Good Friday Devotional - April 10, 2020

James Tissot - What Jesus Saw from the Cross

Jesus dies on the cross

Read these scriptures

Matthew 27:1–61 / Mark 15:1–47 / Luke 23:1–56 / John 18:28–19:42

Jesus was arrested around midnight on Thursday, but there was no sleeping. Thursday bleeds over into Friday as Jesus is driven from place to place. He is questioned. He is mocked. He is falsely accused. He is tortured. Ultimately, he is condemned and executed.

Throughout this ordeal he refused to either back down, or to be provoked. He put himself in the hands of his enemies and let them do their worst – and they did.

Read this article

Jesus did more to save us than die

“Jesus did more to save us than simply die. If that were all that was necessary, he might have simply beamed down in a human body on Maundy Thursday (or for that matter early Friday morning) died on the cross, and then immediately risen back to life and ascended to heaven before sunset. All in a day’s work! No need for those 30 wasted years beforehand and 40 pointless days afterward… We need a balanced focus on the broader narrative as well as the cross (or the cross and resurrection together) as the crucial turning point within that narrative.”

Listen to this song

He is Exalted

You were despised
You were rejected Lord
Those who passed by
Even averted their gaze from your sight
Such was the suffering you bore for us
Led like a lamb, lamb to the slaughter
You spoke not a word
Chose to be silent
Though you did no wrong
Nor was deceitfulness found in you
Yet by your wounds our salvation has come
Yet by your suffering our freedom is won

Pray this prayer

Almighty God,

we pray you graciously to behold this your family,

for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross;

who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.