What’s So Good About It?

My husband and I are planning to attend our church’s Good Friday services. At the beginning of the week I asked about inviting our Young Adult Small Group over afterwards. We would usually meet on Sunday night but had cancelled so we could all be with our families on Easter. As I was talking about a fun get-together I questioned whether it was appropriate for the day we remember Christ’s suffering and death. My initial thought was that such somber remembrances should not lead to celebration.

Ever the reasonable one, my husband suggested that it is appropriate. We know the rest of the story, Jesus lives! Not only that, but because we, and the young adults we lead, are direct recipients of the grace Jesus offered when He laid down His life for us on that cross, His death is a gift to us. It is the death that paid for our sins (The wages of sin is death, Romans 6:23). Though we can’t celebrate the circumstances of His death we can be joyful in the results of His death – our salvation.

While we were still sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). What’s bad about that? This is not a plan that you or I would have made, especially today. We don’t want anyone to be burdened or give up something for another, no less die for them. But God’s plan is good and Good Friday is good because it is the beginning of the fulfillment of God’s plan for our salvation. We are not left in our sin because in His mercy, grace, and love for us our Good God was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for our sin.

It only looks at part of the verse to say that Christ died for us while we were still sinners. The whole of Romans 5:8 says this:

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.

On Good Friday we recall the depth of the pain and anguish Jesus suffered in His human body so that we could be free of the penalty for our sin. It’s also good for us to look at the Author of the plan and worship Him on this day because of the goodness it shows towards us, His creation.

So, what’s so good about Good Friday? It is the day that God clearly demonstrated His steadfast love for those who believe. He made the ultimate sacrifice to cover our sin when we believe that Good Friday was for us. We should each be able to say, “His death paid for my sin.” What could be “gooder” than that?