We are nearing the end of Holy Week, and it’s Good Friday. Good means to be desired. We call it Good Friday, looking back on it, but I don’t know if the disciples would have called it a good day. To them, it looked like the darkest day in history. It looked like good had lost. It looked like Jesus had lost, but we know He didn’t. We know what happened Sunday, but they didn’t see that then.
It looked anything but good to the disciples.
Today was not good by definition for Jesus. Remember in the garden He said His soul was crushed. “Father, if there be any other way!” But it is good for us.
Let’s remember what Jesus was feeling at the time.
And He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be struck with terror and amazement and deeply troubled and depressed. 34 And He said to them, My soul is exceedingly sad (overwhelmed with grief) so that it almost kills Me! Remain here and keep awake and be watching.
Mark 14:33-34 ampc
This is setting the tone and attitude for what Jesus was going through that night. Right after He said these things, Judas came and betrayed Him.
So Judas came straight to Jesus. “Greetings, Rabbi!” he exclaimed and gave him the kiss. 50 Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.”
Matthew 26:49-50 nlt
This struck me. Even though Judas had betrayed Him, Jesus looked right at Him and still called Him my friend. That shows the deep level of love God has for all humankind. Not just the “good” ones.
Then Simon Peter drew a sword and slashed off the right ear of Malchus, the high priest’s slave. 11 But Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath. Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the Father has given me?”
John 18:10-11 nlt
I just want to camp here for a second.
Peter took out His sword and cut off the servant’s ear. In Luke 22, after Jesus predicts Peter’s denial, He says this.
Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you out to preach the Good News and you did not have money, a traveler’s bag, or an extra pair of sandals, did you need anything?” “No,” they replied. 36 “But now,” he said, “take your money and a traveler’s bag. And if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one! 37 For the time has come for this prophecy about me to be fulfilled: ‘He was counted among the rebels.’ Yes, everything written about me by the prophets will come true.” 38 “Look, Lord,” they replied, “we have two swords among us.” 38 “Look, Lord,” they replied, “we have two swords among us.” “That’s enough,” he said.
Luke 22:35-38 nlt
Jesus had to have known they had swords with them in the garden. You can’t hide a sword. He had to know they were carrying them with them. You can’t conceal those. A sword big. It’s just out there.
Jesus had told them to buy a sword if they didn’t have one and they said, “Lord, we have two!” But He looked at Peter when he cut off the guy’s ear and basically said not now. That’s not for now. No more of this. Wait, what? That sounds contradictory, right?
But, maybe it’s possible that they heard what Jesus said and did not fully understand what Jesus meant. Maybe they didn’t know the timing of things. Jesus really meant what he said that they were going to have a time where they needed swords. It just wasn’t that night.
And it’s the same with us. There are times we hear what Jesus says but don’t know exactly what He means. We know what He’s saying but we may not know the timing of things.
Selah! Just stop and ponder that.
Then it says, When they arrested Jesus all the disciples scattered (Matthew 26:56). All the disciples deserted Him. Every single one of them. Judas was already gone, but it says they all deserted Him, fulfilling a prophecy that said strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter.
Even though they all deserted Him, only one denied Him that night. Peter. Why did he deny him and none of the others?
So they arrested him (Jesus) and led him to the high priest’s home. And Peter followed at a distance.
Luke 22:54 nlt
Peter just vowed, “I will never deny You! I will die with You if necessary!” And I believe he meant that with all of his heart.
It’s easy to say what you will or will not do when you are in a safe and comfortable place. But once the rubber meets the road, safety is removed and you’re in danger, it’s dificult to say for sure one way or the other. Fear is a powerful motivator.
Peter followed at a distance, and then people started questioning him about being associated with the One who was just arrested. The servant girl is the one who questioned him but there were guards all around. Did he fear he would also be arrested? It doesn’t say anyone else followed. Just Peter. So Peter was the only one put into the position of being tempted to deny Jesus.
We don’t know what happened to the others. We know some (John for sure) came back for the crucifixion. But we do know that what Peter did. He followed Jesus that night and watched what was going on and was put into the position to be afraid.
