Good Friday Lord's Supper Meditation

Here is the text of the Good Friday Communion Meditation for the Good Friday Service held at Christ Church, Friday April 15, 2022.

To preach Christ without the Cross is like writing a biography about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Magic Johnson without mentioning basketball; it's like making a documentary on Barack Obama without mentioning the US Presidency. This Good Friday I want to concentrate on one phrase uttered by Jesus from the Cross. More than any other, this phrase reminds us that even in the darkest night, God is planning for the brightest day!

John 19:30 NIV When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

An audio recording can be heard by clicking the YouTube link.

You can watch a video recording of the entire service on the Christ Church YouTube Channel. https://youtu.be/1vcEhQHc8ww

To preach Christ without the Cross is like writing a biography about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Magic Johnson without mentioning basketball; it's like making a documentary on Barack Obama without mentioning the US Presidency.

This Good Friday I want to concentrate on one phrase uttered by Jesus from the Cross. More than any other, this phrase reminds us that even in the darkest night, God is planning for the brightest day! The phrase is found in John 19:30.

John 19:30 NIV  When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Others could have said those same words, "it is finished " that day.

– the Soldiers, after their execution shift was over, it’s finished, thank Jupiter!

– the Crowd, now that the entertainment was done, it’s finished time to go home.

– Judas, when he realized the enormity of what he had done in betrayal, finally it’s all over, it's finished.

– Peter and the disciples, after 3 wonderful years, then denial and desertion, well I guess it’s finished.

– the Priests, scribes, and Pharisees, having seemingly come through a really dangerous time for them, “we’ve managed it, it’s finished now.”

Yes, many could have said those words however, no one could say it the way Jesus said it or mean it the way Jesus meant it!

All of the gospel writers say Jesus cried out with a loud voice but only John records what He said. Jesus in complete control, despite the agonizing pain that we must never minimize. It was real pain, real thirst, real death BUT Jesus was no victim who accepted defeat, He was not a victim Jesus was a Victor! 

He didn’t say I am finished. He said it is finished, because on the Cross God’s will was being done perfectly. The Cross is no place of failure but of fulfillment.

If we look at John 19:28 we will also see the word, finished.

John 19:28 NIV Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”

The task the Father began in Eternity for the salvation of mankind had now been accomplished.

The Cross was no surprise to Jesus. All of His life was lived in the shadow of the Cross.

Throughout His Ministry he set His face toward Jerusalem.

Luke 9:51 NIV As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.

The Good Shepherd was knowingly lying down His life for the Sheep. 

1 Peter 3:18 NIV For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.

Finished – when the last moment of the last hour of the last day of His life came, He had completed God’s mission and message to mankind. The greatest example of determination, perseverance and obedient love the world has ever seen.

What does this mean to us today?

It means that we can't add to something that is finished! We live in the grace, mercy, forgiveness, and freedom given to us in Christ everyday of our lives. The love evident on the Cross in the death of Jesus is the love in which we now live, move, give and forgive! The Cross is a sign, pointing away from itself to the reality of God becoming one with us in Jesus. To live as a Christian is letting the Spirit of Christ be the Spirit of Christ in us and through us now, today and every day. Christianity is not a religion of DO but Done! And because it is Done, we can BE, we can be who we are, expressing the Spirit of Jesus through our humanity, our adequacy, our vulnerability, our pain, our brokenness, and weakness.

As we come to the Bread and the Wine, of the Lord’s Supper we come as followers of the Crucified God, to Jesus “who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the Cross.” We are called to be like Him, and we too have a work to do for God, a task to accomplish, given us by the Father, that only we can finish.

Ephesians 2:10 NIV For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Living in the DONE of the Cross, we seek to love God, love our neighbor, love one another, bringing our brokenness to His forgiveness, our sins to that finished work of the Cross, so that we can BE salt and light; we can be BE broken bread and poured out wine to those relationships, those situations, we influence and impact; to make a difference, however small.

Let’s pray,

 

Loving Lord Jesus we come before You now and confess that You alone are the living God, You alone are worthy of all honor and praise for You set aside Your heavenly glory and came into this world as a man, to redeem lost sinners from the curse of the law, and we praise You that we are included in Your gracious forgiveness.

 

Thank You that You willingly offered up Your body to be the sacrifice for our sin. Thank You that Your body was broken for us, and that Your precious blood was shed to pay the full price for all our many sins for the sins of all in the world who accept and call you Savior and Lord.  Lord, we bow before You in humble submission, as we partake of the bread and wine in remembrance of You.

 

In Jesus' name,

 

Amen

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (NLT)23 For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread 24  and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.”25 In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it.” 26 For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again. 

Benediction 

Jesus,

We grieve that the torture and sorrow You endured on the cross were necessary to save humanity. You didn’t want us enslaved to fear, anxiety, or sin—so You sacrificed Yourself so that Love could win.

It’s Love that hung upon the cross and gave up everything to rescue us. “It is finished” was a cry of victory because You defeated everything that held us in captivity.

Because of Your sacrifice, we can experience intimacy with You forever. Thank You! Show us how to share Your love today and every day.

Use us to reach the world You died to redeem.

 “The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you And give you peace.”’

In Jesus Name Amen