A Good Friday Meditation
10th April 2020
This is a meditation based on Luke 23v32-49.
Jesus was executed together with two criminals, which goes to show that bad things happen to good people as well as bad people.
While He was being crucified Jesus prayed "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing", which shows that even in the most intense pain, forgiveness is still the right thing to do. No matter how much they've hurt you, no matter how unjust it is, we must forgive, as Jesus forgave.
The Roman soldiers came up to Him, and there, at the foot of the cross, in what for us is the most holy place, they mocked the Son of God, which shows that some people really don't know who they're dealing with.
Jesus didn't retaliate, which teaches us never to retaliate when people are unkind to us. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Overcome evil with good. Love those who hate you.
While they were hanging on their crosses, in unimaginable pain, one of the criminals hurled insults at Jesus, which shows that some people will never change their attitude of hatred towards others. Some people will remain angry and bitter until the moment of their death.
The other criminal spoke of the need to fear God, of the rightness of justice being done, and of Jesus's total innocence, which shows that criminals can see the truth, and can respond with goodness, even at the point of death.
He prayed, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom" which shows that it's never too late to repent. It's never too early, either.
And Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise" which shows that God's forgiveness, and the gift of eternal life, is available to everybody who believes in Jesus, no matter what they've done with their lives.
The sky went dark around 12 o'clock. The sun stopped shining. The veil of the temple was torn in half. God was demonstrating His anguish as He watched His precious Son die. It's often said that no parent should have to see his own child die, but God the Father experienced that most wrenching of losses.
Jesus, despite his agony, cried out in a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit" which proves that Jesus retained His faith in God, even after all His suffering, even after having felt like God had forsaken Him, even in the last moments of his life, even after a lifetime of being misunderstood, judged, and falsely condemned.
The leader of the band of Roman soldiers who had crucified and mocked Jesus, and even taken his clothes and played dice for them, finally understood. He said of the person he's just tortured and killed, "Surely this was a righteous man". Mark tells us he also said, "Surely this man was the Son of God". How did that centurion live with the memory that he had crucified the Son of God?
The crowd that had been watching mourned His death, and then drifted away to their homes. But some stayed behind, watching all that was happening. What heartbreak they felt! To see anybody crucified must be traumatic, but to know that victim was innocent, was the kindest, most honest, best man who ever lived, and to watch Him in agony, and to see how he still showed compassion to the soldiers and to the criminal, broke their hearts.
Jesus was dead.
But God had a plan.
Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead, rolled the stone away from His own tomb, appeared to His friends, forgave them their doubts, forgave them their betrayals, put them back together, and formed them into the church that has changed to world for 2000 years, and will continue to change the world until Jesus comes again, but the power of His Holy Spirit.
Two criminals. One hurled insults at Jesus. The other asked Him for forgiveness and mercy. One was lost. The other was saved. Which are you?