1 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:15,760 S1: When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince 2 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:22,320 S1: of Glory died. My richest gain I count but loss 3 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:28,360 S1: and poor contempt on all my pride. Forbid it, Lord, 4 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:32,720 S1: that I should boast. Save in the death of Christ. 5 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:37,560 S1: My God. All the vain things that charm me most. 6 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:43,080 S1: I sacrifice them to his blood. See from his head, 7 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:48,920 S1: his hands, his feet. Sorrow and love flow mingled down. 8 00:00:49,479 --> 00:00:54,480 S1: Did e'er such love and sorrow meet. Or thorns compose. 9 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:59,400 S1: So rich a crown. Were the whole realm of nature 10 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:06,200 S1: mine that were a present far too small. Love so amazing, 11 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:13,200 S1: so divine. Demands my soul, my life, my all. You 12 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:15,680 S1: may have been saying that right along with me. You 13 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:20,320 S1: remember that hymn by Isaac Watts? And that's how we 14 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:23,080 S1: opened this edition of Chris Fabry Live. Thank you for 15 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:26,000 S1: joining us on this Good Friday. I have a special 16 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:29,120 S1: conversation I want you to hear. We had Liz Curtis 17 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:33,240 S1: Higgs on the program back in 2017, and we're coming 18 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:37,720 S1: back to that conversation again to linger here at the cross. 19 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:40,479 S1: And we're going to walk through some of the last 20 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:43,679 S1: hours in the life of Jesus and take in the 21 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:47,920 S1: perspective of three women who were there. Thanks to Ryan 22 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:51,080 S1: McConaughey doing all things technical. Trish is our producer. Don't 23 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:54,800 S1: call us today. Our program is recorded. If you want, 24 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:58,550 S1: you can go to our website, Chris fabry.org to hear 25 00:01:58,550 --> 00:02:01,710 S1: this program again or find out how you can support 26 00:02:01,750 --> 00:02:04,550 S1: what we're doing. There's a gift we have for anyone 27 00:02:04,550 --> 00:02:07,630 S1: who comes along as a back fence friend right now. 28 00:02:08,030 --> 00:02:14,750 S1: Go to Chris Dot. Liz Curtis Higgs, if you don't know, 29 00:02:14,790 --> 00:02:18,989 S1: is funny. She writes fiction. She writes non-fiction. She was 30 00:02:18,990 --> 00:02:22,230 S1: in radio for a long time, and it's her goal 31 00:02:22,270 --> 00:02:25,590 S1: to help women connect with the grace of God. She 32 00:02:25,590 --> 00:02:28,310 S1: likes to go deeper in the pages of Scripture and 33 00:02:28,310 --> 00:02:31,710 S1: dig around for treasures which are all over the place. 34 00:02:32,030 --> 00:02:34,710 S1: She's written a number of books. I've asked her to 35 00:02:34,750 --> 00:02:37,710 S1: talk about a small portion of one of them. Today, 36 00:02:37,710 --> 00:02:41,990 S1: the women of Easter encountered the Savior with Mary of Bethany, 37 00:02:42,030 --> 00:02:46,429 S1: Mary of Nazareth, and Mary Magdalene. Liz, what a treat 38 00:02:46,430 --> 00:02:47,630 S1: to talk with you today. 39 00:02:48,350 --> 00:02:51,470 S2: Oh, it's a blessing in today, especially of all days. 40 00:02:52,710 --> 00:02:56,790 S1: Because we know, though, that the tomb is empty, because 41 00:02:56,790 --> 00:02:59,950 S1: we know the victory that Jesus won for us and 42 00:02:59,950 --> 00:03:03,750 S1: his triumph over death. It's easy to pass over, if 43 00:03:03,750 --> 00:03:07,950 S1: you will. The events of Thursday, Friday, Saturday and it's. 44 00:03:07,990 --> 00:03:11,310 S1: I liken it to watching a rebroadcast of a sporting 45 00:03:11,310 --> 00:03:13,550 S1: event where you know the outcome. You know what the 46 00:03:13,550 --> 00:03:16,990 S1: ending score is. So when you know that the emotions 47 00:03:16,990 --> 00:03:20,750 S1: and the tension aren't as strong. But for those people 48 00:03:20,750 --> 00:03:23,470 S1: we're going to talk about today who lived through this? 49 00:03:23,470 --> 00:03:25,230 S1: It was agonizing, wasn't it? 50 00:03:25,630 --> 00:03:28,710 S2: Mhm. Boy, I'll say, you know, they had lost all 51 00:03:28,750 --> 00:03:32,630 S2: their hope. And who can blame them when considering what 52 00:03:32,630 --> 00:03:37,030 S2: they watched happen on this day in history? There was 53 00:03:37,070 --> 00:03:41,550 S2: hope was gone. Joy was gone. Um. Any sense of 54 00:03:41,550 --> 00:03:46,670 S2: redemption was surely gone. Even though Jesus had told them, 55 00:03:47,030 --> 00:03:51,110 S2: I will see you in Galilee. I think looking at 56 00:03:51,110 --> 00:03:56,660 S2: him dying on the cross, all of those promises were forgotten. And, um, 57 00:03:56,700 --> 00:03:59,860 S2: put aside in the reality of what they were looking at. 58 00:04:00,420 --> 00:04:03,340 S2: Such a reminder for us, even when we're going through 59 00:04:03,380 --> 00:04:09,700 S2: really difficult times. Yes, those promises hold true. Jesus did 60 00:04:10,100 --> 00:04:13,339 S2: come back from the dead and we are given the 61 00:04:13,340 --> 00:04:16,700 S2: hope of resurrection as well. But in the midst of it, Chris, 62 00:04:16,740 --> 00:04:17,740 S2: so hard. 63 00:04:18,260 --> 00:04:22,100 S1: Yes. And that's maybe you're tuning in to our conversation 64 00:04:22,100 --> 00:04:24,260 S1: here today. And that's where you are. You're in the 65 00:04:24,260 --> 00:04:27,179 S1: middle of the hard stuff and you don't see any 66 00:04:27,220 --> 00:04:30,700 S1: hope of resurrection for whatever it is. It could be 67 00:04:30,700 --> 00:04:33,260 S1: a relationship, it could be your life could be some 68 00:04:33,260 --> 00:04:35,300 S1: kind of loss that you're going through. I want you 69 00:04:35,300 --> 00:04:38,420 S1: to listen through that lens today as we talk with 70 00:04:38,460 --> 00:04:40,580 S1: Liz Curtis Higgs. You can find out more about her 71 00:04:40,620 --> 00:04:45,900 S1: again at Chris Dot. Um, hymns help us get into 72 00:04:46,260 --> 00:04:50,500 S1: this conversation better. And there's one just before the chapter 73 00:04:50,500 --> 00:04:53,620 S1: we're going to talk about. It says the translation is 74 00:04:53,620 --> 00:04:58,620 S1: by James Alexander from 1830. O Sacred Head, now wounded 75 00:04:58,900 --> 00:05:04,020 S1: with grief and shame. Weighed down now scornfully. Surrounded with thorns. 76 00:05:04,020 --> 00:05:08,340 S1: Thine only crown. How pale thou art. With anguish, with 77 00:05:08,380 --> 00:05:13,820 S1: sore abuse and scorn. How does that visage languish. Which 78 00:05:13,860 --> 00:05:17,940 S1: once was bright as morn. Um those words. And then 79 00:05:17,940 --> 00:05:21,140 S1: the Watts hymn that I just read a minute ago. 80 00:05:21,380 --> 00:05:25,380 S1: This helps us understand almost the understandable, doesn't it? 81 00:05:25,740 --> 00:05:29,140 S2: Mhm. They do. And you know, we, we don't speak 82 00:05:29,140 --> 00:05:32,099 S2: in that kind of elevated language on a daily basis. 