Passion Week: Good Friday

Related Passion Week Devotionals:

• Cleansing of the Temple
• Jesus Questioned by Religious Leaders
• The Sanhedrin and Judas’ Betrayal
• The Last Supper
• Good Friday
• Silent Saturday
• The Resurrection

Many who read this will already have a good understanding of what Good Friday entails, the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It’s a day of solitude, of reflection, of trying to grasp what Jesus endured in being mocked and beaten nearly to death before he was nailed to a cross. You can find this event unfold in Matthew 27:45-55. To understand why Jesus’ sacrifice was necessary, I would strongly encourage you to read Hebrews chapter nine. It describes the old testament means of sacrifice, a brief reference to mosaic law, and the new testament solution through Jesus Christ for the remission and purging of sins.

“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”

Hebrews 9:28

It is critical to understand that Good Friday had to happen, that it was forever a part of God’s plan to redeem mankind. When we talk to our children about Good Friday, our son devises these imaginative plans to rescue Jesus from “the bad guys”. While it is so cute and heroic of him to care and empathize so deeply for Jesus, we have explained to him that no amount of rescuing could stop His plan from unfolding. His great love for us drove Him to that cross, where He subjected Himself to be the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. The Bible references that “He was obedient to the point of death” and while He experienced a gruesome death and human emotions (though He was fully God too), He did not retreat from the plan. He could have, but He didn’t.

Know today, that Jesus loves you so much, He chose to die on a cross for you. It does not matter who you once were, who you currently are, or who you will become, He loves you despite all of it.

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

2 Corinthians 5:21

I pray that this day, you would freely accept this gift that Jesus offers you, salvation through Jesus Christ alone. If you have not put your faith in Jesus Christ, if you lack a personal relationship with Him, choose today, this Good Friday, to recognize what He did for you on the cross.