Sermons / Good Friday

Christianity is a faith centered around an instrument of suffering and death -- a cross. The hope of every believer is rooted in it. Over the centuries, the cross has become a universal symbol of both suffering and redemption.

On Good Friday, the cross takes center stage in our worship. Passages from the gospels retelling the agonizing tale of Jesus' betrayal, trial, crucifixion, and death are recited to the point where the words may become commonplace for some Christians. We may know the words, but have we explored their meaning?

A Cry from the Cross, a series of seven sermons, explores each of the last seven statements given by Jesus as recorded in the gospels of Mark, Luke, and John. As each statement is explored -- statements like "Father, Forgive Them" or "Woman, Here Is Your Son" - Robert Cornwall offers deeper insights into the meaning and significance of the cross as it relates to the Christian faith.

This is a useful resource for pastors and lay ministers, one that can be used as an inspiration for Good Friday sermons, a Lenten study series, or simply a window to greater personal insight into that day on a hill outside Jerusalem so many years ago -- a day that shaped the future of the entire world.

Robert D. Cornwall is the pastor of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Lompoc, California. He is currently the editor of Sharing the Practice, a publication of the Academy of Parish Clergy. He has previously taught courses on theology and church history at Manhattan Christian College in Manhattan, Kansas and Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. He has received degrees from Northwest Christian College (Eugene, Oregon) and Fuller Theological Seminary. He lives in California with his wife, Cheryl and their son, Brett.