Good Friday 2015 / Once we were slaves

I had not been excited about Good Friday as much as today. I made preparations because I really wanted to be at church for Good Friday. Last 2 years I don't recall going. So this was my first time going to Goof Friday service. Earlier this week I asked my supervisor if I could come in early so I can go to church on Friday evening. Service started at 6:30 pm. I usually get off at 6pm. I went into one and a half hours early. I also wore what I planned on wearing to church to work so that I didn't have to come home and change clothes. I didn't want to waste anytime. I wore a long sleeve shirt that I really like that I got at the Goodwill store, a pair of black Dickies, and some dress shoes I picked up at Ross. Nothing flashy.

The past week or so I had been reading the book of John. Today I got as far as when Jesus was going to be crucified. I wanted to read when Jesus was crucified but I got busy with work and then I had to leave. I got off a little later from work then I wanted but I felt compelled to stay just a bit longer to help a couple more people. My wife and kids came and picked me up from work. We got my sons hair cut at Great Clips. Then we had a quick dinner and off to church we went. The kids went to their class while me and my wife Erin went to the worship center.

The worship music was so beautiful. I felt so peaceful. My pastor began the sermon by explaining how Jesus dieing on a cross could be considered a good Friday. It's the day our Lord Jesus, our Messiah, took the punishment that was meant for us so that we can be free of the bondage of sin. I am and will be eternally grateful to him for that. They showed a video of a movie called "Once We Were Slaves". Its not based on fact but a story on how maybe the 2 criminals Jesus was crucified with, ended up along side with him. My Pastor said that crucifixion was Romes way of punishing the worst of the worst. Possibly the equivalent of the electric chair or lethal injection is today.

It dawned on me what it meant when Barabbas was released and chosen over Jesus to be crucified. Barabbas means "son of the father". A sinner was free to go, all charges dropped, and Jesus took the place of Barabbas on the cross. If Pilate had released Jesus, Barabbas would have been crucified. But that also would have meant, no salvation for us. So what happened, had to happen because God interned it to happen this way. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and savior, we become sons/daughters of the Father. We are set free from our sins and the penalty of death is not on us because Jesus took our place on the cross.

 Sin has a penalty and it is death. Somebody  has to die for sin. Blood must be shed. Jesus was the final sacrifice for the sin of man. All of our charges are dropped and we are not slaves to sin anymore. Isn't that just great? Thank you Jesus! We celebrate the greatest act of love on the face of the earth. God, becoming a man, taking our sins and dieing for us so we can return to perfect harmony with Him. I tried to find the movie on YouTube, the video I mentioned, but all there is a trailer to the movie. If anybody could find a link to it that would be great. (Post the link the comments if you find it online.) I don't want to spoil the movie because it is really good.

The closing comments my Pastor said was, which of the 2 criminals are you? The one who doesn't believe and mocks Jesus or the one who realizes that Jesus was innocent and was on the cross and died to save those who crucified Him? Luke 23:42-43 ^-"Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” That man never lived out his life for Jesus or went out witnessing or did any works. His faith in Jesus is what saved him. We are so fortunate to be able to do works for the Lord. 

Being religious and trying to be self righteous will take you nowhere. Grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ is the way to Paradise. So after the movie, we closed out in prayer. There was communion outside and the worship team stayed on a bit after and sang some more worship songs. Me and my wife took communion and we prayed together and thanked Jesus for what He did for all of us. We thanked Him for coming into our lives. We thanked Him for choosing us to be His people. What an honor and privilege to be chosen by the Creator, the King of Kings, the Holiest of Holy. Once we were slaves, now we have been set free. Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe, sin had left a crimson stain, He washed me white as snow. Amen. This truly was a good Friday.