Good Friday: the reason for Jesus' coming to earth
Matthew 20:20-28 records the account of the mother of James and John, two of Jesus’ disciples, coming to Him with a request. It is recorded that she
“came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.
21 “What is it you want?” he asked.
She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”
22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”
“We can,” they answered.
23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”
24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”(NIV)
Many lessons can be learned from this passage. But on this Good Friday, let me focus on verse 28. Jesus had two primary missions in life. The first He did for His whole earthly life: “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.” His life in action was one of serving others, but not seeking to BE served. How contrary to much of today’s American culture. Today we ask what people can do for US!
The second reason, and actually the first in priority, is found at the end of the verse: “and to give his life as a ransom for many.” The emphasis throughout many of the N.T. writings, such as the letters to the church, differentiate between Christ’s life and His death. His death…coming to give His life as a ransom for many” is a main topic in the N.T. letters.
“You will find that the Epistle to the Hebrews especially is full from beginning to end of the thought of the sacrificial character of the death of Christ. He was incarnate "that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil." "He needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins and then for the people's: for this He did once, when He offered up Himself." "By His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." "The blood of Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God" shall" purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God." "Once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." He was "once offered to bear the sins of many." "He offered one sacrifice for sins for ever." "We are sanctified by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." We have "boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus." It is the "blood of the covenant wherewith" we are "sanctified." "Jesus, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate." (The Biblical Illustrator Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2006 Ages Software, Inc. and Biblesoft, Inc.)
Good Friday is the day on which the ultimate Servant gave His life so that you and I would not have to die in our sins; so that you and I could have hope...life...peace...and on and on!
John M. Moore, the hymn writer captured this truth when he wrote…
Why did they nail Him to Calvary’s tree?
Why, tell me, why was He there?
Jesus the Helper, the Healer, the Friend—
Why, tell me, why was He there?
Then the songwriter answers the rhetorical question by saying…
All my iniquities on Him were laid—
He nailed them all to the tree.
Jesus the debt of my sin fully paid—
He paid the ransom for me."
When Jesus was on the cross, I was in the crowd.
Why did they nail Him to Calvary’s tree?
Why, tell me, why was He there?
Jesus the Helper, the Healer, the Friend—
Why, tell me, why was He there?
Then the songwriter answers the rhetorical question by saying…
All my iniquities on Him were laid—
He nailed them all to the tree.
Jesus the debt of my sin fully paid—
He paid the ransom for me."
When Jesus was on the cross, I was in the crowd.
In The Worlds Crisis, H. A. Mitchell writes: "The object on which we fix our eyes is that on which our heart is set; the things we like best, or the person we love most. How many times you have stood gazing at some picture because you so much admired it! All unconsciously when in company with someone, you were found looking intently at them, simply because of a great fondness you had for that person. History relates that Cyrus once asked Tigranes, among others, how much he would pay for the ransom of his lady, a beautiful woman whom he had just recently married. He replied, 'A thousand lives if I had them."
"When Cyrus had set her and many more at liberty, and was going home after a supper had been provided by him, many were joyful; one was extolling his wisdom, another his valor; someone else was praising his beauty of person and admiring the sweetness of temper, when Tigranes turned to his lady and said: "What did you think of Cyrus?' She replied: T do not know, I did not observe him.'
"'Upon what object, then, did you fix your eyes?' said Tigranes. His wife replied, 'Upon him who said the he would give a thousand lives to ransom my liberty.'
On this Good Friday....let us fix our eyes on Jesus. He paid the ransom for you and for me."
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