Good Friday: It's Still the Cross- Pastor Michael Landrum

Apr 04, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Paying Attention to the Things of Jesus

In the midst of life's distractions and worries, it is easy for our hearts to become weighed down. The world offers many paths that can trap us and pull our focus away from what is truly important. This is a call to stay spiritually awake and present, to guard our hearts from being consumed by the cares of this life. We are invited to fix our eyes on the hope and reconciliation found in Christ, which offers peace amidst the chaos. The cross stands as a constant reminder to center our lives on Him. [07:25]

“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36 ESV)

Reflection: As you consider the pace and pressures of your daily life, what specific distraction most often pulls your heart away from Christ? What is one practical step you can take this week to create more space to pay attention to His presence?

Day 2: The Unanticipated Path of Reconciliation

For thousands of years, humanity sought to reconcile itself to God through various religious efforts and ideologies. None of these paths could have anticipated the true way God would choose. The cross was not humanity's idea of salvation; it was brutal, final, and seemed like defeat. Yet, this was God’s perfect plan all along—a divine sacrifice that accomplished what no human effort ever could. It is the ultimate answer to our deepest spiritual longings. [01:00:56]

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. (Romans 3:23-25a ESV)

Reflection: Where in your own life have you been trying to earn peace with God through your own efforts, rather than resting in the finished work of the cross? What would it look like today to fully receive His grace as a gift?

Day 3: The Power of the Blood Applied

The blood Jesus shed was not an accident of history; it was the intentional, perfect payment for sin. Each blow He received, each drop that fell, was for the forgiveness of those who would believe. This sacrifice speaks a better word over our lives—one of forgiveness, cleansing, and redemption. It is a profound act of love, meant to wash away our regret, shame, and the weight of our failures. [26:26]

He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. (Hebrews 9:12 ESV)

Reflection: Is there a specific sin or regret you have been carrying that you struggle to believe the blood of Jesus can fully cover? What would it mean for you to accept His declaration, “Father, forgive them,” personally over that area of your life?

Day 4: Remembering the Sacred Moment

We are called to remember the cross, to intentionally reflect on its gravity and meaning. This is not just a historical event to acknowledge, but a present reality to embrace. In the act of remembrance, we honor the sacrifice made for us and allow its truth to transform our daily lives. It is a holy moment that calls for our full attention and heartfelt response. [01:11:27]

And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19 ESV)

Reflection: When you take communion or reflect on the cross, do you find it difficult to move beyond a familiar ritual to a place of genuine awe? What practice could help you engage more deeply with the reality of Christ’s sacrifice?

Day 5: Living in the “One Day” Fulfilled

The Old Testament ended with a promise of “one day”—a future hope of healing, justice, and restoration. That day arrived in Jesus. We now live on the fulfilled side of that promise, blessed with a clarity that believers before the cross longed for. This reality should fill us with profound gratitude and purpose, compelling us to live in the light of what Christ has accomplished. [50:52]

But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. (Malachi 4:2 ESV)

Reflection: Knowing you live in the fulfillment of God’s promise, after centuries of waiting, how does that truth reshape your perspective on a current challenge you are facing? How can you “go out leaping” in hope today because of what Christ has done?

Sermon Summary

Good Friday centers on the substitutionary act of one who took humanity’s place and paid the price for sin, making this day truly “good.” Scripture calls for wakefulness: hearts must not be weighed down by dissipation, drunkenness, or worldly cares that trap attention and dull spiritual sight. The cross appears as the climax of a long human quest to reconcile with the divine—every major religion and human attempt before it proved inadequate to heal the deep fracture of sin. Ancient promises and prophetic expectation culminate in a shocking, unexpected path: divine suffering, brutal punishment, and voluntary sacrifice rather than earthly triumph.

Historical context shows humanity still early in its journey after the cross; thousands of years of religious striving led to a moment that few anticipated. Old Testament longing framed the arrival: prophets closed with a promise that one day God would act to bring healing and justice. The incarnation and ministry fulfilled law and prophecy, as Moses and Elijah symbolically pointed to the one whom both anticipated. Yet many missed the meaning in the moment—disciples asked about status in the kingdom even after the institution of the Lord’s Supper.

The power of the blood stands at the center. Physical blows and mockery poured out the very blood that accomplishes forgiveness for those who believe. Divine forbearance explained apparent injustice: God postponed final judgment to reveal righteousness and to justify by faith those who receive the gift of redemption. Communion memorializes the broken body and poured-out blood as the new covenant—remembrance, repentance, and reception open the application of reconciliation.

