What’s so good about Good Friday?

Do you ever find it odd that we call today Good Friday when very little good that happened that day? Jesus started His week entering Jerusalem to shouts of praise and “Hosanna to the King!” but by Friday He stood bruised and beaten before a judge, awaiting His sentence of death.

None of this was a surprise to Jesus. This was the culmination of His mission – His ultimate purpose in coming to earth, but knowing the purpose didn’t make it easy or less painful. Remember Jesus was fully & completely man. He was as human as you and me.

Jesus felt every time the whip hit His skin and broke it open.

The air stung his wounds but they didn’t stop.

Over and over He was lashed.

Jesus felt the thorns press into His scalp, burying themselves into His skin for the duration of the day.

He felt each fist that struck His face

…but He never showed anger towards His enemies. He stood there and took it.

The mocking of the soldiers hurt too. While Jesus had the love of God and knew that the words weren’t true they still impacted Him. Perhaps the worst pain of all was watching each of His disciples flee from those who arrested Him, fearing the same fate for themselves. And then Peter. The friend who just the day before had declared his allegiance to Jesus denied that he knew Him three times.

It’s difficult to comprehend the physical pain Jesus went through, but when I stop and think about it I am so grateful He went through with it all.

He didn’t have to, you know.

Then there was the long walk up the hill towards the place He would die. Think of the pictures and films you’ve seen of Jesus carrying, or perhaps dragging the cross to Golgotha. That cross, likely weighing over 100 pounds, pressed down on an already weakened Christ as He moved toward His last hours. At the top of the hill Jesus stopped walking and allowed nails to be pounded into His hands and feet, hanging Him on that same cross He carried.

Jesus walked that road for you and for me.

At any time Jesus could have called an end to all of this. All the while Jesus hung on the cross people taunted and teased Him to save Himself, or call the angels to take Him down off the cross. What His mockers didn’t realize that Jesus could have. At any moment He could have proven He is God and didn’t have to hang there.

But He didn’t.

When Jesus Christ called out from the cross “It is finished!” He was speaking of death’s curse over the earth. The curse of death came when Adam and Eve chose to sin. From that moment on we have been separated from God’s perfection by sin – our sin. Jesus lived His life on earth without sin, then allowed Himself to be killed as the final sacrifice for each of us.

This is the GOOD that came from Good Friday!!

Any man, woman or child who believes Jesus is Christ our Savior and accepts Him as Leader of his or her life will also conquer death and will live forever in a perfect Heaven.

On this Good Friday, take some time from your Easter preparations to relive the events of Christ’s crucifixion and reflect on the price Jesus paid. He paid that price for you! I’m so grateful He did.

Oh Jesus, how could You have made that long walk to Your death? You were weak from beatings, weary from mocking, and weighed down by both the cross You carried and the sins of every person who ever lived or will live.

I am humbled and so grateful You made the choice to endure this for me and for each one who believes. Thank you hardly seems like enough.

Lord, please never let us forget the price You paid and the pain You endured to save me from eternal death. I can never fully comprehend and thank You seems like hardly enough, but it’s all we have to offer. Thank You for the cross. Thank You for the price You paid. Thank You for loving us more than we can comprehend.

 

As Easter weekend approaches with the Easter eggs, chocolate bunnies, and family time, please take some time to consider the price Jesus paid to make this Easter more than a celebration of Spring. If all of this talk of the cross, Jesus’ sacrifice and the free gift of Salvation doesn’t make sense to you, please ask me, or seek out someone who can answer your questions.  Make this Friday the best Friday you’ve ever experienced, and this Easter one you’ll never forget.

Blessings to you all!
Paula