Holy Week - Friday

What is Good about Good Friday?

On Friday, Jesus was hung on a cross and died by suffocation.  From a physical and spiritual situation, there was nothing good about Friday for Jesus.  However, Jesus was willing to come, and He died with joy in His heart as He suffered on the cross to take away our sins (Philippians 2:6-8; Hebrews 12:2, 3).  Friday is “good” for us because Jesus took our punishment.

Peter wrote, “‘He [Jesus] himself bore our sins’ in his body on the tree [cross], so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed’” (1 Peter 2:24).

What was the response to Jesus on the cross?
          Roman soldiers responded by gambling for His clothes (John 19:23,24).
          Passersby responded by hurling insults and shaking their heads (Mark 15:29).
          Chief priests, teachers of the law, and elders mocked Him (Matthew 27:41).
          Thieves beside Him heaped insults on Him (Matthew 27:44).
          One thief later changed his mind and asked to be remembered (Luke 23:42, 43).

Many today have no response to Jesus’ death on the cross; they ignore the fact of what happened to Jesus.  Ignoring Jesus may be worse than hurling insults at Him. At least the thieves acknowledged His existence.

What is your response to Jesus on the cross?

Do you accept what Jesus did for you, or do you shake your head and walk on by? Has reading about how Jesus suffered on the cross and why He suffered changed how you live and think?

The centurion was so moved by Jesus’ death that he claimed Jesus was a righteous man; however, others beat their breasts and walked away (Luke 23:47, 48).

On this Good Friday, how are you going to respond? Will you claim Jesus is righteous, or will you walk away? If you claim Jesus is righteous, will you surrender to His lordship?

          “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?’” (Matthew 16:24-26).

Because Jesus loved you, He came and died on the cross to bring forgiveness for your sins.  As you remember Jesus today, will you accept His forgiveness (Acts 2:38), deny yourself, and make Jesus lord of your life?

If you have already been immersed into Jesus, will you continue to live a life of gratitude for what Jesus did for you?

Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, “In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness” (Romans 6:11-13).

Praise God for Good Friday!

Because of Good Friday, we have the promise of Heaven.

Thank Jesus today for taking your punishment and offering you eternal life.