John 19:16 – “Then Pilate turned Jesus over to them to be crucified.”
One of the hardest days recorded in human history. The day the Son of God gave His life for all humanity. It’s easy to take one’s life, but it’s not so easy to give one’s life. A life that died for no crime. A life was taken out of reason for religion. The trial was a sham that was rigged. A sentence involving the trade of a real career criminal. They’d tried for several years to catch Him in something they could use against Him or just right out kill Him. The bad day had come. Beaten and bruised, He now stands innocent before a paid-off crowd of people screaming to the top of their lungs, “CRUCIFY!” And then, “Give us BARABBAS!” Pilate was a crowd-pleasing player. He turns Christ over to be crucified and killed. It was a bad bad sad day. It was also a good great day. Without this really bad day, there would be no really good Friday. It’s a bad day because of how He died, it’s a good day because of why He died. He died to save us from our sins. Bad and Good both should be the feelings of every believer. Bad, knowing He was killed for our sins. Good, because He was the sacrifice for our sins. No other religion can lay that claim. All other religions are founded by someone who tried to do anything to save their own life, but Christ had a plan from the start of giving His life. On this Good Friday, your Journey to the Cross ends. You’re now standing at the foot of His cross. The place that should ever be pictured in your mind and healing in your heart.