IT
SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME
Good
Friday occupies a pivotal place in human history. It is ironic indeed that we call that dreadful
day “GOOD” Friday…those dismal hours when Jesus vicariously agonized, hemorrhaged,
hung, and died, willingly bearing the curse of our sins on an executioner’s
cross. On Calvary, Jesus Christ acted as
our plenipotentiary. As ‘completely man,’ he lived a life of
sinless perfection and overcame the power, practice and penalty of sin via his
total reliance on The Father. As ‘completely God,’ he was fully invested
with divine authority to transact reconciliation and salvation business on our
behalf. He, who knew no sin, became sin
in our stead, thereby serving as the propitiation
for all our transgressions. “Herein is
love,” declared John, “not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent
his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (I John 4:10) Dictionary.com defines “propitiation” as “appeasement”
or “conciliation” or “atonement.” The
justice of Almighty God was mediated effectively through the life and death of
Christ, and the blood of The Lamb was applied generously to purify and propel
us to a right relationship with The Father.
Let’s
face one harsh fact together; let’s look it squarely in the face. Jesus
did not deserve condemnation,
conviction, or death; we did. Rebellious humankind had turned away from the
Creator, thus becoming eminently qualified for every proscriptive and penalty of
sin. According to the Word, “the wages
of sin is death…but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our
Lord.” (Romans 6:23) So Jesus’ death was
a supreme act of divine favor, the ultimate sacrifice for undeserving men and
women. The Apostle Paul summed it up clearly:
“For (God) hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be
made the righteousness of God in him.” (II Corinthians 5:21) Andre Crouch penned a powerful composition
decades ago: “I don’t know why he loved me.
I don’t know why he cared. I don’t
know why he sacrificed his life; oh, but I’m glad, so glad he did.” Hallelujah!
What a Savior!
Travel
with me to briefly revisit the fateful events of that day. Arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was
delivered to Caiaphas, the high priest.
False witnesses testified against him.
Bystanders spit on him, mocked him and smacked him forcefully with the palms
of their hands. Judas betrayed him;
Peter denied him three times; and the rest of the disciples fled for their
lives. It was a dark and solitary hour
for Jesus.
Having
no authority to put him to death for his alleged crimes, the high priests bound
and delivered him to Governor Pilate. Finding
no fault in him, Pilate dispatched him to King Herod because, as a Galilean,
Jesus was under his legal jurisdiction.
Herod longed to see Jesus and to witness his miracles. However, Jesus refused to respond to his
questions or to concede to his requests.
Herod allowed his soldiers to mock Jesus and returned him to Pilate. The governor seemed to desire his release, partially
because of his wife’s dream, but he relied on the crowd to decide between exonerating
Jesus or a criminal against the state, Barabbas. Because of the chief priests’ influence with
the crowd, Barabbas won the day. Pilate
symbolically washed his hands of the blood of Jesus.
Matthew 27:22-26
22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus
which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.
23 And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the
more, saying, Let him be crucified.
24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult
was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I
am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.
25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our
children.
26 Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he
delivered him to be crucified.
The Roman soldiers stripped Jesus
and lashed him viciously with a whip containing metal and bone fragments, which
literally tore the flesh from his back and bones. They robed him in scarlet and placed a crown
of thorns (traditionally 72) on his head and a reed in his right hand. Then they bowed their knees and ridiculed
him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” Jesus was
compelled to carry his own cross up the narrow Via Dolorosa. On Golgotha, they nailed him to the cross and
crucified him.
Matthew 27:33-43
33 And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a
place of a skull,
34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted
thereof, he would not drink.
35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it
might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments
among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.
36 And sitting down they watched him there;
37 And set up over his head his accusation written, This Is Jesus The King Of The Jews.
38 Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and
another on the left.
39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,
40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three
days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.
41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders,
said,
42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let
him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.
43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he
said, I am the Son of God.
