Good Friday

2000 plus years ago a man was accused of a crime he did not commit. He was yelled at, verbally abused. He was beat, almost to death. He was spit on, slapped, kicked, whipped, bruised, beaten, despised, ridiculed.

When all this was over, when he could hardly take in another breath, they put a heavy cross on his shoulders and forced him to walk up a hill to the place he would face his death, Golgotha. Here the torture, abuse and pain did not end. He was nailed to the same cross he carried. On that cross he died.

Today is the day we focus on the death of Christ. We call it “Good Friday” we celebrate his death. I find it interesting that we use the words celebrate and good. We rejoice over the death of Jesus. It almost doesn’t fit. Rejoicing over this horrible death?

But we rejoice because we know the end of the story. Those at the foot of the cross didn’t know the joy that would come three days later. They didn’t know the hope they would have because of this very painful, awful death they were watching. Oh but what joy they would have three days later.

This day is the very foundation of the Christian faith. This is the climax of the story. Many see it as the end of the story. The defeat of Christ. Oh but the victory of the coming resurrection! The reason we hope. The reason we live. The reason we celebrate on Good Friday.