At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" (which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?") When some of those standing near heard this, they said, "Listen, he's calling Elijah." Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down," he said. With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!" ~Mark 15:33-39
What's so good about Good Friday? This is a question I have pondered in my heart over these many years. After all, this is the day our Lord and Savior, Jesus, suffered an excruciatingly painful and ignominious death on a cross. Shouldn't we be calling Good Friday the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Friday?
Bishop Justin Holcomb of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida offers some insight as to why this holy day is called "good."
Still, why call the day of Jesus' death "Good Friday" instead of "Bad Friday" or something similar? Some Christian traditions do take this approach. In German, for example, the day is called Karfreitag, or "Sorrowful Friday." In English, in fact, the origin of the term "Good" is debated; some believe it developed from an older name, "God's Friday." Regardless of the origin, the name Good Friday is entirely appropriate because the suffering and death of Jesus, as terrible as it was, marked the dramatic culmination of God's plan to save his people from their sins.
Good for us. No, wait! Grand and glorious for us!
Because of Jesus' willingness to obey His Father's plan, we are forgiven our sins, once and for all. And we can look forward to the coming Easter celebration with hope and joy, and the promise of a renewed relationship with our Father in heaven.
But on Good Friday, let us all take time to see ourselves sitting at the foot of that cross. Let us become Mary and the disciple whom Jesus loved, who witnessed His immeasurable suffering.
Let us be fully present for our Lord as He gives His all for us.
Let us weep and mourn and pray.
And let us give thanks always for God's undeserved gifts of forgiveness and grace because Jesus took the cross of sin upon Himself for our salvation.
Amen!
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Thank you Martha for this wonderful post. We can always rely on you for good thoughtful writings about God and Christ. Thank you for that, and for the time you devote to this Blog.
ReplyDeleteGod bless you and your family always.
Thank you so much, Victor, for your kind and touching words here. Sometimes, I wish I could devote even more time to writing for the blog, but at this time of life, it simply isn't feasible. Thanks, too, for your loyalty and caring, my friend.
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I agree with Victor. But I absolutely love the cartoon! I'm not sure it could be said any better than you have or B.C.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that absolutely perfect, Bill? I love that cartoon, too, as it does say it all.
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Echoing Bill, the B.C. cartoon got it exactly right. Johnny Hart, the cartoonist, was unafraid to state the Christian message clearly and succinctly.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Glynn, that Johnny Hart got it absolutely right, and he was never afraid to witness for his beliefs.
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I’m so thankful for God’s Good Friday gift.
ReplyDeleteAmen, Diana! Such a gift we cannot earn and one we don't deserve.
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AMEN, Martha! Sunday was coming🙏🏻
ReplyDeleteEaster Blessings!
Lulu
Let us rejoice on Sunday, Lulu!
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Amen!! If there were no "Good Friday", we would still be lost in our sins with no hope of eternal life. Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, because He loves us so much!! There is no greater love than this...and no greater good than this. Hallelujah for the cross!!
ReplyDeleteNo greater good and no greater love, Pamela, that is for sure and certain! May we all take time to ponder the sacrifice that Jesus made on that cross that we might have abundant life here on earth and eternal life with Him in heaven.
DeleteGrace and blessings!
Like you, Martha, I never liked the idea of calling it "Good Friday," either. But join you, of course, in considering the ultimate objective of the agony that Jesus suffered. It always reminds me of how God sees sin. It is the source of every kind of human torture we ever endure. Jesus suffered it all. He was subjected to the internal pain of personal betrayal and abandonment, the twisting of His words, the outright lies, the unjust accusations, the heartless lack of compassion fueled by political ambitions, the arrogant condescension of religious bigots, and the shame and humiliation of being stripped naked in public. All that in addition to the searing agony of physical torture that cause our minds to recoil in horror.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid we sing that hymn, "Jesus Paid it All" too often without contemplating how much is represented by that little word "all". At least in the sense that the news about Him was called "good" by the angels and that everything He did in His life was "good," so is the result of what took place on this day. Jesus took our lives, dear sister, and everything in them that failed to meet God's standard and imputed to us all the "good" that He is. Now, because He lives, we can, and will, live with Him forever, and with each other.
Thanks for the stirring and inspirational post, and may all the "good" that God intended for you and Danny find expression as we worship Him together and strive to display the new life He gave us to a world in desperate need of it.
Thank you, Ron, for sharing your innermost thoughts about Jesus' sacrifice for all of us on Good Friday so many years ago. May we simply take time to truly reflect upon all that Jesus took unfairly upon Himself that not a one of us who believe in Him should perish, but be raised to life with Him on Resurrection Sunday. He did pay it all for all of us, and we should remember that not just on Good Friday, but every day we draw breath.
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Amen, dear sister Martha, we are so rich and blessed in Jesus and may we never forget how rich we are " in so great salvation ", praise our glorious Saviour forever.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, and may God bless you and keep you and all whom you love, God blessed, too!
Prayer hugs, Shaz in Oz.x
{Wonderful Words of Life - Shaz in Oz}
{Calligraphy Cards - Shaz in Oz}
Thanks for your kind words here today, Shaz. We are most definitely rich and blessed in Jesus beyond comprehension. May we be grateful every day that He sacrificed so much so that we could live eternally with Him.
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Fun cartoon.
ReplyDeleteFun cartoon and true, Christine.
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The cartoon says it well. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for paying for my sins and making me one of Your own!
ReplyDeleteAmen, Barbara! That's what all of us should be thanking Him for as we move toward Easter with hope and rejoicing.
