Friday: The Passion Jesus

Undeterred Love

“Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem”

Luke 9:51 (NKJV)


Jesus was born into this world to die for the sins of the world. That was the plan of the Father from before time began. At just the right moment in human history Jesus was born to die. As we look at the events of what has come to be known as Good Friday in human history it is clear that the forces of hell were being unleashed on like no other day known to man.

Jesus will endure 3 trials before the sun even rises to begin the day. Betrayed by Judas with a kiss Jesus is arrested and brought before Annas in trial one to buy time while the Sanhedrin gathers to develop the plan to condemn Jesus to death in trial two. The third trial takes place as the sun begins to rise and its here where Peter denies Jesus for the third time and Jesus and Peter make eye contact as Jesus is being led away to Pilate and the cock crows. The fourth trial takes place before Pilate and he finds no fault and sends Jesus on to Herod for Jesus fifth trial. Herod wants a miracle or some proof that Jesus is the Son of God. As Jesus is silent like a lamb led to slaughter he is sent back to Pilate where Jesus is scourged and about to be released as Pilate cannot find any wrong doing.

It’s at this point the jewish religious leaders rise up against the Roman authority since the Romans have removed the scepter from the jews to practice capital punishment. It’s up to the Romans to carry out the death of Jesus and the Jewish leaders have determined that Jesus must die. Pilate wants nothing to do with Jesus and washes his hands of the fate of Jesus but he will bow to the will of the people who are crying out in a loud voice, “Crucify Him, crucify him” or else we will report this to Rome.

With no other option available to him Pilate hands Jesus over to die. The Roman soldiers lead Jesus away as they beat and mock him and force Jesus to bare His own Cross on the way to Golgotha where Jesus will be crucified. As Jesus is crucified at around 9:00 a.m. in the morning the Roman soldiers gamble for His clothes at the foot of the Cross while His enemies gather and continue to mock Jesus and yell all sort of vile things at Jesus as He hangs there on the Cross suffering for the sins of the world. As the Lamb of God hangs dying for the worlds sins once and for all, the priests are slaughtering lambs at the temple not far away in celebration of the Passover.

Jesus near death makes seven beautiful statements from the Cross that reveal His love for the very people who are putting Him to death and His care for His family who are gathered at the Cross in horror watching Him die reveals the servants heart He has always had, more concerned about the care of others than His own needs. As the sky is blackened from noon to 3:00 p.m. while the Father turns away as He (Jesus) who knew no sin became sin for us that we might become the sons of God the weight of the worlds sin was laid upon Him. At 3:00 p.m. the earth shook, the graves of some came opened as the veil of the temple tore open from top to bottom. Finally, with the price of our redemption paid in full Jesus cried out from the Cross, “It Is Finished” as He had completed the work of the Father that the Son had come to do. Now, Jesus who had always entrusted Himself in the Father’s love does once again as He cries out from the Cross one last time, “Into Thy hands I commit My spirit.”

The shortest verse in the Bible is “Jesus wept” while the saddest words ever to be uttered because of man are “Jesus died” as at the Cross we see the worst of mankind on display all the while seeing the best of God. Love conquers all! To ensure Jesus was dead as Jewish law required that the bodies of Jewish citizens had to be buried before sunset the Roman soldiers pierced Jesus side and when they did out flowed water and blood. Not only did this fulfill yet another prophecy concerning the promised Messiah it revealed in the truest sense how Jesus died. It wasn’t the beatings that killed Jesus, and it wasn’t even the nails hammered through His body that caused His death. The ultimate reason medical examiners have determined for the death of Jesus was that of a broken heart.

Your sin, my sin and the sins of the entire world broke God’s heart that day and the most amazing display of God’s love is that He allowed it. God’s love motivated Jesus to choose to die not only because of us but for us so that we could experience the love of the Father for ourselves. Jesus died so that we could live. Jesus death has made life possible, His sacrifice has broken the chains of hate and selfishness as well as the power of death allowing us the opportunity to receive and give agape love. Because of the Cross we have been made free!

Though Good Friday might not have been so good for Jesus it is for you and me who have placed our hope and trust in Him. Because of Good Friday our place in heaven is secure. All our sins have been washed away and replaced by the perfect righteousness of our perfect Savior. Because of the Cross we are free, because of Jesus we are free indeed!


“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil”

Hebrews 2:14

I LOVE YOU! 



Michael Osthimer

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