What is So Good about Good Friday?

Bleeding, bruised, and beaten. How could anyone ever inflect such injuries to a man? how could people just stand by and watch? How could they join in and favorably shout out, “Crucify Him!” But, they did.

Where is God? God is on the cross. He is doing something epic. He is redeeming the lost. He is defeating evil. This is what happened on Good Friday. Paul says, “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die — but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:6-8).

Charles Wesley captures the significance of Christ death in these words…

And can it be that I should gain
An int’rest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God shouldst die for me?

He left His Father’s throne above,
So free, so infinite His grace!
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race!
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For, O my God, it found out me.

Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night.
Thine eye diffused a quick’ning ray:
I woke—the dungeon flamed with light!
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

No condemnation now I dread:
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me!

Christ dies on behalf of the sinner, so that the sin can be cleansed, the dead can be brought back to life, and union between Father and child can be restored. . It is through the cross that we can be made into sons and daughters of God.

Yes, I do experience life in a sinful and fallen world. I have been hurt. I have been hated. But, in the same breath, if I am honest, I am among the perpetrators of sin. If I speak against the violence, I must cease instigating violence. If I want honesty, I must speak cease my own deceptions. If I denounce the false gods of this world, I must cease chasing after my own idols. I need to confess my sin. I need forgiveness. I need to be reconnected to God. I need God renovate my life so that I can grace others as I have been graced.

What is so good about Good Friday. It is good because it is the day the Lord made to bring us back to Him.

Blessings,

~ WGN