Good Friday…Seems a strange title for history’s darkest day.
The Righteous Judge condemned in a mock trial. Truth himself falsely accused. Love hated. The Savior rejected. The King stripped and despised.
Healer of the deaf heard “Crucify Him!” Creation’s Creator felt thorns on his brow. Hands that fed thousands took nails for those fed. Whips tore his flesh who created all flesh.
The Maker murdered by the work of his hands.
The Sinless One became sin, and the Father turned His back. All the shame and the pain, all the ugliness of hell taken by the Lamb who was slain.
Creation groaned as darkness seemed to extinguish the Light.
Sometimes good looks undeniably not good. But…
But – such a powerful word. It tells us there’s more to the story.
But darkness can never conquer Light.
But death cannot hold the Resurrection and the Life.
But grace is greater than all my sin.
Mercy triumphs over judgment. Forgiveness was purchased on Friday’s cruel cross.
Grace wins.
Good Friday is good because Sunday is coming. God has the final word. And all he does is good.
The cross was not an accident. Not a rescue plan gone awry. No kidnapped King. No victim of tragedy. No, the cross was the plan. From the creation of the world, this was God’s idea. He knew his beloved ones would rebel, and he knew the price he would pay for our redemption. He also knew death would not be the end.
So he willingly went to the cross. He poured out his love as He poured his blood. He paid the price for our sins–all of them, for every person who believes.
Then on Sunday morning he robbed death of its sting and the grave of its victory. With all the power that created life, he recreated life in his dead body. And he lives today, never to die again.
Because of the cross and the empty grave, this is our inheritance as followers of Jesus:
Our sins are forgiven, and all the righteousness of Jesus is credited to us.
We have peace with God. Closeness with our Creator is now possible.
We are dead to our old life– completely new creations.
Sin is no longer our master, and neither is the law.
We never have to fear God’s wrath because Jesus took it all for us.
We need not fear death.
We have an enduring hope.
A heavenly inheritance awaits.
This weekend, may the beauty of the cross and the love of our Savior captivate our hearts and minds. We are loved! We are treasured! We are redeemed!
What are your thoughts on “Good Friday”? How has the cross brought good to your life?
I know I could. Sometimes my heart grows anxious. It’s easy to give way to fear, to let the “what if’s” take over. To look at our nation, our world, and feel as if things are spiraling out of control.
Yet, in the midst of turbulent times and an uncertain future, the words of the old hymn ring true in my heart – “When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay. On Christ the Solid Rock I stand…” *
This Rock that is Jesus – He is secure and unchanging, a foundation that will never crumble. His love is everlasting. His truth still brings freedom. His justice is as sure as the rising sun. His faithfulness will never, ever cease. Come what may, God is good. God is with us. And God will complete His work in us.
This week I’ve been studying in Colossians. My heart thrills at the work of God on our behalf. Here are some highlights from chapter two:
God has revealed to us the mystery of Christ (v 2). Walking with God has always been by faith – from the opening chapters of Genesis (the promise of One who would crush the serpent), to the final words of Revelation (“come quickly, Lord Jesus!”). Yet the Object of our faith was a mystery until God made Him known. Oh, the riches of assurance and knowledge of Him!
God has firmly rooted us in Christ (v 7). It’s done, once and for all – by God, for us. Because we are rooted in Him, we can face the future with confidence. Nothing can uproot us from Christ!
God is building us up and establishing us in our faith (v 7). God is continuously, repeatedly working to strengthen us.
God has made us complete (v 10). As the fullness of God dwells in the Person of Christ, so we are completely filled with Christ. We lack nothing when we have Jesus.
God has circumcised our hearts (v 11). In Old Testament times, God commanded Israel to circumcise their hearts (Jer 4:4), but they were incapable of doing it themselves. However, He promised that one day, He Himself would complete this work. (“Then the Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love Him…” Deut 30:6.) And now He has done it! (“Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ” (Col 2:11b). What we are powerless to do on our own, God has done for us. The power of our old life is broken!
God has cancelled our certificate of condemnation, nailing it to the cross (v 14). All those sins that separated us from God, which served as evidence of our guilt – they are all gone! Not a single sin stands to condemn us. We are fully forgiven in Christ.
God brings about our spiritual growth (v 19). Fruit-bearing is God’s work (thus the term “fruit of the Spirit”). For most of my life, I believed I had to try hard to produce fruit as a Christian. In reality, I’m just the branch displaying the fruit made by the Vine as I abide in Him (Jn 15:1-11)!
My dear fellow Jesus-lover – be encouraged! Rest in hope. Speak truth to your soul.
Nothing can sever us from the God who works on our behalf – no politician, no tragedy, no loss, no disappointment. If He has done all this for us (and ever so much more), will He not continue to show Himself strong on our behalf? We He not daily support, strengthen, sustain, and supply?
May we overflow with gratitude, walk closely with Him, and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.
“For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His…” 2 Chron 16:9a.
“I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them…I will rejoice in doing them good…” Jer 32:40-41.
What kind of soul-talk brings peace to your heart? Is there a particular attribute of God that especially gives you hope?
