Readings for the Day:
Sermon:
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Original Manuscript:
Good Friday is one of the few times in this world that we ever talk openly and honestly about death. Jesus died on the Cross. That is at the center of our faith, and it is why we are here today. Our symbols all around this church allude to His death as well, especially through the symbol of the Cross.
Because of that, I think it is important that we talk openly about what Jesus' death entailed, so consider this a "trigger warning". Jesus' death was extremely painful, which we can detect from both the Passion reading today and the Passion reading from Sunday.
Medical Science can give us a deeper understanding of what was going on and why it was so painful. Crucifixion was a truly horrific and barbaric way to kill someone. People were attached to a cross in such a way that they needed to use all their strength in order to just keep breathing. It was also meant to a public form of execution so that people passing by could look on and know that this is what would happen if you messed with the Roman Empire. It was meant to be a long, painful, humiliating, and torturous death.
I don't say this to shock you or to make you feel guilty. I share this so you can know that Jesus truly suffered, and so when we suffer, we know Jesus fully understands what that is like.
This is a day to mourn because our Lord is died, and He died for our sake. But there is also hope in this day as well.
The hope is for when we struggle or suffer, which we all do from time to time. When we feel that all is without hope in our lives, then we can look back to this moment.
God chose to come down and be with us. God chose to live in our pain. Through Jesus, we know that when we are in pain, the Omnipotent Creator knows what that is like and can be there with us in our pain.
As we mourn for our Lord and for any other sorrows in our life, know that Jesus is with you there in your suffering. He knows what it is like to suffer too, and He will be there for you in your pain. You are never alone. You always have Jesus.