“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”
John 10:11
On this day, April 30th, 2018, myriad Christians will observe a day tradition has coined, Good Friday. They will gather together in worship, in somber reflection, and in deep consideration of an event that took place nearly 2,000 years ago. To the casual onlooker, this event is a paradox. The question usually goes something like this, “How could something associated with death be good?“. And that is a valid question, nevertheless.
It is true that on this day the Christian looks back at the crucifixion of Christ. There is the agony, the apparent defeat, and the numbing silence of the grave…for 3 days. How could a shepherd ever imagine that his departure from his sheep would be to their benefit? But in God’s economy, His ways are not our ways. And so, this day represents the love of God, the satisfaction of His wrath stored up as a result of mankind’s sin, and therefore the securing for all humanity (though sinful) the opportunity to be reconciled with God (though perfect). It is today where God manifested that He is both just and the justifier.
Thus, the necessity of Good Friday is that Christ must lay down His life for the sheep, otherwise the sheep would have no hope for their life whatsoever. Therefore, this event–the crucifixion of Christ–sees beyond the momentary and fleeting nature of a life on earth, and it looks into eternity and says, “YES!” and “GOOD!”. And so, Paul could say, “When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.”
And so, today…
“We remember Gethsemane:
We remember how Judas betrayed Him:
We remember how Peter denied Him:
We remember how they all forsook Him and fled:
We remember the scourging:
We remember the crown of thorns:
We remember how they spat upon Him:
We remember how they smote Him on the head with a reed:
We remember His pierced hands and feet:
We remember His agony on the Cross:
We remember His thirst:
We remember how He cried, My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?
We may not know, we cannot tell, What pains He had to bear; But we believe it was for us He hung and suffered there.”
*Adapted from John Baillie. A Diary of Private Prayer.
Today is Good Friday, and yes, it is Good! Glory to our great God…He has made a way for all to be reconciled to Him!
— March 30, 2018