This year
, Good Friday and Passover are on the same day. The Jews celebrate the deliverance of Israel from enslavement in Egypt. God decreed through Moses that Pharaoh must let His people go so they might worship Him, and after 9 plagues on the Egyptians, capitulated His wrath by killing the first born son of every family including Pharaoh’s. The Jewish families were saved by sacrificing an innocent lamb and placing it’s blood on the doorpost of their homes so the angel of death would ‘pass over’ and preserve their son’s lives. What’s good? Jesus is our spotless Lamb of God, slain before the foundation of the world, so that we could enjoy eternal life and be restored to relationship with a loving Father, God. We are saved by His blood. (1 Peter 1:19-20)
What’s Good? Jesus’ intense love for us. It’s hard to comprehend that someone would have this kind of love, compassion, mercy AND the courage to give their life as a ransom for many. Paul said that one might die for a good man, or for a righteous man, but God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us! At the time we were without strength, Jesus CHOSE to die. (Romans
5:6-8)
What’s Good? That the 39 lashes Jesus bore were for our healing. In fact, ALL that He
endured on the journey and the cross was for OUR benefit. (Isaiah 53) It was the punishment that WE deserved. It was the penalty for our sins, iniquities, transgressions and failures. He was beaten so that we could be made whole. He was chastised so that we could enjoy peace. Another Good thing is that Jesus knew through this prophecy all that was to befall Him, for whom He would suffer, how it would go down, how brutal it would be, and why He had to do it…and He did it anyway…so we could have peace with God.
What’s Good? Jesus not only endured the cross (Hebrews 12:2), He embraced His death, taking up His cross for God’s will to be done through His life. Jesus understood who He was – God in the flesh, the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form. (Col 2:9) He had the power to ask God to call down legions of angels t
o save Him. (Matt 26:53) Though it looked like He was helpless and this was being done to him by men, His perspective on His crucifixion was just the opposite. “No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”. (John 10:18) He is our example of a love that knows no bounds, an unconditional, sacrificial love that would spend it all for the ones He loves...if that’s not good news…I don’t know what is! So enjoy and be thankful celebrating today!!
