Faith-filled Friday: The Good in Good Friday

Hey Crushers,

Most of the time people really look forward to Fridays. It's not TGIF for nothing! However, a lot of people have trouble with Good Friday. What's so good about the day that Jesus died?

He was betrayed by a friend, and disowned by another.
He was put before several courts (Jewish and Roman) only to be mocked and beaten.
He was forced to wear a crown of thorns.
He was marched through crowds carrying his own cross until he couldn't physically stand any more.
He was nailed to a cross.
He was hung between two thieves, who actually deserved judgement (although, hanging on a cross always seemed a little extreme to me for stealing, but I'm no ancient Roman...).
He died in a gruesome way, forsaken by his Father God and died for sins he didn't commit even though he has so much power he could have done away with every person who even whispered something against him without even blinking.

So what is so good about that?

The last part. In Matthew 27:50, it says he "gave up his spirit." I used to think that just meant his soul left his body to go to Heaven. The more I let that sink in, the more I think that it means he let go of life because he did what he came to do.

That fighting spirit that you need to stand in diversity? Jesus had that more than anyone. He set aside his power to do what needed to be done. When all the prophecies were fulfilled, when all the beatings and mockings and hangings were done, he could give up that spirit knowing that our sins were forgiven. He did what we could not, and once he did, he let go.

His perfect life and death meant that we are OK. We're more than OK. We're free from the weight of eternal death. His resurrection on Easter Sunday means that we will live again in Heaven!

That makes a pretty great Good Friday!

Hope everyone has a very blessed Easter. Steve and I will be hosting his extended family on Easter Saturday/Holy Saturday, which means there will be about 40 people at our house for a gigantic pot luck! Sunday, I play handbells for Sunrise Service. We'll have breakfast at church and then brunch at my cousin's house. Yay for a fun foodie holiday weekend spent with family celebrating Christ's resurrection. That's a lot of celebrating for one weekend!