What happened on Good Friday?  How is Good Friday celebrated?

After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled, *said, 'I am thirsty.' A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of hyssop, and brought it up to His mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And He bowed His head, and gave up His spirit. John 19:1-30 (NASV) Tom Shepard in Living In Troubled Times - A Good Friday Meditation Series

"Good Friday services are not intended to make you feel good. They are intended to make you reflect on the fact that – bad stuff happens to good people – because it does. Bad stuff happened to Jesus – and it happens to us and sometimes it does not make sense." Tom Shepard in Living In Troubled Times - A Good Friday Meditation Series

The CROSS GRIEVED the disciples. They were GRIEVED because of Christ’s death. Had He died by accident or from robbers they could have accepted it. But to voluntarily SURRENDER to His enemies just didn’t make sense. His death seemed so senseless, so futile, so wasteful. It could have been avoided, but He chose, to die." From Danny Presswood in The Lamb and The Cross

The disciples had seen Jesus perform many miracles. They had seen Him raise people from the dead. They knew He could have saved Himself if He wanted to. But He didn’t. He actually let them kill Him." From Danny Presswood in The Lamb And The Cross

The most AMAZING thing about the Easter Story is not the RESURRECTION OF CHRIST! As truly astounding and miraculous as that was, Jesus promised it would happen! I believe the MOST AMAZING thing about the Easter story is the men Jesus entrusted with His Kingdom and His Kingdom’s work! Do you see it? Fishermen like Andrew, Peter, James, and John. Matthew the tax collector and Simon the zealot! COMMON MEN. ORDINARY MEN. That is the AWESOMENESS of God, that His belief and trust in common men could not be daunted or shaken! He believes in us. Jesus believes in US! COMMON MEN! ORDINARY MEN! Teachers, businessmen, construction workers, secretaries, homemakers, salesmen, mechanics, white collar workers, blue collar workers, even preachers! Jesus believes that you and I CAN make a DIFFERENCE in the world in which we live!" From Danny Presswood in The Lamb and the Cross

Jesus told the thief, 'Today you will be with me in paradise.' This meant the thief would be with Jesus right then upon the thief’s repentance and confession. Oh what a glorious day it was for him and what a glorious day it is for you and me. Is today, your day?" From Maria Saunders in Listen, It's Not Too Late...there's Always Hope!

The message of the cross, while terrible, contains a message of hope for us who benefit from it. Through the power of Christ on the cross beams there is forgiveness and a new chance at life because of what Jesus accomplished there for us. While the cross is a symbol of grievous suffering and a torturous death, it is also a symbol of the great compassion of our God." From Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson in Good Friday

Good Friday was not so good. We like the story of the Conquering King – but we squirm at the thought of a Suffering Servant. Yet that is what Jesus was – He was our Suffering Servant – before He became our Conquering King." From Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson in Good Friday

But there is one man in history whose last words not only tell us a great deal about Him, but also tell us a great deal about how we should live our lives." From David Barnes in Famous Last Words

If Good Friday were all there were, then we as Christians would be the most depressed and depressing people on Earth. But we know Good Friday is not the whole story, is it? We know that there is a resurrection Sunday. It is a day of victory. We call it Easter." From Tom Shepard in Good Friday: Why?

There is a cost to every gift and the Gift of Easter was bought and paid for on Good Friday." From Denn Guptill in The Cost of Good Friday

Good Friday is Good News, especially if we are experiencing something of the pain and anguish of Good Friday ourselves. God knows and God cares. God has been there Himself, in Jesus.: From Warner Pidgeon in Good News on Friday

Heroes have emblems that identify them (Superman, Batman), I suggest that the cross is the emblem of our faith . . . it identifies us with our Christ." From Mike Fogerson in Good Friday 2016

The genuine existential certainty of God’s love for you by dying on the Cross is what enables coping with whatever God wants the outcome to be, be that joining Him in heaven." From Paul Andrew in The Nailing of Jesus

The death of Christ on the cross has the power to forgive our sins and grant us salvation. By the stripes of Jesus we are healed from our sicknesses and diseases. Through His death on the cross we are delivered from the scourge of curses and receive the blessings of God. We receive comfort in all our sorrows because He carried our sorrows and grief on the cross." Claude Alexander in What Jesus Accomplished on the Cross  

And because of Jesus' death on the Cross, for our salvation, we can now take our stand: not betraying Jesus, not denying Him, not judging Him, not condemning Him, not rejecting Him, not mocking Him, not cursing Him, not flogging Him, not killing Him--but standing there at the foot of the Cross with others who love Him, and putting our arms around one another for comfort and strength so that when we are asked later what happened we can say: 'I was standing at the foot of the Cross... " From Kenneth Sauer in It Is Finished

"Today we are filled with the stark reality that the cross is a symbol of death, death which was meant for us. On Easter, we see the joyous glory that the cross is a symbol of hope as we walk the road of life." From Tim Zingale in Good Friday"

See His great love again for you today child of God. He paid the price so that you would never have to be punished before a holy God. The very Son of God died for your sins, every wrong thought, action, deed. Imagine a room full of candles and as each one goes out, see the last one shining dimly in the room--the Son of God there dying for this dark wicked world. Then His light goes out. He has died for you and me. Bear in yourself these thoughts today, reflect on this awesome sacrifice of God Himself. Feel the pain and the wounds of Him who did such a thing for you and me." From Greg Gordon in A Good Friday Meditation

For more great Holy Week quotes, check out these articles on ChurchLeaders.com:

21 Palm Sunday Quotes That Will Preach

51 Easter Quotes Every Christian Should Read