It's a Good Day!

Today is Good Friday – the day Jesus was crucified. Without this day, Christ's death on the cross would lose its meaning. The resurrection of Jesus is the pinnacle of our faith, but the death of Jesus is what makes it all possible.

Jesus never wavered in His resolve to walk the lonely, painful path to Calvary. He was not surprised by what was happening to Him. He was fully in control of His destiny, as He submitted to the soldiers’ abuse and the angry mob. He could have called 10,000 angels to rescue Him. But our Lord was choreographing His Father’s plan.

When He hung on the cross, suffering through horrific punishment He didn’t deserve, He spoke words that echo throughout eternity, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

His merciful response of forgiveness went far beyond the angry crowds to you and me today. While it was our sin that caused Jesus to bear the beating, mocking, and torture of the cross, it was the forgiveness Jesus issued during His torment that forever transforms our lives.

Let’s picture ourselves there at the cross as the diabolical act takes place. Are we weary disciples, followers from a distance, or part of the angry crowd? Are we ready to fight for Jesus? Are we silent observers who are afraid to profess loyalty to Christ? Or do we stand with His Mother and John, His beloved disciple, beneath the Cross as His faithful friends?

Wherever we are in that scene, with unwavering love for us, Jesus bore the Cross and into His Father’s hands to rescue and redeem you and me.

Dark is this day when we picture our Lord's pain and suffering, How could there be any "good" on this Good Friday? If we only see the bad, horrible, heart-wrenching, body-breaking, murder of Jesus, we are missing the GOOD.

Jesus warned His twelve disciples that He would be betrayed and condemned to death. And the third day would be risen from the dead. (Matthew 20:17-19).

Each time Jesus referred to His death, He also, in the same breath, referred to His resurrection from the dead. Why? He knew His mission was to be our Messiah, the One who would lead us back into our relationship with God as our living Savior! It reminds me of an old Bill Gaither song:

God sent His son, they called Him Jesus;
He came to love, heal and forgive,
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there is to prove my Savior lives!

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living, just because He lives!

That my friends, is the Gospel message. Jesus died but now He is alive! But He didn’t die alone. He took our sins, our sorrows, our pains to the cross and then to the grave and they all died with Him.

And because all those things died with Him, we can now live with Him -- forgiven and free to live the life that God always intended for us. That’s what makes Good Friday so good.

Fear not! The end of His story (and ours) is glorious beyond description. Sunday is coming and THE SON will rise victorious! And, and so do we. Because He lives – we can face our todays and tomorrows in victory!