Good Friday: With His Wounds we are Healed

Isaiah 53 (NIV)
Who has believed our message
    and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
    and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
    nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by mankind,
    a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
    he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

Surely he took up our pain
    and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
    stricken by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and afflicted,
    yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
    and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
    so he did not open his mouth.

By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
    Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
    for the transgression of my people he was punished.

He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
    and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
    nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
    and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
    and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.

After he has suffered,
    he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
    and he will bear their iniquities.

Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
    and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
    and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
    and made intercession for the transgressors.

DEVOTION

What would it take for you to give your life for the sake of another?

Isaiah 53 embodies how we should live our lives. We should be in constant search of Jesus, because without him we are truly lost. Beginning in the chapter, verse three depicts the idea that Jesus was despised, cast out, and rejected by ourselves. We even “hid our faces” from Jesus, as if ashamed to see him. It seems impossible to imagine that situation: a rejected man sacrificing himself for our sake, even as we despised and refused him. The most sacrificial and loving action in history was willingly taken by Jesus without a second thought. 

“Surely he took up our pain   and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God.” Verses four through six are the heart and main message of the whole chapter. They capture one of the Bible’s many ideas of Jesus healing our souls. Jesus took up our sins, misery, sadness, and dejection and died for our sake, receiving wounds and scars to heal our very own wounds. All of our sins and sorrow was cast onto Jesus that he took with himself to death. As verse six summarizes, we are all lost without Jesus, “sheep that have gone astray.” And God has placed all of humanity's sins and transgressions on Jesus, for him to take our punishment, allowing us to be redeemed.

Isaiah says he was “oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth.” Jesus suffered and willingly was led to die on the cross, although he was opposed to it and later on in the crucifixion story, pleaded and begged God for it to not be done (Look at Matthew 26:39). Even though he was reluctant to follow through, he obediently followed God, trusting in the plan that he had created. Jesus was sentenced to death for a crime he was falsely accused of, intervening to die a gruesome death in place of us. He would bear the weight of all of our sins in order for us to be  granted access to the kingdom of heaven. In this way, we can live with our Heavenly Father for eternity.

Today, we can use Jesus' death and crucifixion to find comfort and hope in His suffering and sacrifice, reminding us that our sins were atoned for and that healing is possible through our faith in him. We can also use this chapter as a way to remind us of forgiveness, allowing us to let go of the negatives in our lives and rather focus on our future with Christ. He is our future and we should not let sin hold us back from building a relationship with Him. Isaiah 53 can also offer comfort and encouragement to those who are facing hardship and suffering, reminding us that Jesus experienced suffering (worse suffering than we shall ever be able to imagine) and that he understands our pain. We are able to confide in him and seek him for comfort during times of suffering. We should deepen our understanding of God's character and his plan for salvation, recognizing his sacrifice and grateful for all that he has done. Through Him, we can spiritually grow and foster a relationship with our Father, where because of Him, we are given passageway to a life of eternal salvation and forgiveness.

What does it mean about the sheep in the shearers? How does this relate to Jesus and his crucifiers? What does the Servant's suffering reveal about the nature of God's justice and mercy? 
How does the image of the Servant as "a lamb before its shearers" show the idea of suffering?
What do you think it means when he says that “he will see the light of life and be satisfied”?
How can I unite my suffering (that we may have within our daily lives) with Christ's sacrifice on 
the cross? In what ways can I offer up my own struggles as a sacrifice for the sake of others?

Prayer: Dear Lord, we thank you for laying down Your life so meekly and for the sacrifice that saved Your heavenly children from the suffering of eternal torture. You were raised upon the cross so mercilessly, and shed your blood plentifully, for us, sinners. You suffered death unquestionably, the punishment we were prophesied to have taken. We cannot comprehend the immense pain that You endured for us, that we shall be eternally in debt to You. While the sin of mankind betrayed You from the beginning of time, You shed Your blood and became a human sacrifice that graciously allowed us to be welcomed in Your heavenly kingdom. We respectfully thank thee, Jesus Christ. Amen

The Crucifixion by James Weldon Johnson

                         Jesus, my gentle Jesus,
                         Walking in the dark of the Garden --
                         The Garden of Gethsemane,
                         Saying to the three disciples:
                         Sorrow is in my soul --
                         Even unto death;
                         Tarry ye here a little while,
                         And watch with me.

                         Jesus, my burdened Jesus,
                         Praying in the dark of the Garden --
                         The Garden of Gethsemane.
                         Saying: Father,
                         Oh, Father,
                         This bitter cup,

                         This bitter cup,
                         Let it pass from me.

                         Jesus, my sorrowing Jesus,
                         The sweat like drops of blood upon his brow,
                         Talking with his Father,
                         While the three disciples slept,
                         Saying: Father,
                         Oh, Father,
                         Not as I will,
                         Not as I will,
                         But let thy will be done.

                         Oh, look at black-hearted Judas --
                         Sneaking through the dark of the Garden --
                         Leading his crucifying mob.
                         Oh, God!
                         Strike him down!
                         Why don't you strike him down,
                         Before he plants his traitor's kiss
                         Upon my Jesus' cheek?

