“For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit” (1 Peter 3:18).

Good Friday is a time when we remember the pain of the Lord on our behalf.

Indeed, Jesus suffered and died for us.

Have you ever tried to comprehend the feelings of the apostles and other followers of Jesus as they watched their Lord die on a cross so many years ago? Everything the followers of Christ had hoped for seemed to have been snatched from their hands in the space of a few hours. The apostles must have felt panic, fear, dismay, anger, hopelessness.

Perhaps they felt shame as they thought of going home and telling people that the Messiah, they gave up everything to follow, had just died on a cross—leaving them looking like hapless fools. I can only speculate how they felt. I doubt they were rejoicing though.

With all the pain they must have felt at watching their Lord die, I have often wondered what was so good about Good Friday.

Without the tragedy of the cross, there would be no hope for any of us.

The tragedy we remember on Good Friday is, in fact, the greatest victory in the history of mankind.

WHAT’S SO GOOD ABOUT GOOD FRIDAY?

When you think about it, the terminology we’ve used over the past centuries seems a little out of place. We are here to remember and to consider the death of Christ. Naturally, our minds wander back 2,000 years to another time and another place. Jerusalem. People gathered from all over the world to celebrate the Passover, and outside the walls of the city, the Passover Lamb hanging in public shame upon a cross.

All four Gospels are really rather matter of fact about the death of Christ. They each relate the historical events, and they each refrain from giving very much in the way of commentary as they describe those events. What commentary they do give comes from the lips of those who are present. The inscription over His cross proclaims Him to be the King of the Jews (John 19:19).

It points out that this Galilean rabbi was much more than just a King—- He was the one and future promised King who was, and who is, and who is to come—Alpha and Omega.

One of the thieves commented that “we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong” (Luke 23:41). This points to the fact that Jesus died as an innocent sacrifice for the wrongs of others.

1. CHRIST DIED FOR SIN.

“For Christ also died for sins”(1 Peter 3:18)—He had none!

The death of Christ had both a very terrible, and at the same time, a very wonderful purpose. It was terrible in that it teaches us that our sin is quite terrible. It is wonderful in that it teaches us that God’s love is quite wonderful.

He died for sins in the sense that His death was PENAL. God’s law demanded punishment for sin. The death of Jesus was the answer to that demand—not on Him, on you and me! His death was a punishment for our sin—price paid–debt erased.

In the ancient world, it was customary that when a criminal was crucified, a list of his infractions that had led to his crucifixion would be nailed to his cross. The idea was that anyone who was contemplating committing the same crime would read this list and be warned. You know all about the inscription that Pilate had affixed to the cross of Jesus.

And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin and Hebrew (Luke 23:38).

THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

But there was another inscription that day that was unseen by human eyes.

“And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross” (Colossians 2:13-14).

Can you imagine what it would be like if someone were to follow you around and write down everything that you did, unbeknownst to you?

Every evil action, every improper thought, every wrong motive? It isn’t mere imagination.

There was a certificate of debt that we owed. It consisted of all the things that we had done wrong or that we would one day do wrong — after all, at the time of the cross, all of your actions and my actions were still future tense.

It consisted of our actions, our thoughts and our motivations. Everything that would cause us to hang our heads in shame before a holy and righteous God.

Nailed to the cross.

It isn’t that we weren’t guilty—We were and still are. But the penalty has been paid. The demands of the law have been met. He died for sins in the sense that His death was PRIESTLY. In Old Testament times, the people had to approach God on the basis of animal sacrifice. The regulations for worship were quite specific. For you to worship, death had to take place. And that was not all. Even after the sacrifice was offered, it did not mean that you could blissfully walk into the presence of God. You had to go through a mediator. You went to the priest, and he went into the presence of God.

2. CHRIST DIED FOR SIN ONCE–FOR ALL.

“For Christ also died for sins once for all” (1 Peter 3:18).

We come to the cross again and again, and that is perfectly appropriate. But the death of Christ was a once and for all event.

And as Jesus breathed His last, the veil in the Temple was torn in two– from heaven to earth—top to bottom—no man could make a way only God dying for our sin—heaven to earth (Mark 15:37-38).

That great veil, that had for so long a time stood for the separation that existed between God and men, was torn in two from top to bottom.

No more sacrifices. No more blood. No more animals to be slaughtered. The work was done. It was a once and for all event. It need never be repeated. In those times, when we’ve played the part of the lost sheep and have wandered away, we come to our senses and we wonder, “How can I ever make it right? How can I return and have the relationship I once enjoyed.”

