Tuesday, October 22, 2024

What Makes Good Friday “Good”….

If you think about it, Christians follow a life full of contradictions in the world’s eyes. Dying to self allows us to fully live. Forgive our enemies. Lose your life in order to gain it. First shall be last, and the least will be first (the greatest). And the list goes on. With Good Friday here, I thought, “how can we call it ‘good’?” I mean Jesus was crucified, tortured, ridiculed, hated, and died on this day. All of his followers (but a handful) deserted Him during His greatest time of need. People were celebrating his suffering and death. And the religious leaders wanted His body to be guarded against any possibility of His followers crafting a scheme about Him being alive. The Muslims even believe Jesus faked His death. What is “good” about any of this? Well, you’ve heard the saying, “hindsight is 20/20”, it couldn’t be more true here. So what makes Good Friday “Good”? Here’s a list: what happened 3 (Jewish) days later. Jesus’s resurrection. The curtain being torn in the Temple. The one thief on the cross who repented. The women who stayed throughout the entire suffering. Joseph of Aramathea, and Nicodemus’ preparing the body for burial, and placing Him in Joseph’s own tomb. The disciples walking with the resurrected Jesus on the road to Emmaus. Jesus appearing to all the disciples and breaking bread with Him. Jesus and Mary’s interaction at the tomb. Jesus reinstating Peter’s apostleship and designating his leadership role. Jesus’ instruction to all the disciples, which includes us, to preach the gospel and make disciples of all nations. What makes Good Friday “Good” is Jesus’ resurrection 3 days later. If He didn’t suffer and die on Friday, we wouldn’t be called Christians. If God didn’t fulfill His plan to provide authenticated forgiveness, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. If the curtain wasn’t torn, providing evidence of the way to God being opened up to us, we wouldn’t have a way to pray. And if Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, conquering death and the grave, everything we do as Christians is in vain. Good Friday is “Good” because of all the bad that happened to Jesus on that day. He took the punishment we deserve, and turned it into the only way back to God. He gave us the only suitable answer for the problem of sin. And He showed us what True Love really is. We live in a Good Friday World (all that went on that day), but what makes us press on is knowing what happened three days later. What makes Good Friday “Good”? Light overcomes darkness, and hope conquers fear. What makes Good Friday “Good”? Jesus. Embrace Him today and let the Good News transform and sanctify you. Easter is all about the power of the gospel transforming lives, restoring that which was lost, and showing the world what true love really is. Now that’s “Good”.

26 As they led Jesus away, a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, happened to be coming in from the countryside. The soldiers seized him and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A large crowd trailed behind, including many grief-stricken women. 28 But Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the days are coming when they will say, ‘Fortunate indeed are the women who are childless, the wombs that have not borne a child and the breasts that have never nursed.’30 People will beg the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and plead with the hills, ‘Bury us.’31 For if these things are done when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”32 Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with Him. 33 When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed Him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified–one on His right and one on His left.34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for His clothes by throwing dice.35 The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. “He saved others,” they said, “let Him save Himself if He is really God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” 36 The soldiers mocked Him, too, by offering Him a drink of sour wine. 37 They called out to Him, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!” 38 A sign was fastened to the cross above Him with these words: “This is the King of the Jews.”39 One of the criminals hanging beside Him scoffed, “So You’re the Messiah, are You? Prove it by saving Yourself–and us, too, while You’re at it!”40 But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? 41 We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom.”43 And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with Me in paradise.” The Death of Jesus 44 By this time it was noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 45 The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. 46 Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust My spirit into Your hands!” And with those words He breathed His last.47 When the Roman officer overseeing the execution saw what had happened, he worshiped God and said, “Surely this man was innocent.” 48 And when all the crowd that came to see the crucifixion saw what had happened, they went home in deep sorrow. 49 But Jesus’ friends, including the women who had followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching. The Burial of Jesus 50 Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish high council, 51 but he had not agreed with the decision and actions of the other religious leaders. He was from the town of Arimathea in Judea, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come. 52 He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 53 Then he took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock. 54 This was done late on Friday afternoon, the day of preparation, as the Sabbath was about to begin.55 As His body was taken away, the women from Galilee followed and saw the tomb where His body was placed. 56 Then they went home and prepared spices and ointments to anoint His body. But by the time they were finished the Sabbath had begun, so they rested as required by the law. Luke 23:26-56

1 But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. 3 So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.5 The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what He told you back in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that He would rise again on the third day.”8 Then they remembered that He had said this. 9 So they rushed back from the tomb to tell His eleven disciples–and everyone else–what had happened. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened. 11 But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it. 12 However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened. The Walk to Emmaus 13 That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus Himself suddenly came and began walking with them. 16 But God kept them from recognizing Him.17 He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. 18 Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.”19 “What things?” Jesus asked.“The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and He was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. 20 But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed Him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified Him. 21 We had hoped He was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.22 “Then some women from our group of His followers were at His tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. 23 They said His body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! 24 Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, His body was gone, just as the women had said.”25 Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. 26 Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering His glory?”27 Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.28 By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if He were going on, 29 but they begged Him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So He went home with them. 30 As they sat down to eat, He took the bread and blessed it. Then He broke it and gave it to them. 31 Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him. And at that moment He disappeared!32 They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as He talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” 33 And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, 34 who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter.” Jesus Appears to the Disciples 35 Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized Him as He was breaking the bread. 36 And just as they were telling about it, Jesus Himself was suddenly standing there among them. “Peace be with you,” He said. 37 But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost!38 “Why are you frightened?” He asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt?39 Look at My hands. Look at My feet. You can see that it’s really Me. Touch Me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.”40 As He spoke, He showed them His hands and His feet.41 Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then He asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave Him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and He ate it as they watched.44 Then He said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about Me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46 And He said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. 47 It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of His name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’48 You are witnesses of all these things.49 “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as My Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” The Ascension 50 Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting His hands to heaven, He blessed them. 51 While He was blessing them, He left them and was taken up to heaven. 52 So they worshiped Him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. 53 And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God. Luke 24:1-53

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