Good Friday

Good Morning,

Luke 23:26-43 (NIV)
As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, 'Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!' Then " 'they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!" ' For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"
Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One."
The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself."
There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

It is a day of reflection, I think. We need to simply meditate on what the crucifixion of Jesus means to us...as individuals, not as a "community" of believers. Today is a day that we should remember what He said to the "good thief" who was there with Him and realized exactly Who Jesus was. Jesus made Him a promise, a promise to a dying man and by a dying man (for they both knew their fate that day)..."I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." That same promise comes from the lips of Jesus to you and I and to everyone who believes on the name of Jesus as Lord and Savior in a personal way.

THIS, my friends, is what we should have our minds on this day: "While we still were sinners Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:8)

Let's do as we should today and sit a while quietly in reflection of Who Jesus is to us (personally and individually) and also of what He did for us on that day (His suffering and death for the sin of the world).

Love, peace, and blessings,

David