A WORD FROM PASTOR MIKE - Good Friday...What Does This Mean?

"But he was wounded for our transgressions.  He was crushed for our iniquities.  Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace and with his stripes we are healed.  And we, like sheep, have gone astray.  We have turned everyone to his own way and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."  Isaiah 53:5-6

What is so "good" about Good Friday?  Jesus is unjustly tried and convicted, tortured, put to death on a cross.  It's a bleak story, a dark story.  It's definitely not a "good" Friday for Jesus.

Actually, it hasn't always been called Good Friday.  In some places Good Friday is called Black Friday.  In fact, that is the color in the church year calendar for Good Friday.  But now, in our culture, Black Friday has become the big shopping day after Thanksgiving.

Sorrowful Friday was another name for this day.  This emphasized our "great sorrow" over Jesus' death for us.

God's Friday  was another term used.  God is doing His work repairing the damage of sin.  Jesus became the one sacrifice for all time.  Some scholars believe that God's Friday was then transformed into Good Friday

What does Christ's death mean for us?  The suffering and death of Jesus, as terrible as it was, marked the dramatic culmination of God's plan to save people from their sins, which is good, at least for us... not so good for Jesus.

Human beings are God's good creation but we are also sinful.  We need to own both parts of this.  We are saints because of God's righteousness in us and we are sinners at the same time.

Sometimes we like to put a good spin on this. One boy came home from school before Christmas and told his Mom that he had good news and bad news.  The bad news was the he goofed around a lot and didn't work very hard, resulting in poor grades on his report card.  The good news was that he still got to be one of the 3 wise men in the Christmas Program!.

Even though we like to put a good spin on our sinful human nature, the Apostle Paul doesn't sugar coat our situation.  In the book of Romans he writes, "None is righteous, no not one.  No one understands.  No one seeks for God.  No one does good, not even one.  All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

The bad news is that God despises sin because sin causes pain.  We are sinful; we cause pain through our words and deeds.  The wrath of God comes against sin and wants to destroy it.

The good news is God is love.  God loves His creation.  God loves us in spite of our sin so He sent Jesus to take care of the sin problem, once and for all time.

I don't know if you've ever thought about the cross this way before, but it's the place where God's justice and God's love meets.

What kind of God would He be if he didn't care about sin and injustice?  What kind of a God would he be if he didn't love us?  "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."

God took care of the sin problem for us.  Martin Luther calls it "The Happy Exchange".  Christ takes the sins of the world on himself - our sins.  And then, he gives us His robe of righteousness to cover up our sinfulness.  So that when God looks at us, he doesn't see our sins. He sees us clothed in Christ's righteousness.  He sees us as part of His good creation, no longer slaves to sin but part of His Family.

Why did Jesus die for us?  Jesus endured the cross, knowing that it led to our redemption through his innocent suffering and death.  He bought us back from sin and set us free from both sin and death.

Now the future is opened for us.  Now we have new life, new beginnings every day because of Him.

So, Good Friday is good for us.  We are free.  Our sin debt is cancelled by the love of Jesus.

In John 15 Jesus speaks to His followers, "This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."

Jesus laid down his life for his followers, for the whole world, for you and me... that we might be free from sin.  What wonderous love is this?!  And so... What does Good Friday mean?  It was a bad day for Jesus but good for us.
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Still Her Little Child

Still Her Little Child

Our Worship Team sang this song last night at Good Friday Service. Our director told us to really think about the words we were singing. I don't think I was the only one who was crying! The last verses are just so potent. It seemed like a good song for you all to hear on this Saturday before Easter. 

The Death of Jesus the Jew

I once had a Jewish friend who told me that when she was a little girl, other children said mean things to her and told her she killed Jesus.    Oops... I just realized I wrote about this before. Every year, around the time of Good Friday, I find myself thinking about my friend, Laurie. Click here to read more about that.

Jesus was Jewish! Over and over in the Bible God lets us know that he loved the Jewish People. Why am I saying this now? Because I want to talk about Good Friday. Although I don't understand it, I know that throughout history others have used the event to fuel hatred toward Jews. Did they forget that Jesus was a Jew? Did they forget that Jews held a special place in God's heart? Did they already forget Jesus' teaching from the night before his death, his command to love one another? OK... I said my piece. Now, let's talk about Good Friday.

First of all, have you ever wondered why it is called Good Friday when it is all about bad things happening? Well, while the events of that night were not good, the results were purely good.  First Peter 3:18 says, "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit." Jesus was the only one born human who was without sin. He was the only one righteous. He died for all of us who are unrighteous.  None of us are pure. We would pollute heaven so could not enter, except that Jesus purified us, put our sins to death with his own body. 

It  is a hard story to read and an even harder one to watch. I was searching the internet for clips to show you when I found this one. I had never heard the song with it, written from the point of view of one of the criminals put to death with Jesus. I really appreciated it, though, and hope you do as well.

When we have our Good Friday Service it will be a somber event. The songs will be somber, the tone will be somber. We will be remembering Jesus' pain, his suffering, his sacrifice. We will leave quietly. That's what I want to do now. I will leave you to quietly read the account as written in the Bible.

John 18-19:30

Bible - New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Arrested

18 When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it.

² Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples.³ So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.
⁴ Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”
⁵ “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.
“I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) ⁶ When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
⁷ Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?”
“Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.
⁸ Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” ⁹ This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.”^[a]
10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)
¹¹ Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”
¹² Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him ¹³ and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. ¹⁴ Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jewish leaders that it would be good if one man died for the people.

