Well, thank you for joining us for our Good Friday services. My name is Perry Emerick I'm the campus pastor on our Mesa campus. And I am so excited that you would choose to join us for this very special service. You know, Good Friday as a reference to the events that took place on the Friday before Easter Sunday. That's the day that Jesus was crucified. And we love to celebrate Easter. We love all the hype and all the, all that comes with the Easter celebration. He rose from the dead, but we often miss the opportunity to slow down and be present in the tension, the disorienting tension of the events that took place on that Friday before. See that's the day that carries with it the significance of really all that happened. And for us to slow down and remember it is so important. But the question is, why do we call it good? Why would the horrible death of our Savior Jesus be something that we would choose to use the word good for. History has come to see it as is good because it was the day in which Christ showed his great love for man and purchased for him every blessing. It's the day in which the Creator of life surrendered his life for us. It's what good people do. They lay down their life for their friends. Jesus calls us friend in this action. Perhaps we can understand the name, but what would it be like to understand the pain? The pain of our Savior and the pain of his followers, who in this moment witnessed this and experienced it. And so tonight I want to invite you to pause with me and to remember the story, to sit in the discomfort of the events of that night. To try and take on the perspective of those who witnessed those events. And in a moment, the seek to engage with even the emotion, the pain that came with it. To walk through some of those difficult moments in history and to consider the tension of what it was like. To not just consider the words, but to consider the experience of what happened. And so we begin with a passage that sets the stage for our time together though, perhaps it's not one that you've ever considered associating with this night, but I feel like it's so important to set up with this. It's found in John chapter one verses four and five. John 1:4-5 says in him was life, and that life was the light of man. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. It's a very hopeful passage as you read it, because it speaks of power and the victory of God. It's His very nature. It sets us up for the significance of who He is. You see, when we talk about God, we use words that help us describe Him. Words like omniscient which means all knowing. Or omnipresent, which means ever present or, or, or he's present everywhere all at the same time. Or we use the word omnipotent, meaning all power or infinite in power. You see He's the creator of life, and as such as one with all that power, it's impossible to consider that God could possibly lose. You see, God's not supposed to lose. Darkness is not supposed to overcome light. John declares that at the beginning of his writing. And to be sure this is not just any light. This is the light, the light of the world. The light that showed up at the birth of a baby. We know that as Christmas, A light that with its arrival began to throw back the veil of darkness that has settled on the world. You see, darkness has no power over that kind of light. The only way that darkness wins against that light is if that light gets snuffed out and surely that would never happen to that light. You see what we intuitively know, what his followers knew, is that God is not supposed to lose. An all powerful, all present, all knowing God doesn't lose. But when you look at the events of that day, we have to wrestle with that. What do we do with what happened on the events of that day? And so let me just walk you through that day, if I could. Try to see it through the lens of someone who maybe doesn't know the full story, doesn't know what's to come. Is witnessing it as it unfolds. Let's choose if we can just ourselves to forget what we know about what happened after, and experience, again, together, the events of that Good Friday. We begin in the garden. How do we explain the garden? Well, perhaps we need a little bit of setup before that. You see Jesus and his disciples were just sharing a meal, a last supper as we've called it. And where he talked about his death and his betrayal. It was in the upper room. And it was during this that he, he shared some things that were so hard for the listener, for those who were at this dinner party to reconcile in their minds. He shared with them that one of them would betray him. What a ludicrous idea. These were his friends they'd traveled with them for years now. And one by one, they were saying, surely not I Lord, surely it's not me. But it begins the events of that night. It sets the stage. They leave that place and they head to the garden. It's just across the valley from the temple mounts, literally in the shadows of it. And it's there that he asked him to do something. He says, keep watch with me. Keep, keep watch for what, what does that mean? What does he, why would he ask that you see, he knew what was coming. And he didn't want to be alone. He didn't want to face what he was about to face alone. He wanted his friends to join him, to support him, to help him to carry this burden with him. He went on to share with him where he was at, what was going on inside. He said, my soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Can you, can you keep watch with me? Can you help me carry this was his disciples they couldn't do it. They, they fell asleep. As they say, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak and they gave into their sleep. And so he ends up praying alone. And on that night, three times, he pleads with the Father, please take this cup from me. Sounds afraid. I mean, how could it all powerful, God be afraid? But he doesn't give in. All three times he submit saying, but not my will. Yours Father. See he's there our mission, the will of his Father is his mission and he knows what he has to do, even if his flesh doesn't want to do it. And so he prays. And as the mob comes from the temple mount seeking out Jesus, he tries to prepare his disciples by telling them the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Here comes my betrayer. These words, these are words of weakness. These are not words of strength. They're not words of power. Where is the strength and power instead he's betrayed and with a kiss no less. A symbol of affection used to instigate affliction. And then in that moment, Jesus says steps forward. And he asks, who are you looking for? And they say, Jesus of Nazareth to which