Do you realize it was some two thousand odd years ago that Jesus Christ suffered the crucifixion on the cross at Calvary?  Today is Good Friday, and this is a very important day for mankind.  I would say for “Christians” but Jesus died for ALL mankind.  At that time, there were no “Christians” and his approach to the cross was for all humanity.  I think sometimes we, as in mankind, forget the utter magnitude of what happened on that day many years ago.

Jesus was a human being, just like you and I.  He was not a superman; he did not have any powers we do not have.  What he did have was the ability to resist sin.  He walked blameless his entire life on earth.  He proved it by doing it.

Before Jesus came to be born, the only way man could approach God was through animal sacrifices.  Moreover, common man was not allowed anywhere near the altar.  Only those consecrated and carrying the sacrifices could approach the altar.  It was very tough for man to be near God during that time.  The laws dictated the sacrifices, and because of man’s sinful nature, those had to happen a lot.  God looked on man and had pity.  He offered a way out.

He, God Himself, became a human being.  He was born, just as you and I were born.  He walked the earth, tempted in the same ways we are tempted.  (Well, He may not have been tempted to play on the Xbox instead of building homes, but He had temptations of that day and time.)  He went to the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights with no food and water.  (How long can we go without that?)  Satan was there, tempting him, with food, water and a promise to rule the earth.  Jesus held true, resisted, overcame, and emerged victorious.

On that day, when the Roman soldiers grabbed Jesus, He willingly submitted to it.  They tortured him, beyond what He deserved.  Yet, he willingly did it.  He took our place.  They flogged Him, beat Him, they plucked His beard from His face.  They spit on him they called Him names.  At any point during this, He could have called Heaven down on His behalf, yet He did not.  He took it.  Then, when that was over, they laid the heavy wood cross on His shoulder, to which He had to parade through the streets, with His face bleeding, his head bleeding from the crown of thorns; He walked to the place where they nailed him to the cross.  NAILED Him, His feet and hands to that cross.

Have you ever hit your hand with a hammer?

  It hurts, bad.  He had nails drove in, not just little nails, but huge spike nails, big enough to hold him to the cross.  He never called for rescue He took it.  He submitted, in our place.  He took on our transgressions He paid the ultimate price.

Even while dying on the cross, He was showing mercy.  He forgave the thief on the cross next to Him, promising the thief that he would be in paradise with Him.  He even forgave those who were torturing Him, while He was in agony.

Do you realize that God had to turn away from His beloved son at the moment of death?  This is because with God watching, He would not die.  At that moment, all the sins of mankind were placed on Jesus.  It was at this point that Jesus cried out to His Father, “Why have you forsaken me.”  However, He did not ask for vengeance.  He did not say to stop.  He knew at that moment, God had to turn, so He could die.  And indeed, He died.

At that moment, the veil to the altar split in two.  Do you know what that means?  That means the veil parted, there is no separation from God!  Jesus went into Hell, to capture back the souls there, to give them the chance to believe in Him, and on that Glorious day – He rose from the dead!  He WON!  WE WON!  He came back, He brought with Him healing, grace, and mercy, and He opens His arms to us, offering these gifts.  We do not have to sacrifice we are not damned.  He paid the price for us.  He redeemed us.  All we have to do is call Him Lord and Savior, make him the Lord of our lives.

Now that is something to celebrate.

Next time you hear “by His strips I am healed” or set free or made whole, know those aren’t flippant words.  They are words with power, of a man who took on the strips of our iniquities, every sin, every illness, every bad thing, and redeemed us.  Paid the price.

Do you know that when we see Jesus again, those scars on his hands and feet will shine bright, as they are the most precious marks, which set us free!