What Is So Good About Good Friday?

Posted on Apr 4, 2023 by admin in Pastor D | 00

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,

The Friday immediately preceding Easter Resurrection Sunday is known as “Good Friday”. This is the day Christianity remembers the sacrificial and substitutionary death of Jesus Christ by means of crucifixion.

However, many have asked why we refer to Good Friday as being “good”. In a sense it would be logical to label this “Bad” Friday instead… It is true, the actions taken by the Jewish leaders and the Roman authorities was not good (see Matthew chapter 26-27). However, the ultimate outcome of Christ’s willingness and obedience was very good! The suffering and death of Jesus, as terrible as it was, marked the culmination of God’s plan to save His people from their sins.

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring ^[^a^]us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

Many Christian churches will celebrate Good Friday with a solemn and subdued service of remembrance. These special services often include singing, praying, and a brief message that are all designed to help those in attendance to think deeply about the work of redemption that occurred on Calvary by our Lord and Savior. These services will also frequently involve the observance of Communion.

1 Corinthians 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

Action Step: Please make plans to attend the Good Friday service at The Mission Church of Lexington on Friday April 7^th at 6:30pm

As Christians we must never get so familiar with Christ’s crucifixion that we take it for granted… It should drive us to repentance and amazement every time we are reminded of the great lengths Jesus was willing to go to save sinners like us!

What is crucifixion? A medical doctor (C. Truman Davis, M.D) provides a physical description: “The cross is placed on the ground and the exhausted man is quickly thrown backwards with his shoulders against the wood. The legionnaire feels for the depression at the front of the wrist. He drives a heavy, square wrought-iron nail through the wrist and deep into the wood. Quickly he moves to the other side and repeats the action, being careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flex and movement. The cross is then lifted into place.

The left foot is pressed backward against the right foot, and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees flexed. The victim is now crucified. As he slowly sags down with more weight on the nails in the wrists, excruciating, fiery pain shoots along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain–the nails in the wrists are putting pressure on the median nerves. As he pushes himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, he places the full weight on the nail through his feet. Again he feels the searing agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the bones of his feet. As the arms fatigue, cramps sweep through the muscles, knotting them in deep, relentless, throbbing pain. With these cramps comes the inability to push himself upward to breathe. Air can be drawn into the lungs but not exhaled. He fights to raise himself in order to get even one small breath. Finally carbon dioxide builds up in the lungs and in the blood stream, and the cramps partially subside. Spasmodically he is able to push himself upward to exhale and bring in life-giving oxygen.

Hours of this limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint-rending cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation, searing pain as tissue is torn from his lacerated back as he moves up and down against the rough timber. Then another agony begins: a deep, crushing pain deep in the chest as the pericardium slowly fills with serum and begins to compress the heart. It is now almost over–the loss of tissue fluids has reached a critical level–the compressed heart is struggling to pump heavy, thick, sluggish blood into the tissues–the tortured lungs are making a frantic effort to gasp in small gulps of air. He can feel the chill of death creeping through his tissues. . .Finally he can allow his body to die.”

Mark 15:24 And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take.

*************************************************************************************************************************************************************

If this blog post has grabbed your curiosity and you would like to know more please pursue any/all of the below options:

1- Contact me at pastor@missionchurchlex.org

2- Check out our church website Misisonchurchlex.org

3- Visit us for Community Celebration and Worship every Sunday at 9am and 11am (Facebook livestreaming available at 9am) and Mission Groups each Wednesday at 630pm. We are located at 3288 Beaver Creek Drive Lexington KY 40515.

4- Follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missionchurch.lex

5- Continue to read this weekly blog- “Find your Why with Pastor D”

What Is So Good About Good Friday?

Leave a Reply