Sermon: The Good Friday Experience
Scripture Lesson: Matthew 16: 21-25 “From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.”
Introduction: As followers of Jesus, we need to embrace Good Friday, which is a little bit like saying we need to embrace torture. From that time on, Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!" Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God but the things of men." Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it."
To the disciples and many of us, the suffering of good Friday seems almost out of place. The ministry of Jesus was going so well, the crowds were massive and the miracles were astounding. After Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead, the crowd said, blessed is he who come in the name of the Lord. One look at Lazarus was a testimony to his power. The popularity of Jesus was at a all time high. His disciples could see themselves in positions of authority, yet they must face the setback of Good Friday. Nothing prepared them for the suffering of Good Friday on the road to Resurrection Sunday. Good Friday is the day we remember the crucifixion of Jesus, but there’s more to it than remembering; followers of Jesus are called to embrace the Cross, carry it and follow Jesus.
First, Jesus’ Good Friday Experience Seems Out of Place. We, followers of Jesus are eager to embrace the resurrection, witness His miracles, expect victories and triumphs, but Jesus calls us to the Cross too. The famous sermon says, "It's Friday, but Sunday's coming!" More properly, the point of the story is that Friday is the road to Sunday. There's no Easter Sunday without Good Friday. There is no resurrection without the Cross. The story Good Friday reminds each follower of Jesus that for each of us, there's a Good Friday! Everyone Has a Problem with the Cross.
The very idea of Good Friday causes us concern. The problem is that both the power and wisdom of Jesus led him to the Cross. It seems to be a contradiction of everything he had done before. Those who had seen his power wondered why he seemed powerless at his greatest time of need. Those who saw his wisdom and wondered how someone so full insight could miscalculate this moment so badly. Everyone who heard his teaching missed what Jesus and his Father were saying: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone, but if it dies, it produces many.”
John 12:24, “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.”
On Good Friday, we see not just Jesus’ words were parables, but his very life was a parable. It wasn’t just the people of Jesus’ day who had a problem with the Cross. The people we speak to today have a problem with the Cross. Religious people want miracles and power without suffering and trials. Intellectuals want wisdom and truth without disappointment and opposition. What God offers us all is first the Cross. The earliest believers called the Cross “the wisdom of God and power of God.”
1 Corinthians 1:23-24, “but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”
This is a stumbling block for us to consider today: that both his power and wisdom led Jesus to the Cross. People prefer not to dwell on such things. After all, who respects suffering? When is the last time you heard a sermon on suffering? Embracing the message of Good Friday teaches us to rely solely on the promise of the Father. Good Friday meant the Beginning of Change. Good Friday provides the opportunity for Man’ sin debt to be settled. When the sin debt is satisfied, everything changes." Stumbling blocks and foolishness turn into power and wisdom. The Cross changes everything. Resurrection Sunday is indeed about the empty tomb. But first, it’s about the Cross. Yes, people would rather rush pass the Cross to Jesus ascending to heaven in power and glory. It is because the Cross doesn’t fit into our picture of how things ought to be. It didn’t fit into anyone’s picture back then, either. Yet Good Friday is the road that leads to Sunday’s resurrection. It was the road for Jesus; it is the road for us. Remember, no cross, no crown! With all the joys of life, the miracles, the healings and the victories, there must also be some trials and suffering, all are necessary to mold us into the image of His dear Son.
Second, Jesus’ Good Friday Experience Demonstrated Faith over Circumstances. If we are honest genuine faith is best demonstrated in the face of adversity. Can we agree that, "God promises never to forsake us," doesn’t always feel that way, right? Here are two of the phrases Jesus uttered on the Cross: “Why have you forsaken me?” and “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” How can those two go together? Even at his death, Jesus showed us how to trust the Father beyond the circumstances.
Jesus predicted his death and resurrection. It's one thing to predict the future. It's quite another to go to the Cross willingly. At least three times, Jesus shared his destiny with the disciples. They didn’t understand. More challenging still is the fact that Jesus embraced this destiny by faith. Hebrews 12:1-3, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.”
He knew the Father’s promise of resurrection, but death still lay ahead of him. And death was still death, even for Jesus. It was his trust in the Father’s promise that caused him to wager everything he had, his very life. As a man, Jesus modeled how to trust the Father.
Thirdly, Jesus’ Good Friday Experience Opened the Gateway to Abundant Life and Kingdom Increase. John 12:24, “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.”
In John 12:24, Jesus uses the agricultural metaphor of a seed dying in the ground to illustrate that Jesus’ death was necessary to bring about a "plentiful harvest" of salvation for many people. It highlights the principle that sacrificial death is a prerequisite for producing spiritual life, fruitfulness, and resurrection glory. Jesus explains that if he did not die, he would remain an isolated "kernel"—alone. His death, burial, and resurrection (the falling into the ground) was essential to bring "many new kernels"—a large harvest of saved believers. Following Jesus, is a call to personal sacrifice and surrender. We, the followers of Jesus are challenged to walk in His steps, surrender selfish ambitions and "die" to their own worldly desires to gain eternal life. Following Christ often requires this spiritual death to self to become truly fruitful. Jesus teaches a paradox where clinging to life in this world results in losing it, while "dying" (sacrificing one's ego or worldly life) produces an abundant harvest of new life. Jesus says this just before his crucifixion when Greeks sought to see him, signaling that his mission was broadening from a single earthly life to an eternal, universal impact. So do not ignore or turn away from the passion of Good Friday, I encourage every Christian to trust that they live so spiritual, enduring fruit arises from their sacrificial lives as follow Christ from Good Friday to Resurrection Sunday.
James 1:2-4 states, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
Believers should view trials as opportunities for joy because testing produces perseverance, leading to spiritual maturity and completeness. It encourages a shift in perspective to see hardships not as punishments, but as tools for developing deeper faith and resilience. This means choosing to have a positive, faithful, joyful perspective rather than falling into despair, rather than being happy about the pain itself. Trials are God’s tools for refining one’s spiritual life and strengthening faith. Hardships of Good Fridays are designed to develop patience and endurance that leads to maturity and completeness. Instead of asking "why is this happening to me?", ask "what can I learn from this?". Choosing to rely on deep-seated peace in God rather than changing circumstances. Jesus’ Good Friday Experience seems out of place, Jesus’ Good Friday Experience allowed Him to demonstrate faith in God over his Circumstances, and Jesus’ Good Friday Experience Opened the gateway to Abundant Life and Kingdom Increase. Experiencing Good Friday is a necessary part of our Journey! Amen.
