Good Friday 2009

     It was time for Jesus to be crucified. He had been beaten with fists, had his hair pulled out, He had been flogged to the point of death. He was a mass of bleeding, raw and opened flesh. It is a miracle that He is still able to carry His cross.
     It was the custom that those condemned carry their own method of death. The cross beam, called the "patabulum", was about 100 pounds and carried across the shoulders. Jesus had carried his to the city gate. The soldiers escorting Him picked someone from the crowd of spectators. Verse 21 says,
A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.

1. He Was Silent (So We could Be Heard)
     Jesus was silent for most of His trial. When He did speak He simply turned the answer back to His accusers’ "That is who you say...". When He was beaten he did not give them any cause to do so. When He was ridiculed He did not return the insults or ridicule them. 
    The Son of God spoke nothing at His trial because there was nothing more to say. He had spoken God’s truth and they had rejected it. He had revealed the kingdom of God and they rejected it. He had revealed the messiah and they rejected Him. When they nailed Him to the cross He continued to speak words of intercession, forgiveness and compassion, to those and for those who were crucifying Him. 
     He remained silent so that we could be heard when we cried out "Lord save me!" 

     It is time that we no longer remain silent about our Lord: HE IS ALIVE!!