Good Friday
"No m
atter what the storm clouds bring, you can face your pain with courage and hope. For two thousand years ago-six hours, one Friday-Christ firmly planted in bedrock three solid anchor points that we can all cling to. For the heart scarred with futility, that Friday holds purpose. For the life blackened with failure, that Friday holds forgiveness. And for the soul looking into the tunnel of death, that Friday holds deliverance." - Max Lucado
In this devotion we are going to look at what we know of Good Friday. I stole this statement on Good Friday from Christianity.com:
What is the Meaning of Calling it "Good" Friday?
Still, why call the day of Jesus’ death “Good Friday” instead of “Bad Friday” or something similar? Some Christian traditions do take this approach: in German, for example, the day is called Karfreitag, or “Sorrowful Friday.” In English, in fact, the origin of the term “Good” is debated: some believe it developed from an older name, “God’s Friday.” Regardless of the origin, the name Good Friday is entirely appropriate because the suffering and death of Jesus, as terrible as it was, marked the dramatic culmination of God’s plan to save his people from their sins.
This day follows the Jewish feast of Passover. There are many important events that took place between Christ’s entrance of the temple and His betrayal by Judas that must be studied. Here, we will focus on the events leading up to and of the crucifixion.
I will be using scripture from John 18.
Jesus now enters a time of questioning from the Jewish Sanhedrin Court. Then, He is turned over to Pilate of the Romans to continue to be examined and mocked. Pilate attempts to turn Christ back over to the Sanhedrin Court after strongly questioning Jesus and finding Him to be innocent of any crime, but the people cry for Jesus to be crucified. It is after this that the physical sufferings begin: from the crown of thorns, to the lashes from the whip, to the carrying of His own cross up the Via de la Rosa to Golgotha. It is there that they Crucified Him. He cried seven sayings from the cross, and then, he died. He took upon Himself the sin of the world, and it was the suffering for the penalty of sin that He cried, “…Father, let this cup pass from me…” Matthew 26:39. From that moment, the atonement is available for those who will believe.
*Do you agree with the day of the crucifixion being considered “good”?
*How do you feel that your sin (past, present and future) has been atoned by His blood?
*Do the events of the days leading to the resurrection make it more meaningful for you?