IT'S NOT ABOUT THE BUNNY!
Why was the day that Jesus surrendered to a torturous death called
Good Friday?
Jesus of Nazareth is looking down from the cross after He was crucified between two criminals. He sees the soldiers who have mocked, scourged, and tortured Him and who have just nailed Him to the cross.
He thinks of the Disciples and companions who have deserted him, from Peter who has denied him three times, to the fickle crowd who only days before praised him on his entrance to Jerusalem, and then days later demanded his crucifixion.
Is he also thinking of us, who daily forget him in our lives?
He doesn't reacting angrily. At the height of His pain and agonizing suffering, His love endures and He asks His Father to forgive! How ironic, Jesus asks His Father to forgive, but it is by His very Sacrifice on the Cross that mankind, including you and I, are able to be forgiven!
Thank you Jesus and thank you God Almighty for your greatest gift of all! This Good Friday, and every day, let's remember His love and sacrifice!
Luke 23
13.) And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,
14.) Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:
15.) No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him.
16.) I will therefore chastise him, and release him.
17.) (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)
18.) And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:
19.) (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.)
20.) Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.
21.) But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.
22.) And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.
23.) And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.
24.) And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.
26.) And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.
27.) And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him.
28.) But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.
29.) For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
30.) Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.
31.) For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?
32.) And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.
33.) And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
34.) Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
35.) And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.
36.) And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,
37.) And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.
38.) And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
39.) And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
40.) But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
41.) And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
42.) And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
43.) And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
44.) And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
45.) And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
46.) And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.