The Cross of Calvary

Hurry, hurry! The seats are filling up! Wow! Just look at the crowd!

Rats. We'll never get through that crowd... (wish I had a ladder)...

It's starting!! And I can't see!! Fav, can I stand on your head? PLEEAAASE????

Wha??? Ow ow ow!! Hey! Stop pulling my hair out!! Oh, alright! *helps Chris onto his head* There. Happy?

Oh, thank you thank you thank you!!! *kisses Fav's head* Wow! What a sight!!

Good Friday : The Friday that Jesus died on the cross.

God demonstrates his own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.
~ Romans 5: 8 ~

Hey, Fav! He's coming! I can see him!

Who? Who's coming? *turns head*

Wha..! Wo..! Hey, quit turning your head before I fall off!! It's Jesus carrying a big wooden cross, and oh, look! It's too heavy for him. They're getting a passerby to help.

That's Simon from Cyrene. *strains neck* Ah, I can see them now. They're going to start the nailing. We should be able to see the other thieves to be crucified as well.

Yep. There they are next to Jesus. Hey, what's that they're drinking?

That's wine mixed with myrrh. It's an anesthetic. It numbs the pain.

But Jesus is refusing it, and OH MY GOODNESS!!! They're hammering nails through his hands and feet - WITHOUT ANESTHESIA!!!

Ouch! *winces* Poor guy, but he wanted to be conscious throughout the whole ordeal. (I say give me the electric chair anytime.)

But that's cruel!!

So what's new? That's the cruelty of mankind for you. I believe some of those in the crowd are enjoying the show.

Waitaminute. Was it my imagination or did I hear Jesus pray, "Father forgive them for they know not what they're doing"?

He said it alright. After all, it was because of his love for us that he died on the cross, and what great love!

What's that sign above his head? I can't see it through my telescope.

(Put that thing away! You'll frighten the people!) It says 'The King of the Jews' in Aramic, Latin and Greek. Pilate wrote it. That's making the priests mad but he's not changing it.

Ha! Serves them right. Hey, look. The soldiers are dividing his clothes and drawing lots for his garments.

Good observation, Chris. (Bet you didn't notice that, guys) That is another prophecy fulfilled - 'They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing'.

Ha ha ha! Come on, Jesus! Save yourself since you are the 'Son of God'! Get down from the cross!

Oh, leave him alone. He saved others but he can't save himself! Let him come down and then we will believe him!

.....

Why doesn't he come down? Boy, if it were me, I'd not only come down but call fire down from heaven to blast them into smithereens!

Ha ha, Chris. Jesus came to save, not to destroy, and the only way to do that is to die, even on the cross. Now if we could get a little closer, maybe we could hear what the thieves and Jesus are saying.

Why would we want that?

The thieves' attitudes reflect those of people even today. Well, in a way, anyway. C'mon, guys. *starts through the crowd* (nudge) Ops, sorry. (shove) Excuse me...

*to Jesus* Aren't you the Christ? Then save yourself! And while you're at it, you can get us out of this fix too!

Don't you fear God, since you and I are under the same sentence?! We're punished justly as our deeds deserve, but this man has done nothing wrong! *turns to Jesus* Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

I tell you the truth. Today you will be with me in paradise.

As you can see, one of them only wanted to believe in Jesus for his own gain (sort of like those 'believers in times of trouble') while the other repented and believed in faith and humility.

Darkness suddenly covers the sky from end to end

Hey! Who turned out the lights?! It's only noon!

It's as if nature herself mourns for her Creator. Better take out your torches, guys. It won't lift for another three hours. No, not those battery operated ones! You'll scare the people! Yes, I meant the wooden ones. *lights torch* OK, that's better. Now listen. Jesus is going to say something.

Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani???!!!!!

Look! He's calling for Elijah! Now let's leave him alone and see if Elijah comes to take him down!

Why is he calling Elijah?

He's not. What he said means, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?!'

Really? But why would God forsake His own son?

You see, to take man's sin away and pay the ugly price, he had to experience the consequence of our sin which is estrangement from God - spiritual death.

A King killed by the very people he is dying for. That's one of a kind.

I'm thirsty...

Look. A man is giving him something to drink from a plant.

All his life he lived for others and put them first, even when he was tired. Now as his work comes to an end, he can finally think of himself.

