Thoughts for Easter week

Holy Week Friday: Behold the Man Upon a Cross

There are many events on Good Friday that are worthy of reflection, but the centerpiece of Good Friday (and the centerpiece of the Christian faith) is the cross. When we gaze upon the cross, what do we see? What should we see? We are confronted by the following four truths when we gaze at the cross:

People Hate God

Jesus said, “If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.” (John 15:24) Something we often fail to consider when gazing at the cross is the blackness of our own hearts. It is shocking to think that when God the Son took upon himself flesh and drew near to us, we killed him. God crucified at the hands of sinful men proves with unmistakable clarity just how much man, in his fallen state, hates God.

People Love Their Sin

“And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.” (John 3:19) How can people hate God? How could a good, loving, holy, perfect God end up being crucified by an angry mob? The Bible tells us why… We love our sin. Jesus came into the world to make an end of sin, and because we love our sin, we made an end of him.

God Hates Sin

“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:4-5) When Christ who knew no sin, became sin for us on the cross (see 2 Corinthians 5:21), the Father poured out his wrath on the Son. Isaiah says God was pleased to crush him (see Isaiah 53:10). The cross is the ultimate demonstration of the Father’s righteousness. He does not take sin lightly.

God Loves Sinners

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” (Romans 5:8-10) While we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son. This is why Good Friday is called “good.” At the cross, God demonstrated his holy displeasure toward sin while simultaneously lavishing his love on sinners in the process. God’s love saved us!

Respond:

Spend time today praising and thanking God for his amazing love and awesome holiness that was displayed on the cross. Marvel as you consider how God loved you and Christ died for you even while you were a God-hater. Pray for the grace to hate sin like God hates sin and to love people like God loves people. Consider reading or listening to the hymn “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us” to prepare your heart.

Watch and Listen:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKDujmtyAVk

Read:  http://www.stuarttownend.co.uk/song/how-deep-the-fathers-love-for-us/