29 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 come down from the cross and save yourself!” 31 In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! 32 Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
The Death of Jesus
33 At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34 And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). 35 When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.” 36 Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said. 37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. 38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:29 – 39)
Theme: If not You, then Who?
Today we celebrate one of the most important days in the Christian calendar, Good Friday. As we have examined Jesus’ final week of earthly ministry over the last four days, we have considered His identity, integrity, investments, and intimacy. Today, as we look to the cross, we can only conclude that Jesus is incomparable. Along so many dimensions, what Jesus did for humanity by dying on the cross is matchless. The grace, mercy, and love He demonstrated changed the course of human existence. Because of His sacrifice, we now have access to the Kingdom of God, our sins can be forgiven, and eternal life secured. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12). There is nobody like Jesus!
Please prayerfully read the passage above and respond to the request below.
Request
Please spend some quality time today reflecting on all that Jesus has done for you, and share any reflections that others could benefit from.
April 2, 2021 at 10:06 pm
To summarize this one is literally impossible, when I think of the goodness of Jesus and what He has done for me! Today was an exceptionally good day for me as I reflected on God’s gift of His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ who was sinless and totally innocent yet suffered shame, indescribable pain, insults, humiliation, disgrace, jeering, and all manner of evil treatment for me and all of sinful humanity. Words fail me to say what I want to express (and as my husband laughs and says whenever I use that expression, “It is a serious thing when words fail you!” No joke but laugh at me, if you can, as they did the same to Jesus, except that he was being cruelly mocked and challenged.
The greatest thing is that Jesus has given His life for me and saved me so that I can be eternally free from sin, bondage, pain, sorrow, and all kinds of negative situations that affect mortals.
He has truly blessed me with a fine family and I thank Him for His blessings on me! Everything I have comes from God and I know it’s only because of Jesus’ grace and mercy that I am what/who I am, yet not I but Christ who lives in me.(Gal 2: 20).
I know what it is for Jesus to miraculously touch me when I was suddenly facing death and I reminded Him very excitedly that He did not only die for my sins but also for my healing and I wanted Him to heal me NOW!!! Upon reflection, I smile and say Jesus must have been “frightened at how LOUD I was and I’m not a loud person as I do not like loudness!” I wish I could write my entire testimony but it’s a booklet, or maybe a chapter I could include in my book of miracles.
I also know what it is for Jesus to miraculously put through a phone call for me on a prayer warrior’s landline that was dead for a month, when I tried to call a medical doctor and two other family friends to whose phones I simply could not get through when one of our sons had a terrible freak accident, and my husband was performing a wedding ceremony and could not be reached either! As near as two of the neighbours were I could not call them as I dared not let go my son’s head that was burst and which I had to be holding together. Another book/booklet but I remember vividly calling out to Jesus again to heal my son NOW as He didn’t just die for our sins but for our healing! Long story but God let the gash stop gushing out blood IMMEDIATELY after I held his head together, while he was lying there in the form of death on the floor! The prayer warrior had no clue what was going on as he lived 42 miles away but he told me a day or two later that it was the strangest thing as his phone had not worked for a month but he heard it ring and when he picked it up, he heard me telling him, “Br. Roy! Br. Roy! Pray for me NOW! PRAY!!” Yet the line was still dead! The medical doctor (who happened to be a very good Christian friend) came by as he said he couldn’t understand what happened as his cell phone was on and he never heard it but eventually saw missed calls from me so he came by to check what had happened. I was still holding my son’s head together and praying when the doctor came in the room and joined me in prayer, noting that my son had to be taken to the hospital to get stitches. My husband arrived just in time. It seemed like just yesterday though that was in 2008.
Just to let SOMEONE who might be struggling with the notion of healing know, yes Jesus CAN and DOES heal but He does not always heal as I also know what it is to pray for healing and it does not always take place. But in my DESPERATION when I CRIED OUT to Him, he worked miracles IMMEDIATELY!!
Lots more to write but I’ll spare you. Suffice it to say, “Jesus is my Deliverer, He’s my Healer, He’s my Provider, He’s my Friend, He’s my Savior and He’s my Soon Coming King! And yours too.
April 2, 2021 at 10:16 pm
This is a great Good Friday testimony Sister Oliver. Thanks!
April 3, 2021 at 12:17 am
What a moving testimony.
I prayed with my 89 year old sister in hospital last night and so far her brain surgery has happened today and nurse said she knew her name and her birthday.
I got a lift to hospital at 8.30 pm and visitors stop at 9 and I asked God to intervene,His Will.
Apparently she caught a UTI at Home and went to her brain.
Jesus is there when you need him.
He died for Us.
April 3, 2021 at 9:49 pm
Glad you could pray with your sister Yasmin. We’ll remember her in prayer. Thanks for the powerful testimony, “Jesus is there when you need him.”
April 3, 2021 at 8:37 am
Please spend some quality time today reflecting on all that Jesus has done for you, and share any reflections that others could benefit from
In my 56 years on earth Jesus has done so much for me and I could not enumerate them all at once, but let me share here a few of those blessings.
I’m grateful to Jesus that I was born to a family of 8 siblings with parents who knew Jesus. I grew up Catholic and became born again Christian later in my 30s but still, I believe my parents faith in Jesus as well as God’s grace and Holy Spirit’s prompting and work made it possible for me later on, in my life to truly understand the meaning of having a relationship with Jesus, to be a child of God and to have received the greatest gift one can ever have….Jesus’ gift of eternal salvation
I also believe it’s God’s plan that I worked in the Japanese Embassy in Manila, met my husband there and raised our children in different countries. Thankful to Jesus for being with me, helping and guiding me in every step of the way rearing my children in the admonition of the Lord. One of the things God has done to me that I always remember during Easter season , was when the Lord saved me and gave me second life, when I survived the church bombing incident in Islamabad, Pakistan. It was Palm Sunday of 2002 when it happened. Suicide bombers came to Protestant International church of Islamabad and threw five Russian grenades inside the church while the service was going on. I was hurt badly with collapsed lung and 7 pieces of shrapnel in my left leg, one in my lung and suffered more injuries in my left shoulder and upper left chest. I felt the Lord carried me at that moment, and I’m forever grateful that I was given a chance to still live my life after that fatal incident. When I lost consciousness after getting out of the church, I thought my life was over. Indeed, God’s plan for me is not finish yet. To this day, I still have some shrapnel embedded in my left leg and lung but I’m a living testimony of God’s miracle, compassion and abounding love. 19 years have passed since that Easter week in Pakistan when I thought I would not see again my husband and my children. Thank you Jesus for this precious life. Words are not enough for me to express my gratefulness to my creator, redeemer and savior. This scripture from the book of Hebrews became my life verse for I can firmly say that I may not see Jesus physically at the time I was struggling for my life, but I did feel He carried me and protected me at that very moment. All the time in that chaotic and horrifying experience, I was only muttering these words “ Jesus please be with me” , that’s all I kept saying to myself till I was able to get help and was taken to the hospital. God is good. He is my rock and my salvation.
“Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1
April 3, 2021 at 9:50 pm
Thanks for your inspiring testimony Aurora!
April 4, 2021 at 10:24 am
Thanks for that very powerful testimony, Aurora. ” Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; . . .” (Psalm 23: 4 ) It is such fun to see Satan lose!