026 RIC Biblical Articles - Good Friday: What a horror! What a mercy! He died. For me?
026 RIC- Biblical Articles Good Friday: What a horror! What a mercy! He died. For me? April 18, 2025
Click here to listenPhilippians 2:5-8
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Greetings, precious soul,
Good Friday is no ordinary day. It is a day of trembling and holiness, of silence and reverent fear, of judgment and unfathomable love. Heaven was witness. The earth trembled. The cross was planted between heaven and earth, and there He hung. The Son of God. The Anointed One. It was the day that justice and mercy met. Not in words, but in blood. In one sacrifice.
In Philippians 2:1-4, Paul calls believers to unity and loving cooperation. If they experience any encouragement, comfort or connection in Christ, they are to complete His joy by being like-minded: one in love, one in heart and mind. They are not to do anything out of self-interest or pride, but in humility consider others more important than themselves. Each one should not only look to their own interests,
but also to the interests of others.
And then Paul comes to verses 5-8: ‘Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.’ The church of Philippi and also the believers who read the letter are called to have the mind in Christ Jesus. This mind is translated from the Greek word: φρονεῖτε (phroneite) Which is close to ‘thinking’ and ‘observing’ or ‘taking care of’.
For: who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. God is one God in the persons of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Son is Christ, the living Word as described in John 1:1-2: ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.’
He emptied Himself by taking the form of a slave and becoming like men. Christ became man. Without sin, but with the full burden of humiliation that He had to endure.
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
His humiliation began in the manger. There where the animals breathed, lay the Creator of heaven and earth. There where straw and dust lay, the path to the wood began. Circumcised on the eighth day. Not a moment was without meaning. Not a second of His life was empty. Everything was focused on that one moment: the cross of Golgotha. The place of the skull. The place where everything came together. Adam’s guilt. Israel’s guilt. Our guilt. And above all: God’s righteousness.
And yet. It is precisely in this that the depth of this day shines. For there, on that hill outside the gate, a love is revealed that transcends the law, but never bends it. A love that makes no compromise with sin, but carries it away. A love that does not cry, “It is not bad,” but whispers, “I will pay.” He, who was as if playing before the face of the Father, who was eternally one with God, who existed in the form of God, did not consider His equality with God as robbery, as advantage, as possession to be held. He emptied Himself. He became like us. Not in sin, but in flesh. In blood. In weakness. In humility.
Whoever hears this, becomes silent. Whoever sees this, kneels. Whoever believes this, is changed. For this attitude – this spirit, this inner attitude – is not merely admirable. It has been presented to us. Let this attitude be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Not outward piety, but real participation. A renewed thinking. Not arising from duty, but from the fruit of the Spirit: love.
At Golgotha there was no defense. No accusation. No revenge. Only: “Father, forgive them.” The lowest point where He went was the abandonment of God on the cross of Golgotha: "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” And then the most powerful words: “It is finished!” No more sacrifice needed. No more blood to shed. No more work to add. Because He has done it. Once and for all. For sinners. For enemies. For those who did not seek, but were found.
And that is why we call it good. Good Friday. Because He bore the evil. Because He went the way. Because He drank the cup. To the bottom. Because He was silent. Because He prayed. Because He died. For God has also highly exalted Him... What was humiliated on Good Friday will be glorified on Easter morning. The cross is not the end, but the door. The depth leads to height. The shame to glory.
Whoever hears this, bows deeply. In deep humility. In gratitude. Not in form, but in fire. Not in religion, but in worship. For this is holy ground. And the Lamb is worthy. Always. Always. Always. Amen.