The Overwhelming Importance of Good Friday in the Christian Faith!

18 Apr 2025 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Isaiah 53:6.       All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Then it was Friday…not our regular Friday, but Good Friday; the saddest day in the world, but one with glorious undertones. For Jesus sacrificed Himself on the cross of Calvary on Good Friday to pay for our sins, so that we could be set free from the bondage of sin, when He gloriously arose on Easter Sunday. So, as we’re wont to say, there can’t be an amazing resurrection on Easter Sunday without the pain and tears and death of a Good Friday! 

And we all know about the actual torture, abuse and suffering that Christ went through on Good Friday from the Gospels, so we won’t go into that, instead, let’s contemplate the prophecy of Isaiah on the topic, several hundred years earlier, which tells it all so clearly but succinctly. Having called the Servant of the Lord (Jesus) a man of sorrows or severe pain, Isaiah goes on to say: ‘But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised (pierced through) for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed.’ (Is. 53:5) 

Now, that simple sentence encompasses a lot of what happened to Jesus on that long ago Good Friday. And the gospels do tell of the severity of Christ’s suffering; both emotionally and physically. We see the former in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before the crucifixion, where He shares His problem with the disciples. ‘My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here (stay here), and watch with me.’ (Matt. 26:38) 

And three times He went forward by Himself and prayed for the Father to remove the calamity, saying: ‘O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.’ (Matt. 26:39) But three times, He received the same answer; silence. But deep down Jesus knew that this was the major purpose for which He was born, but His human side was feeling the pressure. And according to Luke, He was so agonized that the sweat falling from His brow, resembled drops of blood. Luke also says that during His prayer time, an angel came from heaven and strengthened Him. (Luke 22:43-44) 

And we know of the immense physical suffering, from the scourging, the crown of thorns, the javelin in His side, the nails in His hands and feet…all of that just fulfills the words of Isaiah; ‘wounded for our transgressions (sins), bruised (pierced through) for our iniquities (moral evils), the chastisement (discipline) of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed.’ Yes friends, Jesus paid the terribly high price for the absolution of our sins with the sacrifice of His sinless life, and by the very wounds that were inflicted on His sinless body, those are the very ones by which we are today spiritually healed and forgiven. 

And why were the sins of the whole world placed on Jesus’ sinless shoulders? Isaiah tells us: ‘All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.’ (Is. 53:6) And if we are truthful, we will acknowledge the desperate condition of mankind back then, where we were so lost and suffering without a Sheperd to guide us. However, the Father, in His great LOVE for us, sent the Son, the only sinless one to die in our place, to take our sins on His shoulders and give us His righteousness. 

But yuh know what? Today we’re even more lawless and sinful than ever! Satan and his evil cronies are ruling the roost, and it seems that Jesus is running a far second. That’s not right my people. Not after all that Jesus suffered for us. Hear Isaiah tell it nuh. ‘He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought (was led) like a lamb to the slaughter, and as sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.’ (Is. 53:7) And that is exactly how Jesus played the scene! He didn’t complain, nor get angry and fight back, just went willingly with very few words to His sacrificial death, which was His destiny. 

And Isaiah continues: ‘He was taken from prison (out of oppression) and from judgement (justice): and who shall declare his generation (consider it among His generation)? For he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit (guile) in his mouth.’ (Is. 53:8-9) Oh my people, you can find all that prophecy fulfilled in the New Testament, with the same words being used all through it. 

And the scholars offer these explanations on those last two verses. ‘He was taken from prison and from judgement (justice) refers to the illegitimate trials to which Jesus was subjected. Who shall declare reads better “who has considered.” His generation refers to His potential life. The verb was cut off refers here to a violent death. The reference to the Servant making his grave with the wicked was certainly fulfilled in Christ’s crucifixion between two thieves. (Matt. 27:38) The additional phrase and with the rich in his death refers to Jesus’ burial in the tomb of the wealthy Joseph of Arimathea. (Matt. 27:57).’ 

And my fellow saints, having read all of that, and possibly having joined others in worship earlier on, I do hope that today, this Good Friday of 2025, will be a watershed day in our lives; one that marks a significant turning point, where all the suffering of Jesus has this profound effect on us and causes us to improve our sinful and disobedient ways, for that’s the only way our currently evil and ungodly world will ever become more obedient and godly! Much LOVE!

…if Jesus’ suffering on our behalf…doesn’t break our hearts and incline us to His way of life…then we have no hearts…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

Today’s Scrip-Bit   14 June 2023 Matthew 25:40a.

14 Jun 2023 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Matthew 25:40a.        …inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

And we’ve progressed to Wednesday, the middle day of our work week, when we get our second wind for the last part of the five labouring days. (smile) I guess it’s like the race cars going like crazy around the oval, who pull into the pits every so often to refuel, change tires and fix whatever else may be wrong, then head back out to the track with a burst of speed to join the fray once again. Yes my faithful brethren, that’s how we ought to be; getting refueled, recharged in our spirits, then getting back into the fray to help lost souls come to Christ to receive His saving grace, salvation and eternal life. 