But what a way to go...

*finishes drinking* It is finished!!

My goodness! He sure can shout despite hanging there for so long!

Finally his work is done.

Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.

So where's his father, that carpenter... whatshisname...

Don't be silly, Chris. He was referring to his heavenly Father - God, not Joseph. Notice that he gave up his spirit by his own will. I remember him saying, "I have authority to lay (my life) down and authority to take it up again (John 10:18)"...

Jesus bows his head and dies. The ground shakes violently

W-wh-what's g-g-going o-on??!

I-it's an...

EARTHQUAKE!!!

Hang on , guys!! It'll pass soon! *tries to remain standing* Right now, in the temple, the curtain that separates God's presence from man is being torn from head to toe by an unseen force, signifying that man can now enter God's presence freely through Jesus' sacrifice.

*clinging on to Fav's bermudas* The priest in the temple should get a good shock. *sees something at the corner of his eye* Hey, what's that? That white thing moving around. There!

Probably a saint who died long ago.

Ghost!! Aaaaa!! *hides behind Fav*

Those are the bodies of the saints rising from their graves. Similarly, those who believe in Jesus will be resurrected in the body on the last day.

Earthquake stops as mysteriously as it started

*still shivering* I think the floor's stopped shaking. Sorry. I think I peed on your shoes...

?? What??!! Oh... grr... We'll deal with that later. Look, they're taking the bodies down.

Bodies? But the thieves aren't dead yet.

Well, they will be once the soldiers break their legs. They're not breaking Jesus' though, since he's dead. They're piercing his side instead. Blood and water will gush out. This is to fulfil what the Scripture says, 'Not one of his bones will be broken' and ' They will look on the one they have pierced'.

Does it say anything about the blood and water?

No, I don't think so, but you can have a look at the link at the bottom of the page for its medical significance.

What so good about Good Friday?

Come to think of it, Good Friday doesn't seem that good. An innocent man just got murdered! What's so good about that?!

Correction - Jesus wasn't just a man. He was God incarnate, which means 'God taking the form of a man'. To be honest, I asked myself the same question long and hard and now that I know the answer, Good Friday is both good and bad to me.

Bad I can understand, but good? Why?

Because of our sin, the Son of God himself had to die in our place. But honestly, if it were me, I'd choose to do it when crosses were out of style.

Yeah, give me the chair or firing squad anytime. Just seeing Jesus being nailed down makes my fur stand. But I still don't understand why he had to do it.

That's God's plan of reconciliation with man. Due to Adam's sin (Adam was the first man created by God) of disobedience (he ate the forbidden fruit when God told him not to), the unity between God and man was broken.

So he had to die? Is that it??

*irritated* I haven't finished yet. Now, because God is holy and man is sinful, we all deserve punishment. The Bible says, "For the wages of sin is death", meaning physical and spiritual death which is separation from God.

So someone sinless had to pay the sinner's price, and the only one who is without sin is God himself, is that right?

Yep! That's our God - up close and personal.

But you said we were all sinful. You've got to be kidding. I've led a good life. I didn't kill anyone or steal anything.

Not exactly. Sin entered the world when Adam sinned and it now stains every soul. Guys, if you look at your life carefully, I'm sure you'll find many instances of sin like lying, cheating, jealousy, etc. The worst part is the world makes it all seem acceptable, or even desirable!

... I guess you're right. I haven't been a good totoro all my life... But then what's so good about Good Friday?

I thought I just told you. You saw it for yourself - the torn curtain in the temple. Because of Jesus' sacrifice, man can now come back to God. Our sins are forgiven in Jesus Christ! It's just up to us to receive him!

Wow... and I thought Good Friday was just another holiday. *thinks for a moment* Is this what you meant by 'See man's cruelty at its best. See the glory of a King in his triumph.'?

Almost correct. If Jesus had died just like that, he would have been just another criminal. Some prophecies have yet to be fulfilled, as we shall see later.

You mean there's more?

Yes, Chris. It's only just begun. The best part's yet to come...

The Price that Love Demands
adapted from the song by Steve Wilkinson and David T. Clydesdal
On a hill of sorrow, on a cross of pain
The Son of God is dying, the Lamb of God is slain
The sun will turn its face to hide
As Christ the Lord is crucified
See the nails that pierced His hands and feet.
See the crown of thorns He wears
For He could have called ten thousand angels
But it's the power of His love that holds Him there!
How could there be a greater sacrifice?
As creation echoes, "Worthy is the Lamb!"
See Him crushed by the weight of the sins that He carries!
How much more can love demand?

