It’s Good Friday, and I want to depart from politics and focus on what truly matters, Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for our sins. The gospels record seven phrases uttered by Christ as he hung on the cross 2,000 years ago. Many call these the “seven last words” of Christ and they are worthy of our reflection every day, but especially today.

The first of the seven last “words” of Christ: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," (Luke 23:34, ESV).

Even while on the cross in terrible agony Jesus prayed not only for those who were present but for us as well.  Some may blame the Romans or the leading Jewish authorities for Jesus’ crucifixion, but our sin placed Him on the cross.

My sin. Your sin. We are not blameless.

Ultimately, Jesus chose to die. He laid down His life of his own accord.

The late British theologian John Stott made an astute observation about the cross of Christ.

"Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us, we have to see it as something done by us," he said.

We need to recognize that our sin is what put him on that cross, Jesus certainly did not deserve it.

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirt,” (1 Peter 3:18, ESV).

Why did Jesus die? To bring us, the unrighteous, to God. The wages of sin is death, (Romans 6:23), a penalty had to be paid and only Christ could pay it.

Thank you Jesus for the great love you showed us on the cross, open our eyes to our sin that put You there.