What’s Good in Good Friday? (#181 of 365+)

One of the first important things my husband told me about himself when we were getting to know each other was how he hates to see the symbol of the cross being used as a fashion
statement, a charm, or a pendant hanging from someone’s necklace. As Joni’s parents taught her, he things of the cross as “an obscenity”, a brutal instrument of torture. I don’t feel as vehemently as he does unless the symbol of the cross also depicts an image Christ still hanging from it as though the rest of the events of that weekend long ago never happened.

Good Friday and Easter weekend isn’t until next week but Joni talked about Good Friday today because it’s never too soon to prepare one’s heart to observe this holiday. The historical events surrounding the crucifixion of our Lord, not the Golden Rule or any other popular teaching, form the pinnacle of the Christian faith. It’s what we’re all about.

In case anyone who may read this has never heard the news before allow me to clarify: Jesus Christ was taken down from the cross after he was confirmed by authorities to be dead. The authorities then put him in a tomb with a huge stone over the entrance. On the third day, Jesus rose from the dead and angels rolled away the stone. Thousands of eyewitnesses saw the risen Lord and many were eventually martyred for their testimony to this fact.

The apostle Paul said if it was all myth—if Jesus didn’t really die on that cross and rose from the grave on the third day—then Christians should “be pitied more than all men” (1 Corinthians 15:19). Why? Because we’ve put all our eggs in one basket. Please forgive the pun, but it’s true. We’ve put our faith—we’ve placed our eternal life, hope, everything—in Christ.

At first it might seem morbid to celebrate a day on which someone died but believers know it wasn’t the end of the world. Jesus Christ victoriously accomplished his mission. He died for sins and then rose from the grave. We can lift our heads up high and praise God that Sunday, Resurrection Day, is right around the corner! Watch this video called “Sunday’s Coming”:



Lord, thank you that Good Friday was indeed a very good day because of what you did on Sunday. I put all my hope in you. Amen.