It is at those times that He comes, and He says, “I died for sin once and for all. All anger has been satisfied once and for all. No other sacrifice is needed for you, Jeff.”

3. CHRIST’S DEATH INVOLVED THE JUST FOR THE UNJUST.

“For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust…”

Christ died our death. He who was innocent died in the place of we who were guilty. The death of Christ is a measure of our sinfulness. We have a tendency to downplay sin. It is a sign of our day and age that we don’t even like to talk about sin. Or else sin is relegated to the murderous actions of third world terrorists and since “I would never do a thing like that,” I can assuage my own brand of sins with the thought, “It really isn’t that bad.”

Now hear this—Your sin is really bad, and my sin is really bad. So bad that it took the death of the holy and righteous and just Son of God to put it away. He is the —–JUST ONE of our verse.

We read that He: “died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust” (1 Peter 3:18).

This is the same truth that Paul expresses when he says:

“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Jesus is the just one who took upon Himself your injustice. He became sin on your behalf.

We have been credited with the righteousness of Christ. He is infinitely righteous. He has not merely imputed a portion of His righteousness to our account. Rather, the very nature of His character of complete righteousness has been credited to us. We are regarded by God as having the very righteousness of Christ.

Remember——what He did that day.

The seven last sayings of Jesus from the Cross:

1. Luke 23:32-34 The Perfect Prayer:

“Father forgive them; for they know not what they do.”–Perfect forgiveness

2. Luke 23:32-43 Eternal Life Today:

“Today you shall be with Me in Paradise”–Eternal life

3. John 19:26-27 Substituting for the Substitute:

“Woman, behold, your son!”–A new family

4. Matthew 27:46:

My God! My God! Why? “My God, my God, why have you forsaken Me?”–Penalty paid

5. John 19:28-29:

“I Thirst; I Thirst.”–We’ll never be thirsty again

6. John 19:30 FINISHED!

“It is finished!”–Completed His mission

7. Luke 23:46:

“Father into Thy hands I commend my spirit.”–Made heaven our home!

Do you know Him?

Sometimes I think we forget as pastors and leaders that we have intentionally placed ourselves in the line of fire, the front of the battle—directly in the crosshairs of the enemy—this is our reality every day—are you ready for it?

God wants you to be strong in Him because we are fighting against powerful forces of darkness.

In battle, the giants we face take many forms—power, anger, building projects, staffing issues, sexual temptation, gossip, slander, serious illness, the loss of a loved one, hatred of others, jealousy, coveting, envy, money, addictions: alcohol, drugs, pornography, even simple yet very deadly pride…

• The truth is there are spiritual forces ready to weaken you, corrupt you, condemn you—hoping to cause you to fail and fall, and then to trample you under their feet.

• The enemy of your soul seeks to take advantage of you by capitalizing on any reliance you may have in yourself, using both your strengths and weaknesses as tools to weaken your dependence on the power of God through Holy Spirit.

What kind of strength is it that we need as leaders?

Let me be clear–You and I are not simply fighting our fellow frail humans with all their physical and mental deficiencies. We are fighting a much worse and far more powerful enemy, the Devil himself, as well as an innumerable host of fallen angels and a worldwide system, that is firmly entrenched against God and His Word and thereby us as leaders in God’s church. It is they who are in control of the world of temptations, biblical ignorance, rampaging sinfulness, resulting sadness and destruction. Therefore, we must be strong in the Lord and fight the battle with spiritual weapons, not simply muster large helpings of our own personal strength.

How strong are you? Below are case studies of three very strong men: Solomon, Samson and David:

1. Solomon was the wisest of all men. Because of that mental strength, an ability to use reason and logic, he possessed tremendous wisdom—from that he gained great wealth, prestige and power.

2. Samson was the strongest of all men. Because of that physical strength, he was able to defeat 1,000 men with the jawbone of a donkey, and he toppled a temple with his own hands.

3. David was the most devoted and spiritual of all men. Because of that devotion, he loved the Lord and sought to honor and glorify God like no other resulting in God declaring David’s heart closest of any humans to God Himself…Just look at his Psalms and their beautiful poetry of adoration for God’s glory.

Yet, all three fell — as strong as these men were — they were no match for the schemes and strengths of the god of this age.

1. Satan: In his evil cunning, Satan led Solomon to marry many foreign women and through them, Solomon fell to the temptation to serve false gods.

