Friday, April 14, 2006

 

Good Friday

Why Do They Call It "Good" Friday?
I've oftern wondered that, haven't you. It was the darkest dark in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ, the day of His sacrificial death. It was the day our Lord Jesus took our sins upon Himself, "He than knew no sin, became sin for us." Because of that, the Father turned His back on His own son, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" the Lord Jesus asked at one point. It certainly doesn't seem so good, at least for the Lord Jesus at this point.

So What is "Good" About it?
The one thing that I can think is that Jesus, infact, did take our sins upon Himself, thereby making a way for we who have sinned and therefore become separated from God, to have the relationship with God that He desired and for which we were created in the first place. That certainly is "good" news.... isn't that what the gospel is all about? So it was a "good" thing that Jesus willingly gave Himself that day for us.

Origins of the term "Good Friday"
I looked the term up in several resources. Apparently the origins of the English "Good Friday" are rather unclear. To make a long story short, some believe that the day was originally known as "God's Friday," a reference to the crucifixion event. There are references to the German term which means "mourning," as the disciples certainly did on that day so long ago. They mourned the death of Jesus, the one with whom they had walked for some three years and the others that knew Him. It was a day of mourning. Today in Europe it is "Mourning Friday." We too certainly mourn the fact that Jesus had to die in order that we could have forgiveness and life. It is a day of fasting for many denominations and people individually. And it is certainly a day of prayer and reflection and the events of this day so long ago.

What Will You Do Today?
Will you be thinking about what Jesus did for you on that day? Will we spend some time in prayer; will we perhaps even fast? How about attending some religious ceremony. I know that there will be prayer services of all kinds during this day. I have had candlelight services at churches which I have pastored in the past, as well as attending them at other churches. How about private services in the home with our families to commemorate this day; we should certainly do that together.

However you celebrate it (if that indeed is the proper term), remember that Jesus died in order that we might have life eternal and abundant, the forgiveness of sins and a secure future with our God.

May God bless each of us today as we continue to love and serve Him, who loved and served us, and ultimately gave Himself as a sacrifce for each of us. Maranatha, even so, come quickly Lord Jesus.

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