What’s so Good about Friday?

Good Friday is a mourning time for Christians around the world. It’s the day we remember the sacrifice made by Jesus.

In Jerusalem it’s the year 30 AD. Days before the first Good Friday.

Jesus had been at peak popularity. Already he had healed the blind and lame, calmed storms with a word and raised Lazarus from the dead. So when he entered Jerusalem on  donkey, there was much fanfare and palm waving. The people thought he was going to liberate them from the occupying force, the Romans, their bitter enemy.

The crowd quickly became disenchanted with their hero because he didn’t wipe out their enemy and the crowd’s cheers turned to jeers and spears. Lead by a few prominent people, Jesus found himself in a kangaroo court being judged by hypocrites and hateful rulers.

Death by the cross was the judgement. This was the most barbaric and humiliating punishment a person could receive.

Jesus died on that cross and then they put him in a tomb. The disciples must have been inconsolable; he was their friend, leader and hope. And now he was gone.

Then. He. Rose.

What glorious excitement as people realised that Jesus really was all powerful! That he could defeat his own death was the greatest miracle yet! Jesus didn’t do anything wrong. He was the perfect sacrifice for an imperfect world. Jesus said that whoever; rich, poor, any race, colour or creed, would all be welcomed into his family- if they repent of their sins and believed in Jesus.

What’s so Good about Friday?

It’s the day we remember that Jesus died in our place. He died so that we may have eternal life. Imagine being a sitting duck in the middle of a freeway, there’s a big Mack truck bearing down on you, and you can’t possibly move quick enough to avoid the wipe out. Your heart races as you see the impending doom. Then out of the blue, a man comes and pushes you out of the way- you are spread eagled on the concrete, but you are alive! Except that man died instead of you, he sacrificed so that you might live. What a glorious day it is, forever thankful to the man who saved you.

I often think of the movie Saving Private Ryan. Private Ryan’s three brothers were killed in WW2 and troops went to take Private Ryan out of the war, so he wouldn’t suffer the same fate. In the process the rescuers were killed. Here is Private Ryan many years later…

Basically, Ryan wants to know whether he lived a life that was worthy of someone else dying. It’s a humble heart that can honestly self-reflect, and this was Ryan’s heart.

So this Easter Sunday as you’re hunting for hidden chocolate treasures with your children, I pray you take some time to self-reflect and find the greatest treasure of all, Jesus!