2. Samson: As strong as he was, he was unable to resist the persistence of a woman. Delilah hounded him into telling the secret of his strength, and through Delilah’s betrayal, he ultimately fell.

3. David: fell into the temptation of lust, then adultery, then murder.

Perhaps these three men thought to themselves—“ I am too strong to ever fall, others sure; they are obviously weak, but me, never.”

Let me ask you a question: Do you think you any stronger than they were? —or could it be perhaps you think you are immune to what befell them?

• Maybe you are emotionally strong.
• Maybe you can handle tremendous amounts of pressure.
• Maybe you can work for long hours, day after day after day.
• Maybe you are a multitasking machine of mind and intellect.
• Maybe you are the one who is the emotional anchor, the rock everyone leans on for support.

There are many kinds of human strength, and each of us is prone to rely on the strengths that we have in greatest measure—so in that sense, our strengths become our weaknesses.

• The most important strength of all is the strength you have in the Lord.
• True Christian strength is not of the body or mind.
• True Christian strength is of the spirit, measured in faithfulness, trust and perseverance.

God wants you to be strong in Him because the spiritual battle can only be won by putting on His armor and relying on His Strength.

It’s relying on God, not simply your human abilities.

Most of us know the description of His armor is found in Ephesians 6:13-15:
“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints…”

Let me be very clear, often we seem to think we can just run and grab a piece or two when we need it, don’t we?

Why do we need to put on all these pieces of armor? Because when the fighting starts, it’s too late, you will be shot full of holes before you can blink—you need to constantly be ready for war—all day, every day–So you won’t be ill-prepared—or naked in battle and forced to rely on your own strength—using a shoe for a shield—that will get you shot.

So you may remain strong (Ephesians 6:10):
Strong in faith, rooted in the gospel, living in truth, empowered by the Word, walking in peace and victorious through faith. It is the armor of God that keeps us safe and strong continually, and it has already been field tested and proven battle worthy, deserving of our implicit trust. To trust the armor of God is to trust God Himself—so that we do not lean on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:8-9).

Ultimately, we can only trust God’s provision for battle, not our own, but God’s faithfulness to us because it has already been manifested in the cross. You have already tested the armor of God, and it works—your eternity is resting on its sufficiency. You have already trusted in Him and His provision.

We live daily testing the whole armor of God:
Let’s return to the life of David for a moment. When David was about to fight Goliath, Saul wanted to give David his own armor, “So Saul clothed David with his armor and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail. David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, “I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them” (1 Samuel 17:38-40).

So David took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand, and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had; and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine.

Now let me ask you a simple question: What kind of protection is a sling against a giant nine-foot tall giant who could crush your head between his hands? The word “useless” comes to mind–It is very little protection even in the hand of a skilled sling master—Or said a different way, what confidence did David have in his own abilities when he stepped into that creek bottom?

None—Yet it was completely clear that David was more than a match for Goliath, and he knew it—Why?–because he did not go out onto the battlefield alone. He went with the company of the Lord God maker of Heaven and Earth—David was wearing the only Armor that could assure him of the victory—and David knew that armor would be sufficient—Why?—because David had tested it!

Earlier in his life, David had killed a bear and a lion with nothing more than a sling:
Moreover David said, “The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you!” (1 Samuel 17:37).

He went with the full armor of God: faith, righteousness, the Word and truth.

He went out to the place of battle—the Valley of Elah, to that place where the Devil himself had brought an army to oppose God’s people.—and it was there in the face of insurmountable odds with apparently nothing more than an insufficient strip of flesh—David met Goliath.

It was not a shining sword that brought the giant down; it was not the arrow; it was a small stone that crushed the enemy’s head, the way God promised in the garden that the head of the serpent would be crushed. Goliath was a manifestation of that serpent—your enemy and mine to this day.

Incidentally, have you ever wondered why David picked up five stones to do a job that took only one. Were the extra four back-ups just in case that first didn’t work? Not at all. David had full confidence in the Lord and picked up five stones, not to insure the death of Goliath, but to take care of Goliath’s relatives.

There was Ishbi-benob, Saph and Goliath’s brother, and another, each one with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. As 2 Samuel 21:22 says, “These four were born to the giant in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.”

The Armor of God is already battle tested—death itself has been defeated

We simply need to lead fearlessly by getting ready for war each day, put on the whole armor of God—and march to the frontlines to face our giants with confidence. Because God is with us—who can be against us– in doing so, we can view every giant as a dead one waiting for a place to fall.— because that’s what real leaders do.

