Friday, April 6, 2012

Just How Good is Friday?

We’ve heard the questions. Maybe we’ve even thought them ourselves, if not today than in our youth or shortly after our conversion to Christianity. Why would you celebrate the day that your beloved Savior experienced His worst day on earth? Why would you celebrate the unfairness of the God, who upholds and sustains the universe coming to earth and being tortured by some of His creation?

The Christian calendar, in general, seems to be followed less and less as the years go by. We assume that celebrating Christmas makes us celebrate the Christian calendar. Some will even throw in Easter, merely because they recognize that a baby being born is just incomplete without the real truth that the baby had to live a perfect life, pay the penalty for our sin, and then conquer death.

While many will throw Easter in as a Christian holiday to celebrate, we rarely give it much more thought than a simple day on the calendar. I was even discussing with someone this week, how it seems that culturally, it is easier to celebrate these miscellaneous Monday holidays with some sort of tradition than Easter. Easter is just not designed for ease of celebration.

Further, even if we do find a way to plant a tradition on Easter, most of us are still required to work on Friday and many of us actually doubt that Friday was the actual day of the Crucifixion. So should we really even celebrate Friday can be followed up with the simple question, “How?”

Well, the way our church has determined to celebrate it is with a study at locations throughout the area beginning at 6. The more important questions, however, are why do we celebrate and is that a good reason? The celebration of the Crucifixion, whether or not the actual event occurred on Friday, is something that we absolutely should make an effort to do. It is the ultimate picture of God’s Sovereignty.

You see, much like Joseph expressed in Genesis 50:20, there were real men attempting to harm Jesus. In many ways, they were, in fact, successful. Yet, we see God using the worst thing that humans could possibly do (torture the perfect Savior, who came to earth for them) and turning it into the best thing that could possibly happen for us (the satisfaction of the wrath of God for the sins I constantly commit).

The cross is central to Christianity. The cross is at the heart of everything we do. The cross is the event that we often gloss over when telling the evangelistic story. While the cross can (and should) be celebrated every day, today is the day on the Christian calendar that we recognize the penalty for our sins was paid. Resurrection Sunday is vitally important, but without the Death we celebrate today, it doesn’t mean much.

So while you take your time to worship today, remember the power and centrality of the cross. Just as we need to be condemned before we need grace, we need to have our sins paid for before we celebrate the Resurrection. Remember that as we worship in what is the best of all days for those who have been called according to His purpose! Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift.

3 comments:

  1. 1) I am of the personal opinion that we should have several days of celebration or reflection leading up to Easter Sunday, simply because that week was so packed with things to intentionally remember. I have always wished my church would do a Maundy Thursday service, and I love it that we celebrate Good Friday.
    2) Redemption gives me goose bumps.
    3) "Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift." Amen.

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    Replies
    1. 1) What's up with the numbered comments in groups of three?
      2) Should we celebrate the 7 days of Easter?
      3) "Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift." Amen.

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  2. 1) I was apparently on a kick. I like that kick, so I will up it a number here.
    2) Yes.
    3) Amen and amen.
    4) "Jesus paid it all; all to Him I owe..."

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