83 00:05:32,260 --> 00:05:35,339 S2: But for me, that's one of the beauty of hymns. 84 00:05:35,380 --> 00:05:39,020 S2: I start every chapter with an Easter hymn because, um, 85 00:05:39,020 --> 00:05:45,020 S2: those writers from centuries ago, they express deep emotions. Um, 86 00:05:45,060 --> 00:05:48,700 S2: emotions that, to be really honest, don't always come through 87 00:05:48,700 --> 00:05:52,979 S2: in the scripture. Uh, the scripture tells us exactly what happened. 88 00:05:53,020 --> 00:05:57,770 S2: It's rather straightforward, but we can easily climb into the 89 00:05:57,770 --> 00:06:01,610 S2: hearts of the people who were there. As the song says, 90 00:06:01,650 --> 00:06:06,810 S2: the people who saw this, who who smelled the blood 91 00:06:06,810 --> 00:06:10,289 S2: and the sweat in the air, who could see with 92 00:06:10,290 --> 00:06:13,850 S2: their own eyes. The gouges in his hands and in 93 00:06:13,850 --> 00:06:17,370 S2: his feet. To understand what it was like to experience 94 00:06:17,490 --> 00:06:22,250 S2: with all five senses, everything that happened that day, that 95 00:06:22,250 --> 00:06:26,010 S2: Good Friday, which is an odd name for it, isn't it, Chris? 96 00:06:26,050 --> 00:06:31,210 S2: Good Friday. It seems the opposite until, as you said, 97 00:06:31,210 --> 00:06:34,609 S2: you know the ending. For us, it was the best 98 00:06:34,610 --> 00:06:37,730 S2: Friday in all of history because our sins were paid 99 00:06:37,730 --> 00:06:40,810 S2: for on the cross. But for the people standing there, 100 00:06:40,810 --> 00:06:43,810 S2: I don't think they would have called that one Good Friday. 101 00:06:44,650 --> 00:06:50,210 S1: And this is your signature, really getting us into what 102 00:06:50,210 --> 00:06:53,640 S1: was really going on there or kind of placing us 103 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:58,240 S1: beside these three women of Easter? That's what you want 104 00:06:58,279 --> 00:06:59,360 S1: us to do, right? 105 00:06:59,960 --> 00:07:03,920 S2: Exactly. So and I will say I'm asked by some people, well, 106 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:07,880 S2: when are you going to write the Men of Easter? Unfortunately, Chris, 107 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:11,440 S2: that would not be a very long book because the 108 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:13,800 S2: men in the story and this is not male bashing, 109 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:17,160 S2: I promise, but the men in the story, um, are 110 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:21,840 S2: sort of not present. Peter denied him, Judas betrayed him, 111 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:25,880 S2: and the other disciples fled. Except for John, the beloved 112 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:29,200 S2: disciple who is mentioned by name. We have no mention 113 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:33,040 S2: of these men. It doesn't mean they weren't there. Um, 114 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:36,320 S2: but they did not play a role on, on, uh, 115 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:39,800 S2: on Good Friday. They simply were not part of the 116 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:43,400 S2: part of the story. Um, but the women were, which 117 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:45,440 S2: is why, of course I wanted to focus on them 118 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:48,840 S2: for this book. They are the eyewitnesses. They are the 119 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:52,760 S2: ones who take us there. And it's not really hard 120 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:55,320 S2: to step into the scene. Um, as I said, the 121 00:07:55,320 --> 00:07:58,800 S2: Bible doesn't go to our emotions, but it definitely gives 122 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:03,080 S2: us a very visceral description of what happened. 123 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:07,120 S1: Liz Curtis Higgs is joining us today on this Good Friday. 124 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:09,960 S1: Thank you for being with us. Our program is prerecorded. 125 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:12,400 S1: Don't call us today. You can go to the website though, 126 00:08:12,440 --> 00:08:15,400 S1: and find out more about our featured resource, which is 127 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:19,800 S1: Liz book The Women of Easter Encounter the Savior with 128 00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:24,080 S1: Mary of Bethany, Mary of Nazareth, and Mary Magdalene. Again, 129 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:47,839 S1: you can find out more@chris.org. This is Chris Fabry live 130 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:50,400 S1: on Moody Radio. Thanks a lot for joining us today. 131 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:53,520 S1: Liz Curtis Higgs is joining us on this Good Friday. 132 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:56,120 S1: If you go to Chris Fabry live.org you'll see our 133 00:08:56,120 --> 00:08:59,560 S1: featured resource, the Women of Easter encounter the Savior with 134 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:02,880 S1: Mary of Bethany, Mary of Nazareth and Mary Magdalene. Liz 135 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:05,280 S1: has been on some other programs on Moody Radio, but 136 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:09,000 S1: I asked her, can we just narrow this down to 137 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:14,439 S1: that day in chapter six? Thorns thine only crown. It 138 00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:18,199 S1: begins like this. Darkness was all around her. Mary of 139 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:24,000 S1: Nazareth stood, abandoning her borrowed bed. Though it was past midnight. 140 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:27,160 S1: She had no hope of sleeping. Her son had been 141 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:31,240 S1: betrayed by a friend and then arrested by strangers. How 142 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:36,559 S1: was that possible? And Liz of. We had another conversation 143 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:40,480 S1: about this, and I brought up the. The borrowed bed 144 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:43,800 S1: that she may have used here, and thinking of the 145 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:48,510 S1: borrowed bed when Jesus was born in Bethlehem. I mean, 146 00:09:48,550 --> 00:09:50,750 S1: it's all coming around to her, isn't it? 147 00:09:51,150 --> 00:09:54,910 S2: It must surely be coming around to her. And of course, 148 00:09:55,470 --> 00:09:58,910 S2: she has come for the Passover, as Mary of Nazareth 149 00:09:58,910 --> 00:10:03,470 S2: did every year. Uh. But this time she must know 150 00:10:03,510 --> 00:10:06,990 S2: things are rising to such a pitch. With her son 151 00:10:06,990 --> 00:10:11,550 S2: coming in on a donkey on Palm Sunday. With all 152 00:10:11,550 --> 00:10:15,230 S2: that is happening that week, with the, uh, the fears 153 00:10:15,230 --> 00:10:20,270 S2: and the challenges and the accusations of the religious leaders 154 00:10:20,950 --> 00:10:24,510 S2: in her mother's heart beating deep, there must be this 155 00:10:24,510 --> 00:10:27,870 S2: memory of what Simeon said to her when her little 156 00:10:27,870 --> 00:10:30,990 S2: son was only 40 days old, and she took him 157 00:10:30,990 --> 00:10:35,270 S2: to the temple for her cleansing and his dedication on 158 00:10:35,309 --> 00:10:40,830 S2: that day, Simeon told her, A sword will pierce your 159 00:10:40,870 --> 00:10:44,750 S2: own heart too. Now imagine hearing that when you're holding 160 00:10:44,750 --> 00:10:49,470 S2: a baby in your arms And you're waiting 33 years 161 00:10:49,470 --> 00:10:53,150 S2: to find out what exactly that sword is going to be. 162 00:10:53,550 --> 00:10:56,230 S2: There were probably many times in Mary of Nazareth's life 163 00:10:56,230 --> 00:10:59,709 S2: when she felt a prick of that sword, when one 164 00:10:59,710 --> 00:11:02,710 S2: thing or another happened with her son that made her wonder, 165 00:11:02,750 --> 00:11:07,350 S2: is it now? Is it today? But now surely she knows. 