Sermon - Good Friday - Lessons From the Cross - Littleby Baptist and Bethel Presbyterian - April 19, 2019

We are here this evening to celebrate a time when God’s power and sacrifice changed everything for us. A time that brought forgiveness, restoration, and new life.

John 19:16-19

“¹⁶ Then he handed him over to be crucified. Then they took Jesus away. ¹⁷ Carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called Place of the Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. ¹⁸ There they crucified him and two others with him, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle. ¹⁹ Pilate also had a sign made and put on the cross. It said: Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”

Our King was nailed to a cross. While hanging on the cross Jesus continues to teach us.

Luke 23:34

“Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided his clothes and cast lots.”

Jesus was in agonizing pain form having His hands and feet pierced with giant nails. The pain of holding Himself up by those nails was excruciating. He would have been struggling to catch a breath, and Jesus took the time forgive them.

Jesus was asking for the Father to forgive the soldiers who hung Him on the cross. He was asking God to forgive Pilate for the role he played in these events. He was asking for forgiveness for those who shouted Hosanna a few days ago but were shouting Crucify Him at the trial. He was even asking for forgiveness for the religious leaders who had been plotting to do this for some time.

In Matthew 5, Jesus tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Now as He is hanging on the cross, He is showing us that we need to forgive them.

Everything Jesus did led back to His message of Loving God and Loving Others. If we are loving others, even those who have hurt us, we should love them, pray for them, and forgive them.

Jesus freely forgave all who had hurt Him, He offers forgiveness to each one of us through His actions, and as His followers we need to offer it to everyone who wrongs us.

What else did Jesus teach us while on the cross?

Luke 23:39-43

“³⁹ Then one of the criminals hanging there began to yell insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” ⁴⁰ But the other answered, rebuking him: “Don’t you even fear God, since you are undergoing the same punishment? ⁴¹ We are punished justly, because we’re getting back what we deserve for the things we did, but this man has done nothing wrong.” ⁴² Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” ⁴³ And he said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.””

Jesus continues to show us that we are called to Love Others as He shows mercy to one of the least of these.

In Matthew 25 Jesus teaches about how He will sort people in two groups, those that have served Him and those who have not.

Matthew 25:34-40

“³⁴ Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵ “‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me.’ ³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and take you in, or without clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick, or in prison, and visit you?’ ⁴⁰ “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”

It does not matter who they are, what they have done, as Followers of Christ we are to show compassion to all. We may be busy, we may have our own struggles, we may be in pain, but that cannot stop us. Jesus was in agonizing pain dying on the cross and He showed compassion.

As we Love Others, we are to show compassion to the least of these.

John 3:16

“For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

Jesus came to this earth, lived a sinless life, and died on that cross for everyone. His wish is that none would perish and that all would come to saving faith. His actions were driven by His compassion, His Love for Others.  

At one point in our lives, every one of us has been ‘a least of these’. We may not have been hungry, thirsty, in need clothing, sick or in prison… but every one of us have had a time where we needed love and compassion.  

Our Lord and Savior showed compassion at arguably the worst time of His life; we need to show compassion regardless of our struggles. We need to simply Love Others.

John 19:30

“When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.”

The work of the cross was finished! Jesus was confident that He endured what was need. He was confident that His blood had paid for all of our sin. The price had been paid, so Jesus gave up His spirit.

In His final hours, Jesus taught us to forgive those who have hurt us and to have compassion for anyone and everyone. He showed us that our battles, our struggles, our pain, our busyness, our circumstances cannot stop us from doing what He had taught us.

If you are a follower of Christ, I implore you to be forgiving and compassionate, regardless of what is going on in your life. If you do not know Jesus this evening, there is only one way to an eternity in Glory and that is through repenting of your sins and faith in Jesus Christ our Messiah.

John 14:6

“Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

There is only one way and that is through Jesus’ sacrifice. If you are not sure if Jesus is your Savior, I invite you to come forward during our final song and one of us would love to pray with you.


God Bless,

Robert