PRAISE & PRAYER PROMPT ••• Good Friday is here and with it, the question, “Why on earth do we call it good?”
Certainly, when we take into account the historical details of the day, there is little good about it.
Jesus was wrongly accused, mocked, beaten, and crucified.
His death was an agony we can hardly stand to consider so we typically sanitize it and don’t think of the gory details.
But we should.
It’s in those gruesome details that we can begin to see what is good about this day.
Currently, there is an article on CBN News that is titled, “When You Understand it Medically, You’ll Appreciate Christ’s Sacrifice, Suffering, and Death All the More.”
I hope you’ll read it.
I have to admit, I don’t like thinking about it.
But when you look at the perfection of Jesus compared to our imperfections, then factor in the horror of the cross — it is humbling.
He didn’t deserve that.
You and I did.
But because of His death, we have freedom in Christ.
That’s what is good about this particular Friday.
Romans 5:8 says, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
But why did His death have to be so harsh?
Couldn’t it have been a little less intense and had the same result?
We have to consider how offensive our sin is to a holy and perfect God.
Proverbs 6:16-19 gives us a glimpse, “The Lord hates six things; in fact, seven are detestable to him: arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that plots wicked schemes, feet eager to run to evil, a lying witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up trouble among brothers.”
And we are guilty of all of them.
Perhaps you haven’t been responsible for another person’s death, but 1 John 3:15 said if we harbor any hatred, we have murder in our hearts.
And who can truly say they have never been arrogant?
They’ve never lied?
They’ve never done something wrong?
It’s in the very fiber of our being because once Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, the human race was infected and contaminated by sin.
While our culture will excuse our sins and downplay them, we’re not dealing with the world’s standards.
We’re dealing with God’s.
And our sin is greatly offensive to Him.
The debt had to be paid with a pure sacrifice and there was only one option.
I believe that Jesus’ death had to be as horrific as it was because our sin is so horrific to God.
Remember, whether Jesus’ death was horribly violent and torturous on the cross, or if it had been a little less severe — either way, He didn’t deserve to die for us.
But He loves us and it was the only way we could be redeemed from our sin.
Today, as you pray, thank Jesus for what He endured.
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see your sinfulness as God sees it so that you can begin to understand the tremendous sacrifice that was made for you so that you could have eternal life with Jesus in heaven.
