Perspective is so important. I have to admit that I had at one time wondered about how the day of Jesus’ death ended up being known as “Good Friday” instead of “Crucifixion Day”. From the accounts in the gospels, Jesus’s family and friends witnessed Him suffer and die on that day. It sure didn’t seem good to them. Pilate hadn’t wanted to sentence Jesus to death, but was coerced by the religious leaders and the mob to do so. It wasn’t a good day to him. Most of all, Jesus was the one who had to endure the rejection and brutality that led to His crucifixion and death. There is nothing in those events that makes a person think that it was a good day for Jesus. Yet we refer to the day as “Good Friday”.
In the moment, during that day, it wasn’t good. It was a horrible day for many involved. Heartbreak, despair and fear tormented them. Saturday wasn’t much better to them, as the grief and reality of the previous day’s events would begin to sink in to a deeper level. Then Sunday came, and with Jesus’ resurrection Friday’s events took on a much greater meaning. What seemed to be so devastating on Friday went from “absolutely horrible” to “good”, and Sunday became “The most awesome, greatest day in history”.
Jesus’ family and friends had a new understanding on Sunday. It changed everything. Jesus had volunteered to take each of their places on the cross. He did it willingly, with an end result in mind as He gave Himself over for you and me.
Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Jesus went through a horrible Friday because He expected to have that Great Sunday.
We’re told in the Gospel of John that when Jesus was on the cross He knew He had accomplished all the things He had been sent to do in His life on earth, and He was able to declare over His mission “It is finished!”
John 19:29-31
28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” 29 Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. 30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
When He spoke those words, He was speaking over you and me. He saw us through the lens of what He would be doing Sunday. The judgement and death that belonged to you and me He took upon Himself on the cross, even though the shame associated with it and the penalty He paid for our sin He despised. He endured it all because of what He saw that was on the other side of the pain and shame. It was the joy of rescuing us from a hopeless situation that we had no way to resolve on our own. It was the joy of restoring our ability to have a relationship with God.
What’s Your Perspective?
So what’s your perspective? Jesus’ death on the cross can be just another guy getting the death penalty to you. It could be the act that turns your Friday into a “Good Friday”. In light of what He did on the cross for you – and then what he did on that Sunday – you have the ability to make Friday a “Great Friday”, or a “Great Saturday”, or “Great Sunday”. Jesus saw beyond physical abuse and being nailed to a cross to see something He regarded as joyous – and that joy was about you. Will you continue to look at today only and not think beyond it? If Jesus had done so He would have dwelled on a horrible Friday. I’m so thankful He looked beyond it.
If you’ve been living your life without any thought for the future, and for eternity – you’re stuck in a Friday mentality. Make the change today, and give your life to the one who gave Himself for you on that day. That’s what made it a “Good Friday”.
