As the soldiers 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 childless 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 people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?” Luke 23:26-31.
The moon and stars they wept
The morning sun was dead
The Savior of the world was fallen
His body on the cross
His blood poured out for us
The weight of every curse upon Him
(Lyrics by Kari Jobe)
There is a term “tamid” which means daily sacrifices in the morning and in the afternoon. They were daily sacrifices for atonement, offered to make the community clean and holy before God (McClellan, The Gospel on the Ground). The people were trying to apologize for their sins and tell God they wanted acceptance back into His graces so they brought a morning and an evening sacrifice. We are familiar with the concept that bringing a sacrifice usually means bringing a lamb without blemish. John the Baptist says, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29.
Jesus would become the unblemished lamb given as a sacrifice on the cross. He is the fulfillment of the morning and the afternoon sacrifice. Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice for salvation. So on this Good Friday, remember that at 9:00 a.m. He was crucified.
From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). Matthew 27:45-46.
At 3:00 p.m.:
One final breath He gave
As Heaven looked away
The Son of God was laid in darkness
A battle in the grave
The war on death was waged
The power of hell forever broken
(Lyrics by Kari Jobe)
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. Matthew 27:50-51.
There is darkness in the world. The act of the crucifixion shows the love that God has for us. It is a time to be thankful and reflective. It is a time to address the past and leave it at the altar. It is the time to leave old hurts, wounds, and people behind. It is the time to change the perspective and change the narrative. It is time to leave behind unfulfilled promises and unrealistic expectations that will never come to fruition. It is a time to recognize a love filled with sacrifice and death to offer us salvation and hope. As we grieve Good Friday and walk into Silent Saturday, Remember “The shout on Easter without the pain of the Crucifixion is empty!” (Pastor Howard John Wesley) It is finished!
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