he responds, I am he. I am. Words that he spoken so many times before. Before Abraham was I am. I am the good shepherd. I am the door to the sheepfold. I am the vine. Apart from me, you can do nothing. I am the bread of life. I am the way and the truth and the life that no one comes to the Father, except through me. I am the resurrection and the life. I am the light of the world. I am he, he says. And the power of those words caused the soldiers, the fall to the ground and cower. I am he. And yet in that same moment, his disciples scatter unfaithfully. This mob with swords and clubs shows up to take their master. And where's the resistance. Oh, there's, there's some. What little resistance comes from Peter, the brash and bold disciple who says I'll never leave you. And he pulls out a sword and he cuts off the ear of Malchus, the high priest servant. And yet it was Peter who was rebuked by Jesus. And it was the enemy that was healed. It's just, it just doesn't make sense. Because God's not supposed to lose, certainly not to this mob. And yet the way, the truth, and the life was led away to be put on trial. But how can you put truth on trial? Surely the truth will win in the end, right? I mean, they made all kinds of accusations towards them, false accusations that conflicted with each other, but that didn't matter. What mattered was protecting their way. It wasn't the truth that they sought. It was their own power that they sought to protect that. And so they made their charges against him. And when they asked him, will you not answer these charges laid against you? The truth remained silent. Jesus just stood there. But finally they asked a, I asked a question, they had the answer, or at least he chose to answer. He said, they said, are you the Messiah? And once again, he said, I am. There it was. I, I am before Abraham. I am. I'm the light of the world. I am the truth. I'm the resurrection and the life. I am the very name of God himself. Are you the Messiah? I am, he said. And with those two words, the high priest tore his clothes, crying out blast for me, this man claims to be God and the crowd responded as well, in force. They spit on him. They blindfolded him, struck him in the face. They mocked him. They said, prophesy, who hit you? The truth of God cannot be mocked yet here he was being mocked and beaten and ridiculed. They were having their way with him. After that they let them off the Pilot, the Roman governor of Judea, the man with power Roman power, power to save and power to crucify. These men are making accusation against you. He said, are you going to answer your accusers? And once again, the truth remains silent. I would choose to remain silent. Why would Jesus not speak on his own behalf? Doesn't truth silence lies. Doesn't truth drown out deception. Where, why are you silent? Jesus speak. And again, the truth is questions. Are you the King of the Jews, Pilot asked. He's confused. How, how can this man be a King? And yet that is what his accusers are proposing. It's as if to say Jesus answered, I am the King of the Jews and I came to testify the truth, but it didn't make sense to him. He was confused that didn't add up. And ultimately he asked, what is truth? The irony of that is he's asking this question to the ultimate truth of the universe, the Creator of the universe. He is the embodiment of truth. It's standing right in front of him. He could see truth, he could touch truth. And yet he asked what is truth. But again, in the end, he's not interested in truth because he has a crowd to please. This crowd that shouts out, crucify him, crucify him. They want the truth to die. And still the truth remains silent. Why is that? Why would he remain silent? Doesn't, doesn't truth silence lies? Doesn't truth drown out deception. Why is Jesus not speaking? You see, God's not supposed to lose and now, and now the truth is being led off for crucifixion. But perhaps we've been seeing it wrong. Yeah, it's truth, but perhaps it's not just truth. See, it's what it is, is love. It's love being handed over to be crucified. The very definition of God is love. He is the embodiment of love. It's love that was beaten. It was love that was flogged. It was love that was whipped in front of a crowd. And it's love that is mocked and ridiculed. And yet a moment ago, this man claimed he was King. That's not the behavior of a King. It's not the posture of a King. A King is strong. He wears a crown. And yet this King wears a crown of thorns. The King wears royal clothes, and yet this King wears a purple robe soaked in his own blood. The king carries a sceptre a sign of his rule and authority. And this King is headed a staff, which is then taken away and used to beat him. This King is mocked. How is this King, the King of the Jews. See, this is a King of love. This is what a loving King does. You see it was love who said, whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. That's what love looks like. That's what it looks like to love others. You see, our King carries his cross to the place of the skull, Golgotha. To be crucified among thieves. To have nails pounded into his hands and his feet. And he's raised up on high. Love hung on a tree for the world to see. How does that happen? God doesn't lose, God's not supposed to. It can't end this way with a crowd, mocking him and, and cheering, jeering him and saying, Oh, save yourself. Let God save him. And yet there he stays on a criminal's cross. Isn't, isn't his presence on a cross, a sign that he was wrong. And yet everything changed. Darkness covers the land. He sits on this cross. Saying Father, forgive them for, they know not what they're doing. What? But people don't do things to God. Oh God does things to people. People don't do things that God, and yet here it is. How do we understand this? It doesn't make sense. So then he cries out my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? He's admitting it. God's forsaken him. God's losing. He must have been wrong. We, we must have been wrong. How could he be who? He said it is what he was. And then finally he says, it's finished. It's over. And a storm, like no other overtakes the land. The light of the world goes out. Darkness, overtakes the land. The Earth shakes and the temple curtain is torn in half. How does this omniscient oppress, uh, omnipresent, omnipotent, God allow this to happen. The Creator of life is not supposed to lose this dark life. And darkness does not overcome light. And yet here we are. The light was shining and now it's out. True spoke, but when accused truth went silent. Love was on display for the world to see on a cross, and now it's dead. Could it be the cross, had the final word?