Why is Good Friday Good?

We are approaching Good Friday. On that day, Christians focus on the death of Jesus. He was not a victim. He willingly suffered and died in order to pay the price of our sin so we could be made right with God. Why? Because he loves us and wants us in his family.

Max Lucado has written several books about this. The one that especially caught my eye this week is: He Chose the Nails. He talks about the list of our weaknesses, failures, and sins. Then he talks about Jesus being nailed to the cross. He questions why Jesus didn’t resist.

Lucado continues, “The list God has made, however, cannot be read. The words cannot be deciphered. The mistakes are covered. The sins are hidden. Those at the top are hidden by his hand; those down the list are covered by his blood. Your sins are “blotted out” by Jesus (KJV).

This is why he refused to close his fist. He saw the list! What kept him from resisting? He knew the price of those sins was death. He knew the source of those sins was you, and since he couldn’t bear the thought of eternity without you, he chose the nails.”

As Colossians 2:14 says, God “canceled the written code …that was against us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.” NIV.

What wonderful days of remembrance Good Friday and Easter are. As the Apostle Paul said:

“For what I received, I passed on to you as of first importance:

that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

that he was buried,

that he was raised on the third day

according to the Scriptures,

and that he appeared to Peter,

and then to the twelve.

After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time,

most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.

Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,

and last of all, he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.”

I Corinthians 15:3-8

     Happy Easter, everyone. God bless you.

Judith Vander Wege