The Good Of Good Friday

 

The Christian Journeyman 

Pastor Gary Patterson 

THE GOOD OF GOOD FRIDAY 

This question has been asked many times: "If this is the worst thing that could have ever happened in the history of man-kind, on this horrible Friday, why do we call it "Good Friday?" "What was so "good" about it?" 

A devotion from "Our Daily Bread" of The Radio Bible Class, outlines seven sayings from the cross. In looking at these seven sayings, we should be able to see the "Good" that Jesus accomplished on the cross. 

1. Forgiveness. "Then Jesus said, Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do." (Luke 23:34) "How do we get past the nails, and forgive those who hurt us? Jesus did! He displayed God's forgiveness for our sins, in His sacrificial death, as atonement for our sin debt. 

2. Redemption. "And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43) The thief on the cross who believed, and submitted his future to Jesus, was saved. The same promise is for us who believe, and accept Jesus as Savior. 

 3. Compassion. "When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour the disciple took her into his own household." (John 19:26-27) As Jesus had compassion for His mother, making sure that her future well-being was taken care of. In essence, on the cross, He did the same for us, and whoever submits their lives to Him, in faith. 

4. Abandonment. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46) Jesus did the most challenging thing in this whole sacrificial experience. He took on Himself the guilt and depth of sin, of this lost world, before a holy, and righteous God. 

5. Readiness. After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, to fulfill the Scripture, said, “I am thirsty.” (John 19:28) 

I have seen people in my pastoral ministry prepare for death. Jesus knew that what He came to do for man-kind was in moments, to be accomplished, according to God's Word. 

6. Fulfillment. "Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit." (John 19:30) Jesus, after receiving the sour wine, gave up His spirit. He had accomplished what He came here to this world to do. "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." (Luke 19:10) 

7. Release. And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last. (Luke 23:46) Jesus' life, His ministry, the endurance of the cross, to pay for the sins of the world, came to and end. As the hymn says so plainly, but boldly: "Jesus, Paid It All" And we are blessed abundantly, and eternally, because He did. 

These seven sayings from the cross reveal the " good" that came about for us, in the midst of this horrible experience for Jesus. How extremely grateful we should be! 

Photo: Ambroz - Pixabay.com 

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Weep For Yourselves

"But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!’ Then they will begin ‘to say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’ For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?”(Luke 23:28-31)
On Jesus' climb to Calvary, He stops and shares these words with the multitude, and women who were crying for Him. In His moment of terror, and anguish, these words indicate that Jesus did not want the people to be concerned with Him, but with themselves. Here He prophesies what will happen to them, when Jerusalem is destroyed by the Romans. It was, a terrible event. But there is a message for us here, that should grip us, and those who we witness to, on behalf of Christ. The crucifixion was the most terrible event in human history. We call it "Good Friday" but there was nothing good about it. It was our sins that put Jesus on the cross. It was our disobedience to the will of God, that required a blood sacrifice, to be made, on our behalf, once and for all. We can weep for Jesus this day. But what He would have us do, is weep for ourselves, and repent of our sins, and claim the victory He brought about, through His death and resurrection. And for those who do not claim Jesus as Savior, and allow Him to cleanse them of their sins; like the destruction of Jerusalem, judgment is coming!
GP Photo by David Castillo Dominici. Published on 04 September 2012 www.freedigitalphotos.net

Three Crosses: God's Plan

"And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left." (Luke 23:33)

 Of all the days of man-kind, this day, that we call "Good Friday" was the worst day of all. There is nothing good about it, except for what our Savior did for us on that humiliating, agonizing cross.
Jesus died to pay for our sins, and all the guilt associated with it.

There were three crosses. And in this event we see not only the condition of man-kind, but we see the grace of God, and His wonderful plan of salvation.

Both the men on the right and on the left, were dying because of their crimes. This is the condition of the world. The world is lost in sin, but yet we have a deliverer.

In this moment, an opportunity came that demonstrates the grace of God. The man on the right surrendered his life to Christ, and was saved.

The plan of salvation is clearly seen. Christ died in the middle FOR SIN. The man on the right died TO SIN. and the man on the left died IN SIN. On the middle cross GOD COMES TO MAN. On the right cross MAN COMES TO GOD. On the left cross MAN GOES TO HELL.

 It is like God to do this. In the most horrible event of all man-kind, He brings light out of darkness. Out of despair, God, through His Son Jesus. brings us hope. Hope for today, and forever. GP

Photo ID 3879045 © Niagaragirl | Dreamstime.com