Good Friday Was Originally God’s Friday Series

Jesus shows us once and for all what God is really like. Jesus, as the God-man, becomes the victim: not a victim to God’s wrath, but to humanity’s sin. Jesus is the victim of our scapegoating mechanisms and structures. The inevitable end to Jesus’ life was death…and he knew it. Jesus shows us that, rather than condemning and victimizing others, God willingly becomes the victim to take the place of all our scapegoats. It was not a coincidence that Jesus died on the day of Passover, the day when the lambs were killed, the scapegoats of the day. Jesus takes the place of every scapegoat, and becomes instead, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!

We no longer need to abuse, kill, or sacrifice victims or scapegoats because God has already taken on that role in its fullest form. The cross exposes and reveals OUR sin of scapegoating and then, immediately forgives it! Jesus is the Lamb of God; he died on a cross to take the place of all scapegoats, animals and humans alike. Jesus’ death is substitionary only in that sense.“God is willing to die for us, to bear our sin in this particular way, because we desperately need deliverance from the sin of scapegoating. God breaks the grip of scapegoating by stepping into the place of a victim, and by being a victim who cannot be hidden or mythologized. God acts not to affirm the suffering of the innocent victim as the price of peace, but to reverse it."

We, as a people, are all guilty of the sin of scapegoating in one form or another. Some of us have also been victims of it. The Cross exposes all of us. We must exercise the sacrifice of mercy, not of violence. That is the call of the cross. Jesus, the Lamb of God, has been slain for this purpose.

The importance of Good Friday is that "Jesus Christ" (God-Man) died on the cross and brought end to the sins of mankind, Broke the power of death and its sting. Jesus Christ had paid a great price for every single soul that receives Him as Lord and Saviour. The Enemy of mankind the Satan/Devil was judged on that day. Jesus Christ defeated Him by His resurrection. Anyone in Christ Jesus - the fear of death had been removed. The physical death is the threshold to enter into a glorious life. On Good Friday; the entire Church fixes her gaze on the Cross at Calvary. Each member of the Church tries to understand at what cost Christ has won our redemption. So let us think about the Biblical account of the crucifixion.

Jesus Predicts His Death-“ From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” (Matthew 16:21) Just before his crucifixion, Jesus led his disciples to the Mount of Olives called Gethsemane. There he pours out his heart burden to God, while the disciples, unaware of the pending events to unfold slumber nearby (Matthew 26:36; Mark 14:32, Mark 14: 32-42, Luke 22: 39-46, Matthew 26:36-46).and he tells them they will desert him tonight. They protest and say they will not, but Jesus says, "It is written in the scripture, ’I will strike the shepherd, and the flock will be scattered.'" Peter tells Jesus he would never desert him, but Jesus says,”I give you my word, before the rooster crows tonight; you will deny that you even know me three times". Peter replies, ”Even though I have to die with you, I will never disown you!" The other disciples join in with peter saying they would never disown Jesus too.