Passion leads into a “silent Saturday” of waiting and reflection; the in-between carries grief but also ongoing divine work. The cross calls the faithful to sober self-examination: unrepentant sin must be addressed before partaking, and nonbelievers face a present invitation to believe. The cross answers the soul’s deepest question about why the world is broken and how peace with God becomes possible. In that conviction, the Good Friday observance becomes both sober remembrance and a living call to faith.

Key Takeaways

1. Cross reconciles humanity to God God’s act on the cross represents the unique solution to humanity’s estrangement: not a philosophical system or ritual, but a once-for-all reconciliation that bridges the moral fracture between Creator and creature. The cross reframes history as movement toward restoration rather than merely moral improvement. Accepting that reality shifts life’s ultimate orientation from trying harder to receiving grace by faith. [43:43]
2. Blood applied brings forgiveness The physical suffering and bleeding on the cross accomplish real atonement; the very blows that brutalized the victim became the payment for transgression. That paradox—instrument of cruelty becoming means of mercy—calls for reverent attention rather than casual sentimentality. Forgiveness becomes present for those who embrace the gift, not an abstract notion. [26:09]
3. Stay awake; avoid life’s traps Scripture warns against hearts growing heavy with dissipation, drunkenness, and worldly cares that lull spiritual vigilance and make sudden judgment a snare. Spiritual attentiveness requires intentional prayer and watchfulness to withstand distractions that eclipse eternal realities. The discipline of wakefulness preserves the capacity to recognize and receive God’s action when it appears. [06:47]
4. Suffering has a redeeming purpose Divine suffering on the cross reframes pain: suffering entered the plan not as defeat but as the instrument of redemption, fulfilling prophecy and revealing God’s righteousness. The brutality of the cross exposes human culpability and divine mercy simultaneously, making suffering itself part of a salvific narrative. Believers find in that paradox a posture of trust amid trials. [62:56]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[05:21] - Good Friday framed
[06:24] - Luke 21: Watch yourselves
[08:07] - Prayer and call to attention
[25:34] - Blood applied amid mockery
[36:25] - Cross in human history
[46:45] - Malachi’s closing promise
[56:12] - Law and prophets fulfilled
[72:44] - Communion instituted and explained
[87:40] - Silent Saturday: reflection and waiting

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading: Luke 21:34-36 (ESV)
“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Observation questions

What three specific things does Jesus warn can weigh down a person's heart?
How does Jesus describe the suddenness of "that day" coming?
What two actions does Jesus command to counteract these heavy hearts and be prepared?
According to the sermon, what was the shocking, unexpected path God chose for reconciliation, contrary to what humanity anticipated? [59:42]

Interpretation questions

Why would "cares of this life" be just as dangerous as dissipation and drunkenness in making a person spiritually unprepared?
The sermon states that "humanity's religion and humanity's ideology doesn't prepare you for the cross. It prepares you for anything but the cross." [01:00:45] What is it about the concept of a suffering God that is so contrary to human religious thinking?
The end of the Old Testament in Malachi shows people questioning the value of serving God because the wicked seemed to prosper. How does the cross provide the ultimate answer to that ancient question of injustice? [47:58]
Jesus shared the Last Supper with his disciples, telling them about his impending suffering, yet they immediately began arguing about who was greatest. What does this reveal about the human capacity to miss the gravity of divine moments? [01:11:27]

Application questions

Jesus warns against hearts being weighed down by the "cares of this life." What are the specific daily worries or distractions that most often trap your attention and dull your spiritual sight? What would it look like to "stay awake" to God in the middle of those things?
The power of the blood applied brings forgiveness for those who believe, not as an abstract notion but as a received gift. [26:09] When you take communion or reflect on the cross, do you find yourself feeling like a distant observer of a historical event, or do you personally receive it as a payment made for your specific sin and regret? What helps you move from observation to reception?
The cross represents the answer to the soul's deepest question about why the world is broken and how peace with God becomes possible. [01:08:17] When you feel the weight of the world's brokenness—in the news, in your relationships, or in your own heart—how can you actively turn to the cross as the answer instead of just feeling the weight?
The sermon encourages a "Silent Saturday" of reflection, to sit with the power of the cross before rushing to Sunday's resurrection. [01:28:58] What does it look like for you to create space for sober remembrance of Christ's sacrifice in a culture that often wants to skip past suffering and go straight to celebration?
The call to sober self-examination is given before partaking in communion, addressing any unrepentant sin. [01:14:55] Is there any unchecked sin or area of your life you have been avoiding bringing to the cross, believing it is too great to be covered or that you can handle it on your own?
For those who are not believers, the cross is a present invitation to believe. [01:16:18] If you have never personally accepted this gift, what is holding you back from crying out to God and accepting what was done for you on the cross tonight?

