Day 6: GOOD FRIDAY
Scripture
MATTHEW 27:32-56 (NIV)
As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”
Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”
Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
Devotion
Matthew 27:32-56 gives us a raw look at the final moments of Jesus' crucifixion. One of the first striking details in this passage is Simon of Cyrene, a man forced to carry Jesus’ cross. Cyrene, located in modern-day northern Libya, had a significant Jewish population, but Simon himself was likely a Gentile. Why was he singled out? Why this man, not someone else? There’s no explicit answer in Scripture, but we do know this—Simon, though unwilling at first, bore the burden of Christ on the way to the crucifixion.
In a way, Simon’s experience mirrors our own journey of following Christ. Faithfulness to Jesus often means carrying burdens we didn’t choose—whether it’s suffering for His name, making financial sacrifices, or navigating difficult relationships. Like Simon, we may not always want to, but the Holy Spirit compels us through conviction and the love of God.
Then there’s the moment when Jesus is offered wine mixed with gall. If you’re like me, you might have asked, “Gall? What’s that?” Gall was a bitter substance, often myrrh, used as a primitive pain reliever, when mixed with wine. This mixture would have dulled Jesus’ suffering, but He refused it. Instead, He chose to endure the full weight of the crucifixion, experiencing every ounce of pain, every insult and instance of shame following this moment.
Think about that….Jesus, the Son of the omnipotent and eternal God, allowed Himself to be mocked and ridiculed by the very people He came to save, on the way to crucifixion. They twisted His words, misunderstood His mission, and hurled their ignorance at Him like stones. Yet, He remained silent. He took all that physical and verbal abuse because His goal was defeating sin and death.
Matthew then tells us that for three hours, from noon to 3 p.m., darkness covered the land. This wasn’t just an eclipse or some natural occurrence—it was a clear sign of God’s judgment being poured out. It immediately brings to mind Exodus 10, where the ninth plague cast Egypt into three days of darkness. Just as God’s judgment fell on Egypt before delivering His people, His judgment was now falling on Jesus to bring about our ultimate deliverance.
The symbolism of His Father’s judgement is not lost on Jesus, as he follows that darkness with the cry: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Moments later, He was offered sour wine—different from the wine with myrrh. This wasn’t a pain reliever but a hydration method used by Roman soldiers. Jesus took it, likely for two reasons: to remain conscious a little longer, seeing the process through, and to gather the strength for His final cry before yielding His spirit.
His death shook creation itself. The temple curtain tore in two, signaling that the separation between God and humanity was now gone. The earth shook, the graves opened, and even the dead rose—powerful symbols that sin and death itself had been defeated.
This is the weight of the cross. This is the depth of the sacrifice. And this is why Jesus is not just a teacher, a prophet, or a martyr—He is the Christ, the rightful Lord over all.
Questions for reflection
Are you facing a challenge that you didn’t willingly choose? How are you bringing that struggle before God? Do you find yourself complaining, or do you feel free to express your true emotions—whether anger, sadness, anxiety, or even joy? Do you feel comfortable being completely honest with God about what you’re experiencing? Take a moment to reflect on how you approach Him in both hardship and gratitude.
Knowing that Jesus willingly chose suffering and refused to lessen His pain for your sake, how does that impact you? Take a moment to reflect on the depth of His sacrifice and let yourself fully experience gratitude. Allow yourself to feel the weight of His love and freely respond in thanksgiving to our Lord.
SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY TODAY: Join us at our Good Friday Encounter Night tonight @ 6:30pm at the Nece’s Home in Fullerton for a night of worship, reflection, and prayer this Good Friday as we enter the presence of Jesus together. Please register so we can anticipate numbers for the backyard, and so you can receive the private address via email. Register Now >
prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your eternal sacrifice. You shed Your blood, suffered, and bore the burden for me even when I did not know You and sinned against God. I’m grateful that Your love for me is evident not only in great miracles, such as my salvation, but also in the small daily gifts we often take for granted—sight, taste, hearing, and touch.
Lord, still my heart when I am anxious, angry, or overwhelmed by the hardships of life. Teach me to endure suffering as You did, if that is what I am called to in this moment. But also, help me to embrace the peace and joy You lived out—with every meal, every interaction, and every moment shared with fellow image-bearers of God.
Father, encourage me to be more honest with You about my emotions and thoughts concerning Your plan, so that our relationship may deepen and I may grow in obedience. In the name of Your precious Son, Jesus, I pray, Amen.
written by Brian Glaze
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Family Devotional
Good Friday: Mark 14:32-41
For this devotional try to simulate darkness. A couple of ideas- go into a room and turn off all the lights and bring out a couple of flashlights. Or create a blanket fort to create a canopy.
As you read have your children draw something that is good but they find really difficult to do.
After reading, ask them to share their drawings and what they find difficult to do. In this Bible story Jesus is also struggling with something that he is supposed to do but is having a hard time. Do you know what He is asking God to take away from Him? Right, that he is supposed to die on a cross soon. This is a good thing he is doing for us because it is to save us but it is also a very hard thing. What do you think Jesus is feeling here in this story?
Take time to pray to thank Jesus that he did this hard but good thing on our behalf. Then pray that we would also have courage to do the good things God wants us to do no matter what.