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ISAIAH 53:1-9

HEBREWS 10:16-25

John 19:16-37

GOOD FRIDAY REFLECTION

Dying with Christ is the theme for our reflection. Good Friday is believed to be the day Jesus was crucified and died for our transgressions. Dying with Christ means spiritual and moral death and renewal. We shall deliberate on the following points to help us appreciate the meaning of dying with Christ.

1. Our sins are forgiven and buried when we die with Christ.
2. We can approach God in confidence if we die with Christ.

Firstly, Jesus came to die as a ransom for our sins, hence dying with Jesus means we are dead to sin and therefore are forgiven by God. In the first Scripture reading, Prophet Isaiah vividly paints the picture of dying with Christ when he said that “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds, we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:4-6). In the third Scripture reading, John 19:16-37 we witness the fulfilment of Isaiah’s Prophesy of Jesus’ suffering and death for our transgressions. We die with Christ through faith by believing that “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.” (Romans 5:8-9). Truly, after Jesus had offered the ultimate sacrifice for our salvation “…He said, “It is finished,” and He bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” (John 19:30) Paul confirmed dying with Christ when he confessed to Timothy that “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” (1 Timothy 1:15). Paul again wrote to Romans to explain the meaning of dying with Christ when he wrote, “​What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:1-4). Dear friend, you cannot die with Christ and still live in sin or take delight in disobeying God. As we commemorate the suffering and sacrifice of Christ let us reflect on our lives and our relationship with God, repent, die with Christ and receive the gift of eternal life.

Secondly, dying with Christ gives us the confidence to approach God. In other words, it is impossible to please God nor be accepted by Him if we do not die with Christ. The second Scripture reading from Hebrews tells us that “… brothers, since we have the confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:19-22). Many of us still live with guilt because we have not died with Christ yet, our sins are still before us, and some of us go to church with hidden and unconfessed sins but are seeking to have a relationship with God. ” The message is concise and clear, Jesus said, “…I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. “(John 14:6). We are again admonished in 1 Peter that “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:14-16) Good Friday offers us another opportunity to welcome Jesus into our lives to die with Him so that we will become new creations to the glory of God.

In summary, dying with Christ means repentance and believing that Jesus suffered and died for our transgression hence we are forgiven and given salvation by God. Again, dying with Christ gives us the confidence to approach God. May the Holy Spirit ignite the passion in us to die with Christ and resurrect in victory over sin. Amen.

Jean-Paul Agidi (Rev)