Many church leaders I talk with complain that they do not have enough time for all the demands of the ministry and communicate this to me along these lines: They often find their day is actually run for them by the tyranny of the urgent in three basic categories: problems, people and processes.

1. You must take control, “Seize the Day” (Carpe Diem)!

“Redeem the time for the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16). The life of Christian leadership is rarely easy.

Each day, when we go out the door to our ministry responsibilities, there is growling, foaming, Rottweiler of life and living – ministering and serving – that we must face. Either we control him, or he controls us; he backs us down, or we put him on the love leash and make him do what God wants.

We must Biblically seize the day to make time and circumstances work for us instead of against us. God already knows what that day holds and has a plan, but we need to lay hold of that plan through the Word, prayer and fellowship.

Read Psalm 139:6. We can expend a lot of energy on fear, self-pity and worry, but it’s a lot like being in a rocking chair––lots of effort but no meaningful forward motion.

Every day is a precious blessing given to us by God to use for His glory-seize, the one He has given you!!

2. Develop the full potential you have in Christ

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). “…Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

God desires for us to attempt something great, something worthwhile, something eternally meaningful each day. So we should remember that we are uniquely, fearfully and wonderfully made for that purpose (Psalm 139:14; Ephesians 2:10).

We must not allow ourselves to be crippled by the lie of purposeless inferiority or inability. There is no inferiority in you since the “old man” has been transformed by Christ in you, into superiority, for now, “We can do all things through Him.”

We must learn to challenge the status quo occasionally; routines can get us into ruts and dull our spiritual senses. That means we need to get out of the daily routine once in awhile.

Focus on a new goal outside of that daily routine, some area of life or ministry where you will be challenged to rely on that new power you have in Him, accomplish it and then repeat the process. This develops and grows your leadership skills.

3. Prioritize your day

“This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).

In our modern American society, we are especially susceptible to time wasters. Yet by our very nature in Christ, we are supposed to be caring, thoughtful and attentive to the needs of others around us. This is a volatile mix lots of needs, and we have been called to listen to them, but as Alan Redpath wisely said, ” A need does not constitute a call.” So to avoid simply saying yes to every need, try to organize your day into three basic categories.

1. In light of God’s plan for my life today
2. In light of God’s plan for my tomorrow
3. In light of God’s plan for eternity

Then as you determine what you are going to accomplish for the day, consider the options from this perspective, “What I do today is eternally important because I am paying one of God’s ordained days of my life for it, so what I accomplish must be worthwhile because the price is high.”

4. Associate with people who will help you grow every day.

“A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels” (Proverbs 1:15).

The only way to improve the quality of our walks is to continue to improve ourselves in Him as well. To this end, we need to be sure that we don’t grow spiritually stagnant.

I was at a basketball camp at UCLA in the early 1970s with coach extraordinaire John Wooden, and he said something that has stuck with me all these years:

“It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”

Wooden recognized that the greatest obstacle to growth is not ignorance; it is knowledge. The more you learn, the greater the chance you will think you already know it all. So we must make the decision to remain teachable if we want to grow, if we do this, the logical next step is to consider from whom and where you are learning.

Seek out brothers and sisters in Christ–who live out the Word:

A. They will set high, Christ-like standards (Philippians 3:12-14).
B. They are reliable and consistent (2 Timothy 2:1-2).
C. They speak the truth-always (James 5:19-20).
D. They live balanced lives free from extremes (1 Corinthians 9:24-25).
E. They are disciplined and focused (1 Corinthians 9:25-27).

5. Set Reasonable Goals for the day-You are not actually a superhero!

Hebrews 12:1-2 “…And let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus…”

Here is an amazing truth—Jesus was and is God, and you and I are not. We must run with endurance, yes—but in stupidity, no! And any race that takes you away from Him and His Word is not of Him in the first place. If you don’t have time for family and fellowship, you are running in a race with the enemy of your soul.

Many Christians in leadership are guilty of setting goals that are built more on hyper- spiritual fantasy than Biblical reality. Which is often the result of spiritual pride, not the leading of the Spirit. Some set goals far beyond what they can expect to attain because they are not God’s goals at all, but their own based on the needs before them. We must patiently set reasonable goals based on the whole counsel of His Word, the leading of the Holy Spirit and the confirmation of His witnesses he has placed in our lives.

