so was it a Good Friday?

Earlier this week they were praising him, shouting “Hosanna!” as He rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey colt.  They were reaching out to him, pointing, and fighting for his attention.  He had celebrity status. They called him “King” and “Savior.”, it was all good.  No one seemed to notice what He was riding (donkey representing peace instead of a horse representing war) but everyone seems to have superimposed their expectation on Him.  Very Quickly when things didn’t go they way everyone thought they should (namely destruction of the Roman Kingdom) things suddenly changed. Today they will murder him.  Today is “good” Friday…the day we killed God.  It is the day we commemorate the brutal death of an innocent God the Son [Christ] Jesus.

How can we call this day “good?”  Is murder good?  Are angry mobs good?  Is making fun of, spitting on, or screaming at the Christ good?  Is corrupt leadership good?  If you really think about it, this was not a good day for anyone from the outside looking in. It is one of the most embarrassing days in history. The trusted religious authorities who were supposed to have it all together arrested and murdered the son of God.  It was not a good day…it was tragic.

So…why do we call it “good Friday” if it was a day of such terrible suffering and tragedy?

In this case, Jesus’ suffering leads to our salvation.  His suffering is in the moment.  Our salvation is the fruit from the moment. We do not call it “good” Friday because Jesus died.  We call it “good” Friday because his death gives us LIFE!  Without HIS death we have NO life.

Perhaps you are suffering today.  Maybe you have recently been abandoned, hurt, ignored, devastated…you are lonely, confused, depressed, anxious…perhaps those closest to you have hurt you.  You’ve recently experienced a divorce, family feud or a break-up.  If you could choose one word to describe your day today, it definitely wouldn’t be “good.”  Heck you wouldn’t even describe this past month as “good.”
You feel like nobody cares.  You are suffering and it is NOT good.

I implore you please, please look to Jesus and His suffering.  Look to what our sin has done, look at the destruction we cause and know that we have a saviour that understands your suffering.  Look to His suffering for your soul and receive Him!

He loves you more than you will ever know.