Good Friday Sermon: What Was I Thinking?

You know, we're extremely fortunate today, almost 2000 years after Christ's death.  We have the knowledge of hindsight, of first-hand testimony in the Bible, of knowing that Christ will rise within 3 days.  We have faith that all things occurred for a reason, and that Christ took upon Himself our sins, our wickedness, our offenses, and literally became the perfect sacrifice for the whole world to be able to reconcile with God.

But today, what has become known as Good Friday - today, we're going to look at those people living the experience contemporaneously.  I want you to put yourself into the shoes of the disciples.  I'm going to describe those about whom we know at least a little more than their names, briefly. 

Peter – He was outgoing, a natural leader, and spokesperson for the 12.  He was the only married disciple.  His wife was known to go with him on missions.  He was assigned to bring the Gospel to the circumcised.  He was known for denying Christ three times, and when Peter himself was crucified, he requested to be hung with his head down, as he didn't feel he was worthy to be crucified in the same manner as Christ.

Andrew – He was originally a follower of John the Baptist, and a fisherman.  Andrew introduced Peter to Jesus in the wilderness, where they were following John the Baptist, and left to become followers of Christ.  He was a passionate preacher and significant contributor in the early Church.  He died a martyr, also crucified.

James and John were sons of a fairly wealthy fisherman.  Both were known for their intense passion and fervor.  Jesus called them the Sons of Thunder.  James was part of Jesus' "inner three", in that he is mentioned often when Jesus performed miracles.  He was the only apostle whose death was recorded in the New Testament, as the first apostle to die, and he was beheaded.

John was more at the forefront.  He was known as the "beloved disciple" or the "one whom Jesus loved."  He wrote 1-3 John and Revelation, and wrote more about love than any other writer of the New Testament.  He was exiled, but returned to Ephesus after Domitian died and lived there until about 100 AD.  He was the only disciple not put to death.

Phillip was a Jewish follower of Christ, with a heart for evangelism.  He was both stoned and crucified.

Nathaniel or Bartholomew came from Cana.  He preached in India and translated the Gospel of Matthew into their language.  He died crucified and beheaded.

Matthew, the tax collector, brought the gospel to Ethiopia and Egypt.  The king had him killed with a spear.

Thomas, the Twin, was actually an outspoken skeptic, to the point of pessimism, his entire life.  He started the church in India, and was killed by a spear through the side.

James the Less, was also known as "the Little", "the Younger" and "the Minor", as it was apparently in comparison to James, son of Zebedee – who was apparently taller and older.  Some believe he was Jesus' brother; others that he was a cousin – but little is known about his life.

Simon the Zealot was a political activist, and had a fiery enthusiasm in his devotion to Christ.  He preached in Africa, and ended up crucified in England.

Judas, also known as Jude, was overly concerned with Jesus' revelation to the world at large, and not just to the 12.  He was clubbed to death years after healing the King of Edessa.

Judas Iscariot – the traitor.  Little is known about him, other than he enjoyed a position as an apostle, but did not love Christ as the others did.  His guilt was presumed to have caused him to kill himself.

Mary, sister to Lazarus and Martha, lived in the village of Bethany.  She sat at the feet of Jesus, in the place of a disciple, and was accepted there.  She was quiet and contemplative.   She's the one who used the perfume to anoint Christ's feet – at a cost of 300 denarii.  (A single Denarii was worth 10 asses at the time.)

Martha, sister to Mary and Lazarus, lived in Bethany.  She was rather bold and  outspoken.  She was the organizer, keeping people fed, making sure everything was clean and prepared.  She had a rather practical mindset.

Mary Magdalene, from the town of Magdala, was a constant presence with Jesus, traveling with Him and the disciples, helping to support them, which would imply she at least had some wealth.  It is said that there had been seven demons driven out of her by Christ.  Her devotion to Jesus was absolute.  She would have been as important among the female followers as Peter was among the males.

There would have been many more disciples of Christ that just didn't make it into the Bible.  You decide which one you might identify with, and start thinking how they would be thinking at this very point in their lives. 

Some of them may have been thinking, this was not the Messiah they expected!  He'd just been put to death!  He was only 33 years.  How could he have entered Jerusalem to a triumphant king's procession, not even a week ago?  Could they be thinking – "was I wrong?"

Some may have been angry – how could He have promised eternal life, only to be put to death on a cross?  Why could He not save Himself?  Why would He not save Himself?

Some of them were riddled with doubts, with fear about what would happen next. 

Some felt horrible guilt at what they had done, denying Him, not speaking for Him, hiding away from the terrible crowds.

So many mourned, knowing how this day was going to end – for no one survived crucifixion.  Their Master was going to die.  Their friend would perish, and they would be left alone.

What was I thinking?