Related links
Medical Aspects of the Crucifixion

	Hurry, hurry! The seats are filling up! Wow! Just look at the crowd!
	Rats. We'll never get through that crowd... (wish I had a ladder)...
	It's starting!! And I can't see!! Fav, can I stand on your head? PLEEAAASE????
	Wha??? Ow ow ow!! Hey! Stop pulling my hair out!! Oh, alright! helps Chris onto his head There. Happy?
	Oh, thank you thank you thank you!!! kisses Fav's head Wow! What a sight!!

	Hey, Fav! He's coming! I can see him!
	Who? Who's coming? turns head
	Wha..! Wo..! Hey, quit turning your head before I fall off!! It's Jesus carrying a big wooden cross, and oh, look! It's too heavy for him. They're getting a passerby to help.
	That's Simon from Cyrene. strains neck Ah, I can see them now. They're going to start the nailing. We should be able to see the other thieves to be crucified as well.
	Yep. There they are next to Jesus. Hey, what's that they're drinking?
	That's wine mixed with myrrh. It's an anesthetic. It numbs the pain.
	But Jesus is refusing it, and OH MY GOODNESS!!! They're hammering nails through his hands and feet - WITHOUT ANESTHESIA!!!
	Ouch! winces Poor guy, but he wanted to be conscious throughout the whole ordeal. (I say give me the electric chair anytime.)
	But that's cruel!!
	So what's new? That's the cruelty of mankind for you. I believe some of those in the crowd are enjoying the show.
	Waitaminute. Was it my imagination or did I hear Jesus pray, "Father forgive them for they know not what they're doing"?
	He said it alright. After all, it was because of his love for us that he died on the cross, and what great love!
	What's that sign above his head? I can't see it through my telescope.
	(Put that thing away! You'll frighten the people!) It says 'The King of the Jews' in Aramic, Latin and Greek. Pilate wrote it. That's making the priests mad but he's not changing it.
	Ha! Serves them right. Hey, look. The soldiers are dividing his clothes and drawing lots for his garments.
	Good observation, Chris. (Bet you didn't notice that, guys) That is another prophecy fulfilled - 'They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing'.
	Ha ha ha! Come on, Jesus! Save yourself since you are the 'Son of God'! Get down from the cross!
	Oh, leave him alone. He saved others but he can't save himself! Let him come down and then we will believe him!
	.....
	Why doesn't he come down? Boy, if it were me, I'd not only come down but call fire down from heaven to blast them into smithereens!
	Ha ha, Chris. Jesus came to save, not to destroy, and the only way to do that is to die, even on the cross. Now if we could get a little closer, maybe we could hear what the thieves and Jesus are saying.
	Why would we want that?
	The thieves' attitudes reflect those of people even today. Well, in a way, anyway. C'mon, guys. starts through the crowd (nudge) Ops, sorry. (shove) Excuse me...
	to Jesus Aren't you the Christ? Then save yourself! And while you're at it, you can get us out of this fix too!
	Don't you fear God, since you and I are under the same sentence?! We're punished justly as our deeds deserve, but this man has done nothing wrong! turns to Jesus Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.
	I tell you the truth. Today you will be with me in paradise.
	As you can see, one of them only wanted to believe in Jesus for his own gain (sort of like those 'believers in times of trouble') while the other repented and believed in faith and humility.
	Darkness suddenly covers the sky from end to end
	Hey! Who turned out the lights?! It's only noon!
	It's as if nature herself mourns for her Creator. Better take out your torches, guys. It won't lift for another three hours. No, not those battery operated ones! You'll scare the people! Yes, I meant the wooden ones. lights torch OK, that's better. Now listen. Jesus is going to say something.
	Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani???!!!!!
	Look! He's calling for Elijah! Now let's leave him alone and see if Elijah comes to take him down!
	Why is he calling Elijah?
	He's not. What he said means, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?!'
	Really? But why would God forsake His own son?
	You see, to take man's sin away and pay the ugly price, he had to experience the consequence of our sin which is estrangement from God - spiritual death.
	A King killed by the very people he is dying for. That's one of a kind.
	I'm thirsty...
	Look. A man is giving him something to drink from a plant.
	All his life he lived for others and put them first, even when he was tired. Now as his work comes to an end, he can finally think of himself.
	But what a way to go...
	finishes drinking It is finished!!
	My goodness! He sure can shout despite hanging there for so long!
	Finally his work is done.
	Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.
	So where's his father, that carpenter... whatshisname...
	Don't be silly, Chris. He was referring to his heavenly Father - God, not Joseph. Notice that he gave up his spirit by his own will. I remember him saying, "I have authority to lay (my life) down and authority to take it up again (John 10:18)"...
	Jesus bows his head and dies. The ground shakes violently
	W-wh-what's g-g-going o-on??!
	I-it's an...
	EARTHQUAKE!!!
	Hang on , guys!! It'll pass soon! tries to remain standing Right now, in the temple, the curtain that separates God's presence from man is being torn from head to toe by an unseen force, signifying that man can now enter God's presence freely through Jesus' sacrifice.
	clinging on to Fav's bermudas The priest in the temple should get a good shock. sees something at the corner of his eye Hey, what's that? That white thing moving around. There!
	Probably a saint who died long ago.
	Ghost!! Aaaaa!! hides behind Fav
	Those are the bodies of the saints rising from their graves. Similarly, those who believe in Jesus will be resurrected in the body on the last day.
	Earthquake stops as mysteriously as it started
	still shivering I think the floor's stopped shaking. Sorry. I think I peed on your shoes...
	?? What??!! Oh... grr... We'll deal with that later. Look, they're taking the bodies down.
	Bodies? But the thieves aren't dead yet.
	Well, they will be once the soldiers break their legs. They're not breaking Jesus' though, since he's dead. They're piercing his side instead. Blood and water will gush out. This is to fulfil what the Scripture says, 'Not one of his bones will be broken' and ' They will look on the one they have pierced'.
	Does it say anything about the blood and water?
	No, I don't think so, but you can have a look at the link at the bottom of the page for its medical significance.

