Good Friday

On Good Friday, we remember the execution of Jesus by crucifixion. A most gruesome act, yet for the Christian, its our boasting.

Galatians 6:14 (ESV) But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

The only reason we Christians can boast in the crucifixion of Jesus is because Jesus is not dead, but alive!

I know, that’s what we celebrate on Sunday not today. However, I’ve always had a hard time isolating Good Friday from Resurrection Sunday. Just can’t do it.

Jesus is alive!

We have a surety of historical evidence that tells us Jesus is alive. The record of Scripture, the record of non-Christian historians (like Josephus), the bold lives of Jesus’ disciples who went to their death proclaiming that Jesus was alive, the existence of the church today…

Jesus’ death and his life produced glorious things for us. We will talk about substitution Sunday in the worship service, but all the glorious goodness of God to us as sons and daughters come from the death and resurrection of Jesus.

So, through the somberness of Good Friday let the glimmer of hope in knowing how this story ends give rise to anticipation.

It’s like watching your favorite movie with a glorious ending that arises out of such dark circumstances. You know what’s coming, and that helps you endure the dark parts of the movie. There is the feel good feels on the way, so this dark part is not so bad. Good Friday is like that for me.

So, what does the resurrection mean for us? Lots of things, but begin or continue the lifelong journey of unpacking the resurrection’s meaning(s) with some background to what it meant for the first disciples.

This short video of N.T. Wright explaining what the resurrection meant for the first century Christians is gold. Enjoy!