In the Name of
the Father and of the Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Today we again
observe Good Friday as we have for years, though in different surroundings. But
yet how many of us stop to ask ourselves, "Why does our Savior suffer such
bitter agony and torment?" Have we stopped to ponder that it is because of His
love for us poor condemned sinners and because of God's terrible righteous wrath
and love? Our Lord Jesus, His only begotten Son, was alone capable of fulfilling
God's righteous law, opening the gates of heaven for us and closing the mouth of
hell. Not through any merit of our own but of His boundless love for us He did
all this, ...that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life. (John 3:16)
Therefore on
this day, let us again behold our Savior as He kneels down to pray in the Garden
of Gethsemane. When the agony of our sins is upon Him the torment is so great
that even the sweat from His holy body is as great drops of blood that fall onto
the sin-cursed earth. And why does He pray in such agony? Why does He say,
Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will,
but thine, be done. (Luke 22:42) An angel from heaven appeared unto Him to
strengthen Him.
Then let us
follow Him as He is taken before the chief priests and scribes and the elders of
the people, before Pontius Pilate and Herod. He is mocked, spit upon,
blasphemed, ridiculed and cursed, and beaten with manifold stripes, from which
wounds holy blood already is flowing. Also a crown of thorns is pressed upon His
head causing blood to flow from it. Then He is led away to be nailed on the
cross where He cries out, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.
(Luke 23:34) And after a time He dies saying, Father, into thy hands I commend
my spirit... (Luke 23:46)
Is it not a
heart-rending sight to see our own Creator suffer so bitterly for us? And when
we realize that we were there also murdering Him with our sins, does it not
cause us to cry out, "O God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Do not let me sink into
Hell in my unbelief. My Savior has suffered so much agony for me already, don't
let me grieve Him any longer, but smite me with Your mighty hand so I will
humble myself to ask, What must I do to be saved? Give me the grace of
repentance that I could be a joy to my loving Savior, that I would
follow His holy footsteps in faith through all the storms of life and then, when
my earthly race is run, be taken into the glory of heaven to sing praises amid
that great blood-washed throng forever and ever." Amen.
the late
Wiljo Kandoll
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