                         And they take my blameless Jesus,
                         And they drag him to the Governor,
                         To the mighty Roman Governor.
                         Great Pilate seated in his hall,--
                         Great Pilate on his judgment seat,
                         Said: In this man I find no fault.
                         I find no fault in him.
                         And Pilate washed his hands.

                         But they cried out, saying:
                         Crucify him!--
                         Crucify him!--
                         Crucify him!--
                         His blood be on our heads.
                         And they beat my loving Jesus,
                         They spit on my precious Jesus;
                         They dressed him up in a purple robe,
                         They put a crown of thorns upon his head,
                         And they pressed it down --
                         Oh, they pressed it down --
                         And they mocked my sweet King Jesus.

                         Up Golgotha's rugged road
                         I see my Jesus go.
                         I see him sink beneath the load,
                         I see my drooping Jesus sink.
                         And then they laid hold on Simon,
                         Black Simon, yes, black Simon;
                         They put the cross on Simon,
                         And Simon bore the cross.

                         On Calvary, on Calvary,
                         They crucified my Jesus.
                         They nailed him to the cruel tree,
                         And the hammer!
                         The hammer!
                         The hammer!
                         Rang through Jerusalem's streets.
                         The hammer!
                         The hammer!

                         The hammer!
                         Rang through Jerusalem's streets.

                         Jesus, my lamb-like Jesus,
                         Shivering as the nails go through his hands;
                         Jesus, my lamb-like Jesus,
                         Shivering as the nails go through his feet.
                         Jesus, my darling Jesus,
                         Groaning as the Roman spear plunged in his side;
                         Jesus, my darling Jesus,
                         Groaning as the blood came spurting from his wound.
                         Oh, look how they done my Jesus.

                         Mary,
                         Weeping Mary,
                         Sees her poor little Jesus on the cross.
                         Mary,
                         Weeping Mary,
                         Sees her sweet, baby Jesus on the cruel cross,
                         Hanging between two thieves.

                         And Jesus, my lonesome Jesus,
                         Called out once more to his Father,
                         Saying:
                         My God,
                         My God,
                         Why hast thou forsaken me?
                         And he drooped his head and died.

                         And the veil of the temple was split in two,
                         The midday sun refused to shine,
                        The thunder rumbled and the lightning wrote
                         An unknown language in the sky.
                         What a day! Lord, what a day!
                         When my blessed Jesus died.

                         Oh, I tremble, yes, I tremble,
                         It causes me to tremble, tremble,
                         When I think how Jesus died;
                         Died on the steeps of Calvary,
                         How Jesus died for sinners,
                         Sinners like you and me.

James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938) was a civil rights activist writer. He received his Bachelor's degree at Clark Atlanta University, and his Master’s degree at Atlanta University. His poem about Jesus’ crucifixion has lots of imagery and repetition to create a strong sense of emotion, allowing the reader to understand Jesus’ experience. Especially the last two lines, “How Jesus died for sinners, Sinners like you and me” is a thought provoking statement, of how one man died specifically for sinners, being you and me. We like this poem because it immerses you in what's happening, so it feels like you are actually witnessing the event.

MUSIC


Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Austria in 1756. From a very early age Mozart was in the spotlight, performing for countless powerful people, including the Queen of England and the Archbishop of Salzburg. Mozart was very prolific during his lifetime, composing over 600 pieces before his early death in 1791. The piece I chose to represent for this day is one of his most notable, the Requiem in D minor, K. 626. Requiems are a piece played at Mass for the dead. Mozart composed this Requiem in late 1791, but he was not able to finish it before his death later that year. This specific section of the song, titled Lacrimosa, meaning weeping or tearful, encapsulates the theme of Good Friday– the death of Jesus on the cross. The song is in D minor, creating the effect of sadness and sorrow, with the song ending in a somber, reflective way, giving the listener hope. 

ART

The Elevation of The Cross by Peter Paul Rubens

The Elevation of the Cross altarpiece (also known as the Rising of the Cross) is a Baroque painting by the painter Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640). The work was originally installed on the high altar of the Church of St. Walburga in Antwerp (which has since been destroyed), and is now located in the Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp. Rubens painted it as commissioned by the church authorities. It is a triptych that depicts the beginning of the crucifixion, where the men are taking up the cross that Jesus was nailed on. The setting is dark as the group of spectators, soldiers, horses, and bodies of the executioners surround Him before he is crucified. The artist is depicting the willing sacrifice of Jesus Christ, despite the gruesome process and his refusals. The thieves in the left wing of Jesus are being prepared for execution as the Roman officers issue orders, while in the right wing there are women on the road (most likely the 3 Marys). Ruben beautifully creates the masterpiece, both by maintaining an accurate depiction while also keeping a “divine” aspect to it. The altarpiece can also be interpreted during the period when Jesus was taken down from the crucifixion, a perspective and scene that can often be overlooked during Good Friday.