Friday, March 21, 2008

truly a good Friday

The Friday which we Christians call Good Friday is truly a good Friday. It is the day we remember in awe with both tears and celebration what our Lord did for us in dying on the Cross. A most wonderful day in which God's "Amen" sounded clear and unmistakeably that first Easter Sunday in our Lord's resurrection from the dead.

On the Cross just prior to his death (I capitalize "cross" because of the One who was nailed on it and died, and because of the significance of his death for us, for humankind, and for all of creation- in God's redemptive plan) Jesus declared these words: "It is finished."

What was finished? All that Jesus came to accomplish. By his death he would destroy death forever and the one who held the power of death, the devil. By his death all sinners could be set free from God's judgment, since Jesus himself took all of sin's curse and just claim on himself. By his death God offers to us a new life in Jesus, a life that begins in living out Christ's life here and now. And by his death there is complete, full reconciliation. God has reconciled the world to himself in Christ, not holding people's sins against them, and has broken down the barriers that separate humanity into so many hostile groups, to make us all one in Christ, in the communion of the Trinity.

What a terrible day that Friday was! But God took what was terrible, and what was actually his plan for this: the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. This was redemptive in the Father buying back in the Son all that had been lost to his good plan in creation, for the new creation. In this, Jesus made all things new.

But for any of us to know the goodness of this Good Friday for ourselves, we must look to the One on that cross, and repent and believe this good news. Yes, it's good news for us. And then we begin on a track that continues in this life: God turning what is bad into something good, through Jesus Christ and by his work for us that dreadful day, and yet by that act making it a most wonderful day, especially as we know the end of the Story.

What "Amen" or thoughts might you add here?

10 comments:

preacherman said...

Ted,
Excellent post brother.
I hope you have a great good friday and Happy Easter!

Anonymous said...

This is a great post, but we must remember, if we going to be faithful to the liturgical year, that this is a day of mourning. The celebration doesn't really happen until Sunday.

Anonymous said...

i am grateful that Jesus Christ the Redeemer lives! i am grateful for what God is and what God has done and is doing in us through His Son.

our life in Jesus and the Holy Spirit...this event in time shows us our life in Him and and our future joy of our completeness with God.

Praise God!

Ted M. Gossard said...

Preacherman,
Thanks. and the same to you, brother.

Ted M. Gossard said...

Coldfire,
Thanks.

True. There has to be a reason it's called GOOD Friday, of course.

Ted M. Gossard said...

Amen, Nancy.

Nice to have you back. Hope your trip to New Zealand was a great time for you and yours.

Craver Vii said...

Praise God for the good that He has done!

Allan R. Bevere said...

Ted:

Thanks for reminding us of the excellence of this day!

Ted M. Gossard said...

Amen, Craver. He has done and is doing and will do- all things well!

Ted M. Gossard said...

Yes, Allan, I like the thought EXCELLENCE of this day, because when you think about it, that is quite true.

Thanks.