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For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. 1 Corinthians 15:3-8)

Today is the best and worst day ever, all wrapped up in one.  This is the day that Jesus Christ was crucified and died for you and me.  He was beaten and tortured, treated unjustly and ridiculed.  This was the moment He had been waiting for His whole life, the fulfillment of the scriptures and the most important day in history.  He had been working towards this moment, preparing the way, reaching as many people as possible every day of His ministry.

Jesus was tired; exhausted in fact.  He had been up all night on trial and then He had been whipped and beaten.  On top of that He had to carry His cross, a very heavy cross, up Calvary’s hill to where He would lay down His life.  I imagine He was so miserable at this point that He just wanted death to come quickly to end the pain and suffering. But, at the same time, He knew that the pain and suffering was all part of the plan too.  Just one day.  He just had to get through this day and He would be in heaven with God, free from the pain…relieved. 

Jesus suffered and died on this day to get rid of the power of sin to condemn us.  Because of sin, we are separated from God. Without Jesus taking the punishment for us, we would have no hope of salvation.  He bridged the gap between God and us.  His task and purpose for coming had been completed.  Nothing else needed to be done.  His last words were “It is finished.”  The wrath of God for our sin was poured out on Jesus, our substitute.  This happened in order for God’s forgiveness to be made possible for us.  The shed blood of Jesus, payment for our sins, cleanses us.  The cross is the merger of intense suffering and God’s amazing grace and forgiveness.

This is Good Friday for us for that very reason.  It wasn’t a good day for Christ.  He suffered beyond description for our sakes.  It is Good Friday because this was the day that God’s plan to save His people became fulfilled.  This day had to happen so Jesus could rise again on Sunday! 

I hope you will join us at North Side Baptist Church this weekend for our Easter services.  The message is on the Love of God for His people and His desire for our salvation. 

Tonight we have a special Good Friday service during which we will take the Lord’s Supper.  This service is at 6:30 in the Worship Center

We have two Easter services on Saturday evening, 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM, and two on Sunday Morning, 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM.  All services will be in the Worship Center.

Come and celebrate the resurrection of our Lord!  Come celebrate the sacrifice and the freedom we have because of that sacrifice.  Come and claim the forgiveness and grace that is available because of Jesus’ sacrifice.  Come and learn of the greatest love you will ever know.

Scripture to Claim:
So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.  Genesis 1:27