What makes Good Friday good?
It has been a beautiful day...wonderful temps, sunny yet partly cloudy, great weather for playing outside this afternoon and evening which is what our children did for hours. We decided to sit outside to eat dinner tonight. After we finished, our children continued to play. Randy and I sat out there and read while laughter filled the air -ours and our kids'. What a wonderful way to spend our evening...what a wonderful start to our Easter week-end.
BUT is that even a good thing to say on this Good Friday? Good Friday. Think back to the story of that Friday, when Christ was betrayed, wrongly accused and convicted, sentenced to crucifixion, beaten, crucified, then He died. It might have been a beautiful day of weather where the children could play outside, where people went about their business, where it was seemingly a normal day...
BUT on that Friday evening, Jesus was dead and buried in a tomb. The remaining disciples, one of whom had denied even knowing Jesus, we're huddled in a room frightened and scared for their lives. There was most likely little to no conversation over dinner if anyone was even hungry. There was no laughter, no playing, no fun. Just fear. What a stark difference between that Friday night so many years ago and this Friday night with my family...
BUT while they had no idea what was happening, I know the next part of the story. You probably know the next part of the story...early on the third day, the women went to the tomb to perform the burial rituals. What they found was truly amazing! The stone was rolled away. The tomb was empty! Jesus was not there because JESUS IS ALIVE!!!
I saw just a couple of days ago something that said what was so good about a Friday when He was betrayed, beaten, crucified and buried? It was for my sin, your sin, our sin that those things happened. I, we, deserve death and eternal hell, but because of Jesus' death and resurrection, I can have life and a loving relationship with God, my Heavenly Father, and you can, too, and that is Good News and makes that Friday Good Friday.
In the Bible, you can read about Jesus' final hours as a human before His defeat of death and resurrection in John chapters 18-20. I would encourage you to read about Jesus. Read about the love He has for you. Read about how much God loves you. Read about how God is a wrathful God. Read about how God made a way for us to spend eternity in Heaven with Him and not separated from Him in Hell. The entire Bible tells of God's love for His people, His wrath when they disobey, His final plan for redemption. Many don't understand. Many refuse to understand. Many try to find flaws in the Bible. I'm not here to debate anyone, I'm simply stating that God, Jesus has made a difference in my life. Some may say I'm ignorant for believing. I would say, I have something to believe in. I would rather be wrong when I die and just die and be buried than to be wrong about Jesus only to arrive at the gates of Heaven to hear, " Depart from me for I never knew you." I may be wrong. You may be right, but I live with hope. Hope from Jesus Christ. Hope in Jesus Christ.
If you live in the Dallas, Mesquite, Forney area, I would like to invite you to join us as we hear more about Jesus Christ this week-end and every week-end to come. Visit www.clifec.com for our schedule of services for Saturday evening and Sunday. If you don't live in the area, you can listen to podcasts or watch video casts of the sermons leading up to this week-end plus more to come.
God really does love you. He really does want to spend time with you. He really does want to spend eternity with you.
Let us remember the horror of Good Friday...
BUT let us remember and celebrate the Good News that is Easter and Resurrection Sunday. Let us celebrate today, tomorrow and every tomorrow until Jesus returns!
BUT is that even a good thing to say on this Good Friday? Good Friday. Think back to the story of that Friday, when Christ was betrayed, wrongly accused and convicted, sentenced to crucifixion, beaten, crucified, then He died. It might have been a beautiful day of weather where the children could play outside, where people went about their business, where it was seemingly a normal day...
BUT on that Friday evening, Jesus was dead and buried in a tomb. The remaining disciples, one of whom had denied even knowing Jesus, we're huddled in a room frightened and scared for their lives. There was most likely little to no conversation over dinner if anyone was even hungry. There was no laughter, no playing, no fun. Just fear. What a stark difference between that Friday night so many years ago and this Friday night with my family...
BUT while they had no idea what was happening, I know the next part of the story. You probably know the next part of the story...early on the third day, the women went to the tomb to perform the burial rituals. What they found was truly amazing! The stone was rolled away. The tomb was empty! Jesus was not there because JESUS IS ALIVE!!!
I saw just a couple of days ago something that said what was so good about a Friday when He was betrayed, beaten, crucified and buried? It was for my sin, your sin, our sin that those things happened. I, we, deserve death and eternal hell, but because of Jesus' death and resurrection, I can have life and a loving relationship with God, my Heavenly Father, and you can, too, and that is Good News and makes that Friday Good Friday.
In the Bible, you can read about Jesus' final hours as a human before His defeat of death and resurrection in John chapters 18-20. I would encourage you to read about Jesus. Read about the love He has for you. Read about how much God loves you. Read about how God is a wrathful God. Read about how God made a way for us to spend eternity in Heaven with Him and not separated from Him in Hell. The entire Bible tells of God's love for His people, His wrath when they disobey, His final plan for redemption. Many don't understand. Many refuse to understand. Many try to find flaws in the Bible. I'm not here to debate anyone, I'm simply stating that God, Jesus has made a difference in my life. Some may say I'm ignorant for believing. I would say, I have something to believe in. I would rather be wrong when I die and just die and be buried than to be wrong about Jesus only to arrive at the gates of Heaven to hear, " Depart from me for I never knew you." I may be wrong. You may be right, but I live with hope. Hope from Jesus Christ. Hope in Jesus Christ.
If you live in the Dallas, Mesquite, Forney area, I would like to invite you to join us as we hear more about Jesus Christ this week-end and every week-end to come. Visit www.clifec.com for our schedule of services for Saturday evening and Sunday. If you don't live in the area, you can listen to podcasts or watch video casts of the sermons leading up to this week-end plus more to come.
God really does love you. He really does want to spend time with you. He really does want to spend eternity with you.
Let us remember the horror of Good Friday...
BUT let us remember and celebrate the Good News that is Easter and Resurrection Sunday. Let us celebrate today, tomorrow and every tomorrow until Jesus returns!
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