It is also important to set the right kind of goals:

Our goals should always include time in the Word, prayer and fellowship first, as those things are clearly ministry essentials in the Word. The first place these three areas of your walk will be tested is in managing your role as a Godly spouse, parent, employee and citizen, so we must set goals that have right motives behind them, ones reflecting God’s agenda before our own, and what is best for others before ourselves.

These five keys can help us manage our day, so that we can rejoice for, “This is the day the Lord has made…” and not be bummed because we have the day that simply happened because we got up!

All of us who occupy a pastoral leadership position in a church, will at some point in time be faced with a very critical question:

Who is the head of your church?

It will be asked by people seeking to talk with the “guy in charge,” “the senior or lead” pastor, “the guy who makes the decisions”– and 100 other ways. It is in that moment we have a choice—and the choice is critical. The answer to this question will actually set the course of everything that follows—the words, the counsel, the plans, the purposes.

So I ask again, who really is the head of your church? Who is the captain of the ship? Who is the master? Who calls the shots?

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:15-18).

Short answer: Who is in charge of your church? Hopefully not you, or any other human with spiritual gifting.

Whoever is on the throne, that person is the head.

“In every Christian’s heart there is a cross and a throne, and the Christian is on the throne till he puts himself on the cross; if he refuses the cross, he remains on the throne. Death to Self brings life in Christ…We remain king within the little kingdom of Mankind and wear our tinsel crown with all the pride of a Caesar; but we doom ourselves to shadows and weakness and spiritual sterility.” – C.H. Spurgeon, Lectures to my Students (1897-1963)

Let’s unpack this issue. The greatest problem I see consistently is that I lose sight of who Jesus is as Lord of my life–First and foremost—Master—Head—And my need for Grace is just as great as anybody and everybody else on this earth—the one answering our question is the one who also is a sheep!

Sure, I teach and preach, counsel, yes, solve problems, of course, build stuff for God, yep—My life is full of stuff I am doing for the Lord, and hopefully, my motivation is His glory alone…but…

Do I personally give Him devotion and worship to Him as Lord??

Do you ever reach the place where the answer to this dilemma is—“If I have time in my busy schedule, perhaps after I take care of problems He has me handling”—How often are we a one person show!

We are NOT supposed to do this alone!—We are one body.

We need to make sure He is first in our lives, and then we will have all the help we need and not be over tasked shepherds who are out of patience, stressed out and ready to blow up if the next sheep we see says, “BAHHHHHHHHHHHH,” the wrong way.

The plain and simple truth is that on many days I am struggling just like every last person sitting in the pews, my life needs the power of grace to rain down on it. I am frail and fragile, and I need somebody to speak into my life.

We actually need each other! And your success and my success are inextricably linked!—If you fail to some degree, so do I!

“For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them…” (Romans 12:4-6).

No group, organization or denomination can claim to be “the exclusive body of Christ,” for the body is composed of all true believers. Each Christian is a member of this spiritual body, and Jesus Christ is the head. We should be complementing…not competing with each other.

In Greek usage, the word “head” meant “source” and “origin” as well as “leader, ruler.”

Jesus Christ is the source of the church, His body and the leader—We all take orders from Him!

Paul called Him “the Beginning,” which tells us that Jesus Christ has priority in time as far as His church is concerned.

The term beginning can be translated “originator.”

• No matter which name you select for your building, it should affirm the preeminence of Jesus Christ.
• The church had its origin in Him, and today it has its operation in Him.
• As the Head of the church, Jesus Christ supplies it with life, vision, instruction and direction through His Spirit.
• He gives gifts to men, and then places these gifted people in His church that they might serve Him where they are needed.
• Through His Word, Jesus Christ nourishes and cleanses the church (Ephesians 5:25-30).

No believer, pastor, teacher, administrator on earth is the head of the church, because we all need Jesus to lead each of us.

This position is reserved exclusively for Jesus Christ:

• Various religious leaders may have founded churches, or denominations; but only Jesus Christ is the founder of the church, which is His body.
• This church is composed of all true believers, and it was born at Pentecost. It was then that the Holy Spirit came and baptized the believers into one spiritual body.
• The fact that there is “one body” in this world (Ephesians 4:4) does not eliminate or minimize the need for local bodies of believers.

I may not minister to the whole global church, but I can strengthen and build that church by ministering to God’s people right where he has me and let Him lead His church.

Jesus Christ is the head of the church.