Daily Devotional

-April 2, 2021- Good Friday

Good morning, Happy Good Friday,

-Jesus Prophesied That He Would Die On The Cross And Rise Again-

“Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, ‘Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again.’”

(Matthew 20:17-19).

Jesus was thirty three years old, a young man, but His time to die on the cross was quickly approaching. He knew when He would suffer and die, where, and how. His prophecy in our text today, was very detailed and also included the statement that He would rise again. In fact, this is the third and final time He had told His disciples what would take place.

Jesus was born to die. His purpose was about to be fulfilled according to the Scriptures. Jesus said in Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” He makes it very clear to His disciples that He would die and rise again. Which one of us would go to a place and time knowing we would be killed. I think that we would have avoided that place altogether.

• The Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes and they will condemn Him to death – Jesus knew that Judas Iscariot would betray Him for 30 pieces of silver. Judas was not a believer, but was in fact, a betrayer and an apostate. He was the first apostate in the NT. An apostate is someone who professes to be saved, but then turns against Christ, speaks against Him, against the Bible, and against all the truths we hold dear.

Jesus said of Judas during the Passover meal, “The Son of Man indeed goes as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born” (Matthew 26:24). Judas is called the son of perdition. He agreed to betray Jesus to His enemies the chief priests and scribes, who condemn Him to death in a complete mockery of justice. He who was innocent was found guilty.

• And to deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify – The Jews delivered Jesus over to the Romans, in particular to the Roman governor Pilate. He found no evil in Him and wanted to scourge Him and release Him, but the voices of the Jews prevailed and Pilate ordered Him to be crucified on the cross. Crucifixion began with the barbarians then continued with the Greeks, then the Romans perfected it. The Romans horrific public crucifixions were meant to deter others from crimes against Rome. It was a long, slow, agonizing death.

• And the third day He will rise again – In their sorrow, the disciples would forget this. Jesus promised to rise again which He did. Mark 9:32 says of this saying, “But they did not understand this saying, and they were afraid to ask Him.” Jesus told His disciples very specifically in Matthew 26:32, “But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.”

Betrayal, death by crucifixion, and resurrection awaited Jesus in Jerusalem. He marched on to fulfill the Father’s will. Nothing would deter Him. The Apostle Paul demonstrated this same determination in Acts 21:11-13. The prophet Agabus took Paul’s belt and bound his own hands and feet and signified that the owner of this belt would be delivered into the hands of the Gentiles. Paul responded, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 21:13). Are we willing to do God’s will no matter what the consequences, even follow our Lord to death?

Have a blessed day thanking Jesus for going to the cross and dying for our sins and rising again. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean