Today is ‘Good Friday’! Why is it good Friday- different from other Fridays of the year? Papa asked as he gathered the children around him just before they went to sleep. It is good because we celebrate the death of Jesus, a young boy responded. It sounds funny that we are celebrating isn’t it? We don’t celebrate the death of a person. That we are celebrating the death of someone today sounds somehow, Papa remarked. Of course, we are not celebrating the death of just anybody. We are talking about the death of Jesus Christ. Why did He die? He asked the children. He died because of our sins, one of the young girls replied. Yes, He did, Papa nodded in agreement. He died because of our sins!
There is so much that happened when He died. His death, the cross He died on, the suffering, the pierced hands and sides, the crown he wore on the cross, and the blood that was shed. Everything about his dying is very significant and impactful on humanity.
Let’s unpack that a little bit:
- His death: It was a substitutionary death. He died for sinful mankind. He was not supposed to be there on the cross- we were. But He took our place that we might be saved from the wrath to come. Oh! You cannot imagine the wrath of God on sinners. It is pending. But the price paid to avert it is very high. The Second Person of the Godhead had to lay down himself for us. How shall we escape if we neglect such grace? He died that we might live- before God. That is good news.
- His blood: It is the atoning blood. Previously, men used to sacrifice every year to cover their sins before God. They had to keep that up every year. But their consciences were not at peace even after all the sacrifices. But Jesus Christ, by His shed blood, has covered all our sins forever. This perfect sacrifice is the only thing sufficient to put away our sins before God. As far as the east to the west, He has put away our sins from before Him. No more record of sin- we are justified before God.
- His suffering– the pierced hands, pierced side, crown of thorns, the stripes and the pain of the cross all represent His suffering for our sins. By His stripes, the beatings, the wounding of His body, we have been healed. Our bodily, mental and psychological ills have been healed by the stripes Jesus bore for us.
- His cross– Oh! The curse that was against us the cross of Christ has destroyed. Every negative word and decree that worked against us because of sin the cross took away. For it is written, cursed is he that dies on the cross. All misfortune, harm, bad luck under the control of spiritual forces have been terminated by the cross of Christ. Whether they are generational or village or blood related, Jesus Christ made an end of all of that by His cross so we can live in the favour and blessings of God.
What Jesus did was weighty. It should not be ignored, trivialized or despised. How should we respond to such love, such sacrifice? How would you respond?
Well God shared His thoughts about how we should respond to His first chosen people- Israel.
“And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding you today for your good?” Deu 10:12-13
In these five ways we can show our deep gratitude to such great sacrifice that was made on that ‘Good Friday’ for all mankind.