Good Friday Reflections

I attended the Good Friday service at my church tonight. And I was invited into the somberness of remembering what Christ did on the cross, which will give way to celebration on Sunday as we remember His resurrection–when He overcame the grave and undid death.

I love Good Friday. This day, 28 years ago, I accepted Christ as my Savior. That night, I was taught by one of my best friends about the physical death Christ endured for the sins of the world. She walked through the physical injuries and agony Christ subjected Himself to in order to defeat sin and invite us all into restored relationship with God. I’m so thankful for that day–and I’m thankful for the completeness of what Christ did 2000 years ago to win my heart. What a glorious Savior.

Tonight, one of our pastors, Ross, Lester, walked us through the 7 final statements of Jesus. Final words are important–every word Christ spoke was valuable, but there is something about the final words. What were the last things of utmost importance Christ wanted to put !!!! around?

They are listed below.

The 7 Statements of Jesus before His death on the cross

Luke 23:33-34

33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 And Jesus  said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”² And they cast  lots to divide his garments. 

Luke 23: 39-43

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him,saying, “Are you not ^jthe Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you  not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 

41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me  when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

John 19:25-27

25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother,  “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your  mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

Matthew 27: 45-46

45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud  voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have  you forsaken me?” 

John 19: 28-29

28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the  Scripture), “I thirst.” 29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge  full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth.

John 19:30

30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he  bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Luke 23: 44-46

44 It was now about the sixth hour,⁵ and there was darkness over the whole  land until the ninth hour,45 while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the  temple was torn in two. 46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said,  “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. 

As I listened to these words–words I’ve heard before, I was invited by Ross to consider which statement stood out to me the most. There were many that did, but “I thirst,” is the one that hit me.

“He did not despise submitting Himself to human weakness.” –Ross Lester

Despise–what a good word. I truly do despise weakness.

I am weak in a multitude of ways-from shotty eyesight to a bum knee to anxiety that keeps my heartbeat a little too fast than it should be. There are more, so much more. But as I think about moments where I have despised my weakness, I have a standout memory….

In high school, I was on the dance team–a group of about 40 gals who lined the football field in cowgirl outfits that still make me cringe and smile simultaneously. I had failed to make cheerleader the year before, much to my disappointment, but I was able to join the dance team which ended up being a means of Gods’ grace in so many ways. On this particular afternoon/evening, I was rehearsing for an upcoming try out for an officer position. I was determined to make it.

For try outs, we had a multitude of tasks to complete from choreographing a song from scratch, teaching that dance to our team, and also performing an advanced routine with lots of tricks and turns that really challenged us in skill. I was not the most technical dancer–I often got away with my showmanship being enough because people liked my smile and expressive face; but for this try out, I had to be precise. I had to perfect a dance to “No diggity, No doubt,” to prove I was good and perform it flawlessly.

I can feel you laughing. I did not stutter– I did say, “No diggity, No doubt,” which truly is an all-time classic.

I moved the cars out of the garage, and rehearsed the dance over and over and over again…

But there was this ONE STUPID MOVE I couldn’t get.

No matter how many times I tried, I could not quite bend the way I was supposed to, in the way I was supposed to.

My mom, at some point amid the 5+ hours of repetitive attempts, popped her head into the garage to ask me to come to dinner. “I bet you’re tired, sweetie…come eat some food. Maybe that will help.”

I told her no.

I ignored her pleading look, and I started the song over.

She watched me grunt and groan with sweat and tears mingled together as I cussed under my breath attempting again and again.

She just stood there, gently witnessing me unravel. Knowing I was hurting myself trying to beat my body into submission to do what I willed it to do.

And I couldn’t.

And then I finally collapsed on the floor, sobbing. Andy mom walked over slowly, sat down on the oil-stained ground, and scooped me onto her lap to comfort me.

I am confident, you have far more pressing matters you are attuning to than perfecting a dance to a mediocre hip hop song. My guess is there are areas of weakness in your own life that feel like a trap–or a gulf you cannot climb your way out of. There are far weightier things we deal with, yes?

And isn’t it a comfort that Jesus felt that too.

To be human is to be weak, and our Savior, Christ, submitted Himself to being embodied as a human and to experience all the limitations that we experience. And one of HIs final statements was one of humility as He acknowledged His vulnerable state of thirst.

He is living water. He quenches every achy thirst we experience in our souls. And He allowed Himself to thirst.

So thankful tonight for this God-man, who put on flesh for you and me. Who died a death I deserved. I’m thankful for His willingness to do this incredible, grand, exquisite thing of dying for me and conquering death–and also being so meek and mild to show up with all the frailties I feel in my body daily. He cared about what that feels like. And He cared for me to know that I’m not alone in it.

All hail King Jesus–He died, was buried, and wait for it. He rose.

See you Sunday–He is risen, yes indeed.

xoxo

Crystal