WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT GOOD FRIDAY?

It's Easter Holiday once again and we are celebrating the one of the major cardinals of the Christian faith - The Crucifixion and Resurrection  of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Despite the fact that a few persons believe that the exact dates are not followed, we are just fine bringing the events to remembrance around this time of the year.

The main purpose of this article however, is to highlight the reasons why the day Jesus was crucified is called GOOD FRIDAY. Let me quickly give you a little background into the reason Jesus came to die and why His death was 'good' for all mankind.

WHO IS JESUS?
Jesus is the Son of the living God sent to this world to reconcile man to his Creator.

This became necessary because in the third chapter of the book of Genesis we read the account of the fall of man in the garden of Eden. Man after he was created in the image of God had a wonderful relationship with his Maker.

In the cool of the day, God would visit him and commune with him right there in the garden. Adam was really pleased with this and that relationship went on for as long as Adam kept God's command.

That command was a simple one and it went thus "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" Genesis 2: 16 - 17 (KJV).

Adam and Eve were fine up until the Serpent (Satan) deceived them into believing that there would be no consequences for disobeying God. They were made to believe that they would enjoy some hidden benefits if they ate the forbidden fruit. (Genesis 3: 4 - 5)
Well, the sad truth was that the moment Eve bit into that fruit and Adam joined her, everything went down the hill.

They suddenly realised they were naked and when as usual God came visiting them at the cool of they day, they weren't ready to meet Him. It dawned on them they had done something wrong: or why were they feeling guilty after all?

God wasn't pleased with them and the consequences of their actions included that He (GOD) would no longer visit with them. In addition to that, evil of various degrees was brought into the world. Sickness, sorrow, pain, curses and all forms of evil disrupted the serenity and peace that existed then. They must have been very sad but there was no undoing. The die had been cast.

Our dear heavenly Father in His mercy killed a Lamb and covered their nakedness with its skin. This typified an atonement which was the only remedy for the sin of mankind. It pointed to the time many years after when the "LAMB OF GOD" will come to finalise the reconciliation of man back to God.

Onward from that day, all the known forms of evil came into the world and stole more and more of man's happiness. Although Adam and Eve did not fall down and die that very day, they lost the image and glory with which they were created and thus they died spiritually. They lost the benefit of living forever in this world. They started to toil and labour in a land that had been cursed by God.

It is however terrible that they had children who were born with their depraved nature. Family problems kicked off from the very first family. Cain and Abel their children were not spared this wicked nature. Evil seemed to go on from bad to worse like a cancerous growth which has no cure.

Many persons all through the ages tried in their own power to be good but it didn't work out. They just weren't able to obey God's laws in their own strength. Even today, new year resolutions are not able to keep men from life threatening addictions and habits.

The laws and Prophets sent by God to men to lead them aright had one thing in common - they all pointed to a time when someone will come to earth to pay the supreme price for man to be redeemed from the stronghold of the Devil.

There would no longer be need for animal sacrifices to atone for sin because animal blood cannot wash away men's sin. Only the blood of a sinless man could.

Soon, the great day came when God sent His only begotten Son into the world to be born like a child. The outstanding thing about His birth was that He was born of a virgin named Mary.

He lived like a human and soon began to teach men how to live to please God. He healed the sick, raised the dead and performed many miracles which endeared Him to the heart of the common people in His day.

It is sad to note however, that He was hated by some who saw His teachings as a threat to their wicked ways. They could not stop Him but then they planned to eliminate Him by false accusations which lead to His death on the cross. In their minds, they would forever silence His mission and purpose but alas it was only a futile attempt.

Jesus was accused falsely and soon sentenced to death by hanging. No one could defend Him within the courts of Pilate the ruler but all that happened to fulfil the scriptures. Isaiah Chapter 55 verse 4 - 5 recorded many years before Jesus was born that "Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows........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".

We may therefore deduce that on that fateful day after the trial of cruel mocking, Jesus headed toward Calvary. This was after He had been beaten with many stripes like a thief or murderer.

He willingly suffered all that befell Him because without His death, man will forever be lost in a hopeless eternity. Evil will remain and will never be conquered because it can not be subdued by man.

This story will however be incomplete if I fail to mention that after on the third day, Jesus arose from the grave. He appeared to His disciples and friends within the space of 40 days before He ascended into the heavens.

REASONS WHY THAT FRIDAY WAS TAGGED GOOD
It marked the fulfilment of man's reconciliation back to God.
Evil was overcome by good.
Man was liberated from the power of the curse that hung over him after that first sin.
The access to God's throne was once again open to man because the temple's veil in Jesrusalem was ripped into two signifying access for everyone unto God.
The victory over death and the grave was completed.
The keys of hell were seized from the devil.

We are eternally grateful for the supreme price paid by our dear Lord. If He had not paid the price we would not have the hope of eternal life with God and a life of peace and joy while in this wicked world.

Although Jesus has paid the price for our redemption, it is our duty to ask for His pardon for our own sins. This pardon is obtained by acknowledging that we are sinners who deserve to die for our own sins but since He took our place and suffered for us, we need His blood to wash away our guilt.

He would look down in mercy upon anyone who is genuinely sorry and has decided not to return to his wicked ways anymore. That person will be changed in his heart and just like it is recorded in 1 Corinthians 5:17, he will become a new creature. 'Old things will pass away and all things will become new'.

The old wicked heart will be changed and a new heart will be given to him with which he can serve God acceptably.

This is the reason why that Friday is 'GOOD'.


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