Behold the Man! (John 19:5)
Pilate, unable to comprehend Christ’s claims, sees him as a delusional idealist ultimately handing him over to death. Pilate sees Christ as delusional rather than the Lamb of God. Pilate thinks he can dismiss the matter and resolve it with political wisdom. However, Christ’s sacrifice on the cross fulfills prophecies, ultimately confirmed in his resurrection and triumph as king.
Behold Your King! (Easter Morning Reading)
We conclude our Easter Readings with John 20. Here is the declaration and assurance that Christ is the King who came to redeem.
Good Friday Worship Reading
This is our reading for Good Friday. We hear this text and contemplate the sacrifice of our savior.
Good Friday: Psalm 22
Here is another important passage in the Old Testament that sets the stage for Good Friday. This is the lamenting suffering in the presence of God. We can think that God does not understand our suffering or that he is absent in our dark times. However, our Lord takes the words of the Psalmist upon his lips. We will be considering Pilate declaring Christ the man on Friday night. This Psalm is a call for us to consider what our Lord endured. We remember this Psalm and Isaiah 53 end with the assurance of life. Let us go in the assurance that Our Lord has done it.
Standing Over the Door (LD 19; Exodus 12:7-20)
The Lord’s Supper, like Passover, is a visible sign of Christ’s sacrifice, symbolizing believers’ participation in his suffering and death. It is not a re-sacrifice but a nourishment in Christ’s one-time sacrifice. Christ, as the Passover lamb symbolizes, protects his redeemed people, and the sacraments hold out his grace and power and they do not hold out a different grace or a different power. They represent the one true Gospel.
Good Friday Isaiah’s Fourth Song
We consider Good Friday from Isaiah’s perspective as we prepare for our sermon, “Behold the Man.”
Where Are Your Riches? (Luke 16:14-31)
Christ’s teachings emphasize the importance of understanding the deeper intentions because the law of God. Our temptation is to find the technicalities rather than really asking, “What pleases my Lord?” The parable of the rich man and Lazarus illustrates this point, showing that outward prosperity and self-righteousness do not guarantee eternal comfort, while long-suffering and faith in God lead to eternal reward as one holds onto Christ by faith.