166 00:11:07,510 --> 00:11:10,190 S2: Surely she can tell that this this is going to 167 00:11:10,190 --> 00:11:15,710 S2: be the ultimate piercing. But she still can't imagine her 168 00:11:15,710 --> 00:11:19,870 S2: son up on a cross. That's going to happen within hours. 169 00:11:20,270 --> 00:11:24,469 S2: And yet, who could imagine such a death for their son? 170 00:11:25,030 --> 00:11:29,429 S2: And so, um, so this morning, these dark hours unfold, 171 00:11:29,990 --> 00:11:34,070 S2: and we aren't exactly certain at the hour that things 172 00:11:34,070 --> 00:11:38,030 S2: began to fall apart. But in the darkness, the chief 173 00:11:38,030 --> 00:11:40,949 S2: priests and the whole Sanhedrin, Mark tells us, were looking 174 00:11:40,950 --> 00:11:44,830 S2: for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him 175 00:11:44,830 --> 00:11:50,340 S2: to death. So death was on the agenda for this day. Oddly, 176 00:11:50,340 --> 00:11:54,380 S2: they didn't find any. They found false accusers, but even 177 00:11:54,380 --> 00:11:59,900 S2: their statements didn't agree. And yet, even with that testimony 178 00:11:59,940 --> 00:12:04,540 S2: not agreeing, here's what Jesus did. He remained silent and 179 00:12:04,540 --> 00:12:11,300 S2: gave no answer. Imagine Jesus remaining silent, knowing what's coming next. 180 00:12:12,260 --> 00:12:15,020 S2: Of course, they ask him if He's the Messiah and 181 00:12:15,020 --> 00:12:17,260 S2: he does speak. He has to speak to that. And 182 00:12:17,260 --> 00:12:21,660 S2: he says, I am. Imagine it and you will see 183 00:12:21,660 --> 00:12:23,980 S2: the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of 184 00:12:23,980 --> 00:12:27,860 S2: the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven. Well, 185 00:12:27,900 --> 00:12:30,420 S2: Caiaphas was undone at that. The chief priest tore his 186 00:12:30,420 --> 00:12:33,540 S2: clothes and said, we don't need any more witnesses. That's. 187 00:12:33,700 --> 00:12:38,140 S2: That's all we need. And they condemned him as worthy 188 00:12:38,820 --> 00:12:43,380 S2: of death. So we have a sentence, and then the 189 00:12:43,380 --> 00:12:46,940 S2: punishment begins long before he gets to the cross on 190 00:12:46,940 --> 00:12:51,300 S2: this Good Friday. They began by spitting at him. There's 191 00:12:51,300 --> 00:12:56,100 S2: something so dehumanizing about that, Chris. To spit at somebody 192 00:12:56,780 --> 00:13:00,739 S2: as if they were animals, as if they were animals. 193 00:13:00,740 --> 00:13:05,300 S2: Like camels that spit. And they blindfolded him and struck 194 00:13:05,300 --> 00:13:08,020 S2: him with their fists and demanded that he prophesy since 195 00:13:08,020 --> 00:13:11,660 S2: he was a prophet. We're all hitting you. Who's hitting you? 196 00:13:12,179 --> 00:13:15,900 S2: So that begins. Then there were guards that took him 197 00:13:16,340 --> 00:13:20,140 S2: and beat him. So it's it's escalating now. It's just 198 00:13:20,140 --> 00:13:25,819 S2: not striking. It's actual beating. We remember that Mary of 199 00:13:25,820 --> 00:13:30,179 S2: Bethany anointed him with her palms, and the crowd had 200 00:13:30,220 --> 00:13:34,260 S2: adored him with their palm branches. But now we have 201 00:13:34,260 --> 00:13:39,260 S2: guards abusing him with the palms of their hands. So 202 00:13:39,260 --> 00:13:42,380 S2: hard to watch. We are not told if the women 203 00:13:42,420 --> 00:13:46,450 S2: were there present to see this kind of punishment. But 204 00:13:46,450 --> 00:13:48,170 S2: I find it very hard to believe that they're going 205 00:13:48,170 --> 00:13:50,850 S2: to be at the cross later, that they weren't with 206 00:13:50,850 --> 00:13:54,330 S2: him now, particularly his mother. But surely all the women 207 00:13:54,330 --> 00:13:58,890 S2: that were supporting her were supporting him and hearing and 208 00:13:58,890 --> 00:14:03,010 S2: seeing and smelling and tasting in the very air what 209 00:14:03,010 --> 00:14:10,210 S2: was happening that morning. Then daybreak comes and perhaps about 6:00. 210 00:14:10,250 --> 00:14:14,570 S2: This is when the sun would rise above the horizon 211 00:14:14,850 --> 00:14:19,170 S2: and and daybreak would officially be there. And things got 212 00:14:19,210 --> 00:14:23,410 S2: worse for Jesus. He's dragged off to see Pontius Pilate, 213 00:14:23,410 --> 00:14:27,410 S2: the Roman governor of Judea. Pilate says, I find no 214 00:14:27,410 --> 00:14:31,970 S2: basis for a charge against this man. But that wasn't 215 00:14:32,290 --> 00:14:36,650 S2: enough answer. Herod and his soldiers ridiculed, mocked. Jesus sent 216 00:14:36,650 --> 00:14:39,610 S2: him back to Pilate. There was so much back and 217 00:14:39,610 --> 00:14:44,130 S2: forth that morning Between the chiefs and the elders, Herod 218 00:14:44,130 --> 00:14:47,610 S2: and Pilate. When Pilate saw him a second time, he said, 219 00:14:47,610 --> 00:14:52,010 S2: I see nothing. He's done nothing to deserve death, so 220 00:14:52,010 --> 00:14:55,330 S2: I'll punish him and release him. And I have to 221 00:14:55,330 --> 00:14:58,250 S2: be honest, Chris, when when Pilate says that there's a 222 00:14:58,250 --> 00:15:02,450 S2: part of me reading the scriptures thinking, yes, please, please 223 00:15:02,450 --> 00:15:06,810 S2: release him. Let him go. But that's not even a 224 00:15:06,810 --> 00:15:10,490 S2: good prayer. That's probably what his people would have prayed. 225 00:15:10,530 --> 00:15:13,050 S2: The people who loved him and we who love him 226 00:15:13,050 --> 00:15:18,050 S2: want to pray that. But this had to happen. There 227 00:15:18,050 --> 00:15:21,050 S2: is nothing about Good Friday that could have been undone 228 00:15:21,050 --> 00:15:25,890 S2: by any work of man. This was Jesus not only 229 00:15:25,890 --> 00:15:32,890 S2: willingly going to the cross, but willfully, intentionally. He wanted 230 00:15:32,890 --> 00:15:36,490 S2: to do this. He had to do this for us. 231 00:15:36,530 --> 00:15:40,050 S2: I just am blown away by that. And he would 232 00:15:40,090 --> 00:15:43,600 S2: have known his whole life on earth what was coming. 