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Volume. XXV, No. 42 Why call it Good Friday?Probably Every Christian has wondered, "If Jesus DIED on 'Good Friday,' why do they call it GOOD?" There seem to be a few different versions of explanations for it, but I believe there are some ‘good’ reasons why we call it Good Friday.
Because of the Fruit of Christ’s Death First, Jesus\' act of dying on the cross was "The Act" that opened the door between God and man. In fact, this was the only act that could! All of Jesus\' miracles were great, His obedience to the Father wonderful, His casting out of demons, and His resurrection glorious, but it was by Jesus\' death on the cross alone – His work of atonement – that we were enabled to enter into sweet relationship with the Father. Jesus\' death had to have been "ultimately good" by the Father\'s definition of the word, or He wouldn\'t have asked it of Jesus! Nor would He have allowed Jesus to actually go through with it once Jesus said "not my will, but thine, be done." For Abraham, being asked to sacrifice his son was "just a test." But this wasn\'t a "test" for Jesus or the Father! It was the only way the Father could redeem us back! If we focus on "The Act" alone, Jesus\' death, it is pretty depressing. But we have to remember that Jesus chose to be obedient to the Father, even unto death! It was for the sole purpose of life! Restoring relationship between us, the people, and God the Father! So it appears that the day, "Good Friday," is defined by its fruit, not by how it felt to Jesus or the Father, or how gruesome it looks to us! Because of God’s ‘Good’ Purpose, Christ Died Watching Jesus dying on the cross, Satan must have thought that he had finally conquered Jesus, and that His death was His victory! But he ‘forgot’ that Jesus died only because He allowed Himself to be killed. Remember all the times He had mysteriously escaped their heated pursuits? John 10:39 says "Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand" John 8:59 says "Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by." Isaiah 53:10 says, “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.” There are also many such examples in the gospels. When Pilate was questioning Jesus after Judas had betrayed Him, Jesus gave no answer, so Pilate said "9 And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? 11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.” (John 19:9-11) Jesus willingly sacrificed Himself, gave himself up of His own choosing—He was not "taken" by force! It was out of God’s ‘good’ purpose and determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God that Christ went to the cross! (Acts 2:23) So that We May be One in Him in Love According to John 17:21,22, Jesus said, "21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.” And immediately after that is when the betrayal took place. And Jesus walked right into it knowing full well what was going to happen to Him. He walked right into His own death; all so that "that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them” (John 17:26) or in “us”. So what happened the moment Jesus died? Not on Easter when He rose, but right there on ‘Good Friday,’ at the very moment of Jesus\' death? The veil of the temple was torn. (Luke 23:45) This symbolized that the veil between God and man, the separation and distance due to our sin was destroyed—completely and forever! That is why is called ‘GOOD Friday’— it was good for His people! But there is one thing that we all need to be aware of. Read the words from Jesus\' mouth after He had just risen from the dead. Jesus had just happened upon Mary Magdalene who had been looking for His body, but thought it was stolen, so she was weeping. What is the very first thing Jesus told her to do after telling her to not hug Him because He hadn\'t gone to His Father yet? John 20:17 says, “Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.” Note that Mary did not recognize Jesus at first, and when He asked her why she was weeping, and who it was she was seeking, she answered Him supposing Him to be the gardener. How was it that she recognised Him? He just said her name: "Mary." And she immediately recognized Him! "To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice." (John 10:3-4) Do you know His voice? Have you heard Him call you by name? All you have to do is acknowledge that what He did on that good Friday 2,000 years ago, He did for you! In your place! And then accept Him as your Lord and Saviour, the eternal Son of God! And if you have already done that, but don\'t think you can hear His voice, then you need to believe and start walking in the above verse about us sheep knowing His voice. ... And it will be a very GOOD Friday for not only you, but for your Heavenly Father who allowed His only Son, Jesus, to suffer a horrible death just so that relationship between Himself and you could be restored! Conclusion Dear friends: Do you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Saviour? This good Friday will not be ‘Good Friday’ for you if you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. Jesus Christ has died for the sins of many so that the ‘bad’ and sinful people like us may rejoice in His Salvation on ‘Good Friday’ all because of the ‘Good’ that He has done for us once for all on Calvary’s cross. I pray that you will come before the cross today and call upon His name and be saved! Pastor David Weng |
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