Sermon Clips

56s

#CrossIsTheAnswer

“Why does the cross matter to us? Because all creation was looking for the answer. I want you to understand that the cross represents the answer to the question. It represents the answer to the question that's inside of your soul. It represents the answer to the questions inside of your heart. It represents the answer to the question when you watch TV. It represents the answer to the question when things don't make sense. The cross is always the answer to the question of the deepest thing inside of you going, something doesn't seem right. And Jesus says, and that's why I came to die. I paid the price for the reconciliation. Jesus gives us an opportunity to be reconciled with him.”

50s

#DivineSacrifice

“Every religion has an idea of reconciliation for humanity back to the divine, But none of them said this, that the divine will come down and suffer greatly. The divine will come down and sacrifice. The divine will be brutally abused and mutilated in front of us on the cross, and that that path will be the path that all humanity now has peace. They never thought that. How do we get from this? Could never be Paul saying what he says in Galatians six fourteen. But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

53s

#UnexpectedCross

“The cross that Jesus died on was not the plan that people thought. We look back on the cross, and we go, that was the plan. It's the only plan you and I have ever known. We take advantage of the reality that we know the plan. But up until that moment, even though the Old Testament was leading up to a conversation of sacrifice, even though the Old Testament was giving prophecies about it, the people had no idea that this was gonna be it. They thought that when the divine interacted with humanity, that they would have a king. They thought warrior. They thought true peace showing up. They thought justice finally reconciling itself. No one thought the cross.”

67s

#CrossWasCountercultural

“I want you to understand this. We look at this now. We wear these things. We have these things, but no one inside of this moment two thousand years ago thought this is going to be the path of the divine. They looked at it, and they said, no way. The cross, that's brutal. The cross, that's final. The cross is punishment. The cross is condemnation. The cross, that's blame. The cross, that's an example of justice. The cross, that's cruel. Their religions hadn't prepared them for this. I want you to understand this. Humanity's religion and humanity's ideology doesn't prepare you for the cross. It prepares you for anything but the cross.”

51s

#BloodThatForgives

“Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody went there mocking him as they beat him. They also blindfolded him and kept asking him, prophesy, who is it that struck you? And they said many other things against him, blaspheming him, but he remained silent. That blood that felled is the blood we're talking about. The blood applied. And so we talk about thank you Jesus for that blood. They had no idea what they were doing. They had no idea the moment that they were in, that the blood that they were creating from Jesus was the very blood that was forgiving them.”

47s

#BelieveAndBeSaved

“We don't believe in universalism here. We don't believe it's applied to all and then I have to do anything. I don't think scripture teaches that. I think scripture teaches that the blood is applied to those who believe. It says it. And so here today, I wanna make sure you tell Jesus with your heart, I believe because that's how the blood supply. It doesn't just apply because it's present. You gotta actually confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe with your heart that he died on the cross and was raised from the dead. That is what salvation is. That's what reconciliation to God is. That's what it is to be a Christian who follows after Jesus Christ. Tonight, if that's you, cry out to God.”

50s

#SearchForDivinePeace

“Men and women have sat in silence and vowed to never speak to try to figure this out. Men and women have wrote books. They've wrote sonnets. They've wrote songs in an attempt to understand and reconcile all of humanity back to the divine, to ask the core question, how do we get to the spot where we are okay and we feel at peace? Reread history and you will see that our past is full of broken humanity seeking to heal itself and align itself somehow with something higher than itself. And on its own, it's never successful.”

53s

#WhatDidYouDoWithTruth

“All of history will one day look at us and go, what did you do with the truth? We didn't have it. You had it. You had history telling you who he was, what he did, how he lived, how he could help you, how he could give you grace, how he could forgive you, how he could lead you, how he could guide you. We were waiting for that. You got it. What did you do with it? And here's what I'm afraid many of us will say. We questioned if it was real or not. What? They had been waiting for this moment for us to simply go, I don't know if that's real or not. How could that be?”

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Good Friday: It's Still the Cross- Pastor Michael Landrum

Devotional

Day 1: Paying Attention to the Things of Jesus

Day 2: The Unanticipated Path of Reconciliation

Day 3: The Power of the Blood Applied

Day 4: Remembering the Sacred Moment

Day 5: Living in the “One Day” Fulfilled

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Good Friday: It's Still the Cross- Pastor Michael Landrum

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