Good Friday

Today, as you probably know, is Good Friday. Please read the Following verses from when Jesus died for us...



Luke 29:18-56



Jesus' Crucifixion


With one voice the crowd cried out,"Kill this man! Give Barabbas to us!"Barabbas had been thrown into prison. He had taken part in a struggle in the city against the authorities. He had also committed murder. Pilate, the Roman governor, wanted to let Jesus go. So he made and appeal to the crowd again. But they kept shouting,"Crucify him! Crucify him!" Pilate spoke to them a third time. "Why?" he asked. "What wrong has this man done? I have found no reason to put him to death. So I will just have him whipped and let him go. But with loud shouts they kept calling for Jesus to be crucified. The people's shouts won out. So Pilate decided to give them what they wanted. He set free the man they asked for. Pilate gave Jesus over to them so that they could carry out their plans. As they led Jesus away, they took hold of Simon. Simon was from Cyrene. He was on his way in from the country. They put a wooden cross on his shoulders. Then they made him carry it behind Jesus. A large number of people followed Jesus. Some were very sad women. They cried loudly because of him. Jesus turned and said to them,"Daughters of Jerusalem, do not cry for me. Cry for yourselves and for your children. The time will come when you will say,'Blessed are the woman who can't have children! Blessed are those who never gave birth or nursed babies!' It is written,

" 'The people will say to the mountains," Fall on us!" They'll say to the hills,"Cover us!" ' (Hosea 10:8)

People do these things when the trees are green. So what will happen when the trees are dry?" Two other men were also led out with Jesus to be killed. Both of them had broken the law. The soldiers brought them to a place called The Skull. There they whipped him and nailed Jesus to the cross. He hung between the two criminals. One was on his left and the other one was on his right. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. The people stood there watching. Even the rulers were making fun of Jesus. They said," He saved others. Let him save himself if he is really the Christ of God, the Chosen One." The soldiers also came up and poked fun at him. They offered him wine vinegar. They said," If you are really the king of the Jews, save yourself." A written sign was written above his head. It read, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. One of the criminals there made fun of Jesus. He said," Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself! Save us!" But the criminal on his right scolded the other criminal. " Don't you have any respect for God?" he said. "Remember, you are under the same sentence of death. We are being punished fairly. We are getting just what our actions call for. But this man hasn't done anything wrong." Then he said,"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus answered him," What I am about to tell you is true. Today you will be with me in paradise."

Jesus Dies

It was now about noon. The whole land was covered with darkness until 3:00. The sun had stopped shining. The temple curtain was torn in two from top to bottom. Jesus called out in a loud voice," Father, into your hands I commit my very life." After he said this he breathed his last.The Roman commander saw what had happened. He praised God and said," Truly, this man was the Son of God." The people had gathered to watch that sight. When they saw what happened, they beat their chests and went away. But all those who knew Jesus stood not a very far distance away, watching those things. They included the woman who had followed him from Galilee.

Jesus Is Buried

A man named Joseph was a member of the Jewish Council. He was a good and honest man. He had not agreed with what the leaders had decided and done. He was from Arimathea, a town in Judea. He was waiting for God's kingdom. Joseph went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. He took it down and wrapped in linen cloth. Then he put it in his own tomb cut in a rock. No one had ever been buried there. It was Preparation Day. The Sabbath was about to begin. The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph. They saw the tomb and how Jesus' body was laid into it. Then they went home. There they prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath day in order to obey the Law.

I hope you have a great Good Friday!!!

SAM-SAM