Good Friday

This week in order to give Good Friday the attention it deserves, I posted the Simplicity post on Wednesday. Just click the highlighted words to see that post.

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The words Good Friday mean many things to many people. To some, it means a half day or day off of school or work. To some it is the first day of Spring Break. To some it is one of the few religious observances they keep. But to some, we understand that Good Friday was Good for a special reason.

Good Friday began back in the Garden of Eden. After disobeying God's direct command to not eat of the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God showed Adam and Eve what was necessay in order to cover a sin that was committed.

Genesis 3: 21 "And the Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them." Something innocent had to die in order to cover the shame that Adam and Eve had brought upon themselves. The death of the guilty was not sufficient to cover his own sins.

I'm sure that Adam and Eve understood this concept and taught it to their sons. However, In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast Genesis 4: 3-5. They both had been taught the way that God wanted peace to be made with Him, but as with so many, we try to find our own way to make peace with God. So many times, we hear, "God and I have an understanding." Regardless of what we try to do on our own, God has shown that there is only one way to come to Him. Abel approached God in obedience, while Cain chose to approach God in his own way. God looked with favor on Abel's sacrifice, but He did not look favorably on Cain's offering.

Because of our sin, we needed someone who would take our punishment. However, that person had to be perfect- without sin Himself. Jesus stepped in and took our punishment so that when God looked at us, He saw the payment that Christ had made on our behalf. It was a sacrifice He looked favorably upon.

Matthew 27:22 "Pilate said to them, Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ? They all said 'Let Him be crucified!"

However, Good Friday would not have been "Good" if it weren't for what happened on Sunday. When the women who followed Jesus went to the tomb to embalm Him they were met by angels. "In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' " Luke 24:5b-7

Jesus gave up His life for us in an excruciatingly painful execution called crucifixion, but He rose again to prove once and for all that He is the Son of the Living God and that He wants a relationship with us. Because of His sacrifice, we can stand in right relationship with God. His sacrifice is available to any and all who choose to accept it for themselves. It is a personal choice that you cannot be born into or that anyone can make for you. You have to make it for yourself.

And it is simple to do. Just A- admit to God that you have done wrong (Everyone fits into this category. No one is exempt). B- Believe that God sent His Son Jesus to die in order to take the punishment for your sins. C- confess what you have believed in your heart. The Bible says in Romans 10:9, "that if you cofess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved."

It is a decision that Brian and I both made many years ago, and one that we are praying Addie makes early on in her life. I pray that if you haven't made this decision that you open your heart to the gift that God wants to give you. And may you have a Good Friday!