Oh, what a wonderful assignment for a wonderful Saviour! Ah friends, we couldn’t have a better guide, leader and employer. He came to earth and died for us, thus paying for our sins and saving us from eternity with Satan in Hades, then went back to heaven where He currently advocates for us, meanwhile giving us His Holy Spirit to help and comfort us, to enable us to do what He desires of us, then when our days on this earth are over, the unimaginable joy of spending eternity with Him in heaven! How could it get any better than that eh? It certainly could not! 

The problem though is that some of us want the benefits without lifting a finger to do the work necessary. But do you think Christ wanted to go to the cross and die that shameful death? No way Jose! Yuh see how the night before His crucifixion, in the Garden of Gethsemane He begged the Father three times about not having to go through it. He was so anxious about the whole situation that He even sweated what seemed to be blood. But the Father’s answer was a silent No! Although He did send an angel from heaven to comfort and strengthen Him (Luke 22:39-46) 

Eventually Jesus got the message that there was no other way to save the souls of us sinners, and it shows up in His fateful words: ‘Not my will, but thine, be done.’ Yes, my fellow believers, Jesus didn’t relish the thought of going to the cross, but He did it because the Father asked Him to, and He LOVED both us and Father enough to give His sinless life to save our sinful ones. And I hate to bring this up because every time I think about the ‘sufferation’ Jesus endured for our ungrateful sakes, it makes me feel sick inside. 

Can you imagine the lashes of that maniacal whip slashing across His back, creating untold and irreparable scars; the crown of thorns pressed down on His holy and sinless head; the spitting and jeering that He was forced to undergo, then carrying that heavy wooden cross through the streets of Jerusalem to Calvary? It’s a good thing the Father saw His sorry state and sent Simon the Cyrene to help carry His cross and give Him a much needed break. And do you think the nails fiendishly pounded into His hands and feet or the gaping javelin wound in His side were a pretty sight and fun to bear. 

And just imagine the shame of being nailed up on that cross, between two thieves, totally naked for all to see and jeer, then the added insult of casting lots for his garments, while poor Mary His mother stood there her heart just breaking into fine particles, knowing that that was His destiny, but still wishing that her first born son would not have to undergo such agony for people who couldn’t care less about Him. And now, we want to go to heaven but don’t want to live the godly life it calls for and help others to come to Him for salvation. 

Chuh man! What a bunch of ungodly ingrates we are! And we have the gall to be ashamed of Jesus! But look at how He handled all the ‘sufferation’ and shame. The author of Hebrews tells us: ‘Looking unto Jesus the author (originator) and finisher (perfector) of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction (hostility) of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint (become discouraged) in your minds (souls).’ (Heb. 12:2-3) 

Now that’s how Jesus handled all the sad and disgraceful stuff He went through, because of the joy of sitting at the Father’s right hand that would come afterwards. Now why can’t we do likewise and put up with some difficulties when we are guaranteed the joy of heaven for eternity eh? Because we’re so full of heifer dust! We talk a good talk but lack the parts to walk that talk. But we want to go to heaven! Hn! Yuh think the Lord lets any and anybody into heaven? 

Remember what Jesus said about separating the sheep from the goats? Many of us who think we’re going to heaven will be sadly disappointed because we didn’t do the things that Jesus considers worthy of heaven, like sincerely helping others and not being ashamed of Him and spreading His word sincerely, etc. etc. As He said: ‘When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 

Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred (hungry), and ye gave me meat (food): I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee and hungred (hungry), and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then he shall say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.’ (Matt. 25:31-41) Yes friends, that’s what’s going to happen. And those on the left hand shall ask the same questions as the righteous did, but get the unfortunate reply: ‘Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into eternal life.’ (Matt. 25:45-46) 

Now I think it’s important that we should hear the scholars take on the subject. They say: ‘The judgement of the nations concludes our Lord’s prophetic discourse. This judgement of all nations must be distinguished from the Great White Throne judgement at the end of the Millenium. The nations are those peoples living through the Great Tribulation on earth at the time of Christ’s return. This is a judgement of separation: sheep on his right – goats on the left. At this judgement all nations (better, “all Gentiles”) stand before Christ who then separates the sheep (the saved) from the goats (the lost) in a manner reminiscent of the wheat and tares parable. 

Note that these are living nations, whereas the Great White Throne judgement is one of the wicked dead whose bodies are resurrected to face the final judgement of the lost. Thus the saved are invited to come into and share the blessings of His kingdom. Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom. The basis of their acceptance seems to be their treatment of the least of these my brethren, the saved of the Great Tribulation.’ 

Yes friends, it’s heavy and plentiful, but it’s time we begin eating some meat and potatoes of the scriptures rather than simply drinking milk all the time. We cannot grow unless we get down to the nitty gritty of the word. And it takes time and energy to do that. So if we want to grow in the word, then we need to spend the necessary time and energy it calls for. Now let’s go home letting the world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus, as we declare (yesss!!!) our Wednesday Wail. 

In full voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And just to remind us that if we endure right down to the end with Jesus, that that future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine. Much LOVE!

…obedience and humility…that’s what Jesus is seeking from His followers… 

P.S. Brother is it ever long, and I completely forgot about continuing where we left off yesterday talking about money. I only remembered it halfway through this discourse. But don’t worry, there are methods to mine and God’s madness. (smile) Much LOVE! 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