What’s Good About Good Friday
…and why your life depends on it
GOOD FRIDAY is the day that Christians worldwide celebrate the crucifixion of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We fast, we attend church services, and we take time to be still and to meditate.
The physical reality of what happened to Jesus on Calvary could be seen as the most tragic event in the history of mankind. To call it a celebration may seem like a contradiction!
- He heals the physical afflictions of many.
- He brings dead loved ones back to life.
- He saves the lives of the condemned.
- He miraculously feeds thousands where there is no food.
- He counsels, befriends, and loves others…
…then, by the very same people, He is abandoned, betrayed, and subsequently tortured to His death. What could be good about that?
THE GOOD NEWS
But here’s the Good News: the crucifixion exposed –
- The spiritual condition of the people of the world. Jesus was innocent, yet the people wanted to see Him die. That the people had such a desire for blood – in spite of God’s Commandment not to kill – revealed that they were poor in spirit.
- The inadequate religious practices of the day, which required the religious leaders to be the conduit to God on the people’s behalf. The people were not allowed a relationship with God on their own. This lead to scapegoating, abuse, human sacrifices, and other injustices. And:
- The great need for our Savior’s sacrifice. The extreme conditions of the day required an extreme solution which only God Himself could provide. Without the events which lead to the crucifixion, Jesus could not have risen from the dead
HE PAID OUR WAY
So, what’s so good about Good Friday? God sent Jesus to the people of the earth in order to show that all of mankind now has direct access to God through Him. He raised Jesus from the dead in order to teach us that “all things are possible”, and that we, too, have a connection to Him through the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ crucifixion – and subsequent resurrection – teaches us that our greatest trials are actually designed to reveal our greatest good. Where satan attacks us is not a “death sentence”: but it represents the place where God wants to bless us!
Jesus paid with His life for us, and through His Spirit, we are always connected to Him. What He endured when He was crucified on Calvary shows us that even our worst trials are not the time to give up: but to hold on, to draw closer to God, and to pray that He reveals His purpose for our lives.
SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES: Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 2:9-12, Luke 17:12-16, John 8:1-11, 9:6-7, 11:38-43, 15:14-16; Matthew 14:13-21, Matthew 26:14-75, Matthew 27, Matthew 28:1-8, Hebrews 9, James 1:2-4, 2 Thessalonians 2:16, Philippians 4:13.
God is always in control. Watch an installment of our Testimony Series below:
Featured image by Chris Manfre, via Creation Swap.