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Praise God for loving us so much that he sent his Son to take the punishment for our sins (John 3:16). Praise Jesus for his willingness to die an excruciating death in our place (Romans 5:6-8. And praise the Holy Spirit for urging us to accept God's free gift of eternal life (Romans 6:23)! Where would we be without God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?!
ReplyDeleteAmen, amen, and amen again, Nancy! Indeed, where would we be without this gift of eternal life, hope and grace that Jesus was so willing to pay the price that was ours to bear.
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For a cartoon, it sends out a very strong and powerful message that we should never forget.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly does, Bill. I actually published a version of this reflection in the early days of blogging (for me), and that's where I found this cartoon by Johnny Hart. He was never afraid to share his faith through his cartoons - an amazing witness!
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I used to think the same thing (what's "Good" about it?). Fortunately, having learned from you and Victor, I'm in awe of (and humbled by) His gift.
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DeleteVictor has been an incredible influence in my faith journey, too, Myra, and has truly helped me to deeply understand the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for each and every one of us. Keep giving thanks, my friend!
DeleteGrace and blessings!
So well written and I will admit that I have asked this question so many times myself. We are so very Blessed because of the depth of love and the power of sacrifice. There is sorrow in this day, but praise God for His son Jesus Christ and that we can find hope in knowing that the story did not end at the cross.
ReplyDeleteThank so much for your heartfelt and honest comment here, Shug. Because Jesus chose to take the agony of the cross for all of us, we are promised abundant life in Him and eternal life when we pass from this earth.
DeleteGrace and blessings'!
Well, I think that it was called Good Friday because without it - we would not have Easter and Easter/resurrection is a GOOD thing for us. That Jesus died and saved us from our sins. It was a sad day for sure - but good for us in the long run. I am very thankful for it.
ReplyDeleteAnd you should be grateful just as all Christians should be on this mournful, yet promising, day of our ultimate salvation, Sandie. May we choose to live as Easter people, children of the resurrection, all the days of our lives.
DeleteGrace and blessings!
Good Friday, though marking Jesus' crucifixion, is called "good" because this ultimate sacrifice was the pivotal act in God's plan for humanity's salvation, offering forgiveness and the promise of renewed life celebrated at Easter. It's a day for solemn reflection and profound gratitude.
ReplyDeleteYou've described Good Friday so accurately and perfectly here, Benita. Indeed, this was God's plan all along, and we need to be grateful.
DeleteGrace and blessings!
He is risen indeed! Just like He said He would.
ReplyDeleteAmen, Linda! Easter is on the way.
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Nice post dear martha jane.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Snobe.
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Love this article and the title, Martha! Good Friday is a grand and glorious day for us. Thanks for sharing from Bishop Justin Holcomb, excellent information to ponder. God bless and Happy Easter!
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter to you, too, and may we all pause and thank our Lord for His willingness to sacrifice His life to save us eternally. Best good gift ever!
DeleteGrace and blessings!
I am so thankful for all Easter means for us as Christians! To know how much He loved us and all His sacrifice defeated...enabling us to have our sins forgiven, a home in Heaven and new life here!! Happy Easter to you!
ReplyDeleteAmen, Jennifer! We should all give thanks to God.
DeleteGrace and blessings!
Beautifully written and so true. It’s hard to call a day like this “good” when we think of all that Jesus went through—but it is good because of what it means for us. His sacrifice gave us hope, forgiveness, and a new life. On this day, I just want to pause, be present, and say thank you.
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter, Martha!
Amen, Veronica! You have summed up the meaning of Good Friday in a nutshell here. Perfect!
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Perfect to read today on Good Friday! Thanks, Martha. Easter Blessings!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jean. Easter blessings to you, too!
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Amen!
ReplyDeleteHugs and Blessings
Thanks so much, Jim.
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Always a beautiful share Martha Jane. I am trying to get back to my blogs. Spent the day in prayer and always with Jesus on my mind. Thank you for your share here. Happy Easter SONday.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure I'm not the only one here in Blog Land that misses you, Anne. Hope to see you around more often, and may your Easter be full of joy!
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Great blog
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rajani.
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Please read my post
ReplyDeleteYou know....a long time ago when I was younger, I heard my dad and our then pastor talking about Good Friday and how it really was a good day. I didn't totally understand that conversation and still don't today, but it had something to do with the disciples and Jesus. I only wish I knew this story. I can feel your love for the Lord in every post you make and I so enjoy the uplifting words that you speak..Happy Easter to you and your fam.
ReplyDeleteOh, Shug, your words here so touched and humbled my heart! My own upbringing in the faith was such a haphazard patchwork of hits and misses, I can't begin to thank God enough for the grace and mercy He has shown me, giving me the faith to trust and grow in Him. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart ever be acceptable to Him and to all who visit here. I pray you had a blessed Easter!
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Bom dia, Martha
ReplyDeleteLinda postagem, Jesus ressuscitou e vive eternamente, Feliz Páscoa! Um forte abraço.
Yes, Lucinalva, forever and ever, amen! I hope your Easter reminds you of the great glory of Jesus always.
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...and I had this talk with my students on Friday because most of them were saying, "What's so good about it?" Wow, what a great message, Martha. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteOh, Linda, I'm thrilled that you could have that conversation with your students! To know that others are inspired here is so humbling and gratifying beyond words. Happy Easter!
DeleteGrace and blessings!
I agree with you Martha, I've often wondered why it was called Good, but it makes so much sense... it is GOOD Friday for us, but it wasn't for Him... I struggle to comprehend the pain and suffering He purposely allowed to happen and endured. Your little cartoon shares the message so well. I pray you had a blessed and special weekend as we solemnly remembered all our Lord did for us!
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