Each year on Good Friday, I post the words of an apropos hymn or song for the day - one centered on the cross of Christ. My favorite of these hymns was first published by Charles Wesley in 1769 in a collection called “Short Hymns on Selected Passages of the Holy Scriptures - Vol. 2.” Charles had been reading John 19:30, where Jesus speaks his last words from the cross saying: “It is finished” and he was inspired to write these words:
'Tis finished! the Messiah dies,
Cut off for sins, but not His own!
Accomplish'd is the sacrifice,
The great redeeming work is done;
Finish'd the first transgression is,
And purg'd the guilt of actual sin,
And everlasting righteousness
Is now to all the world brought in.
'Tis finish'd, all my guilt and pain,
I want no sacrifice beside,
For me, for me, the Lamb is slain.
And I am more than justified;
Sin, death, and hell are now subdued,
All grace is now to sinners given,
And, lo, I plead th' atoning blood,
For pardon, holiness, and heaven.
In this Good Friday Pastor’s note, I want to invite you to sit with these words for a moment. Read them, take them in, and let what they are saying find a resting place in your heart. Christ’s death on the cross means God’s great redeeming work IS done. Everlasting righteousness IS now to all the world brought in. All grace IS now to sinners given. This is such good news!
The glory of Easter Sunday is not far away, but we ought not to skip over Good Friday to get there. Today, it is important that we spend time at the cross and consider once more the work that was accomplished there. I hope you will join with us for our Good Friday service this evening at 6:00pm in the Sanctuary. And I also invite you to our Easter Sunday services, when we celebrate Christ’s resurrection and proclaim once more the good news that Christ’s is a victory to be shared with the world. It’s going to be a great time together and I can’t wait to see you there!
Blessings!
Pastor Charlie
Comments