Achuckallen

Instigating Better

4forGOODFRIDAY

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4forGOODFRIDAY with ACHUCKAllen

This is a bit of a change from my usual 4forFRIDAY. In light of the weighty and significant remembrance of all The Lord Jesus endured today, I thought I would offer A FEW READINGS and MEANINGFUL thoughts on how to Celebrate this Easter Weekend, at a very personal level. For those of you that really just like my typical 4forFRIDAY, I’ll be back to form next week. Thanks!

Here are your 4forGOODFRIDAY Recommendations:

  1. Read This Key Verse – 

    1 Corinthians 15:3 “I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.”

  2. Read These Scriptures –

    Matthew 27:32-56 “32 Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. 33 And they went out to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”). 34 The soldiers gave Jesus wine mixed with bitter gall, but when he had tasted it, he refused to drink it. 35 After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. 36 Then they sat around and kept guard as he hung there. 37 A sign was fastened above Jesus’ head, announcing the charge against him. It read: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” 38 Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. 40 “Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!”

    41 The leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders also mocked Jesus. 42 “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him! 43 He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him! For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 Even the revolutionaries who were crucified with him ridiculed him in the same way. 45 At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 46 At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”


    47 Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. 48 One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. 49 But the rest said, “Wait! Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.” 50 Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, 52 and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead.


    53 They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people. 54 The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, “This man truly was the Son of God!” 55 And many women who had come from Galilee with Jesus to care for him were watching from a distance. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James and Joseph), and the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee.

  3. This is a historical account of Good Friday.

    On this day we focus on some of the statements Jesus made while on the cross. Look through the seven gospel passages below and jot a note of each of the seven statements Jesus made while on the cross.

    Matthew 27:46 – “At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

    Luke 23:34 – ” Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.

    Luke 23:43 –  “And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

    Luke 23:46 – “Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words, he breathed his last.”

    John 19:26 – “When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.”

    John 19:28 –” Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.”

    John 19:30 – “ When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”

     

  4. Understand the Culture Then

    Take another look at the words of Jesus, recorded in Matthew 27:46: “At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

    Over the years, this piece of scripture has promised to never leave us nor forsake us and these words of Jesus suggest God had forsaken Christ, His very own Son, in His darkest hour. Was Jesus asking God why He had forsaken Him? The answer to the question is in Psalm 22.

    Psalm 22. Look at verse 1: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help?”

    It was common for Jewish folks to quote the Psalms when in desperate, or difficult seasons a lot like we sing songs or quote verses to make us feel better when we are struggling. This wasn’t a cry of defeat; this was a declaration of victory as He quoted Psalm 22.

    Take a closer look at Psalm 22. This is referred to as a Psalm of Lament. In lament psalms, the psalmist begins with a lament (such as why have you forsaken me) but quickly moves into a confession of trust (see vs. 3-5) and always ends with a vow of praise (see verses 22-31). Think about Psalm 22. , Jesus was not questioning God’s faithfulness; He was declaring God’s victory: Here are verses 30-31
    “Our children will also serve him. Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord. His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born. They will hear about everything he has done.”

  5. Observe the Response of the People Then

    Matthew 27:54 – “The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, “This man truly was the Son of God!” A Roman Centurion, who had seen all that had happened proclaimed that Jesus was indeed the Son of God. In a most significant understanding of all that is going on here, this confession of faith didn’t come from a Jew, rather it came from a Gentile – a Roman Oppressor, no less.

  6. What Will Be Your Response?

    What is it that these moments of reading through the story of Good Friday meant to you? How will you respond to these scriptures? Living the Jesus life is becoming challenging in today’s culture. More Americans are becoming intolerant of Jesus. First, do you believe like the centurion that Jesus is indeed the Son of God? Second, determine to share the truth about Jesus’ crucifixion, burial, and resurrection with someone this weekend. Especially your family

     

  7. Join me tonight for a Good Friday Worship Gathering at Sugar Hill Church at 7:00 pm.

This is why Friday is so GOOD – Because Jesus took the universe’s worst, most painful, hideous sins on Himself and gave His life to pay the ransom that would and will free us from the power of sin and the power of the grave.

One of my favorite songs that we sing at Sugar Hill Church is “No Longer Slaves.” This 4forGOODFRIDAY is the story told in these short lyrics: “You unravel me with a melody
You surround me with a song, Of deliverance from my enemies, ‘Til all my fears are gone, I’m no longer a slave to fear, I am a child of God.”

Seek Peace on This Good Friday,
AChuck

For all the times and details for this weekend at Sugar Hill Church, Simply Click HERE