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Good Friday (3/21): "It is finished" Gospel Reading: John 19:17-30 17 Jesus carried His own cross to a hill called the Place of the Skull. 18 There they nailed Him to the cross. With Him were two others. There was one on each side of Jesus. 19 Then Pilate put a writing on the cross which said, JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 20 This was read by many of the Jews. The place where Jesus was nailed to the cross was near the city. The writing was written in the Hebrew and the Latin and the Greek languages. 21 Then the head religious leaders of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews'! Write, 'He said, I am the King of the Jews.' " 22 Pilate said, "What I have written is to stay just as it is!" 23 The soldiers who nailed Jesus to the cross took His clothes and divided them in four parts, each soldier getting one part. But His coat which was not sewed was made in one piece. 24 They said to each other, "Let us not cut it up. Let us draw names to see whose it should be." This happened as the Holy Writings said it would happen, "They divided My clothes among them and they drew names for My coat." (Psalm 22:18) This is what the soldiers did. 25 The mother of Jesus and her sister Mary, the wife of Cleophas, were standing near the cross. Mary Magdalene was there also. 26 Jesus saw His mother and the follower whom He loved standing near. He said to His mother, "Woman, look at your son." 27 Then Jesus said to the follower, "Look at your mother." From that time the follower took her to his own house. 28 Jesus knew that everything was now finished. Everything happened as the Holy Writings said it would happen. He said, "I am thirsty." (Psalm 69:21) 29 There was a jar full of sour wine near. They filled a sponge and put it on a stick and put it to His mouth. 30 Jesus took the sour wine and said, "It is finished." He put His head down and gave up His spirit and died. Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 52:13-53:12 3 He was hated and men would have nothing to do with Him, a man of sorrows and suffering, knowing sadness well. We hid, as it were, our faces from Him. He was hated, and we did not think well of Him. 4 For sure He took on Himself our troubles and carried our sorrows. Yet we thought of Him as being punished and hurt by God, and made to suffer. 5 But He was hurt for our wrongdoing. He was crushed for our sins. He was punished so we would have peace. He was beaten so we would be healed. Meditation: Abbot Rupert of Deutz, wrote in the early 12th century: "The cross of Christ is the door to heaven, the key to paradise, the downfall of the devil, the uplifting of mankind, the consolation of our imprisonment, the prize for our freedom." The Cross of Christ is the safeguard of our faith, the assurance of our hope, and the throne of love. It is also the sign of God's mercy and the proof of forgiveness. By his cross Jesus Christ has pardoned us and set us free from the tyranny of sin. He paid the price for us when he made atonement for our sins. The way to peace, joy, and righteousness in the kingdom of God and the way to victory over sin and corruption, fear and defeat, despair and death is through the cross of Jesus Christ. Do you follow Jesus in his way of the cross with joy, hope, and confidence? Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, by your death on the cross you have won pardon for us and freedom from the tyranny of sin and death. May I live in the joy and freedom of your victory over sin and death." Psalm 31:2, 6, 12-17, 24 2 Turn Your ear to me, and be quick to save me. Be my rock of strength, a strong place to keep me safe. 6 I hate those who worship false gods. But I trust in the Lord. 12 I
am forgotten like a dead man and they do not think about
me. I am like a broken pot. 14
But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord. I say, "You are
my God." 24 Be strong. Be strong in heart, all you who hope in the Lord.
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