COVID-19 (5): Good Friday

COVID-19: Good Friday

Thursday: The Lord’s Supper occurred on Thursday evening, the day before Jesus went to trial and was crucified. Jesus tells his disciples to go and prepare for the Passover meal.

Passage: Matthew 26:26-30 CSB

26 As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take and eat it; this is my body.” 27 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 But I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” 30 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Pray: (Pause 3-5 seconds)

1. The Story of Grace

   1. On Thursday night Jesus was arrested by the high priest, soldiers, and one of his own disciples that betrayed him.

      1. They took him before the Sanhedrin and they mocked him, spit in his face, and physically abused Him. The whole assembly was in an uproar as they made countless false accusations about Jesus, but Jesus kept silent.

      2. At one point in the night they blindfolded Jesus and repeatedly punched him in the face asking “Prophesy! Who was it that hit you!” Their hatred and anger towards Jesus was out of control! Their hunger for status, money, and power led them to fear the Kingdom Jesus spoke of and caused them to unthinkable acts of violence and hatred. The following morning the chief priests and elders conspired to put Jesus to death and they brought him before Pilate.

         2. On Friday He was accused by the priests

      3. In the Sanhedrin, the chief priest, elders, and scribes were accusing Jesus of blasphemy. That He was claiming to be God. But these weren’t the accusations they brought before Pilate. They knew that blasphemy would not result in the death penalty, only charges against Rome would do that.

      4. So they claimed 3 specific lies about Jesus. 1. That he was convincing people to not pay taxes. 2. That he was inciting riots. 3. That he claimed to be king. They were willing to stop at nothing to see Jesus crucified that day!
         3. Then he was rejected by the people

2. 20 The chief priests and the elders, however, persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to execute Jesus. 21 The governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” “Barabbas!” they answered. 22 Pilate asked them, “What should I do then with Jesus, who is called Christ?” They all answered, “Crucify him!” 23 Then he said, “Why? What has he done wrong?” But they kept shouting all the more, “Crucify him!” Matthew 27:20-23

3. Here we see Jesus taking our place, the substitutionary atonement for our sins.
4. Barabbas? A robber, murderer, and thug goes free while the perfect Son of God endures suffering and the cross? As I think of this story I can hear God say “I love Barabbas.” But Jesus, he’s a bad man… “I love Barabbas.”
5. Barabbas thought that it was the people that set him free, but it was LOVE. The love of the Father.

6. Barabbas is a title, not a name

   1. Barabbas is made up of two hebrew words: Bar, which means “Son of” & Abba, which means “the father”. This title means “Son of the father”. If you look at your footnotes, it will show that his name was Jesus… Jesus Barabbas. He is a picture of the depravity of humanity.
   2. So here we have Jesus (Son of an earthly father) and Jesus (Son of God), which will you choose? The crowds shouted “Give us Barabbas!” and when asked about Jesus they shouted “Crucify Him!”
   3. “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” - ‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:8‬

7. In the end he was condemned by Pilate

   1. “26 Then he released Barabbas to them and, after having Jesus flogged, handed him over to be crucified.” - Matthew 27:26
   2. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans 6:23
   3. “No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.” - John 15:13 CSB
   4. Jesus bore death on our behalf. He took the penalty that we deserved, but how many of you here today are grateful that he didn’t stay dead! He may have gone to the cross, and was buried, but on that third day he rose victorious.
   5. Jesus conquered death and sin and He is alive today! And he’s saying “I’ve carried the weight of your sin, I’ve defeated it!, You are free!!!”
   6. “9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.” - Romans 10:9-10

Prayer of Salvation:

Jesus, I acknowledge that I need you

I confess that I have sinned against you

I believe that God raised you from the dead

And right now, by faith, I say “Jesus is Lord”

Thank you for forgiving me

By your grace I am saved

And by your power I am set free

Walking Points: How to partake of the Lord’s Supper

1. Look Back - Remember

   1. In those tough seasons when you don’t feel Jesus is near, in those moments of anxiety and depression, when everyone around you seems to be bailing... remember. Remember Gods faithfulness. Remember His blood. Remember He sticks closer than a brother and He will never leave you or forsake you.
   2. “Do this in remembrance of me…”
   3. We remember, not as one walking around a monument, or one grieving, but as ones that get to thank God who died for us and is alive today! We have fellowship with a risen Savior and we get to experience His presence through faith.

   4. Look Within - Examine

   5. “So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sin against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself; in this way let him eat the bread and drink from the cup.” 1 Corinthians 11:27-28

   6. Paul clearly teaches that a worthy manner is one who examines their heart and motivation before receiving the elements.
   7. It is dangerous to partake of the Lord’s Supper with an unprepared heart or in a careless manner.

   8. Look Around - Unite

   9. “Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, since all of us share the one bread.” 1 Corinthians 10:17

   10. In communion we get to commune with God and other fellow believers. This is a beautiful picture of the body of Christ.

   11. Look Ahead - Proclaim

   12. “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” 1 Corinthians 11:26

   13. Jesus is coming back. “Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him.” Revelation 1:7
   14. The ordinance has been practiced unbroken for two thousands years since Jesus first established it and it will not stop till He comes again in glory!

Closing: A traditional song sung at the Passover meal was Psalms 116-118. I want to read a portion of that Scripture for you today with the reality of what Christ was about to experience and accomplish for you and for me.

Psalms 118:22-29 CSB

The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone.

23 This came from the Lord;

it is wondrous in our sight.

24 This is the day the Lord has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it.

25 Lord, save us!

Lord, please grant us success!

26 He who comes in the name

of the Lord is blessed.

From the house of the Lord we bless you.

27 The Lord is God and has given us light.

Bind the festival sacrifice with cords

to the horns of the altar.

28 You are my God, and I will give you thanks.

You are my God; I will exalt you.

29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

his faithful love endures forever.

“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” 1 Corinthians 11:23-26