What's So Good About Friday

For years "Good Friday" made no since to me. I couldn't see anything "Good" about this day. Many of know that this is the day that Jesus died on that cross for all the sins of the world and that is why it is good. Today I would like to reflect on that day.

To start I think it is important to note that in Israel in Jesus' time Friday would have started at sun down on Thursday. This is the 5th day since Jesus was welcomed into Jerusalem as the coming king. Things have turned around, the priests have turned the people against Jesus.

Thursday night (their Friday)Judas Iscariot one of the 12 betrays Jesus and makes a deal to give Jesus over to the Temple authorities. Judas has been traveling with Jesus for 3 years and is part of Jesus' inner circle of friends. Jesus knew the betrayal was coming and chose to do nothing to stop it.

In Mark 14:32-52 we read about Jesus going to the Garden of Gethsemane. Where verses 33 and 34 says, "He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."

Jesus the King of kings and the Lord of lords was distressed, troubled and overwhelmed with sorrow. He knew that this would be the day that His mission on Earth would be complete. In just a short time Jesus would be arrested His friends would abandon Him and before the day was over He would die. This doesn't sound like the start of a great day to me. Though Jesus is emotionally spent He knows that peace will only be found in the hands of the Father.

Jesus asks Peter, James and John to go with Him to pray. Telling them to keep watch. Here at the climax of His life, when everything He has said an done will be solidified, Jesus wants to let His closest disciples see the depths of surrendering ones self to God and they keep falling a sleep. A great day indeed.

Then Judas shows up with soldiers, Jesus is arrested. Peter responds in anger and attacks a soldier. "Peter has forgotten that Jesus wants him to be a peace maker.

Jesus is taken to the Temple where an illegal trial takes place. Mark 14:53-72 - According to Jewish law a trial had to take place during the day not at night. While Jesus is being falsely accused Peter is so afraid that he starts denying he knows who Jesus is. Once even to a servant girl and one time he denied Jesus so furiously that the Bible says, "He began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, "I don't know this man you're talking about.""

What's so Good about Friday?

At Dawn (Our Friday morning) Chief priests call for Jesus' death (Mark 15:1-15) but due to Roman law they don't have the power to enforce this verdict so they drag Jesus before Roman officials to be crucified. It is here that the people who had just heralded Jesus as king now cry for His death. "Crucify Him!" the shout, "Crucify Him!" Pilate tries to dis-sway them, "Crucify Him!" they chose a murder over Jesus, "Crucify Him!"

What's so good about Friday?

Jesus is handed over to Roman soldiers to be flogged. Romans would beat someone with a Scourge. A whip with 9 to 12 leather straps each strap had pieces of metal and bone in them. These were designed to rip of strips of flesh causing intense pain and agony. They would whip Him 39 times because 40 would put Him in shock and kill Him. He was then taken by a company of Roman soldier (most likely between 30 and 200 men)where He was mocked, spit upon and beaten in the head and face by fist and rod - Mark 15:16-20. And after being beat down they lead Jesus to be Crucified.

This is looking to be a great day. Good Friday right?

On the 3rd hour of the day Jesus was nailed to a Roman cross. A type of death that causes more pain than any type of death recorded. You would be nailed to to the wood through your hands and feet in such a way that the only way to breath would be to push up with your legs putting all your weight on that nail. And when you could hold yourself up no longer you would drop down putting your weight on the nails in your hands. But suddenly you are unable to breath. And when your lungs start burning because they are starved for air you would push up with your feet once more. And every time Jesus raised or lowered His body on that cross splinters of the wood would dig into the raw bleeding flesh on His back.

What's so good about Friday?

Darkness fall on the land for 3 long hours (from the sixth to the ninth) It is believed that it was during this time that all sins past, present and future where laid upon Jesus during this time. At the ninth hour Jesus pushed Himself up and cried out, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani” - "my God, My God why have you forsaken me?” (the first verse of Psalm 22 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2022&version=NIV) Jesus says look and know who I am.

And Mark 15:37 says, "With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last."

What is so good about Friday?

To understand what makes Friday so good we must understand who this Jesus is. He IS: The incarnate Word of God ~ John 1:14, Psalm 49:7-9
The Lamb of God (the sin bearer) ~ John 1:29
The Savior of the World and Son of God ~ John 3:16-18
The Way, the Truth and the Life ~ John 14:6

Jesus is all of this and more: He is creator and sustainer of all things, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Alpha, Omega, beginning and end, the Great Shepherd and the Great “I Am”, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace, He is Lord of the Sabbath and Lord of my life and it is at the Name of Jesus that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that “Jesus is Lord” So….

What’s So Good About Friday?

Matthew 27:50-54
~The Curtain was TORN! - All people Now Have access to the Father

~The Earth was SHAKEN!! - The old sinful nature is defeated and we can live in victory

~And SUNDAYS COMING!!! - The story isn't over yet!!!!