Good Day, Meetpastordan Readers… I am writing this message on Good Friday at about 10am CST. I suspect that at this time of the day, 2020 years ago, Jesus had already carried His cross to Golgotha, and His body was nailed to the posts. To those gathered around the cross witnessing this event, their emotions, if they could have been measured, would have certainly read “maximum output!” For the followers of Jesus Christ, the weeping, the sorrow, the deflation, the sense of loss must have been overwhelming. For the representatives of the dark domain, whether it be the Pharisees, the Roman soldiers, the unbelievers, or demonic spirits, this was a day for celebration. They believed they had finally overcome their nemesis, and now they could all regain their prestigious positions of power and control. But, OOOOH were they mistaken! It’s only Friday…but Sunday’s comin’!
One of my favorite hymns that captures the mournful spirit of that day, and the joyful spirit of today, is “The Old Rugged Cross”. On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, the emblem of suffering and shame. How I love that old cross where the dearest and best, for a world of lost sinners was slain. So, I’ll cherish the old rugged cross, till my trophies at last I lay down. I will cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it some day for a crown. To the old rugged cross I will ever be true, It’s shame and reproach gladly bear. Then He’ll call me someday to my home far away, where His glory forever I’ll share. What powerful words! “Thank you”, George Bennard for writing this hymn in 1912, but a gargantuan, “Thank YOU” to Jesus for what You did on behalf of every person in the world!
The event that took place on that hill outside of Jerusalem changed the world forever. As Jesus drew His last breath, a very significant happening ensued. The veil in the temple that separated the holy place from the most holy place (or, the holy of holies) was torn in two from top to bottom. That was significant because the function of the veil was to keep unclean from the clean. In other words, it was the physical barrier that enforced the separation of man from the enthroned God. Only the high priest was allowed to enter the holy of holies, and that was once a year on the Day of Atonement to offer sacrifices for the sins of the people. The torn curtain represented the removal of that barrier. Now, all who are saved can come directly before the throne of God without an intermediary. This event brought to an end the Old Covenant (the sacrificial system) and ushered in the New Covenant.
The sacrificial system was intended to be in place only until the implementation of God’s plan (the New Covenant), as outlined in Ephesians 1: 4-5: “Long ago, even before He created the world (and Man), God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave Him great pleasure!” Quite unlike the Old covenant, which was dependent on us earning favor with God through our works, the New Covenant is based on faith in the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross. He sacrificed Himself in our place so our sins could be forgiven. Here is how that works.
Remember, Jesus lived under the Old Covenant. Under the law of Moses, blood (the necessity for life) was required to cover sin. Year after year the high priest would sprinkle the blood of sacrificial animals, such as sheep, rams, bulls, or even turtledoves on the atonement slate of the Arc, then on the people. This ceremony represented sacrifice, and as such, it covered the people’s sins from the past year. Jesus’ sacrifice, however, represented the perfect sacrifice, and was done once for all time. His sacrifice on our behalf was not to cover sin, but to forgive sin. That is why when we accept Him as our Lord and Savior, in God’s eyes we are covered with the blood of His Son. In other words, we are now SIN FREE! We qualify for eternal life! (As stated in Revelation 21:27, “Nothing evil will be allowed to enter (The New Jerusalem), only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”) Our names are in the Lambs Book of Life because “we are new creations in Christ! The old is gone; the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
As brutal and dark as Good Friday was, it had to be fulfilled in order for God’s Gift of Grace to be manifested. When Jesus walked out of the tomb on that first Easter Sunday, He fulfilled His mission on earth. The bondage of death was overcome, and He became the first of many to be raised to eternal life. If the dark domain had had any idea that this was the fulfillment of God’s plan for our eternal salvation, they never would have crucified Jesus! We – who are in Christ – inherit that same eternal life. Praise God, and HAPPY EASTER!
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May God Bless You abundantly,
Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)
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