Good News Friday – Jesus lives!
Good Friday has long been a sober day of celebration. The celebration is a mixed flavor of bitter-sweet. My heart is heavy for our Lord’s suffering yet at the same time it’s filled with a sweet fragrance for His sacrifice on the cross for me.
Accustomed to Good Friday observation on the Friday before Easter Sunday, Christians remember the anguish and crucifix of our Savior. Many Christians spend the day in fasting and prayer as they meditate upon Jesus’ sufferings.
Why did Christ have to die?
Clearly, I know the answer that Jesus became the sacrificial lamb for my sins. Up until the time of Christ, the only way for the children of God to receive forgiveness of their sins was to make a burnt offering of an unblemished lamb, which was a customary daily ritual done once in the morning and again in the evening. In essence, Jesus became the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
The Bible teaches the wages of sin is death, Romans 6:23, and we are all sinners, none of us are righteous enough to stand before our heavenly Father (Romans 3:23). Sin separates us from God like a wide river.
Where does this leave us?
The only way we to escape everlasting death is by accepting God’s gift mentioned in John 3:16. God loved us so much He sent His only Son to die for us, so we may have life forever with Him if we seek Christ’s forgiveness for all the things we’ve done wrong and ask Him to be Lord over our heart.
Restitution is something we can all relate to. We’re always having to pay for something, right? Christ was the ultimate atonement (price) for our sins (1 Peter 1:18-21). The good news mentioned in the New Testament is Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection bridging our eternal damnation to life ever-after in heaven through His great love for us. How do we do this? By calling upon the name of the Lord, as Paul tells us in Romans 10:13.
This morning, I was passionately touched by Susan Anderson beautiful Easter poem, The Miracle of Easter (A Child’s Story) which I want to share with you this blessed Good Friday. Easter is a precious time to rejoice for God isn’t dead. He is alive!
Does Christ live in you?
