Love Poured Out

Love Poured Out
Matthew 27:1-61, Mark 15:1-47, Luke 22:66-23:55, John 18:28-19:42

Dear BFB Family, 

Today, we stand in the shadow of the cross. Good Friday is not an easy day. It’s a day that forces us to slow down, to feel the weight of what it cost Jesus to love us. The shouts of Palm Sunday have faded. The quiet intimacy of Maundy Thursday has passed. Now, we come face-to-face with the suffering Savior — bruised, beaten, abandoned, and crucified.

The Gospels tell the story in painful detail. Jesus is betrayed by a friend. Condemned by false accusations. Mocked by soldiers. Rejected by the very ones He came to save. Nailed to a cross between criminals. And yet, in every moment, He is still offering love. Still offering forgiveness. Still offering Himself.

1. A Crown of Thorns, A Crown of Glory
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John each record how they placed a crown of thorns on His head, mocking Him as "King of the Jews." (Matthew 27:29) But what they meant for shame, Heaven saw as glory. In that crown of suffering, Jesus wore the weight of our sin and sorrow. He took the insults, the injustice, and the cruelty — and crowned it with forgiveness. The One who wore a crown of thorns now wears the crown of victory. Because He suffered, we can be healed.

2. Words from the Cross
In His final hours, Jesus didn't curse His enemies — He prayed for them. He didn't lash out — He loved. He didn't abandon the mission — He finished it.

Among His final words:
"Father, forgive them..." (Luke 23:34)
"Today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43)
"It is finished." (John 19:30)

Each word is a window into the heart of our Savior — a heart that beats with mercy for you and for me. Good Friday reminds us that God’s greatest work often comes through what looks like defeat.

3. Darkness, Silence, Hope
The Gospels tell us that darkness covered the land from noon until three in the afternoon. (Luke 23:44) The earth shook. The temple curtain tore in two. It looked like hope itself had died. But even as His body was placed in the tomb, the story wasn’t over. The silence of Saturday was coming — but so was the sunrise of Sunday. When it feels like darkness has the last word, remember: with God, resurrection is always on the horizon.

Today, we remember the price Jesus paid. We remember the blood that was shed. We remember the love that would not let us go. Good Friday is heavy — but it’s also holy. It reminds us that grace was never cheap. It was bought with the broken body and poured-out blood of the Son of God. So today, let’s linger at the foot of the cross.

Jesus, thank You for the cross. Thank You for staying when it would have been easier to walk away. Thank You for loving us when we were still sinners. As we remember Your suffering, may we also remember Your love — deep, unshakable, and eternal. Teach us to live as people of the cross, marked by Your grace.

His Servant And Your Brother,
FLC

p.s. I love you and there ain't nothing you can do about it.