233 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:48,720 S2: Just as Mary feared that sword, Jesus knew very specifically 234 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:54,040 S2: how this day was going to unfold. Even though we had, um, 235 00:15:54,280 --> 00:15:56,680 S2: a woman step in and try and stop this. That 236 00:15:56,680 --> 00:15:59,400 S2: would be the wife of Pilate. Uh, we don't know 237 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:03,680 S2: her name in scripture. Later. Um, she is identified as Claudia, 238 00:16:04,040 --> 00:16:07,080 S2: but we do know that she. She came to Pilate 239 00:16:07,080 --> 00:16:10,320 S2: and begged him. Don't have anything to do with that 240 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:14,200 S2: innocent man. Matthew 2719 for I have suffered a great 241 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:18,840 S2: deal today in a dream because of him. So she 242 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:22,680 S2: had some revelation from God in her dreams that something 243 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:25,320 S2: terrible was going to happen. And the best thing that 244 00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:30,440 S2: could happen from human standpoint was that Jesus be spared, 245 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:33,560 S2: but the people wouldn't have it. And they kept shouting, 246 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:40,080 S2: crucify him, crucify him. I, uh, I I offer as 247 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:43,920 S2: a challenge to the reader in the book to try 248 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:47,520 S2: and shout those words, Chris, crucify him. Just try and 249 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:51,240 S2: say it out loud, let alone shout it into your room. 250 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:55,880 S2: My stomach turned, even trying to do it, but they. 251 00:16:55,920 --> 00:16:59,200 S2: That's what the people that day shouted for. They wanted 252 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:07,640 S2: Barabbas set free. They wanted juices. Jesus crucified before even that. 253 00:17:07,640 --> 00:17:12,760 S2: He's flogged. And it's a single word. It sounds not 254 00:17:12,760 --> 00:17:17,760 S2: that bad. Flogged, scourged until we understand what it looked like. 255 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:23,520 S2: This would have been a handful of leather straps with 256 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:26,919 S2: bits of bone and stone tied to the end of 257 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:30,840 S2: each one of those. So when he was struck with that, 258 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:34,360 S2: it would have literally torn the flesh from his body. 259 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:39,949 S2: The pain is beyond our imagining as a sidebar. I 260 00:17:39,950 --> 00:17:42,550 S2: just have to say this. My cat had a heyday 261 00:17:42,550 --> 00:17:45,070 S2: with me yesterday. I'm not sure what happened, but he 262 00:17:45,070 --> 00:17:49,189 S2: got unhappy about something. He does have claws. And he sank. What? 263 00:17:49,230 --> 00:17:54,070 S2: Just one claw into my arm and didn't initially immediately 264 00:17:54,070 --> 00:17:59,590 S2: let go. The pain was searing. It went all through 265 00:17:59,630 --> 00:18:04,750 S2: my arm. Just one little cat claw that was quickly retracted. 266 00:18:05,550 --> 00:18:09,990 S2: But for Jesus, it was many of these claws over 267 00:18:09,990 --> 00:18:14,430 S2: and over, tearing at his skin. And the people who 268 00:18:14,430 --> 00:18:21,110 S2: loved him watched this happen. I almost have to take 269 00:18:21,109 --> 00:18:25,350 S2: a pause, Chris. It's so painful to imagine. It's so 270 00:18:25,350 --> 00:18:28,630 S2: painful to climb into the scene. You're a novelist, so 271 00:18:28,630 --> 00:18:31,830 S2: I know you do this when you write. You stand 272 00:18:31,830 --> 00:18:37,190 S2: there with your characters. Do you? Not in the scene. Living. breathing, 273 00:18:37,230 --> 00:18:41,270 S2: experiencing it, hearing it. Um, and I believe God calls 274 00:18:41,270 --> 00:18:43,990 S2: us to do that when we read his word to 275 00:18:44,030 --> 00:18:47,510 S2: not hold it at arm's length, but to go deep 276 00:18:47,510 --> 00:18:52,430 S2: into our hearts, our minds, our emotions, our senses, and 277 00:18:52,430 --> 00:18:57,310 S2: stand there watching the one we love, giving his life 278 00:18:57,310 --> 00:18:58,070 S2: for us. 279 00:18:58,550 --> 00:19:03,030 S1: Yes. Well, I pause at Mary as his at his mother. 280 00:19:03,390 --> 00:19:06,830 S1: And what that night must have been like. And as 281 00:19:06,830 --> 00:19:10,470 S1: a parent, I've been through some of those with my kids, 282 00:19:10,750 --> 00:19:14,510 S1: and I know when you say she probably didn't get 283 00:19:14,510 --> 00:19:19,389 S1: much sleep, if any, but just lying there on that 284 00:19:19,430 --> 00:19:23,350 S1: straw mattress, whatever it was, with her eyes open, maybe 285 00:19:23,350 --> 00:19:26,429 S1: remembering some of the scenes, the places where she had been. 286 00:19:26,470 --> 00:19:30,670 S1: The wedding when she said, whatever he tells you, do it. 287 00:19:31,109 --> 00:19:35,700 S1: And now he's not saying anything. And he could. If 288 00:19:35,700 --> 00:19:39,140 S1: he can raise Lazarus from the dead. Surely he can 289 00:19:39,140 --> 00:19:42,540 S1: do something to get him out of this fix. Maybe 290 00:19:42,540 --> 00:19:44,540 S1: this is going to happen. You know, this is as 291 00:19:44,540 --> 00:19:47,139 S1: a follower of Jesus or as one of his disciples 292 00:19:47,140 --> 00:19:50,900 S1: or his mother, or you don't know about his brothers 293 00:19:50,900 --> 00:19:53,740 S1: and sisters, you know. And what was going through their minds. 294 00:19:53,740 --> 00:19:57,180 S1: But certainly as his mother, oh, God, there must be 295 00:19:57,180 --> 00:20:01,260 S1: something that can be done here. And that just runs 296 00:20:01,260 --> 00:20:02,340 S1: through my head. 297 00:20:02,500 --> 00:20:06,740 S2: Yes. And of course, I think everybody longed for that. 298 00:20:07,060 --> 00:20:11,620 S2: But if they paid attention, if they listened to what 299 00:20:11,619 --> 00:20:14,899 S2: he told them over and over, this day is going 300 00:20:14,900 --> 00:20:18,300 S2: to come. I will be laying down my life. I 301 00:20:18,340 --> 00:20:23,580 S2: will be sacrificed. Um, he tried to prepare them, but, 302 00:20:23,580 --> 00:20:25,139 S2: you know, we don't want to hear it, so we 303 00:20:25,180 --> 00:20:27,700 S2: don't want to hear it. We just shut our ears 304 00:20:27,700 --> 00:20:30,540 S2: to it and hope that something is going to happen. 305 00:20:30,580 --> 00:20:35,300 S2: We hold out that that last minute miracle. Um, and 306 00:20:35,300 --> 00:20:39,820 S2: they certainly the raising of Lazarus was not long before this. So, um, 307 00:20:39,820 --> 00:20:42,619 S2: they're wondering at what point does all this going to 308 00:20:42,619 --> 00:20:44,820 S2: come to a grinding halt and Jesus is going to 309 00:20:44,859 --> 00:20:49,460 S2: proclaim his lordship and all the bad guys will fall away. 310 00:20:49,460 --> 00:20:52,180 S2: And none of this has to happen. But of course, 311 00:20:52,180 --> 00:20:56,300 S2: it has to happen. And I honestly think Mary, more 312 00:20:56,340 --> 00:21:01,179 S2: than anyone, knew that this was going to have to happen. She, 313 00:21:01,220 --> 00:21:05,139 S2: who knew her son so well, knew him as only 314 00:21:05,140 --> 00:21:08,540 S2: a mother or father can know their child had spent 315 00:21:08,540 --> 00:21:11,180 S2: all those growing up years with him, had followed him 316 00:21:11,180 --> 00:21:14,660 S2: in ministry. No one knew him better than Mary of Nazareth, 317 00:21:14,660 --> 00:21:18,340 S2: no one better than his own mother, whose relationship with 318 00:21:18,340 --> 00:21:22,620 S2: him started with a visit from an angel. Um. So 319 00:21:22,660 --> 00:21:27,379 S2: I think she surely had a grasp better than anyone 320 00:21:27,580 --> 00:21:32,930 S2: of what was coming. Um, and so we don't see her, um, 321 00:21:32,970 --> 00:21:37,130 S2: raising a voice or a hand in protest. Stop, stop! 322 00:21:37,130 --> 00:21:39,889 S2: Don't do this to my son. She does not say 323 00:21:39,890 --> 00:21:43,570 S2: those she knows. I think in her deepest heart, this 324 00:21:43,570 --> 00:21:46,130 S2: is what is going to have to happen. And I 325 00:21:46,170 --> 00:21:49,250 S2: am going to have to be there. You know, I 326 00:21:49,369 --> 00:21:53,090 S2: asked my blog readers, Chris, could you be at the cross? 