Why Is Good Friday Good?

Why is Good Friday Good?

Luke 22:66 (KJV) And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their council,…

Our focus of this day should be on the crucifixion of our Lord.

So why "Good" Friday?

Why not "Sad" Friday,

or "Awful" Friday?

Isaiah 53:1-10 (KJV) Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 10 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.

Yes, there was great sorrow and travail on that day.

During the awful physical darkness from noon to 3:00 p.m. (Matthew 27:45),

Jesus had cried out in utter anguish: "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46).

The earth itself shook and rumbled as the creation was torn apart in reaction to the horrific judgment of the Creator for sin (Matthew 27:51).

"For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet" (Psalm 22:16).

The "dogs" that were "compassing" Him may refer to the Roman soldiers or possibly to a mob of homosexuals (who had been called "dogs" by Moses in Deuteronomy 23:17-18).

Deuteronomy 23:17-18 (KJV) There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel. 18 Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the LORD thy God.

Except for John, His disciples were not there to comfort Him.

For the most part, the mobs howling around the cross were His enemies.

The "assembly of the wicked" may well have been a gathering of demons

-- personified as strong bulls and ravening lions, including Satan himself.

The terrible spikes that pierced His hands and feet had been affixed by Gentiles,

but the whole scenario had been arranged by the Jews.

Nonetheless, all of us are guilty of piercing His very heart

as well as His hands and feet,

because He died to save us from our sins.

He "by the grace of God" had to "taste death for every man" (Hebrews 2:9).

But then came the victory cry, "It is finished" (John 19:30),

and, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit" (Luke 23:46).

His suffering ended,

the payment completed,

eternal appeasement accomplished,

Jesus laid down His human life to await the great resurrection that God might give

"assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead" (Acts 17:31).

Good Friday will never be as harsh for us as it was the disciples.

We know he was resurrected – they did not.

So, How do you live like he’s risen when you feel dead yourself?

How do you dance for Joy when you’re knocked down to the floor?

How do you celebrate Easter when you’re living Good Friday?

I know that right now, some of you are going through Good Friday Issues.