GOOD FRIDAY SERMON
4/11/2020
This is Pastor Rod at Hilltop Chapel in Miramonte, CA. We welcome you here tonight. I would like to open in prayer. “Father, we just thank you that you are giving us direction tonight. We pray that your Word goes forth with might and power and that hearts and lives might be changed this very evening. We praise you and thank you now in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Please turn in your Bibles and read Luke 23:32-43.
Sermon: When two people differ on a subject, many times the discussion becomes heated. Imagine two baseball fans arguing about the best player of all time. Let’s say one of the combatants is a diehard Dodgers fan and the other a diehard Giants fan. The Dodgers advocate submits the name Jackie Robinson, who changed the face of baseball by becoming the first African American to put on a major league uniform. His talent was world-class and played the game with grace and class, and he led the Dodgers to their first World Series Championship in 1955. His companion, Willie Mays, a Giant, was arguably the greatest all-around baseball player ever. He played in 24 All-Star games, was the MVP player in the National League twice, hit 660 home runs and was a fantastic fielder earning 12 Gold Glove Awards. He was also the starring member of the 1954 Giants team that beat the Cleveland Indians in the World Series. It is hard to change the mind of either of these two fans. They will always insist that their guy is the best ever.
It’s much the same when you think about Jesus and His effect on the world. The difference is the magnitude of what Jesus did and how He did it and His effect on the world. Consider, as good as Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays were, that what they did was a small stage that they played on when considering the entire universe. The Bible tells us that Jesus was the creator of everything, and we are always aware of the billions of galaxies which surround our own Milky Way and beyond. And if that wasn’t enough, when sin entered the world through Adam and Eve, He provided a way for us to have a restored relationship with God the Father Himself and God the Holy Spirit, by sacrificing His own Body, which is why we are here tonight.
Good Friday was not good for Jesus in any sense of the word. In the midst of His anguish, suffering and dying, He ushered in the only way we could be reconciled unto God and even into a better relationship with Him that Adam and Eve enjoyed before the Fall.
Two thieves who hung on either side of Jesus were worlds apart from the Savior. Yet their circumstance at that moment was exactly the same physically. But they, at first, went right along with those who were cheering His crucifixion and ridiculed and mocked Him. But as the day wore on one thief began to have second thoughts. While his companion turned away into the darkness of eternity separated from God, this man exhibited a blueprint of salvation. He recognized he was a sinner. He was cognizant that he deserved to die. He asked for forgiveness. He was on the cross bound for death and he had run out of options. He turned to Jesus and asked to be remembered when Jesus came into His Kingdom. At that moment he was saved from destruction. As the Apostle Paul said, he became a new creation, the old things had passed away and all things had become new.
As we consider the cross, as we consider what Jesus did for each one of us, it’s important to realize that our lives are, and always have been in His hands. It’s also important to realize that the only thing that we can give Him is our love. That’s what He asks for. He asks for our love and he asks that we seek forgiveness for our sins. And through that mere token, He gives us eternal life. He gives us forgiveness from sins, and He gives the opportunity to be with Him forever in eternity.
I think that if we pick one day out of the yer, to revere, to think in terms of what it means to us, it would be Good Friday. Yes, the resurrection was an amazing part of our history, but the suffering that Jesus did for each one of us on the cross of Calvary cannot ever be underestimated. We have to realize how wonderful Jesus was, is and always will be.
As we conclude our service tonight, we are going to have communion. If you have some juice and a cracker or piece of bread, would you be willing to go with me for a few minutes and celebrate what Jesus did on the cross of Calvary. Let’s have a word of prayer.
“Father God, we thank you that we can always come into your presence. That we always have an open door into the throne of Heaven through our prayers and through what Jesus did on the Cross of Calvary for each one of us. Help us celebrate His life tonight and help us to remember always His suffering and death for each one of us. We praise you and thank you in His precious name asking your blessing as we partake of the Communion.
Amen.” The Apostle Paul gives us instruction on how we are to come to the Communion table. Read 1 Corinthians 11:23-28 in your Bibles to help us get into that attitude of worship and feeling His presence. (At this time get your juice and bread,) Jesus said, “This is my body given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. (Take bread). And the Bible says in the same manner He took the cup and said, “This is my blood shed for the remission of sins. Do this in remembrance of me. (Take juice). The the Bible says they sang a song and went out.
Thank you for being here tonight, we pray that it has been a blessing for you. I would just like to remember all those who are fighting for so many lives because of the Coronavirus that we are all thinking about. I think it would be wise tonight for us to take a moment and give God honor and glory in spite of all the things that are going on, and lift up those brave people in prayer. Let’s pray.
“Our gracious Heavenly Father, as we come to the close of this service, we thank you for your grace, your love and your mercy to us, and we thank you Father in spite of all the things swirling around us in the world today, You are always there. We lift up those who are giving of themselves, their time, their effort and their strength and even risking their lives, Father, to help others who are in great need. So, we lift up our first responders, our ambulance personnel, our firefighters and police officers, our emergency room workers, doctors and nurses, each one is precious in your sight. They are doing your work right now. We ask your blessings upon them, their families, and we ask your blessing on everyone who is in need tonight, wherever they are, whatever the need may be. We pray that You meet that need according to your riches in Glory in Christ Jesus. We thank you now and give you all the Praise, Honor, and Glory, in His precious name. Amen.”
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