04/18/2025
A Word of Hope for Good Friday
Thank you for joining the Molding Christian family for this Good Friday message. It is my desire that someone finds this a blessing and is caught up in the powerful love that Jesus has shown for God’s creation.
My friends, as Jesus was hanging upon the cross, we as humanity was on His mind for, we needed reconciliation with God. During this moment, Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." This is Luke’s account found in the Twenty-third chapter and thirty-fourth verse of his account of the Gospel. Within Luke’s account of the Gospel we find these words located in the Twenty-third chapter and forty-third verse, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise." These words were and still are a promise to those who have accepted Jesus. A powerful example has been made of God’s love as this was said to the believing thief that was upon the cross.
In John 19:26-27 we find these words,’ When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her,’ "Woman, here is your son and here is your mother." The moment that Jesus looked at his mother and the disciple with whom He was very close. These words were spoken, and the disciple would then take Mary into his home. Just as Jesus made provisions for His mother while upon the cross, the same was done for us as well.
Mark 15:34 brings us to our fourth saying,” And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" (which means "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"). Many times, we may feel forsaken in life, but the Lord has promised that He would do no such thing. John 19:28 tells us, “Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." Sour wine was then sponged upon His lips as it was lifted by a stalk of hyssop. John’s account of this powerful moment continues as he writes in the 30th verse of this 19th chapter, “It is finished.” These words were spoken to signify there was no longer a need for sacrificial offerings as He had become the ultimate sacrifice and totally fulfilled what man’s sacrifice in the temple was to foreshow. Our final saying of Jesus we will look at comes from Luke 23:46, “Father into your hands I commit my spirit.” These words of Christ solidified the plan which He had been sent to fulfill for God. With a grateful heart we give thanks to the Father for His forgiveness and love toward humanity. May we grow by His grace and redemptive powers. In Christ Name, -Amen.
