Good Friday...and why was it good?

 

Good Friday...
and why was it good?

Today we celebrate Good Friday which is traditionally celebrated as the day Jesus died on the cross. All day, Catholics and Protestants across denominations and nations will observe the day with services, Scripture readings, prayer, and retellings of Christ’s death on the cross. Some families choose to have a service of remembrance at home. Although God does not require us to celebrate Good Friday, but it can be a powerful practice to intentionally remember the pain Jesus went through both before and during His crucifixion. It can also be a preparation for the joy that comes when we will celebrate Easter together on Sunday.

One thing that I never understood was “why do we refer to it as 'good' Friday?” Although there was nothing good about the day when Jesus suffered and died, the outcome certainly is! It was the day Jesus became the perfect, sacrificial Lamb who shed His blood for the forgiveness of our sins (Romans 5:8; 6:23; 1 Peter 3:18). This was the greatest act of love known to man, God the Father sent His Son, Jesus, to die in our place. And because of the resurrection, we who place our trust in Him believe in a living Savior, not a God who is dead. (John 14:1–3).

Although Netcast is not in a position to gather today for service, I do want to encourage those of us who call Netcast their home. Be intentional today; talk about Jesus, talk about His death and look forward to Sunday when we gather together to celebrate the miracle of His resurrection.

Here is an outline of what the past 24 hours would have looked like for Jesus... 

Jesus' last moments with his disciples. 

• The Last Supper 
(Matthew 26:20-30; Mark 14:17-26; Luke 22:14-38; John 13:21-30) 
• In the Garden of Gethsemane 
(Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-45) 
• Jesus is Betrayed and Arrested 
(Matthew 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-52; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:1-11) 

Jesus is taken into custody. 

• Jesus Stands Trial Before Pilate 
(Matthew 27:11-14; Mark 15:2-5; Luke 23:1-5; John 18:28-37) 
• Jesus Sent to Herod 
(Luke 23:6-12) 
• Jesus Returned to Pilate 
(Luke 23:11) 
• Jesus is Sentenced to Death 
(Matthew 27:26; Mark 15:15; Luke 23:23-24; John 19:16) 
• Jesus is Led Away to Calvary 
(Matthew 27:32-34; Mark 15:21-24; Luke 23:26-31; John 19:16-17) 

Jesus is Crucified on the Cross

• Luke 23:34 - Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." 
• The Soldiers Cast Lots for Jesus' Clothing 
(Mark 15:24) 

Jesus is insulted and mocked 

• Mark 15:31 - The leading priests and teachers of religious law also mocked Jesus. 
• Luke 23:36-37 - The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. 
• Luke 23:39 - One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him. 

 Jesus speaks. 

• John 19:26-27 - When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, "Woman, he is your son." And he said to this disciple, "She is your mother." And from then on this disciple took her into his home. 
• Matthew 27:46 - And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
 
• Jesus said, "I am thirsty."A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. 
• John 19:30 - When Jesus had tasted it, he said, "It is finished!" 
• 
Luke 23:46 - Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last. 

Events following Jesus' death. 

• Matthew 27:51-52 - At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 
• The Centurion - "Surely he was the Son of God!" 
(Matthew 27:54; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:47) 
• The Soldiers Break the Thieves' Legs 
(John 19:31-33) 
• The Soldier Pierces Jesus Side 
(John 19:34) 
• Jesus is Laid in the Tomb 
(Matthew 27:57-61; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42)

You Must Be Born Again. - John 3:1-15

Although we rarely talk about or think about death, most of us are pretty sure that we will live somewhere forever when we die. I say that because that's what most statistics say we believe. The vast majority of the Western world believes in a heaven and most of the Eastern world believes in some sort of re-incarnation where we come back as something else or someone else. The common denominator in the Western world and the Eastern world is this...both the Western world and Easter world believe pretty much the same thing. How you live on this side of life, determines what you get on that side of life.

Nicodemus had amazing credentials. He was talented, a good communicator, generous, religious he knew the bible, he had a ferocious prayer life and millions of good deeds. Beyond that he also had humility and a respect for Jesus. If anyone on the earth had an argument for getting into heaven, it was this guy. All of that said, Jesus totally overlooks all of Nicodemus's credentials and tells him that it's not enough, be must be "Born Again."

Being "Born Again" is not something that you can do yourself. It's not a list of deeds that we can accumulate and hand in to receive "New Birth"; rather it is a work of God. Saying we're born again does not make us born again again, just as much as saying someone is a millionaire makes them a millionaire.

So, how does someone become "Born Again"? Jesus answers this for us in John 3:13-15. In these verses, Jesus compares his death on the cross to an event that happened in the Old Testament. In Numbers 21, God punished Israel for their complaining by sending venomous serpents to attack them. Then, to build their faith, God told Moses to make a golden serpent and lift it up. As people would look at that serpent, they would be miraculously healed. In the same way, we have a poison called sin. Christ tells us that as we look at the cross and believe that the penalty for sin was paid for by Christ on the cross; that "believing" is how one experiences a New Birth. Its not what we do, it's seeing and believing what has been done for us that gives us eternal life. Its not paying for all of our bad deeds that gets us eternal life, its seeing and believing in the one who had the riches to pay for our bad deeds. Jesus Christ our Lord.