327 00:21:53,090 --> 00:21:56,010 S2: Could you have been one of the women there at 328 00:21:56,010 --> 00:21:59,770 S2: the foot, close enough to touch him, to see him, 329 00:21:59,770 --> 00:22:02,450 S2: to see the blood, to see all the anguish, to 330 00:22:02,490 --> 00:22:07,450 S2: hear his voice, which I can't imagine the strain of 331 00:22:07,450 --> 00:22:10,730 S2: trying to speak in such a situation. Could you have 332 00:22:10,730 --> 00:22:14,810 S2: been there? And I can't give you exact numbers, but 333 00:22:14,850 --> 00:22:17,729 S2: it's pretty much, I think, 50, 50 of those of 334 00:22:17,730 --> 00:22:21,410 S2: us who absolutely would be compelled to be there, and 335 00:22:21,410 --> 00:22:24,210 S2: those of us who say, there is no way I 336 00:22:24,210 --> 00:22:28,330 S2: could watch people torture my Lord, um, there's no right 337 00:22:28,330 --> 00:22:30,530 S2: or wrong answer on that, friends. I just think it's 338 00:22:30,530 --> 00:22:34,649 S2: a question we can ask ourselves. Were you there? Could 339 00:22:34,650 --> 00:22:35,610 S2: you have been there? 340 00:22:36,090 --> 00:22:38,450 S1: And as you're talking about this, Liz, I've never thought 341 00:22:38,450 --> 00:22:42,370 S1: of this. We did a program about what Jesus didn't say. 342 00:22:42,410 --> 00:22:45,330 S1: You know, why didn't Jesus say this at this point? 343 00:22:45,530 --> 00:22:50,410 S1: Jesus didn't look at his mother and say to John, 344 00:22:50,650 --> 00:22:53,810 S1: take her away from here. Don't let her look at this. 345 00:22:53,810 --> 00:22:56,929 S1: She doesn't need to see this. You women leave. He 346 00:22:56,930 --> 00:22:58,090 S1: didn't say that. 347 00:22:58,290 --> 00:23:03,770 S2: No, no, he didn't say that. Um, and he had 348 00:23:03,810 --> 00:23:06,730 S2: opportunities to, I think to he turns on the way 349 00:23:06,730 --> 00:23:09,450 S2: to the cross and speaks to women. He calls the 350 00:23:09,450 --> 00:23:13,090 S2: daughter of daughters of Jerusalem, uh, the women of the city. 351 00:23:13,290 --> 00:23:15,810 S2: And they were weeping for him. And he says, don't 352 00:23:15,810 --> 00:23:18,449 S2: weep for me. Uh, save your tears. You're going to 353 00:23:18,450 --> 00:23:22,130 S2: need them later when destruction comes upon you. Um, so 354 00:23:22,130 --> 00:23:24,850 S2: there were opportunities, I would have thought, for him to 355 00:23:24,890 --> 00:23:28,250 S2: have addressed his mother and others. Just as you say, 356 00:23:28,250 --> 00:23:32,560 S2: to say, go home. Don't. Don't stay here. Yes, Chris, 357 00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:35,080 S2: if I can just say, when my own mother was passing. 358 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:38,959 S2: That's what she said to me. She couldn't speak because 359 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:42,360 S2: she had a trache in her throat. And she wrote 360 00:23:42,359 --> 00:23:44,800 S2: two words. Go home. 361 00:23:45,359 --> 00:23:45,760 S1: Mom. 362 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:49,920 S2: Because she could not bear for me to see how 363 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:53,960 S2: much pain she was in. And yet, Jesus doesn't do that. 364 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:57,760 S2: You're so right. He doesn't say, don't look upon me. 365 00:23:58,560 --> 00:24:02,640 S2: The truth is, he needed witnesses. And who better than 366 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:06,560 S2: these women who loved him because there would be those 367 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:10,600 S2: after his death and then his resurrection? Who will insist? Oh, well, 368 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:13,640 S2: maybe he didn't really die. Maybe he was just. He 369 00:24:13,640 --> 00:24:18,240 S2: passed out. Um, and we needed people, his people, to 370 00:24:18,280 --> 00:24:23,160 S2: see the agony and the death to absolutely say no. 371 00:24:23,359 --> 00:24:27,600 S2: He died. He was buried, and he rose again. So 372 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:32,159 S2: he doesn't chase away these women. He does care for her, though. 373 00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:36,280 S2: This is our solid proof that Joseph is gone by now. 374 00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:39,920 S2: Gone from Mary's life. He has died by now. It 375 00:24:39,920 --> 00:24:42,080 S2: is thought it was actually quite a bit earlier, but 376 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:45,240 S2: we know for sure by the time of the passion, 377 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:48,480 S2: Joseph is gone, because otherwise Jesus would not have had 378 00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:51,480 S2: to provide for his mother to see after her care. 379 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:54,880 S2: But he does. He does care for his mother and 380 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:59,400 S2: he addresses from the cross both John, the beloved disciple, 381 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:03,600 S2: and his mom. He saw her there, it says, and 382 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:06,520 S2: the disciple whom he loved standing nearby. And he said 383 00:25:06,520 --> 00:25:12,360 S2: to her, woman, here is your son. I just want 384 00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:14,719 S2: to point this out. We're not going to Easter today. 385 00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:17,119 S2: This is Good Friday and we need to stay here. 386 00:25:17,119 --> 00:25:22,000 S2: But the first word of the risen Christ, when he 387 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:26,439 S2: addresses Mary Magdalene, his first word is woman. 388 00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:27,669 S1: Woman. yes. 389 00:25:27,710 --> 00:25:30,590 S2: And both of these are terms of respect. It isn't 390 00:25:30,590 --> 00:25:33,470 S2: like we might say today, a woman, you know, as 391 00:25:33,470 --> 00:25:37,510 S2: a cast aside word, this is a word of respect. Woman. 392 00:25:38,270 --> 00:25:41,430 S1: Liz Curtis Higgs is with us today on this Good Friday. 393 00:25:41,430 --> 00:25:44,710 S1: Thank you for joining us. Featured resource at Chris Fabry. 394 00:25:44,710 --> 00:25:49,230 S1: Livorno is the Women of Easter encounter the Savior with 395 00:25:49,230 --> 00:25:53,510 S1: Mary of Bethany, Mary of Nazareth and Mary Magdalene more 396 00:25:53,510 --> 00:26:06,310 S1: straight ahead on Moody Radio. We're entering into the pain 397 00:26:06,310 --> 00:26:09,830 S1: and the suffering of our Savior today and those around him. 398 00:26:09,830 --> 00:26:13,229 S1: On this Good Friday broadcast of Chris Fabry Live, you 399 00:26:13,230 --> 00:26:15,909 S1: can find out more about us online. And there's a 400 00:26:15,910 --> 00:26:18,670 S1: way for you to support us there as well. Just 401 00:26:18,670 --> 00:26:21,830 S1: go to Chris Fabry live.org. We have a special thank 402 00:26:21,869 --> 00:26:25,790 S1: you this month. You can find a way to support 403 00:26:25,790 --> 00:26:28,189 S1: us there. On the left hand side, you go to 404 00:26:28,230 --> 00:26:32,510 S1: Chris Fabry live.org. Joining us today is Liz Curtis Higgs. 