You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly...
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
- Romans 5:6,8
Good Friday, indeed
For a day that is marked with the image of Christ’s bloody, mangled body hanging on a tree, good would seem to be an inappropriate, almost distasteful, description of this day. How could this day be called good? Christ is dead. His disciples have abandoned him, and only a few of his followers are there to watch him die. Calling this day good is offensive.
But in reality, for the Christian, this day is anything but sorrowful. It is a reminder that we are powerless to save ourselves. In fact, we should cling to what this day brought to the world. On Good Friday, our hope was found. Without it, the atoning sacrifice, there would be no hope for the world. As Paul states in Romans 8:24, “It is in this hope that we are saved.”
Amazing Love that sent His Son
To suffer in my stead
There are times that I weep at the thought of my sinless savior beaten and crucified to pay a debt that I owed. His death was my death. His wounds, my wounds. His thorny crown was meant for me. His death was the propitiation for our sins and satisfied the wrath of a just God.
My cross, His suffering
Wrath
You don’t hear many Christians discussing wrath all that often, unless it’s of human form, and you certainly don’t hear of God’s wrath. It’s an unpleasant subject and one that speaks of a vengeful God who demands payment for sin. As J.I. Packer said, “God’s wrath in the Bible is never the capricious, self-indulgent, irritable, morally ignoble thing that human anger so often is. It is, instead, a right and necessary reaction to objective moral evil."
When Adam sinned he brought death into this world and subsequently the wrath of God followed. And as a descendant of Adam, I inherited this sin and the only way the wrath of God could be satisfied is by blood payment. Jesus’s blood.
Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son
- Romans 5: 9-10
The sinless King who died for me
When I deserved His death...
It makes little sense. Why would God take on human form, allow himself to be subjected to unimaginable torture by his own creation, and allow his Son to bare this wrath that was meant for me? It’s an unthinkable sacrifice. We are so quick to gloss over this act of kindness and too easily forget the pain that Christ suffered.
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5
This isn’t just a bedtime story we tell our kids, but this gospel, this amazing good news, is the very power of God that brings salvation to the world! Oh what a gloriously good day!
Love shines, love shines at calvary!
Today is Good Friday because Jesus is the only good that I am. He is my righteousness before God. He is my joy. He is my hope. He is the reason I am good! Without his act of unconditional love, and his purifying blood, my sins would remain unforgiven. Without his righteousness where would I be? I could not stand before God and claim my acts as a worthy sacrifice to atone for my sins. I would not be able to face this world without standing on the hope of the gospel. I would be lost.
This day is good because while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
This day is good because our hope is now found in Jesus.
This day is good because we are free from the law of sin and death.
This day is good because there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.
This day is good because we are a new creation.
This day is good because of Jesus.
- Lyell Walker