Luke 23:1-5
Then the whole assembly rose and led Jesus off to Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king.”
3 So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“You have said so,” Jesus replied.
4 Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”
5 But they insisted, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by His teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.”
Luke 23:20-25 20 Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. 21 But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
22 For the third time He spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore, I will have Him punished and then release Him.”
23 But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that He be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided to grant their demand. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.
Luke 23:32-3732 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with Him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals—one on His right, the other on His left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His clothes by casting lots.
35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at Him. They said, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”
36 The soldiers also came up and mocked Him. They offered Him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
Luke 23:44-49 44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When He had said this, He breathed His last.
47 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” 48 When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their chests and went away. 49 But all those who knew Him, including the women who had followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
JESUS BECOMING GREATER AT THE CROSS
John 15:13
Springford Baptist Church
Good Friday: April 7, 2023.
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)
In our ongoing desire and prayer for Jesus to become greater and for us to become less, we come on this Good Friday to the cross. Here we encounter the greatest expression of love ever displayed.
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)
We recall the events that led to Jesus going to the cross for us. He was completely innocent, but was willing to take the punishment for everything wrong we have ever done.
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)
We as human beings react strongly to what is unfair and unjust. There are loud protests when we or someone we know is falsely accused. Jesus, motivated by His intense love for us was willing to express what is the greatest expression of love by laying down His life for us.
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)
The remarkable thing is that rather than being overcome by death and diminishing from view, as a result of the cross, Jesus is magnified. Our awareness of Jesus and His love for us is never to be forgotten because of the cross.
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)
Jesus lifted up on the cross has become a forever reminder of what love is and what love looks like.
What then does Jesus’ supreme example of love demand of us? If we are to become more of Jesus in our living and loving and less of us, what will that require?
Jesus did not just pretend to love us. It was in every fibre of his being. He counted the cost and was still willing to go ahead with this plan that would secure our redemption.
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)
When, day after day we witness people acting in their own self interest, Jesus’ definition of love seems quite foreign to us. There is a common pattern of people working hard to secure their own comfort and pleasure. There appears to be an innate tendency to do more for self and less for others.
Plans are generally made with the thought of our own enjoyment in mind. It is radically different to consider an expression of love that involves laying down one’s life.
This is what Jesus was willing to do and here we are almost 2000 years later still remembering Jesus and what He has done for us at the cross.
Love is remembered! I think about hearing of someone who was deeply touched by an act of love expressed when their baby died. Several years later, this individual remembered what an act of love and compassion meant to him at a grief stricken time in his life.
Each of us can recall what it felt like to be loved and supported at a time when we desperately needed that. When that kind of love is offered, we do not forget it or the one who expressed it.
Throughout our lifetimes, there are plenty of experiences and details of life that do get forgotten. Sometimes we are reminded of them when we look at some old photographs and think, “I had forgotten all about that.”
Having been loved greatly is not something we can push aside and dismiss from our minds.
That is why we have gathered on this Good Friday. We have come to remember together how much we are loved by our Saviour.
Jesus’ loving act of grace compels us to recognize Him and the depth of His love for us. We are also confronted with how costly it was for Jesus to lay down His life for us. Jesus defines the greatest concept of love and then He walks the steps to the cross to carry out what that very definition.
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)
As well as coming on this Good Friday to remember Jesus and the extent of His everlasting love for us displayed at the cross, we must also hear the challenge of us becoming more like Jesus. Just before this verse that I have repeated throughout this message, Jesus says emphatically, Love each other as I have loved you.” (John 15:12)
In our loving as Jesus loves, He does become greater and we do become less!
This will not happen without intention and commitment. The only way for us to be transformed by the love of Jesus into individuals who become more and more like Jesus in our loving, is for us to keep our focus on Jesus. Not just on Good Friday, but every day we can be compelled by the love of Jesus. In this greatest example of love ever, we encounter the possibility for us, by God’s grace to love each other as Jesus loves.
Jesus does become greater at the cross, as we remember Him and the truth of His words,
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)