"Good" Friday

There was a time when, for several years, I would take off work on Good Friday and attend a "7 Last Words" service at noon. Seven preachers would preach from 5-10 minutes on these last sayings of Christ on the cross:

1. "Father, forgive them... for they do not know what they do."
2. "This day, you will be with me in paradise."
3. "Woman, behold your son. Son, behold your mother."
4. "My God, my God... why have You forsaken me?"
5. "I thirst."
6. "It is finished."
7. "Father, into Your hand I commit My Spirit."

Though I've preached my share of 7 Last Words messages... it's been a little while since my last one. And, in a sense, I miss it. It is a great tradition - when done well - in the Black church. Transitioning out of the "traditional church environment" over the last few years has limited some of those opportunities for me... but I look forward to Mosaic creating our own special worshipful and meaningful environments.

People often ask, "Why do we call this Friday 'good'? Jesus was brutalized!"

But that's exactly why it's GOOD Friday. The Bible says:

"He was pierced for our rebellion... crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed... The Lord laid on Him the sins of us all" (Isaiah 53:5-6).

"For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:21).

We celebrate this day as Good Friday, because it was on the cross that Jesus paid for our sins... all of them... IN FULL! No longer do we have to sacrifice, and "hope" that God accepts, meager animals for our sins. No longer do we need a human priest to go to God on our behalf. No longer do we have to fear death, hell, or the grave. No longer do we have to fear the wrath of God! Jesus "was brutalized" for us, so that we could have peace with God... no longer having to fear His judgment.

On Friday, Jesus hung on the cross for us... paid for our sins, and settled God's wrath against us.

That's why Good Friday is good.

All that happened on Friday... but Sunday was a'comin!!!!! :-)