We're at the end of our Lent journey. This has been such a powerful time of reflection, and I'm so glad you could join me over the past 40 days.
Day 40
This day is sometimes called "Holy Friday" in the Christian calendar, but most of us know it as "Good Friday".
This title seems contradictory, as today is in many respects the darkest and saddest day of the year for followers of Jesus Christ.
However, while it is the saddest day as we commemorate the Lord’s crucifixion and death on this day, it is “Good Friday” for us as Believers because it is the dramatic climax of God’s plan to save His people from their sins! In this way, it is a very good day for sinners like me.
Let’s Read today's Bible text, Luke 9: 23 - 24 ...
Then He said to them all, “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will save it.
Significantly, these verses remind us that Jesus carried the cross willingly in order to gift you and me this “Good Friday.”
He subjected Himself to public mockery, severe beatings, and one of the most horrific deaths the world has ever devised. As the Son of God, He didn’t have to endure anything; He wasn’t a prisoner of the Roman soldiers any more than he allowed Himself to be for the Father's purpose.
Even in those last excruciating hours nailed to the cross, He could have opted out, but He endured the cross willingly to make this day “Good Friday.”
Today's Bible verses also tell us as Christ's followers to take up the cross and follow Jesus. On the first “Good Friday,” Simon from Cyrene had other plans for that day rather than get personally involved in Jesus’ scandalous crucifixion, but his plans and agenda were interrupted when he was ordered to carry the bloody cross for Jesus (see Matthew 27: 32 and Mark 15: 21).
Carrying the cross was hard work, bloody, and humiliating, but he carried the cross for Christ and walked with Him in Jesus’ most difficult hours. In doing so, Simon became part of God’s salvation ministry, offering a “Good Friday” gift of his own to the world. Thus Good Friday is a day that reminds us as Believers that we need to gift the happiness of “Good Friday”—the joy of salvation—to our neighbours.
God doesn’t force us to follow Jesus. He doesn’t put the cross on our backs, but He asks us to pick it up willingly, in order to present the happiness of “Good Friday” to a world in need, even if that requires us taking up some pain and humiliation with it. Today, on Good Friday, I pray that we will take some time to reflect on the meaning of the gift of “Good Friday” that Jesus blessed us with, so that we will be able to share the joy of the salvation message with our neighbours, colleagues and friends. Let’s reflect on the joy of salvation received through Jesus’ crucifixion and death, and thank Him for bearing the cross for us.
And then let's resolve to share the happiness of “Good Friday” that we have received with those who don't know Him as Lord.