405 00:26:32,510 --> 00:26:35,070 S1: She's written a lot of books. She's been on the radio. 406 00:26:35,070 --> 00:26:39,629 S1: She's a she's a funny lady and she makes people laugh. 407 00:26:39,830 --> 00:26:42,469 S1: But there's this serious side to her that has come 408 00:26:42,510 --> 00:26:44,590 S1: out and I'm so glad that it has in the break. 409 00:26:44,630 --> 00:26:46,629 S1: She was saying, Chris, I just I don't have a 410 00:26:46,630 --> 00:26:49,310 S1: real talent here other than I just tell the story 411 00:26:49,550 --> 00:26:52,149 S1: and I agree that I well, I disagree that you 412 00:26:52,150 --> 00:26:55,350 S1: don't have talent, but she's just telling the story of 413 00:26:55,350 --> 00:26:58,469 S1: of what happened. The women of Easter encountered the Savior 414 00:26:58,470 --> 00:27:01,990 S1: with Mary of Bethany, Mary of Nazareth and Mary Magdalene. 415 00:27:02,150 --> 00:27:06,590 S1: Is it Chris Fabry live dot. All right, so we've 416 00:27:06,630 --> 00:27:10,830 S1: gone through some of that suffering already. Jesus is on 417 00:27:10,830 --> 00:27:13,550 S1: the cross. I have seen different depictions of this in 418 00:27:13,550 --> 00:27:17,430 S1: films over the years. Liz, how high do you think 419 00:27:17,710 --> 00:27:21,750 S1: Jesus feet were from the ground on that cross? 420 00:27:21,790 --> 00:27:24,590 S2: Right. Just three feet up from the ground in the 421 00:27:24,660 --> 00:27:30,140 S2: movies so often, and certainly in paintings and more modern portrayals. 422 00:27:30,140 --> 00:27:33,260 S2: We've got three crosses way up on a grass covered 423 00:27:33,260 --> 00:27:35,900 S2: hill that is nothing close to what it would have 424 00:27:35,900 --> 00:27:39,620 S2: been like. The Romans wanted these, these people who were 425 00:27:39,619 --> 00:27:42,859 S2: being punished to be right where everybody could see them. 426 00:27:42,859 --> 00:27:45,500 S2: So the crosses were right by the side of the 427 00:27:45,500 --> 00:27:50,179 S2: main road that led into Jerusalem. But outside the city gates, 428 00:27:50,180 --> 00:27:53,220 S2: they were hardly going to crucify someone inside the city gates. 429 00:27:53,460 --> 00:27:56,700 S2: So he's out there on the road. People are passing by, 430 00:27:57,020 --> 00:28:00,340 S2: spitting at him, throwing things at him, calling names at 431 00:28:00,340 --> 00:28:03,379 S2: him along, of course, with the other two men on 432 00:28:03,380 --> 00:28:06,939 S2: either side of him. Um, but as Jesus, we're focused 433 00:28:06,940 --> 00:28:09,500 S2: on and so he's very close. If his feet are 434 00:28:09,500 --> 00:28:13,899 S2: only three feet above, um, then his face, I mean, 435 00:28:13,900 --> 00:28:16,620 S2: we're just having to just barely tip our heads up 436 00:28:16,700 --> 00:28:22,940 S2: to see that face twisted in pain and see the anguish, 437 00:28:22,940 --> 00:28:28,180 S2: the the expression on his face. The. The arms, him 438 00:28:28,180 --> 00:28:32,340 S2: desperately trying to hold himself up so he can breathe. Um. 439 00:28:32,340 --> 00:28:36,580 S2: It's a terrible, terrible way to die. How much better 440 00:28:36,580 --> 00:28:40,180 S2: if they had just taken him instantly thrust a sword 441 00:28:40,180 --> 00:28:43,420 S2: through his heart, wrapped a noose around his neck. If 442 00:28:43,420 --> 00:28:45,860 S2: all he had to do was die for us, Chris. 443 00:28:45,900 --> 00:28:50,340 S2: If all. Everything was covered by the death itself. Oh, 444 00:28:50,420 --> 00:28:53,700 S2: it could have been quick. But the reality is to 445 00:28:53,740 --> 00:28:57,740 S2: pay for all of our sins. That took a long time. 446 00:28:57,900 --> 00:29:01,500 S2: All the sins of all of man and womankind took 447 00:29:01,540 --> 00:29:05,220 S2: six hours. We have all the punishment leading up to 448 00:29:05,260 --> 00:29:09,700 S2: it that morning, and then six hours on the cross. 449 00:29:09,860 --> 00:29:13,980 S2: Six hours. Just really think about that for a minute. 450 00:29:14,500 --> 00:29:16,420 S2: We would never do such a thing, even in a 451 00:29:16,420 --> 00:29:22,260 S2: public execution today when someone is executed. Um, they do 452 00:29:22,370 --> 00:29:25,450 S2: try and do it as it were, humanely. I'm not. 453 00:29:25,490 --> 00:29:28,850 S2: I don't buy that. But, um, but it's short, it's 454 00:29:28,850 --> 00:29:34,250 S2: not agonizing. And on and on and on for hours. 455 00:29:34,530 --> 00:29:38,770 S2: That's how much Jesus loved us. His, his expression of 456 00:29:38,770 --> 00:29:42,330 S2: love on the cross is greater than any other expression 457 00:29:42,330 --> 00:29:44,930 S2: of love ever in history. Ever. 458 00:29:45,450 --> 00:29:48,850 S1: Sorrow and love flow mingled down. You know, I, we 459 00:29:48,850 --> 00:29:51,850 S1: read that at the beginning of the program here today, 460 00:29:51,850 --> 00:29:55,890 S1: and I'm just struck again, Liz, that the that Mary 461 00:29:55,890 --> 00:29:59,410 S1: didn't have to go through that. She didn't have to 462 00:29:59,450 --> 00:30:02,970 S1: do that. And yet for her, there is almost this, 463 00:30:03,210 --> 00:30:06,290 S1: you know, Jesus setting his face toward Jerusalem. And he 464 00:30:06,290 --> 00:30:10,290 S1: was resolute. He would not be deterred. It just there's 465 00:30:10,330 --> 00:30:13,250 S1: a sense of that same thing here with his mother, 466 00:30:13,250 --> 00:30:16,370 S1: that she was just as resolute, I am going to 467 00:30:16,410 --> 00:30:21,850 S1: experience this with my son and the others who were there. 468 00:30:21,850 --> 00:30:24,570 S1: We are going to experience this. We are not going 469 00:30:24,570 --> 00:30:25,450 S1: to turn away. 470 00:30:25,930 --> 00:30:31,010 S2: Right? Right. Nobody's turning away. We have other people who've 471 00:30:31,050 --> 00:30:35,890 S2: turned their back on Jesus. Peter, Judas and the disciples 472 00:30:35,890 --> 00:30:40,730 S2: have fled. But here on that Good Friday, the women 473 00:30:40,770 --> 00:30:44,090 S2: were there. And I think it's beautiful that they were there, 474 00:30:44,090 --> 00:30:47,610 S2: of course, first and foremost to support Jesus. But I 475 00:30:47,610 --> 00:30:50,450 S2: think they were also there to support each other. Mary 476 00:30:50,450 --> 00:30:55,370 S2: is there. She's listed first with her sister and Mary, 477 00:30:55,410 --> 00:30:58,690 S2: the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene. So we have 478 00:30:58,690 --> 00:31:02,050 S2: three Marys and a sister of Mary. And you just 479 00:31:02,050 --> 00:31:06,330 S2: imagine this knot of women just close to each other, 480 00:31:06,650 --> 00:31:12,210 S2: all looking up, surely weeping, if not sobbing and crying 481 00:31:12,250 --> 00:31:17,010 S2: out in agony. They took a great risk doing this, Chris, 482 00:31:17,010 --> 00:31:21,240 S2: because Jesus was not a thief on the cross. He 483 00:31:21,240 --> 00:31:24,320 S2: was an enemy of the state. So if you stood 484 00:31:24,320 --> 00:31:26,680 S2: there in support of him, and I think this is 485 00:31:26,680 --> 00:31:29,960 S2: partly why the disciples fled. If you stood there in 486 00:31:29,960 --> 00:31:33,280 S2: support of him, you too could be nailed to a 487 00:31:33,280 --> 00:31:36,960 S2: cross without any kind of trial because you were there 488 00:31:36,960 --> 00:31:41,080 S2: supporting him. You were, as it