Good Friday Meditation

Easter can be a soft focused sentimentality, but the blood Jesus spilled and the miracle God performed in raising Him from the dead demands clear thinking attention. How should one respond to all this talk of crucifixion and resurrection?

Moving from knowledge to embrace.

It’s not enough to believe true things about God and Jesus. Demons do that much (James 2:19).

Since Jesus claimed to be the one way to the Father (John 14:6), the first step in responding to Easter is decision: is Jesus who he claimed or not? Is he the savior or a crazy man? Is he the way or an evil cult leader? Is he everything or is he nothing?

Perhaps you’ve never made a clear-headed decision about Jesus. Maybe you’ve had warm feelings toward the church and the things of Christianity; but have never made the call: is Jesus the Lord and Savior or a pleasant myth?

The claims of Easter are too grand to approach with emotion and sentiment only. You need to decide what you believe about Jesus. I hope you’ll decide, as I have, that he is The Way.

2. Repentance
Moving from diagnosis to treatment.

Jesus’ death on the cross was about sin (1 Peter 2:24). His death for the penalty of our sin enables our death to the power of sin (Romans 6:1-11). So step two in responding to Easter is repenting (turning) from our life of sin, not just as a one-time event, but an ongoing lifestyle.

Maybe you’ve decided that Jesus is The Way; but haven’t yet turned from your old ways and embraced your new ways in Christ. If so, prayerfully confess your sins to God and ask for the ability to turn from them. Then go confess to those you’ve sinned against and pledge your repentance. Then repeat as needed.

Moving from private to public.

Baptism is entry into the visible church. It’s an important step in responding to Jesus (Matthew 28:19).

Maybe you’ve decided that Jesus is The Way and you’ve begun a lifestyle of repentance, but you’ve never made the public profession of  your faith through baptism. If so, go to a pastor and talk to him about this.

Moving from nominal to phenomenal.

Jesus didn’t die and rise to life to make converts, people Christian by name only. He’s about making disciples: Christians growing in faith and repentance. Followers. Learners (Matthew 28:19). People growing in the phenomenal fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Like repentance, this is an ongoing process.

Maybe you’ve decided that Jesus is The Way and you’ve begun a lifestyle of repentance and you’ve made it public through baptism, but you’re not growing. If so, get a good Bible (the English Standard Version is all the rage right now) and a notebook and start reading, studying, thinking, and praying through it. Get plugged in with a mentor who is stronger in faith. Get plugged into a church that teaches the Bible. Learn and grow.

Moving from hobby to mission.

Jesus didn’t die and rise again to give people a happy hobby to toy with, another topping on their life pizza. Jesus’ death and resurrection inflames disciples with a singular purpose: making more disciples (Matthew 28:19 again). Like repentance and growing as a disciple, this is an ongoing mission.

Maybe you’ve decided that Jesus is The Way, started a lifestyle of repentance, made it public through baptism, and are growing as a disciple; but you’re not engaged in your life’s mission to build others up as disciples. If so, using these five steps, think about the people around you (your spouse, your kids, your coworkers, your friends, your neighbors, your acquaintances, your strangers, etc.). Where are they on this path? How can you encourage them toward the next step? Go do it.

Easter is too fantastic to approach as a fantasy. We must respond not just with emotion, but with action. Jesus lived. Jesus died. Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus is everything. Jesus changes everything.

Which step are you on? What do you need to do to move forward?

1. Read James 1:19 and discuss the differences between knowing and embracing the truth of Jesus. Is it possible to tell who only knows and who embraces? If so, how?

2. Read Romans 6:1-11. How should the knowledge that we are dead to sin affect our attempts to change?

3. Why is baptism an important part of a disciple’s journey?

4. Read Matthew 28:19 and discuss the differences between a convert and a disciple. What does a disciple look like? Is it possible to be a convert and not a disciple? (See 1 John 1:6; 2:4)

5. What does it mean to make disciples? What is the average Christian’s responsibility in this commission?