“He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:3-5 NIV
This verse is a prophecy about the Messiah written about 800 years before Jesus. It describes the impact of Good Friday.
If you’ve read the historical record about Roman crucifixions–the kind that Jesus experienced–you know that the procedure is so brutal that it cannot be expressed adequately with words. It was designed to inflict the greatest torture, pain, humiliation, shame, and punishment possible to execute a convicted criminal. Crucifixion is far worse than anything you can imagine.
In spite of everything that happened to Jesus on Good Friday, He spoke only good words. He petitioned God to forgive those who killed Him. He assured the adjoining thief on the cross that he would see Him in Paradise. He assigned John and Mary the son and mother relationship. He quoted a prophetic Psalm about God deserting Him. He spoke of His thirst–another prophecy. He announced that His work was complete–something hugely significant for us. Lastly, He committed His spirit to His Father.
What in the world is good about Good Friday? Here are a few answers that apply to you and me: amazing grace, perfect fulfillment of redemption, blood sacrifice for humanity. However, what makes Good Friday good is that Sunday is coming! Everything that Jesus said in His promises to us were fulfilled with his resurrection on Easter Sunday.
That’s not just good news–that’s GREAT news! Jesus did for us what is impossible for us to do for ourselves. There is no hope for us without His resurrection. Death had no power over Him. Sin–the entire sin of all humanity over the ages–could not contain Him. He is alive!
Prayer: Thank you, God, for Jesus’s incredible obedience and His ultimate sacrifice on our behalf. We are so grateful that we may have eternal life by accepting Him as the Christ and making him lord of our lives. Amen