were, equally guilty. So 489 00:31:41,120 --> 00:31:45,600 S2: this was risky beyond any imagining. The fact that John, 490 00:31:45,600 --> 00:31:49,400 S2: the beloved disciple there is precious beyond words. And it 491 00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:54,640 S2: also shows us why Jesus would have assigned his mother 492 00:31:54,640 --> 00:31:58,840 S2: to John and John to his mother, who better than 493 00:31:58,840 --> 00:32:03,360 S2: this much loved disciple? And we know that, um, that 494 00:32:03,360 --> 00:32:06,600 S2: he stayed with her the rest of her years. He 495 00:32:06,600 --> 00:32:09,920 S2: was there. The Bible says from that time on, this 496 00:32:09,920 --> 00:32:12,960 S2: disciple took her into his home. Uh, some like to 497 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:15,560 S2: think that that meant from that exact moment he took 498 00:32:15,560 --> 00:32:17,760 S2: her into his home, in other words, led her away. 499 00:32:18,080 --> 00:32:20,800 S2: But I think that's reading into the text something that's 500 00:32:20,800 --> 00:32:24,360 S2: not there. Um, he does care for her and Mary. 501 00:32:24,760 --> 00:32:27,280 S2: Mary is taken care of. What a beautiful thing. 502 00:32:28,240 --> 00:32:31,680 S1: You know, I've always had the question about what we 503 00:32:31,680 --> 00:32:34,440 S1: know and what we don't know, let's say, of Jesus 504 00:32:34,440 --> 00:32:37,880 S1: early life. We have glimpses at his birth. And then 505 00:32:37,880 --> 00:32:41,040 S1: when he's about 12 and and then it fast forwards. 506 00:32:41,040 --> 00:32:43,800 S1: There's so much of this that we don't know other than, 507 00:32:43,840 --> 00:32:47,360 S1: you know, some people have conjectured or have written apocryphal 508 00:32:47,400 --> 00:32:52,520 S1: things that aren't scripture. And I wonder if here we're 509 00:32:52,560 --> 00:32:56,040 S1: getting a glimpse of why we are given the information 510 00:32:56,040 --> 00:32:59,880 S1: that we're given throughout the scriptures. And that is all 511 00:32:59,880 --> 00:33:05,200 S1: things from creation to, uh, what will happen in revelation. 512 00:33:05,200 --> 00:33:10,240 S1: All things point to this place, this event, the cross and, 513 00:33:10,280 --> 00:33:13,520 S1: and the writers and the Holy Spirit want you and 514 00:33:13,520 --> 00:33:16,280 S1: me to get that and have it burned into our 515 00:33:16,280 --> 00:33:20,030 S1: soul that this is the most important thing that's going on. 516 00:33:20,630 --> 00:33:23,590 S2: This is it. This is the moment in history. All 517 00:33:23,590 --> 00:33:26,750 S2: of history. There will never be anything that happens of 518 00:33:26,750 --> 00:33:31,710 S2: greater impact. Um, even his second coming, which will set 519 00:33:31,750 --> 00:33:36,590 S2: much in motion, still can't top this day when our 520 00:33:36,590 --> 00:33:39,830 S2: sins were paid for in full. It is the most 521 00:33:39,870 --> 00:33:43,510 S2: glorious day. And of course, with it comes the anguish. 522 00:33:43,510 --> 00:33:49,070 S2: Jesus cried out a line of verse from the Psalms. Um, Eli, Eli, 523 00:33:49,110 --> 00:33:53,590 S2: lama sabachthani. Which means, My God, my God, why have 524 00:33:53,590 --> 00:33:58,270 S2: you forsaken me? And so at that moment, imagine Jesus 525 00:33:58,310 --> 00:34:02,590 S2: is separated from His father. Now he's spoken to his 526 00:34:02,590 --> 00:34:05,070 S2: father his whole time on earth. He would lift his 527 00:34:05,070 --> 00:34:07,469 S2: head and speak to his father. But at this moment, 528 00:34:08,190 --> 00:34:10,549 S2: crying out in a loud voice, which would have been 529 00:34:10,550 --> 00:34:13,790 S2: very difficult for him at that moment on the cross. Um, 530 00:34:13,950 --> 00:34:20,630 S2: the Abandonment must have overwhelmed him even more than the pain. 531 00:34:21,390 --> 00:34:25,630 S2: And yet he carries through that so that the Scripture 532 00:34:25,630 --> 00:34:28,950 S2: would be fulfilled. He says, I am thirsty and is 533 00:34:28,950 --> 00:34:34,189 S2: given a sponge with this wine vinegar, and then it 534 00:34:34,190 --> 00:34:39,350 S2: is finished. His sacrifice is over. The work of redemption 535 00:34:39,350 --> 00:34:42,069 S2: is done. He has came to earth to do the 536 00:34:42,070 --> 00:34:46,550 S2: will of the father, and it is finished. Every pen 537 00:34:46,550 --> 00:34:51,069 S2: stroke of his word was fulfilled by Jesus's obedience. And 538 00:34:51,070 --> 00:34:54,110 S2: he cries out in a loud voice again, father, into 539 00:34:54,110 --> 00:34:59,750 S2: your hands I commit my spirit. And he breathed his last. 540 00:35:01,190 --> 00:35:04,069 S1: And here you have his mother and the others who 541 00:35:04,070 --> 00:35:07,590 S1: were standing by looking at this. And there's almost this 542 00:35:07,590 --> 00:35:10,270 S1: sense of, as you said a little earlier, I want 543 00:35:10,270 --> 00:35:12,509 S1: this to be quick. I don't want this to be 544 00:35:12,510 --> 00:35:15,219 S1: long and drawn out. I don't want him to suffer. 545 00:35:15,420 --> 00:35:18,980 S1: ET cetera, et cetera. And then comes the moment when 546 00:35:19,820 --> 00:35:25,299 S1: he dies. And you can imagine. No, no. What's going through, 547 00:35:25,340 --> 00:35:30,020 S1: especially his mother's heart and mind. Right then. Uh, no. 548 00:35:30,020 --> 00:35:33,260 S1: This can't have happened. Maybe this is all a dream. 549 00:35:33,260 --> 00:35:35,419 S1: Maybe I'm going to wake up and just. This was 550 00:35:35,420 --> 00:35:38,940 S1: all just a bad dream. But here it is. It's reality. 551 00:35:40,180 --> 00:35:43,700 S2: It was very much reality. The thing that must have, 552 00:35:43,700 --> 00:35:47,339 S2: in some ways comforted her and comforts. An odd word 553 00:35:47,340 --> 00:35:51,700 S2: to use for this. But at that moment, the earth 554 00:35:51,739 --> 00:35:57,620 S2: shook and the rocks split and the tombs broke open. 555 00:35:58,100 --> 00:36:03,380 S2: So it was cataclysmic. Might be the word for it. 556 00:36:04,140 --> 00:36:07,540 S2: So that death immediately set a bunch of things in 557 00:36:07,540 --> 00:36:11,900 S2: motion physically around them. Of course, the sky has been dark, 558 00:36:11,900 --> 00:36:14,450 S2: but now we have all the rest of this happening 559 00:36:15,370 --> 00:36:20,009 S2: and we have the centurion crying out, surely he was. 560 00:36:20,370 --> 00:36:20,850 S1: Yes. 561 00:36:21,010 --> 00:36:26,090 S2: Past tense. The Son of God. Now what's amazing is 562 00:36:26,489 --> 00:36:29,730 S2: the crowd returned to their homes, beating their breasts, the 563 00:36:29,730 --> 00:36:34,130 S2: Bible says. But there were still many women there watching 564 00:36:34,130 --> 00:36:38,130 S2: from a distance. So there they were. They were still there, 565 00:36:38,410 --> 00:36:42,210 S2: still watching. And we go on past that. But I 566 00:36:42,210 --> 00:36:45,370 S2: know this is our Good Friday. We want to stay 567 00:36:45,570 --> 00:36:49,730 S2: right there and think about how it was for the 568 00:36:49,730 --> 00:36:53,649 S2: people who thought he is dead. He's definitely dead. The 569 00:36:53,650 --> 00:36:57,609 S2: earth shook just out of sheer terror at the thought 570 00:36:57,610 --> 00:37:01,130 S2: of it. Um, the we know that the temple, uh, 571 00:37:01,730 --> 00:37:05,489 S2: curtain was torn. Um, I can't imagine how loud that 572 00:37:05,489 --> 00:37:08,009 S2: was or how many people knew that that happened. It 573 00:37:08,010 --> 00:37:12,770 S2: was inches thick. So it would have been quite a rending. Um, 574 00:37:12,770 --> 00:37:15,610 S2: but we, I don't know who was there to see that. 575 00:37:15,650 --> 00:37:20,090 S2: We are told that of course, by our biblical. Um. Narrator. Um, 576 00:37:20,090 --> 00:37:23,290 S2: but much is yet to come. Many more things in 577 00:37:23,290 --> 00:37:26,730 S2: the hours ahead. In some ways, it gets darker. Chris. 