Mark 15:27-28 And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And he was numbered amongst the transgressors.
Wow! What a day that first Good Friday must have been. The biggest lie ever perpetrated; Jesus a sinner. Deceit and politicking at its very best, between the Jewish elite and Pilate, the Roman governor. Criminals set free, the innocent crucified. Why do we call it Good Friday then, when so much wrong was committed? Because it was on that day the greatest gift ever, was given to mankind: Jesus, the Son of God, died for our sins on a cross in Golgotha, a rocky hillside, aptly named, place of the skull, bringing the unique and exceptional gift of everlasting salvation to God’s children. The Lord must have been tired of the plethora of transgressions and all the individuals trying to sacrifice and atone for them and decided to end it once and for all. However, to put His plan into action, He needed a scapegoat that was pure and sinless. Sadly, the only person who qualified was His one and only Son, Jesus. Imagine the Lord’s heartache nuh, to sacrifice His only son for our greedy, selfish sins. Just more proof of His great LOVE for us. Not many of us would sacrifice our only son for some ungrateful people. Even the night before, in the garden of Gethsemane, when Jesus prayed with a heavy heart, that He be spared the ordeal, the Lord steeled His heart and refused. They both knew that they had to see the plan through, that’s why Jesus ended the prayer with, ‘nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.’ Matt.26: 39. And later on, after Judas’ betrayal, when the soldiers came to arrest Him, He told His disciples not to resist, because the scripture had to be fulfilled. And like lots of scripture was fulfilled that day: Isaiah 53, talks about Jesus’ basic demise. ‘But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. Vs.5. While the last part of Verse 12 authenticates Today’s Bit; ‘because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors, and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.’ John 19:24 talks about them casting lots for Jesus’ clothes to fulfill a scripture from Psalm 22:18: ‘They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.’ John 19:28-29 notes that when Jesus realized that everything was set to fulfill the scriptures, He cried out for thirst, and they gave Him vinegar to drink, after which He died. That was foretold in Psalm 69:21: ‘They gave me also gall for my meat: and in my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink.’ And there’s more. John 19:36 mentions, ‘A bone of him shall not be broken,’ which refers to Psalm 34:20. ‘He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.’ While Verse 37 adds, ‘they shall look on him whom they pierced.’ A prophecy of Zechariah 12:10. ‘…and they shall look upon me, whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him; as one that is in bitterness for his first born. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem…’ Yes Friends, there was great mourning in Jerusalem that first Good Friday, truly an extraordinary day. The Lord had spent a long time setting it up. We know He likes elaborate productions that pose mind-bending puzzles and with the darkness from noon to three o’clock, the earthquake and the rending of the temple’s veil and everybody playing their part admirably, it was certainly a momentous occasion. Possibly the most momentous in the annals of man, after the Creation, since it provided man with a second chance, to be born again through the Saviour, sin free. So even though it was a day filled with grief and sadness, the outcome was wonderful and miraculous. That’s just God’s way to bring joy from sadness. And we should show our thanks and appreciation by living for Jesus and continually praising Him for His awe inspiring, selfless sacrifice that brought us out of deathly darkness into ever living light. Much LOVE…when trivial complaints we seek to mutter…let’s first consider Jesus’ sacrifice…before those trivial complaints we utter…
SCRIP-BITS 