Daily Devotional for Friday 29th March
Fulfilled
Today is Good Friday. A day that doesn’t feel good. A day of reflection, meditation, silence and sorrow. It’s the day we remember Jesus dying on the cross, and in our reading today we find Jesus’ last moments before He died. John particularly highlights the fulfilment of Scripture throughout these events. And that’s what we’re going to spend a few moments reflecting on now.
Firstly, Jesus Himself knew the Scriptures well and spoke the words ‘I thirst’ to fulfil them. In Psalm 22:15 it says, ‘My mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death’ and in Psalm 69 it says, 'They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst’ (v.21). This was fulfilled when Jesus was given a sponge full of sour wine before He says those powerful words of ‘It is finished’ and died.
The bodies couldn’t be left on the cross on the Sabbath so the legs of the two either side of Jesus were broken. But Jesus’ legs were untouched as they could see that He had already died. In Exodus 12, in reference to the Passover lamb, it says, 'It must be eaten inside the house; take none of the meat outside the house. Do not break any of the bones’ (v.46). Jesus is our sacrificial lamb and none of His bones were broken.
Finally, Jesus’ side was pierced and blood and water flowed out. In Zechariah 12:10 it says, ‘And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son’.
While it’s amazing to see so many signs of Jesus in the Old Testament, and to see how God’s plan was being worked out, let’s not forget the significance and sorrow of today. Let’s not forget that Jesus was tortured and killed for us. That He bore the weight of all of our sins. That He took the punishment on our behalf so that we could be reconnected with our Father and have eternal life for ever.
Time to reflect...
• Before we rush ahead to the events which happen next, let’s take some time to sit in the uncomfortableness of the events of today. You may like to reflect on the words of another Old Testament Scripture which points to Jesus: ‘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’ (Isaiah 53:5).
Pause to pray…
Jesus, thank you again for the price you paid. Thank you for dying for us so that we could have life. Thank you that we can now be connected with our Father God. Help us never to forget the sacrifice you made. We know that your death is not the end of the story and we expectantly wait for Sunday to celebrate your resurrection. But as we journey through today, please keep your amazing sacrifice on our minds and hearts. Amen.
