Today is "Good Friday", which, for those of you who may be unaware, the Friday before Easter, the day that we remember the arrest and crucifixion of JESUS the Christ. On that beautiful, scandalous night and day some 2,000 years ago, the Pharisees, who were the church leaders of the day, were jealous of the fame of this MAN called JESUS (YESHUA) because He had a very large and growing following. This JESUS was teaching the Truth that the ancient Word of God foretold, but, being pious and jealous, the Pharisees plotted to have HiIM killed. They were successful. Their success was foretold as well, and JESUS told HIS followers all that would happen to HIM before it took place, as HE taught HIS disciples. Everything that happened to JESUS the Christ was foretold in ancient Scripture, and it all took place just as the prophecies said it would. What was done to JESUS was truly vicious, cruel, and appalling. What HE did for us at the same time is truly amazing.
JESUS was innocent and sinless, yet HE was illegally arrested under cover of darkness, tied up, betrayed by one of HIS disciples, and denied by another. HE was interrogated, slapped, kicked, spat upon, beaten until HE was unrecognizable, and whipped until HE bled profusely as the flesh hung from HIS back, exposing raw muscle tissue. A crown of huge Acacia thorns was forced down into HIS scalp, ripping and shredding into HIS flesh, causing more blood to flow from HIS body, and more torturous pain. HIS beard was plucked out, leaving swollen bloody flesh where it once was. HE was stripped naked, insulted, forced to carry the very cross that would be used to execute HIM through the streets of Jerusalem. Once at Golgotha (the "Place of the Skull") which is the hill just outside of Jerusalem where executions by crucifixion were carried out, JESUS was nailed to that cross, and HE was lifted up as the base of the cross was placed into the ground, and left there to die, as the insults continued. HE allowed this to happen because HE loves us too much to let us live an eternal death without HIM.
While on the cross, HE took on all of the sin, guilt, shame, sickness, anguish, depression, fear, anxiety, and death of all human beings of all time. Basically, the Man God went from being the most perfect, sinless man in history, to the most vile, sick, and sinful man that had ever lived, or ever will live, all in an instant. We can never honestly say, "Yeah, JESUS, but YOU don't know how I feel" In the crucifixion, HE took upon HIMSELF every feeling and everything that does not point to HIMSELF in HIS perfection. Every single thing that misses the bullseye target of HIS righteousness nailed HIM in an instant. JESUS does know how we feel. HE has felt the hopelessness of trying to kick drug habits. He does know the intense craving for alcohol, cigarettes, and all other addictions. JESUS did die of A.I.D.S., polio, cancer, smallpox, rubella, pneumonia, leukemia, malaria, typhoid, and virtually every other disease that ever existed, or ever will exist. JESUS has felt our loneliness, despair, confusion, anger, fear, and desolation. There is not a feeling that any man or woman has ever felt, or ever will feel, that JESUS has not already deeply felt and experienced. HE endured it all on the cross. When HE took all of this upon HIMSELF, it was so horrible that the FATHER in Heaven had to turn and look the other way at that moment, the moment when JESUS cried out, "My GOD, My GOD! Why have YOU forsaken ME?" JESUS then gave up HIS Spirit as HIS human body died.
What happened in the three days between HIS death and HIS resurrection is not totally a mystery. JESUS did go into Sheoul, into the very pit of Hades, and take the keys to death and hell from satan himself. JESUS then rose from the grave, victorious over death and hell, and showed HIMSELF to HIS disciples and followers, spending another forty days with them before HE ascended into Heaven. HE promised, just before HE ascended into Heaven, that HE would be with us always, even to the end of the age. We are living in those "end of the age" days right now, and JESUS is with us. How is HE with us if HE is in Heaven? HE explained all of that at "the Last Supper" the night HE was arrested. HE promised that when HE left, HE would send a COMFORTER, a TEACHER, the SPIRIT OF TRUTH, the HOLY SPIRIT, to live in us while HE is in Heaven preparing a place for each of us who choose to follow HIM. HIS HOLY SPIRIT is living in everyone who calls JESUS the Christ their LORD and SAVIOUR. HE kept HIS promise. We are not alone!
Thank YOU, FATHER in Heaven, for giving us Your SON to save us. Thank YOU, JESUS, for humbling YOURSELF to become one of us in order to become the final sacrifice, taking our punishment upon YOURSELF, just so that we can be with YOU forever. Thank YOU, HOLY SPIRIT for being with us always, and for always reminding us of what JESUS did for us, and that JESUS IS ALIVE!!!
If you want to know JESUS, but are unsure how, feel free to contact me. I will be happy to help you. When we choose to believe on JESUS and accept HIM into our hearts, GOD the FATHER adopts us into HIS Family. It's more than a simple adoption! We are grafted into HIM! Not just another kid in the house, but a branch attached to the vine and having the same DNA as the host! Only with GOD, through JESUS, by the power of HIS HOLY SPIRIT, is that possible! Welcome to HIS Family!
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