Good Friday!

Just recently my youngest daughter, Hailey(5) asked me, "What is so good about this Friday, shouldn't it be called Sad Friday? These people killed Jesus!" And my oldest daughter, Sarah(10) quickly replied, "It's Good Friday because on this day Jesus chose to die for us so we could spend the rest of our lives with God, besides now we don't have to kill a little lamb each week. I could never kill a cute little lamb." Hailey replied, "Hmm, me either, this is a Good Friday. Thank you Jesus!"

Don't you just love the simple truth of children! Let's be honest, I'm not sure if I could kill a little lamb every week either. There is no way I could have been raised on a farm. I'm so glad that Christ, the Lamb of God, the perfect sacrifice, paid the price of our sin, so that we could have eternal life!

It is likely that the term “Good Friday” came from the earlier English phrase, “Godes Friday,” meaning “God’s Friday.” In much the same way as “God be with ye” was shortened to “goodbye,” so did “Godes Friday” become “Good Friday.” In one sense there is nothing “good” about this Friday in that Jesus was murdered by being crucified. He spent 6 hours enduring the shame and ridicule of men. Then it was on the cross that Jesus received all of God’s wrath for all the sin of all those who had… or will ever believe. The worst part of Jesus’ suffering was not the crown of thorns… it was not the lashes he received from Roman soldiers… it was not the beatings or the embarrassment of hanging on a cross naked for hours. No, the worst part of Jesus’ suffering was expressed when He cried out on the cross, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?!”

To think... It was on the cross that God punished Jesus AS IF he had committed every sin we've committed in our entire life. That includes every sinful thought, word, and deed of ours (Meditate on that). Then add that God punished Jesus for every sinful thought, word, or deed committed by EVERY believer who has and will ever exist. Hell is the absence of God’s presence and His wrath/punishment for sin. On the cross, Jesus literally went through hell, IN THE PLACE OF, every person who would ever believe! And in so providing salvation for everyone who would believe. Wow!

But it’s only Friday… Sunday is coming!