4.10.20 - Is Good Friday... Good?
What makes Good Friday so good? I bet at least one of my kids asks that question every year. It is the day Jesus dies, why is it good? What makes this day particularly ‘good’ is not how we think of food being 'good' for example. Or a movie or piece of music being good or not. Those are subjective things. Good Friday is ‘good’ because it objectively is good. The ‘good’ is an ultimate Good. Think about it like doing a work out. Is putting on your workout clothes and getting all sweaty good for you? It is good, but at the time it might hurt, or be hard because you’re out of breath and you can’t move your legs any longer. But after it’s done and you’ve caught your breath you might say, “That was a good workout!” That’s the sense of ‘good’ we’re talking about here. It may be difficult at the time, but it serves a greater, or ultimate good.
Read I Peter 2:24-25. The death of Jesus brings to us assurance that our sins are forgiven when we confess to Him. Verse 24 speaks about us dying to our sins. Do you see yourself as one who has died to your sin? When you picture Jesus on the cross, it is an ugly scene of blood, pain, and sorrow. Jesus was putting our sin to death on that cross, defeating Satan, and freeing us to live righteously. As we live, we live as people who have been healed. The healing is not necessarily a physical one, but a spiritual healing. Our souls are sick and stained with sin, but because Jesus bore our sins on the cross, we are healed.
Today we remember that Good Friday is in fact good because it is for our ultimate good that Jesus came to suffer and die for us. Had he not done that, we would still be condemned and in our sin with no hope of salvation…and that would not be good.
Questions for Reflection
What are things you do in your life that maybe aren’t pleasant at the time but are ultimately good for you?
Do you think that putting sin to death is a one-time thing, or a continual process?
How have you experienced the healing of Jesus in your life?