FRIDAY: WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT?

It is written, Isaiah 53:5, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."

Good Friday brings us to the foot of the cross, the place where Jesus bore our sin, shame, and sorrow. The cross is where justice and mercy meet, where sin is confronted and salvation is secured. Every stripe He bore was for our healing. Every nail was for our freedom. Every drop of blood was for our redemption. Good Friday is the reminder that we are deeply loved, fully forgiven, and eternally valued.

Just as Jesus carried the weight of sin, we are called to lay down the burdens we were never meant to carry. Good Friday invites us to release guilt, shame, fear, and self‑condemnation. We adapt the “then” to the “now” by living as people who know we are forgiven. The cross frees us to walk in confidence, humility, and gratitude.

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THE LESSON:

WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT?

TEXT: It is written, Isaiah 53:5, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."

Good Friday brings us back to the foot of the cross, the most sacred ground in human history. It is here that Jesus bore the full weight of our sin, shame, and sorrow. It is here that justice and mercy met in one breathtaking moment. The cross is not merely a symbol; it is the place where sin was confronted, judgment was satisfied, and salvation was secured. Every stripe laid upon His back was for our healing. Every nail driven into His hands and feet was for our freedom. Every drop of blood that fell was for our redemption. Good Friday stands as the eternal reminder that we are deeply loved, fully forgiven, and eternally valued.

When we look at the cross, we see the cost of grace. We see the Savior who chose suffering so we could choose life. We see the Lamb who remained silent so we could speak boldly. We see the One who carried what we could not carry and paid what we could not pay. The cross is not the story of a victim; it is the victory of a King. Jesus did not hang there because He was overpowered, He hung there because He was committed. Committed to saving us. Committed to restoring us. Committed to reconciling us back to the Father.

But Good Friday is not only a historical moment; it is a present invitation. The cross calls us to respond. It calls us to surrender. It calls us to release the burdens we were never designed to carry. Just as Jesus carried the weight of sin, we are called to lay down guilt, shame, fear, and self‑condemnation. Too often we cling to what Christ has already conquered. We rehearse what He has already redeemed. We carry what He has already canceled. Good Friday reminds us that the work is finished, and because it is finished, we can finally rest.

We adapt the “then” to the “now” by living as people who know we are forgiven. The cross frees us to walk in confidence, not arrogance, but the confidence that comes from knowing we belong to God. It frees us to walk in humility, not self‑rejection, but the humility that recognizes the greatness of His sacrifice. And it frees us to walk in gratitude, not occasional thankfulness, but a lifestyle shaped by awe.

Good Friday is not a day of despair; it is a day of revelation. It reveals the depth of God’s love, the seriousness of sin, and the magnitude of grace. It reveals that no matter how heavy life becomes, the cross is still enough. It reveals that the Savior who died for us is the Savior who lives in us.

So today, we stand at the foot of the cross with open hands and open hearts. We release what He already carried. We surrender what He already conquered. And we rise with the confidence that because of the cross, we are forgiven, we are free, and we are His, now and forever.

Bishop Charlene M. Jamison

All Rights reserved - written 3/27/26