	Come to think of it, Good Friday doesn't seem that good. An innocent man just got murdered! What's so good about that?!
	Correction - Jesus wasn't just a man. He was God incarnate, which means 'God taking the form of a man'. To be honest, I asked myself the same question long and hard and now that I know the answer, Good Friday is both good and bad to me.
	Bad I can understand, but good? Why?
	Because of our sin, the Son of God himself had to die in our place. But honestly, if it were me, I'd choose to do it when crosses were out of style.
	Yeah, give me the chair or firing squad anytime. Just seeing Jesus being nailed down makes my fur stand. But I still don't understand why he had to do it.
	That's God's plan of reconciliation with man. Due to Adam's sin (Adam was the first man created by God) of disobedience (he ate the forbidden fruit when God told him not to), the unity between God and man was broken.
	So he had to die? Is that it??
	irritated I haven't finished yet. Now, because God is holy and man is sinful, we all deserve punishment. The Bible says, "For the wages of sin is death", meaning physical and spiritual death which is separation from God.
	So someone sinless had to pay the sinner's price, and the only one who is without sin is God himself, is that right?
	Yep! That's our God - up close and personal.
	But you said we were all sinful. You've got to be kidding. I've led a good life. I didn't kill anyone or steal anything.
	Not exactly. Sin entered the world when Adam sinned and it now stains every soul. Guys, if you look at your life carefully, I'm sure you'll find many instances of sin like lying, cheating, jealousy, etc. The worst part is the world makes it all seem acceptable, or even desirable!
	... I guess you're right. I haven't been a good totoro all my life... But then what's so good about Good Friday?
	I thought I just told you. You saw it for yourself - the torn curtain in the temple. Because of Jesus' sacrifice, man can now come back to God. Our sins are forgiven in Jesus Christ! It's just up to us to receive him!
	Wow... and I thought Good Friday was just another holiday. thinks for a moment Is this what you meant by 'See man's cruelty at its best. See the glory of a King in his triumph.'?
	Almost correct. If Jesus had died just like that, he would have been just another criminal. Some prophecies have yet to be fulfilled, as we shall see later.
	You mean there's more?
	Yes, Chris. It's only just begun. The best part's yet to come...