Good Friday

Why do we call it “good” Friday when the sinless son of God was put to death at the hands of sinful men? Because God took the worst thing man has ever done, and transformed it into the means of our forgiveness, redemption, and salvation. On one hand, a young child can understand the Gospel (Matthew 18:3, Psalm 8:2): that Jesus took upon Himself our sin (I Peter 2:24) and was “despised and rejected, stricken, smitten, afflicted . . . crushed for our iniquities . . . the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:3-5). Yet none of us fully understand the depth of the mystery of God’s atoning work: that “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them (II Corinthians 5:19). Yet just as salvation is not by works, neither is it by intellect – but by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9).

As we reflect on this Good Friday, consider what the crucifixion of Jesus means according to God’s Word. On Sunday, we will celebrate Christ’s resurrection and review biblical truth about the greatest victory in the history of the world.

The cross of Christ shows the existence and extent of sin, with all of us guilty before Godo “The Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin” (Gal 3:22)o “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no

one who seeks God; all have turned away and have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one” (Romans 3:10-12, Psalm 14:1-3)

The cross of Christ shows the result of our sino “He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities” (Is

53:5o “Sin when it is finished, brings forth death” (James 1:15)o “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal through Christ” (Rm

6:23)o “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” (Gal

3:13) The cross of Christ demonstrates the love of God and His power over sin

o “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8)

o “He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code that was against us and stood opposed to us; He took it away, nailing it to the cross” (Col 2:14)

The cross shows the obedience of Jesus and His sacrificial love for uso “I am the good shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know Me . . . and I

know the Father, and I lay down My life for the sheep . . . no one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord” (John 10:14-15)

o “Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant . . . He humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross” (Ph 2:6-8)

The cross reveals the nature of God who overcomes evil with goodo “By sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering, He

condemned sin in sinful man” (Romans 8:3)

o “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (II Corinthians 5:21)

o “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28)