578 00:37:27,050 --> 00:37:30,170 S2: He goes to the tomb. He is taken down first 579 00:37:30,969 --> 00:37:35,370 S2: and claimed by Joseph of Arimathea, which was a blessing, 580 00:37:35,410 --> 00:37:39,170 S2: a grace, because many times these criminals were just left 581 00:37:39,170 --> 00:37:46,330 S2: on the ground, just left there. But not so Jesus. 582 00:37:46,330 --> 00:37:51,009 S2: He is claimed by a wealthy man. He is wrapped 583 00:37:51,010 --> 00:37:55,570 S2: in linens and wrapped in spices, the spices of the dead, myrrh, 584 00:37:55,810 --> 00:37:59,930 S2: pounds and pounds of it, £75 Nicodemus brings with us. 585 00:37:59,930 --> 00:38:03,569 S2: That's a lot of spices. Um, but all of this 586 00:38:03,570 --> 00:38:09,130 S2: out of love and respect and care, we don't know. 587 00:38:09,130 --> 00:38:11,410 S2: We can't know what was going on in their hearts, 588 00:38:11,410 --> 00:38:15,130 S2: whether there was even a glimmer of hope or whether 589 00:38:15,130 --> 00:38:18,610 S2: they thought all was lost. But this we do know, 590 00:38:18,890 --> 00:38:23,130 S2: they kept coming back. Mary, Mary Magdalene and the other 591 00:38:23,130 --> 00:38:27,529 S2: Mary are there at the tomb Friday, just before the 592 00:38:27,530 --> 00:38:32,410 S2: Sabbath begins. Saturday night, when the Sabbath ends, these women 593 00:38:32,530 --> 00:38:37,130 S2: run to the marketplaces which open again and do their shopping, 594 00:38:37,130 --> 00:38:41,850 S2: getting more spices to put on Jesus. So he remained 595 00:38:41,850 --> 00:38:45,290 S2: very close in their thoughts, in their hearts, in their minds. 596 00:38:45,570 --> 00:38:47,689 S2: They wanted to be as close to him as they 597 00:38:47,690 --> 00:38:52,290 S2: could be, but they could not possibly have imagined what 598 00:38:52,290 --> 00:38:53,530 S2: was waiting for them. 599 00:38:53,930 --> 00:38:57,089 S1: Liz Curtis Higgs is joining us today on Chris Fabry Live. 600 00:38:57,090 --> 00:38:59,370 S1: If you want to find out more about her, go 601 00:38:59,370 --> 00:39:03,290 S1: to our website Chris dot. Featured resource. Today is the 602 00:39:03,290 --> 00:39:06,890 S1: Women of Easter encounter the Savior with Mary of Bethany, 603 00:39:06,930 --> 00:39:11,360 S1: Mary of Nazareth, and Mary Magdalene again, go to Chris Fabry. 604 00:39:12,760 --> 00:39:16,120 S1: We'll linger a little longer at the cross with Liz 605 00:39:16,120 --> 00:39:30,719 S1: Higgs straight ahead on Moody Radio. This is our Good 606 00:39:30,719 --> 00:39:33,920 S1: Friday broadcast of Chris Fabry Live with Liz Curtis Higgs. 607 00:39:33,920 --> 00:39:37,920 S1: Featured resource today Chris Fabry live.org. The women of Easter 608 00:39:38,200 --> 00:39:41,839 S1: again go to chris.org. We're going to play something from 609 00:39:41,840 --> 00:39:44,800 S1: the Moody Chorale. Liz here in a minute. It's their 610 00:39:44,800 --> 00:39:49,320 S1: version of Were You There, which is all over your book. 611 00:39:49,360 --> 00:39:53,000 S1: The Women of Easter because you've basically taken us there. 612 00:39:53,000 --> 00:39:55,760 S1: But I want you to do this before we hear that. Um, 613 00:39:56,320 --> 00:40:00,439 S1: I'm listening today. I'm. I'm standing at the cross. I 614 00:40:00,440 --> 00:40:03,200 S1: see what Jesus went through for me. And I think 615 00:40:03,640 --> 00:40:06,279 S1: I'm not worthy. I don't deserve that. I'm not good 616 00:40:06,280 --> 00:40:10,600 S1: enough for you to die for me. I feel that 617 00:40:10,600 --> 00:40:14,560 S1: sense of unworthiness and shame in a sense, guilt for 618 00:40:14,560 --> 00:40:18,080 S1: putting Jesus through this. Would you talk to that person today? 619 00:40:18,600 --> 00:40:22,439 S2: Wow. Well, on the one hand, beloved, we are none 620 00:40:22,440 --> 00:40:26,640 S2: of us worthy. Not one. The scripture is very clear. 621 00:40:26,680 --> 00:40:31,440 S2: No one is good but God alone. So let's let's 622 00:40:31,440 --> 00:40:35,240 S2: sweep away the worthiness question. And let's simply say what 623 00:40:35,239 --> 00:40:39,279 S2: Christ has done for us is a gift. And the 624 00:40:39,280 --> 00:40:41,759 S2: kindest thing you can do when someone hands you a 625 00:40:41,800 --> 00:40:45,040 S2: gift is to wrap your arms around it and say 626 00:40:45,280 --> 00:40:50,480 S2: thank you. Considering the sacrifice, considering what we are looking 627 00:40:50,480 --> 00:40:54,719 S2: at there on the cross, that is pure love. And 628 00:40:54,719 --> 00:40:58,480 S2: it's not based on our worthiness or our goodness, uh, 629 00:40:58,520 --> 00:41:02,560 S2: or us deserving. None of those words factor in. This 630 00:41:02,560 --> 00:41:06,759 S2: is Jesus knowing our hearts, knowing our needs, knowing our pain, 631 00:41:06,910 --> 00:41:11,270 S2: knowing our suffering and taking every bit of on his 632 00:41:11,270 --> 00:41:16,470 S2: shoulders so that we could have freedom now and eternal 633 00:41:16,469 --> 00:41:20,229 S2: life forever. What a gift. A gift only God could 634 00:41:20,230 --> 00:41:24,830 S2: give us. We love Christmas, but friends, we are Easter people. 635 00:41:25,110 --> 00:41:29,390 S2: It is Easter. It is this sacrifice that sets us free. 636 00:41:29,750 --> 00:41:33,029 S2: And Sunday, when it gets here, we look forward to 637 00:41:33,070 --> 00:41:38,830 S2: celebrating the resurrection. But for now, stand with me and 638 00:41:38,830 --> 00:41:43,550 S2: look up at your Saviour, because he did die for you. 639 00:41:44,310 --> 00:41:48,430 S2: Worthy or not, friend, don't worry about that. He knows. 640 00:41:48,910 --> 00:41:55,230 S2: He loves. He gives because he is that good, that 641 00:41:55,230 --> 00:41:57,270 S2: loving and that giving. 642 00:41:58,270 --> 00:42:01,790 S1: Liz Curtis Higgs, thank you, thank you, thank you for 643 00:42:01,790 --> 00:42:02,870 S1: being with us today. 644 00:42:03,230 --> 00:42:03,950 S2: My joy. 645 00:42:04,630 --> 00:42:07,310 S1: Once again, our featured resource is the Women of Easter. 646 00:42:07,310 --> 00:42:11,630 S1: You can find it at. Chris Fabry live here now. 647 00:42:11,790 --> 00:42:12,790 S1: The Moody Chorale. 648 00:42:16,030 --> 00:42:27,110 S3: Were you there? When they crucified my lord. Are you. 649 00:42:29,190 --> 00:42:42,390 S3: There when they crucified my Lord? There. When they nailed 650 00:42:42,390 --> 00:42:55,350 S3: him to the tree. When they nailed him to the tree. 651 00:43:13,980 --> 00:43:42,700 S3: Sometimes it causes me to travel. To tremble. Tremble. Were 652 00:43:42,780 --> 00:43:52,739 S3: you there? When he bowed his head and died. Were 653 00:43:52,739 --> 00:44:02,940 S3: you there? When he bowed his head and died. For 654 00:44:02,940 --> 00:44:13,140 S3: you there? When they laid him in the tomb. Were 655 00:44:13,140 --> 00:44:40,900 S3: you there when they laid him in the museum? Sometimes 656 00:44:41,540 --> 00:45:27,890 S3: it causes me to tremble. Tremble, tremble. Tremble. When he 657 00:45:27,930 --> 00:45:37,490 S3: was off from the truth. Were you there? When he 658 00:45:37,530 --> 00:45:53,969 S3: rose up from the tomb. When he rose up from the. Dead. 659 00:45:54,410 --> 00:46:22,169 S3: When he rose up from the tomb. Sometimes it causes 660 00:46:23,690 --> 00:46:37,970 S3: me to tremble. Tremble. Tremble. 661 00:46:51,010 --> 00:46:54,170 S1: Chris Fabry Live is a production of Moody Radio, a 662 00:46:54,170 --> 00:46:56,690 S1: Ministry of Moody Bible Institute.