TGIGF! (Thank God It’s Good Friday!)

Some people think every Friday is a good Friday because of getting off work and having the weekend to rest and enjoy.  I agree!  But this Friday, which is the Good Friday, is even better.  Because of Good Friday, there is a permanent holiday available to us to rest and enjoy life forever.

Good Friday is in remembrance of the day that Jesus willingly died in your place, for your atonement, for your forgiveness before God, for you to have the option to live forever in Heaven.

Good Friday was Jesus’ goal from the very beginning.  He was born for this very death on the cross as our substitute. He died, suffering the punishment that was due us.  He came to die so that we could have eternal life.   When He had completed His goal, He expressed it with one word in the language of his day: “finished.”  (also translated “accomplished”)

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.  — John 19:30

Pastor Greg Laurie writes today in his Daily Devotion (Friday, April 2, 2010), that in  Jesus’ native language, “it was a common word. Jesus probably used it after He finished a project that He and Joseph might have been working on together in the carpentry shop. Jesus might have turned to Joseph and said, “Finished. Now let’s go have lunch.” It is finished. Mission accomplished. It is done. It is made an end of.”

When Jesus cried out “It is finished,” he was not quitting. Had he been admitting defeat, he would have spoken with a whimper. But that’s not how Jesus said it. John is the only one of the four gospel writers who tells us precisely what Jesus said at this point. The other three report just the tone and volume and demeanor of Jesus. They are unanimous in reporting that he threw back his head and shouted loudly. That was the shout of a marathon runner who has finished successfully the grueling 26-mile race. And as he crosses the finish line, he throws back his head and shouts, “I have done it. I have completed the race.”

When Jesus threw back his head and cried, “Finished,” he was declaring, “I have accomplished this awesome and painful mission. I have poured out every ounce of devotion, almost beyond my capacity to bear. Now it’s done. I have taken the enemy’s best shot but have not been defeated. The most difficult and agonizing assignment in History has been accomplished.”

So what had Jesus finished and accomplished when his agony on the cross was over?  These three things, at least…

1.  The blood-price for salvation was paid in full.

Our mandatory sentence of spiritual death was appeased in Him.  He redeemed all of what was lost in the fall of man.  Satan’s stranglehold on mankind was broken. The power of sin can no longer dominate those who follow Christ.  He did what only He could do—that which we could never do for ourselves.

2.  Jesus revealed the character of God.

He demonstrated with great clarity the immeasurable love of God for us.  The Bible says that because of what Jesus did on the cross we can see the love of God.  He demonstrated the justice and mercy of God, as well as what the Bible calls “the severity and the goodness of God.”  Death was the deserved punishment for all that sinned.  The Bible says in Romans 3:23 that “Everyone has sinned. No one measures up to God’s glory.”  Jesus satisfied the justice of God and offers us mercy if we will follow Him.

3.  Jesus established the Kingdom of God.

His kingdom brings righteousness, peace and joy through the power of the Holy Spirit.  His kingdom that will continue to grow until He returns, is present in this world and is accessible to all who receive Him.

So, in light of this colossal task, oh yeah, it’s a Good Friday.  It’s a very Good Friday!

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