What Makes Good Friday Good?

Article Quotes gIn his book, Death on a Friday Afternoon: Meditations on the Last Words of Jesus, author Father Richard John Neuhaus writes, “If what Christians say about Good Friday is true, then it is, quite simply, the truth about everything.”  This everything starts with God telling us the truth about the human condition.  How does God do this? By His paradoxically punishing the offended party instead of the guilty one.  Instead of glossing over our sin with an understanding nod, the Cross speaks to the gravity of our sin.  We are guilty.  We are so guilty that it took nothing less than God’s own son to pay the penalty of our cosmic treason.  On Good Friday, God made it clear that we are incapable of setting things right.  He made it clear by taking our place and setting things right himself.

On the Cross, the ‘Judge of the guilty’ is Himself judged guilty. This is, of course, the great scandal.  It is one that paradoxically points to the heart of Good Friday. We are powerless to set things right, and only God, the offended party, can undo the mess we created.  But that is exactly what he does.  He does everything to secure our salvation.  This means he does not stop until, as he declared, It is Finished.  

The events of Good Friday that culminate in Christ’s crucifixion are often referred to as The Passion of Christ.  Do you know what the word Passion means?  In the Latin it is a word that means suffering.  In our current culture, it is also a word that has come to symbolize love.  But I believe the Cross embraces both definitions.  On the Cross Christ went through infinite Passion (infinite suffering) because of His infinite passion (Infinite love) for you!  May we receive the truth of Good Friday:  We are more sinful than we can possibly imagine.  But we are also more loved than we could ever dream.

Prayer:  Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this your children, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.oes here