Peter’s First Denial

¹⁵ Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, ¹⁶ but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in.
¹⁷ “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter.
He replied, “I am not.”
¹⁸ It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.

The High Priest Questions Jesus

¹⁹ Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.
²⁰ “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. ²¹ Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”
²² When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby slapped him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.
²³ “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” ²⁴ Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Peter’s Second and Third Denials

²⁵ Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?”
He denied it, saying, “I am not.”
²⁶ One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” ²⁷ Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.

Jesus Before Pilate

²⁸ Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. ²⁹ So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”
³⁰ “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”
³¹ Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”
“But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. ³² This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die.
³³ Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
³⁴ “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”
³⁵ “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”
³⁶ Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
³⁷ “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
³⁸ “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. ³⁹ But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”
⁴⁰ They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.

Jesus Sentenced to Be Crucified

19 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. ² The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe ³ and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face.

⁴ Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” ⁵ When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”
⁶ As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”
But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”
⁷ The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.”
⁸ When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, ⁹ and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. ¹⁰ “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”
¹¹ Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”
¹² From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”
¹³ When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). ¹⁴ It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon.
“Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews.
¹⁵ But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”
“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.
“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.
¹⁶ Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.

The Crucifixion of Jesus

So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. ¹⁷ Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull(which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). ¹⁸ There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.
¹⁹ Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: jesus of nazareth, the king of the jews.²⁰ Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. ²¹ The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”
²² Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
²³ When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.
²⁴ “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”
This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said,

“They divided my clothes among them
    and cast lots for my garment.”^[b]

So this is what the soldiers did.

²⁵ Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. ²⁶ When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman,^[c] here is your son,” ²⁷ and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

The Death of Jesus

²⁸ Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled,Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” ²⁹ A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. ³⁰ When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

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A Word From Pastor Mike... Life is Christmas, Good Friday and Easter

Not long ago the phone call came.  We were prepared.  We knew it was coming.  It was the news that our friend, Claude, had died.

Mike had pretty much known Claude his entire life.  They'd gone to school together for 12 years.  They'd been kicked out of confirmation together.  I didn't meet Claude until I moved to Turner, MT when I was 15.  At that point in his life, Claude was all about fun and friends.  I don't think anyone was ever bored when Claude was around!  Claude also had a sweet and kind side.  He seemed to notice people that others may have overlooked.

About the time Mike & I were planning our wedding, Claude got sick.  In fact, he was to be a part of our wedding but was too ill to attend.  We didn't then know that Claude would never again be well.  He'd have times of better health, but his illness was just the beginning of a long list of trials for Claude to endure.  Somehow, though, Claude managed to make his life meaningful around all the suffering.

Mike was asked to preach the funeral sermon for Claude.  He was honored to do it but I know it was hard for him.  I was unable to go to Montana with Mike because I couldn't find coverage for work.  I hadn't read the sermon until recently, when Claude's wife requested a copy.

I've always told Mike he did fine funerals.  I don't think he took that as a compliment but really, he has a way of bringing peace to people.  As I read Claude's sermon I was really caught by something Mike had written.  He described life by our major Christian holidays.  I know that you all didn't know Claude, although some of you did.  Nevertheless, I have a feeling that the words Mike spoke might bring you a sense of peace or understanding over the loss of someone you knew and loved as well.  I didn't exactly ask Mike if I could publish this but I don't think he'll mind.

"Life is Christmas, Good Friday and Easter. Jesus modeled this life for us. He was born. He had a calling in this life. He suffered and died. And then there was Easter. A new beginning.


We live. We do stuff. And hopefully we feel like God has given us gifts, purpose and calling in this life.  We may even suffer in this life and of course, we will all die. Our hope is in God for a new beginning.


Life’s not a game of perfect. God works with sinners, guys who get kicked out of Confirmation. God opens doors, shines light, gives second chances, forgives sins, builds faith and more.


And when it’s all over we come to moments like this. A service. A commendation. We say to God, “You take over from here. We don’t have the power in us. So we’re trusting Claude into your hands. He’ll be okay and we won’t lose heart.”

Like Mike said, "God, you take over from here."

Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit

It's Good Friday.  Today I am thinking about a friend I met and worked with years ago.  Her name was Laurie and she was Jewish.  We were friends for a couple of years when we lived in the Seattle, WA area.  We lost track of one another after a few moves but for a time, we were close friends.  Laurie and her husband were hoping to one day live in Israel.  I wonder if they ever made that move?

Laurie taught me some things.  One day she was telling me how hard it was to be a little Jewish girl with little Christian playmates.  I was horrified when she told me that one year, around Easter, the other kids were angry at her and accused her of killing Jesus.  She said she was so upset; she didn't even know Jesus!  How could they think she killed anyone?  My heart hurt for the sweet little girl that faced those angry accusers.

Laurie's little friends were a bit confused, likely because their parents were confused.  At the very base of the Christian Faith is the belief that we are ALL responsible for Jesus' death.  We have ALL sinned.  We ALL needed to be redeemed.  Jesus and only Jesus was pure and because of this, he was the one who could manage to take on all our sin and take the punishment for it.  For that sacrifice, I am grateful.

(photo from Google Images and lakecitybaptist.net)

As Jesus died he said he was committing his spirit to God's hands.  What a perfect thing to say at the time of one's death.  I want to think I will say that as well.  Having a job where I attend deaths, though, I am aware that I may not be awake enough or strong enough to speak those last words at the time of my own death.  So, I'm saying it now.  God, please keep my spirit safe in your hands.

Lamb of God

Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy on us...