I read today each gospel’s account of Christ’s trial and crucifixion. I was pained while reading them. I can only imagine how each author felt when re-living the events as they wrote it in astonishing detail.

The crowd stood watching with indifference. Religious leaders mocked him saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One” (Luke 23:35).  The thief jeered, “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” (Luke 23:39).  And, at the foot of the cross, where blood flowed down sat the soldiers, coveting the garments, casting lots for a shred of cloth, greed filling their eyes and their smiles.

Raised high above that scene hung our brutally beaten Savior, arms stretched wide, praying for the forgiveness of the mockers, the brutes, the thieves, and the covetous. The cross mirrored the scene on the ground, for the cross was the judgment set aside for all of the sinners surrounding Christ, but Christ willingly took each sinner’s penalty so they wouldn’t have to.

With that, Jesus Christ gave up his spirit. No one else could have taken it from him, but he relinquished it as a sacrifice, pure and holy.

We serve an amazing Lord, don’t we? He bore the cross, the weight of God’s judgment and wrath so that we could relish is God’s grace and love. Thank you, Jesus, for Good Friday.