-By Gary Crawford (with closing commentary by Michael Allen)
Is Good Friday Good?
“Why do we as believers call this day ‘good Friday’ when it was such a dark and painful event recognizing the suffering and death of Jesus?
It's good because it's critical. It celebrates the most important reality in the history of mankind- the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. A matter of "first importance" from God's point of view. (1 Cor 15:3)
On this day Jesus willingly suffered in ways we cannot comprehend as the ultimate sacrifice for our own darkness of sin (1 Jn 1:10) and heralded the victorious resurrection that we will share. (Ro 6:5)
Yet, the question is why ‘good Friday’ instead of ‘bad Friday’ Well, in fact, in Germany it's ‘Karfreitag’ - sorrowful Friday. And according to Justin Holcomb the English word ‘good’ may have developed from the older name ‘God's Friday’ Certainly it is God's Friday where He implemented His plan for our good through the death of His Son.
For this to be good news we must understand the bad news- that as sinners we are trapped in darkness and live in a prison of hopelessness, enslaved to our sinful nature. The law of God teaches us that this grace of God brings the light, opens the cell door and sets us free.
Author Anne Lamott has stated, ‘I do not understand the mystery of grace - only that it meets us where we are, but does not leave us where it found us.’ God's grace is not designed to appease us in our sin, but to transform us into brand new creatures that have passed from death to life (2 Corinthians 5:17). GuidePosts, November 2006, p.22
Wow! ‘He himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness, by His wounds you have been healed’ 2 Pet 2:24
This morning I awakened to a day when ‘His mercies are new every morning’. (Lamentations 3:22) Because this is true I don't have to live with the regret of yesterday or the worry of tomorrow!!
Good Friday is ‘good’ because as tragic as it was, it was the death blow to the human bondage of sin. The cross is where God ordained that ‘righteousness and peace will kiss’ Ps 85:10. ‘For the joy set before him Jesus endured the cross’ (Heb 12:2). There wrath and mercy met in the body of the One who gave His life that mercy may prevail in our lives. (Isaiah 53:3)
Today we stand in the shadow of the cross to see the nature of the heart of God. Stand here and marvel at this dangerous, powerful love of God and the sheer beauty of His Son that reveals the shameful ugliness of the ugly of sin. Stand here in the shadow and worship the good God on this Good Friday. Don't move. Stand and be still. Here His heart beat. Hear it stop. Hear it beat again. Now hear His heart beat in yours. This is Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday in the same beat! The miracle of grace ‘it meets us where we are, but it doesn't leave us where it found us.’ It does not appease our sin. It destroys it and makes ‘all things new’. Now that you have stood in the face of the wrath and mercy of God, kneel and give thanks and fall in love afresh with the Beautiful One. It's Good Friday!” -Gary Crawford, Pastor Emeritus Westside Baptist Church and co-founder of Amazon Vision Ministries.
The Bible says that “no one does good, not even one (Rom 3:12b).” Yet on Good Friday, nearly 2,000 years ago, One did good for all. The only good One, Jesus Christ, offered His goodness to all who will receive Him, who will believe in His name, that they may become children of God (John 1:12). The Bible also says the “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Rom 10:13).” If you have not received the goodness of God, the free gift of forgiveness and eternal life, there is no better time than now, on Good Friday! Do not delay the most important decision of your life. Pray this prayer:
“Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. I want to turn from my sins and turn to you. Jesus, I accept Your free gift of salvation. I ask that you forgive me of my sins and be the Lord of my life. I do not deserve and cannot earn forgiveness. I believe that You died and rose from the grave to offer me abundant life now and for all eternity in heaven. Thank you for saving me. Amen.”
Happy Good Friday and a blessed Resurrection Sunday to you all!
In His Name,
Michael Allen
Director of Operations, AVM