We may think we know what we would do if we were faced with a similar situation. There are brothers and sisters all around the world who do face this daily, and as the unpersecuted church, we need to be praying for them.
But do know that we can pray that if we are ever in a position that brings fear like this that God will give us boldness. We can learn from Peter.
Jesus spent that night in a cell beneath Caiaphus’ house. My husband, Mikel, has been there and has pictures of where Jesus would have spent His final night, looking up through the window, praying.
Jesus was arrested. He was put through a the mock trial. Pilot spoke with him, then Herod, and then Pilot again. Pilot said, “You’re not even defending yourself.” And this also fulfilled prophecy. Pilot said, “Don’t you know I have the power to release you?” But Jesus said, “You have no power over me that is not given to you by my Father.” Jesus was in full control.
John lists a few people who were there at the cross. He lists several women, and we know John himself was there. We don’t know who else was there. But while He was on the cross, Jesus looked at John and commended His mother into John’s care. Some of the other disciples may have been there, but Jesus gave this responsibility to John.
Why? Because He loved John more? We know John describes himself as the disciple that Jesus loved, but that doesn’t mean Jesus loved him more than any of the others. That means John had a solid revelation of how loved he was.
So why did Jesus pick John? Because that was part of the assignment on John’s life. It wasn’t for Matthew or Peter or James or any of the others to do. He had a different assignment (or calling) for each of them just like He does for us. Don’t compare your assignment to anyone else’s. God has a unique calling for you that is for you alone. Different isn’t better or worse. It’s unique to you. It’s just different, so do it with all your heart.
John knew he was loved by Jesus. Do you? Do you have that revelation? We all need that revelation. We are all the disciple that Jesus loves.
Isaiah foretells this day, and a lot of times we read Isaiah 53, and we should. But I also love chapter 50.
I offered my back to those who beat me and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard. I did not hide my face from mockery and spitting. 7 Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like a stone, (one translation says, “I have set my face like a flint”) determined to do his will. And I know that I will not be put to shame.
Isaiah 50:6-7 nlt
That is what he did in the garden and in the cell. He set His face like a flint so that when it came down to it, when his body was being abused and He was wracked with unimaginable pain, He would stand firm.
He did give His back to the smiters. He willingly took that beating. And in receiving those stripes on His back, He ensured that our bodies could be healed. His body was scarred beyond recognition so we could be healed. He took sickness on His back to take it off of ours. Healing is still available today.
He became sin for us. He took our infirmities and bore our sickness by His stripes we are healed. The blood that He shed washed away every sin we ever committed and gave us a new nature.
When the last drop of blood was shed and our debt was fully paid, He said “It is finished.” There was a great earthquake. One of the gospels said the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom. Man couldn’t have done that. I believe God reached down and tore that symbol of separation down. He’d been separated from His creation long enough. He wanted that veil out of the way and He tore it in half and said approach has been given back to my man. They can come freely now. (We will look at all of this in more depth on Sunday.)
This is what we know happened on Good Friday.
Salvation was paid in full.
Healing was paid in full.
Deliverance was paid in full.
Peace was paid in full.
Approach to the father was restored and He could have fellowship with us again.
A new covenant was cut. Jesus paid for it in His body and with His blood.
It was a dark day for the disciples, but it’s Good Friday to us. The disciples didn’t understand. They were devastated. But Hebrews 12 tells us that it was for the joy that was set before Him, Jesus, that He endured that cross, despising its shame. It was for us. We are that joy.
Isaiah 53 tells us He will see the fruit of the travail of His soul and be satisfied. What is that fruit? It’s our salvation. It’s us receiving healing. It’s us walking in peace. That’s what happened Good Friday.
Let’s pray.
Lord, give us a revelation of the goodness of God that was poured out on the cross. Give us a revelation of the healing that was provided and peace that was purchased. Draw us closer today to You through the approach and intimacy that was restored back to us at the cross. Thank you for making us free! Father, we pray that You will give us a revelation of how very much you love us so we can know as John did “I am the disciple that Jesus loves.”
In Jesus’ Name.
Amen.