his clothes and threw dice to decide who would get each piece. It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. A sign announced the charge against him. It read, “The King of the Jews.” Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. “Ha! Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, save yourself and come down from the cross!” The leading priests and teachers of religious law also mocked Jesus. “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! Let this Messiah, this King of Israel, come down from the cross so we can see it and believe him!” Even the men who were crucified with Jesus ridiculed him. At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. Then at three o’clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”. Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. “Wait!” he said. “Let’s see whether Elijah comes to take him down!” Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. When the Roman officer who stood facing him saw how he had died, he exclaimed, “This man truly was the Son of God!” Some women were there, watching from a distance, including Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James the younger and of Joseph ), and Salome. They had been followers of Jesus and had cared for him while he was in Galilee. Many other women who had come with him to Jerusalem were also there. This all happened on Friday, the day of preparation, the day before the Sabbath. As evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea took a risk and went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. (Joseph was an honored member of the high council, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.) Pilate couldn’t believe that Jesus was already dead, so he called for the Roman officer and asked if he had died yet. The officer confirmed that Jesus was dead, so Pilate told Joseph he could have the body. Joseph bought a long sheet of linen cloth. Then he took Jesus’ body down from the cross, wrapped it in the cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone in front of the entrance. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where Jesus’ body was laid.'

Mark 15:16-27,29-47

If today didn't happen almost 2000 years ago, then what we look forward to on Sunday wouldn't have been possible. You and I would be forever held in the sway of sin and death, the only hope for any kind of atonement would be in the many, and I mean many, rules and laws of sacrifice and other things found in the Old Covenant, the Old Testament.

BUT GOD!

I recognize that this is a children's video but in my opinion it is one of the best descriptions of the death of Jesus.

God had a plan from the beginning and the code name for this special op:

Jesus Christ, THE MESSIAH.

Today is so good because Jesus paid the penalty for ALL sin across ALL eternity, that includes yours and mine! We couldn't earn it and we for sure did not deserve it but His love went beyond any and every failure and it says to us today, "It is finished. You are forgiven."

Have you experienced this forgiveness, this unimaginable love? Romans 10:9 says,

"If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

Curious and want to learn more? I am more than happy to walk you through this. I also invite you to church tomorrow. No matter where you are, if you are near me or not, I will help you find a place to go. Just message me, comment below, and we'll find it.

I pray that this weekend, from Good Friday to Silent Saturday all the way through Resurrection Sunday, you find Jesus.