Carrying his cross by himself, he [Jesus] went out to a place called Skull Place (in Aramaic, Golgotha). That's where they crucified him--and two others with him, one on each side and Jesus in the middle. Pilate had a public notice written and posted on the cross. It read "Jesus the Nazarene, the king of the Jews." Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city and it was written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek.
Today is called Good Friday because it is the day that proclaims God's loving and his purpose for redeeming the world through the cross of Jesus. We call it Good Friday because God was drawing the world to himself through Jesus.
As verse 17 says "by himself," we see that Jesus was in control of his own death. He was not making the best of a bad situation. Jesus was fulfilling God's purpose: providing the way for all people to be saved.
The three languages on the sign proclaim the universal reign of Jesus as the savior of the world.
There's a song that says, "I'll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross," and there's a deep truth to that. We can never fully understand the cross. But what we can know is that Jesus died for us, personally. Early in Martin Luther's life of faith, he was found holding a crucifix and sobbing, "For me, for me!"
Charles Wesley wrote it beautifully: "O Love divine, what hast thou done! The immortal God hath died for me!"
One day--today if you can--stop before a cross, wait for you mind to quiet, wait for your soul to find peace, and say, "This was for me."
Father, we thank you that Jesus was willing to be betrayed, to be handed over to sinners, and to suffer and die on the cross for us--to bring us back to you and to make us part of your family. We pray in the name of Jesus, who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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