May God richly bless you this Good Friday. Im grateful to my dear friend Pastor Jegede Sunday for these thoughts.
‘Good’ Friday? Why Good? Surely it’s a day of great sadness when we remember that Jesus was brutally killed, innocent though He was?
Brutal though it certainly was and so unjust in its execution yet the suffering and death of Jesus Christ on the cross was no accident; it was premeditated or foreordained by God Himself. Jesus was the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world but revealed to us and offered on the cross at the fullness of time to bear and take away our sins and all the wages of our sins (Rev. 13:8). Herein is the Good News….that Jesus died in our place and herein is the reason for calling it Good Friday!
When John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him, he proclaimed, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29 NKJV).
Jesus’ death on the cross was the hidden wisdom of God ordained before the ages to restore the fallen man to glory, “which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” (1 Cor. 2:8 NKJV). Hallelujah!
Before the Lord Jesus yielded up His spirit on the cross, He boldly and loudly declared, “IT IS FINISHED!”
John writes, “So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.” (John 19:30 NKJV).
Jesus’ last words on the cross have profound spiritual meanings and implications!
What did Jesus really finish?
It is wisdom to find out!
First, by His death on the cross the Lord Jesus has perfectly finished, fulfilled, or accomplished God’s eternal plan and promise of reconciliation and redemption.
God’s plan to reconcile the sinful and estranged men to Himself and to restore the fallen men to glory demanded or necessitated the offering of a perfect sacrifice as a propitiation or atonement for the sins of the whole world, so that the demand of God’s justice to punish sinners might be fully satisfied (Rom. 6:23).
The righteousness and justice of God to punish us for our sins was perfectly, fully, and eternally satisfied by Jesus’ death on the cross (1 John 2:4). Consequently, the hostility or enmity between God and man has been totally abolished. The sinful men now have peace with the holy God through the death of Jesus.
Paul testifies, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom. 5:1 NKJV).
“For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” (Romans 5:10-11 NKJV)
That is why the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom after Jesus had proclaimed, “It is finished!”
Our sins can no longer keep us away from God. Christ has opened for us the way to enter the Holiest, the presence of the holy God, with boldness.
Paul writes, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Eph. 2:13 NKJV).
As a born-again believer in Christ, the legal right, ground or license that the devil has to harass, oppress, possess, torment or afflict you has been perfectly and permanently revoked or annulled by Christ’s death on the cross.
“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh.” (Heb. 10:19-20 NKJV).
Salvation is now available to all mankind as a gracious gift from God. All that it takes to receive the free gift of everlasting life is faith in Jesus Christ, the Mediator between the holy God and sinful men (1 Tim. 2:5).
Second, by offering Himself as an atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world the Lord Jesus has finished, fulfilled, or brought to consummation the sacrificial system of worship of the Old Covenant.
Christ’s death on the cross implies a total completion and abolition of all the Jewish sacrifices, laws and rituals. Christ’s death on the cross was a perfect antitype of all the various types of sacrifices that were offered by the Jews under the Old Covenant.
The sacrifice of Christ on the cross was the perfect and ultimate propitiation or atonement for the sins of the whole world. All the burnt offerings and sacrifices for sins under the Old Covenant were mere types and shadows pointing towards Christ’s ultimate sacrifice of Himself for our sins on the cross.
In those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.” (Heb. 10:3-4 NKJV).
Therefore, the priests had to stand ministering daily, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices which can never take away sins. But, Jesus Christ by one offering has completely purified and perfected us forever (Heb. 10:11-14). Hallelujah!
God expects and receives no more sacrifices or offerings for sins from anyone. It is therefore foolishness and rebellion against God for anyone to seek to appease God with any animal or human sacrifices. No need for any more sacrifices for sins. Jesus said, “It is finished!”
Forgiveness of sins is now available to all men through the blood of Christ. All that it takes to receive forgiveness is faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work.
Paul writes, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” (Eph. 1:7 NKJV). Hallelujah!
Third, through His death on the cross the Lord Jesus has completely broken, overthrown, and abolished the dominion of Sin and Satan over mankind.
Sin has been judged and condemned in the flesh of Jesus Christ. Therefore, sin has no more right or power to rule, dominate and control anyone who is in Christ.
Paul testifies, “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” (Rom. 6:14 NKJV).
“For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Rom. 8:3-4 NKJV).
Likewise, by His death on the cross the Lord Jesus has completely destroyed all the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). All sicknesses, diseases, or infirmities were judged in the body of Christ on the cross.
Peter testifies that Jesus “Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness–by whose stripes you were healed.” (1 Pet. 2:24 NKJV).
Matthew also testifies, “He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.” (Matt. 8:17 NKJV).
Every curse of the law on mankind for breaking God’s law was abolished through Christ’s death on the cross.
Paul affirms, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”). (Gal. 3:13NKJV).
Christ’s death on the cross has unleashed God’s blessings on mankind. Hallelujah!
As a born-again believer in Christ, the legal right, ground or license that the devil has to harass, oppress, possess, torment or afflict you has been perfectly and permanently revoked or annulled by Christ’s death on the cross.
The Scripture testifies, “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” (Heb. 2:14-15 NKJV).
Therefore, the devil will flee when you resist him, for he has no more power or dominion over you (Heb. 2:14). This is why the Scripture admonishes, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (Jam. 4:7 NKJV). Hallelujah!
Moreover, the power of death over your life has been totally shattered by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. You are free from the bondage of fear of death!
As a born-again believer you have no cause to be afraid of death because the Lord Jesus has defeated death for you through His death and triumphant resurrection from the dead.
Jesus said, “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.” (Rev. 1:18 NKJV).
That is the reason why when Jesus said, ‘It is finished!’ and yielded His spirit, “the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised.” (Matt. 27:51-52). Hallelujah!
Beloved, when Jesus said, “It is finished!” He is saying to you that He has “wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” (Col. 2:14-15 NKJV).
All the wages, verdicts or judgements stipulated by the law against you for breaking God’s law have been wiped out by the blood of Christ shed for your sins on the cross.
The devil has nothing He can use against you anymore! Hallelujah!
Therefore, it is not your sins that are keeping you away from God and from enjoying God’s blessings, but the deception of the devil, your ignorance or unbelief in Jesus Christ and His finished work.
Sin is no longer a barrier between God and men, for Christ through His death on the cross has abolished sin and the hostility it created between God and men. Christ paid in full for the forgiveness of our sins – past, present and future. Hallelujah!
1 John 2
1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. (NKJV).
Prayer:
My Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You for Christ’s finished work of redemption. I declare today that the reign and dominion of Sin, Sickness and Satan is finished over my life and family through Christ’s death on the cross. I refuse to permit them to reign any longer over my life and family, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
