Ever wonder how Good Friday could be good? [Tweet This]
Good Friday sure didn’t seem good. Things went from bad to worse – dark to darker.
The religious rulers plotted. They planned. Then they got Judas to lead them to Jesus. Jesus was innocent—He had done no wrong except to challenge the thinking of those who thought they had it all figured out. Though Jesus had healed, fed, restored, forgiven, taught and raised Lazarus from the dead, they saw Him as a threat to their realm of power.
The crowd hailed Him as king and shouted hosannas over him at the beginning of the week as He entered Jerusalem; their tune changed to “Crucify Him” on Good Friday.
Washed hands
Turned heads
Lying witnesses
There Jesus stood alone on that Good Friday. Scorned, rejected, mocked and beaten.
He could have called legions of Angels to His rescue. Instead He stayed silent. He took our punishment:
Lashed by the whip
Punched in His face
A crown of thorns pressed into his brow
Spit on His beard
Silently He bore every lash out of love.
He hung on a cross—gasping for breath.
Among the last words He spoke were, ‘Father, forgive them.’
He became the spotless lamb, the one without sin [Tweet This] …The only one who could take our sin away.
The rulers were relieved and thought it was over. His followers felt confused. Satan pumped his fist thinking he finally got the victory.
When Friday became Good Friday
Yet, Friday became good. In the depth of the tomb where the body of Jesus lay—alone, the third day was coming.
Friday became good because Jesus didn’t stay in the tomb—just three days was all that was needed to redeem us from the grip of sin and death. Resurrection brought forth redemption. Redemption covered our sin forevermore. Jesus took our punishment and paid our debt.
So it may be Friday when darkness covered the land. But, Sunday’s coming….Jesus burst forth, rose on the third day and took His place as Lord of all.
He is the light of the world. He overcame the darkness.
He suffered in our place because we need to be freed from Satan’s hold of death.
Friday became good when Sunday’s tomb was empty.
The ironic thing is, Satan believes in Jesus. Satan knows the word of God. But, Satan will never acknowledge Jesus as Lord of all. And he will keep blinding people to the truth about the death and resurrection of Jesus. He doesn’t want the truth about Good Friday to spread.
When dawn broke on that Resurrection morning, so did the yoke of sin, darkness and death. Good became awesome when the sun rose – and the Son rose.
May this Good Friday burst forth and bring salvation to your heart, and light to your soul. Simply believe that Jesus did it for you. [Tweet This]
Sunday’s Coming!
How and when did your Friday become good? Does the message of the cross become more precious….or do you still wonder about what Jesus has done for you?
Jeanne
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Reprinted and updated from The Stream’s Edge, 3/29/13
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Images courtesy of Morguefile.com
Shareable meme created by Jeanne using Canva
How could anything…..so wrong….be….so good…….
and yet, it was, and it is !! He gave everything He had for us. As always, Jeanne, you bring to us the fullness of His message………it was for Love !
Thank you Mom
Mom, You are so right – Love was what held Him there…not the nails.
Well put Jeanne! “…How and when did your Friday become good?” The truth of the Friday weekend presents metaphors all around me. If I choose to open my eyes and keep my focus on His promised peace especially during life challenges, I recognize sooner that this too shall pass and His light will free me from the tomb of bondage.
Well put, Tammy Sue.God does help us to see the good in all things. There is always light in the darkness.