John 3:16-17(NKJV)
16For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
I have often wondered at the term “good Friday.” The use of ‘good” here is in the sense of holy, but it is still an interesting word to choose for the celebration of one of cruelest deaths ever inflicted on an innocent man.
As we follow the events of the days leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus, there are so many things that are anything but good. He is betrayed by one of his disciples. He is captured like a common criminal. He is lead before a hypocritical council that falsely accuses him of things he did not commit. His disciples follow him but at a distance. The one who swore to die with him betrays him, not once but three times with curses no less.
Finally he is taken before the Roman authority in Jerusalem. Pontius Pilot finds out that Jesus is from Galilee and sends him to Hared to be judged. He suffers the indignity of being mocked in this evil kings thrown room and is sent back to Pilot.
After some examination and questioning of the Jewish authorities Pilot turns to Jesus. He asks Jesus if he is the king of the Jews. Jesus tells Pilot he is, but that his kingdom is not of this world. Pilot asks Jesus if he understands that he can let him go or have him crucified. To this Jesus does something that is inexplicable. He forgives Pilot, telling him that the power is not in his hands but God’s. The ones who sent Jesus to Pilot are the guilty ones.
The city is in an uproar. Pilot does not want to execute Jesus because he finds no guilt in him worthy of Crucifixion. He has him beaten and whipped hoping this will appease the Jews. He brings him before the crowd and cites the Passover custom of letting one prisoner go free to honor the holiday. He asks if they want Jesus, the one called king of the Jews or Barabbas, the rebel and murderer.
The people who only a few days before hailed him as King begin to shout the name of Barabbas. They reject Jesus at the urging of the Jewish leaders. They call out, “Let his blood be on our hands!” Jesus hears the words shouted over and over, “Crucify him. Crucify him.”
Though Pilot washes his hands of the blood of Jesus, he is afraid of the crowd. He does not have enough troops to control them. If he does not do as they wish there may be a riot and many will die. Not the least of which would be his career. He sends Jesus off to be crucified.
Jesus is cruelly treated by the soldiers. Nails are driven into his hands and feet. He is hung between two guilty thieves. He is mocked by his accusers. His mother and some of his followers look on in helpless horror as he hangs in agony before them.
During the course of the day he goes through various stages of suffering. He cries out to God asking why the Father has forsaken him. He is thirsty. He forgives those who have done this to him. In the end he commends his spirit to God.
Since they cannot leave their victims on the cross through the Passover, the Roman soldiers break the legs of the thieves so they will die more quickly. Coming to Jesus they see that he is dead already. They pierce his side with a spear to make sure. Blood and water flow from the where he is pierced. His heart has burst.
Finally his body is taken down and claimed by some of his followers. He is taken to the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. He is laid there with just a covering over him as it is sundown and they cannot, under Jewish law, prepare his body for burial until after the Passover. Finally “good Friday” is over.
You may wonder why I chose John 3:16-17 as my scripture for today. I chose it because that is what is good about this day. Too often we get so caught up in the affairs of this life that we forget the significance of what we celebrate today. We face real difficulties and they cause us real pain. We face challenges that we cannot get away from. We need God to move to help us.
All of that is true and real. God is concerned about all the things we are going through in life. However we need to occasionally put all of that aside and remember that we are Christians. We have an eternity with God ahead of us. We have this blessing because on a day we call “good” an innocent suffered unspeakably for our eternal guilt.
Whatever challenges or problems you are facing today, just for today, put them on the back burner. Think about what Jesus did for you and me. Think about the suffering he endured. He did it without complaint. He did it without regret.
Look at what Hebrews 12 says.
Hebrews 12:2(NKJV)
2looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
As I read this I see that Jesus was looking forward through the suffering to a time of Joy. What was the joy that he would feel after the suffering? It was the joy of knowing that we are now free to choose life because of what he did. I think, in light of that fact, even Jesus with all he suffered on that day would call this Friday “good.”
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