What's so good about Good Friday?
Dear Friends,
One way we learn is through asking questions and I can remember my son, Josh, asking me when he was a young boy, "Why do we call the day Jesus died on the cross Good Friday?" You know, that's a very good question to ask, and by asking it of me he actually made me think seriously about it before responding to him.
Why would anyone name the day we remember someone dying as good? Well, I would think on that day, over 2,000 years ago, the devil thought it must have been a very good day. He must have been rubbing his hands in glee. At last, or so he thought, he was victorious over Jesus, finally, or so he thought, he had orchestrated the death of his enemy, God's Son. He thought he'd struck God a mortal blow. The religious leaders thought they too had also finally got their way by having Jesus put to death on a cross.
Jesus' mother and family, his friends and followers would hardly have thought it a good day as they saw the one they loved tortured beyond recognition and then suffer the humiliating death of a criminal on a cross. Isaiah prophesied that "But many were amazed when they saw him. His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man." Isaiah 52:14 (NLT) Can you imagine their pain, grief and despair? In their anguish they had forgotten that Jesus had warned them that this would happen. In Matthew 16:21 it says "From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead" (NLT)
Yet, despite appearances, Good Friday was actually a good day. Why? How? What's so good about Good Friday?
The devil believed the day was his victory but he could not have been more wrong. Death was not the end for Jesus because God, in his power, raised him from the dead 3 days later, Jesus is the victor. Because of Jesus we need have no fear of death, death is not the end for those of us who love God, he has given us eternal life, a life prepared for us to live in heaven with him. "Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. 57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:54-57 (NLT)
Through Jesus' death on the cross we have been made righteous with God. God is a holy and just God and therefore the punishment for our sins had to be paid by someone. The only person who could take that punishment was Jesus, he was the only one without sin. "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23 (NLT) He took all our sins on himself as he was nailed to the cross, the sins of every person who has lived and who is yet to live, the sins you and I have already committed and the sins we are yet to commit. God loves us so much that Jesus willingly went to the cross for us so that we might receive God's forgiveness and be welcomed into his family. "In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding." Ephesians 1:5-8 (NIV)
These are the reasons why we call the day Jesus died on the cross Good Friday.
To Think About:
God's gift to us is one that he freely offers to us all, yet for us to receive it for free he paid the highest price imaginable. Have you accepted his gift? If not, what's holding you back? If you have, how are you using what cost him so dearly to give?
In the days leading up to Easter you might like to read the Easter story. As you do imagine yourself as an eye witness to everything that happens. What do you think God wants to show you as you look once more at Jesus' death and resurrection? Below are the bible passages you could read:
The Last Supper: Matthew 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:14-20.
Jesus speaks to his disciples in the Upper Room: John 13-17.
Jesus in Gethsemane: Matt 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:39-46, John 18:1.
Jesus is betrayed and arrested: Matt 26:47-56, Mark 14:43-52, Luke 22:47-53, John 18:2-12.
Jesus' trial and Peter's denial of Jesus: Matt 26:57-27:2,11-31, Mark 14:53-15:20, Luke 22:54-23:25, John 18:13-19:16.
Jesus is crucified: Matt 27:31-56, Mark 15:20-41, Luke 23: 26-49, John 19:17-30.
Jesus' resurrection: Matt 28:1-10, Mark 16:1-11, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-18.
Vicki
One way we learn is through asking questions and I can remember my son, Josh, asking me when he was a young boy, "Why do we call the day Jesus died on the cross Good Friday?" You know, that's a very good question to ask, and by asking it of me he actually made me think seriously about it before responding to him.
Why would anyone name the day we remember someone dying as good? Well, I would think on that day, over 2,000 years ago, the devil thought it must have been a very good day. He must have been rubbing his hands in glee. At last, or so he thought, he was victorious over Jesus, finally, or so he thought, he had orchestrated the death of his enemy, God's Son. He thought he'd struck God a mortal blow. The religious leaders thought they too had also finally got their way by having Jesus put to death on a cross.
Jesus' mother and family, his friends and followers would hardly have thought it a good day as they saw the one they loved tortured beyond recognition and then suffer the humiliating death of a criminal on a cross. Isaiah prophesied that "But many were amazed when they saw him. His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man." Isaiah 52:14 (NLT) Can you imagine their pain, grief and despair? In their anguish they had forgotten that Jesus had warned them that this would happen. In Matthew 16:21 it says "From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead" (NLT)
Yet, despite appearances, Good Friday was actually a good day. Why? How? What's so good about Good Friday?
The devil believed the day was his victory but he could not have been more wrong. Death was not the end for Jesus because God, in his power, raised him from the dead 3 days later, Jesus is the victor. Because of Jesus we need have no fear of death, death is not the end for those of us who love God, he has given us eternal life, a life prepared for us to live in heaven with him. "Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. 57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:54-57 (NLT)
Through Jesus' death on the cross we have been made righteous with God. God is a holy and just God and therefore the punishment for our sins had to be paid by someone. The only person who could take that punishment was Jesus, he was the only one without sin. "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23 (NLT) He took all our sins on himself as he was nailed to the cross, the sins of every person who has lived and who is yet to live, the sins you and I have already committed and the sins we are yet to commit. God loves us so much that Jesus willingly went to the cross for us so that we might receive God's forgiveness and be welcomed into his family. "In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding." Ephesians 1:5-8 (NIV)
These are the reasons why we call the day Jesus died on the cross Good Friday.
To Think About:
God's gift to us is one that he freely offers to us all, yet for us to receive it for free he paid the highest price imaginable. Have you accepted his gift? If not, what's holding you back? If you have, how are you using what cost him so dearly to give?
In the days leading up to Easter you might like to read the Easter story. As you do imagine yourself as an eye witness to everything that happens. What do you think God wants to show you as you look once more at Jesus' death and resurrection? Below are the bible passages you could read:
The Last Supper: Matthew 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:14-20.
Jesus speaks to his disciples in the Upper Room: John 13-17.
Jesus in Gethsemane: Matt 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:39-46, John 18:1.
Jesus is betrayed and arrested: Matt 26:47-56, Mark 14:43-52, Luke 22:47-53, John 18:2-12.
Jesus' trial and Peter's denial of Jesus: Matt 26:57-27:2,11-31, Mark 14:53-15:20, Luke 22:54-23:25, John 18:13-19:16.
Jesus is crucified: Matt 27:31-56, Mark 15:20-41, Luke 23: 26-49, John 19:17-30.
Jesus' resurrection: Matt 28:1-10, Mark 16:1-11, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-18.
Vicki
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