FAITH: Why Is “Good Friday” Good?

King Louis XIV died in 1715. He had reigned over France for 72 years- longer than any other European monarch. He made the audacious claim, “I am the state.” His palace was magnificent. Versailles was the greatest palace in all of Europe. He designed his funeral to be spectacular. His body was placed in a golden coffin. All the candles in the great Notre Dame Cathedral were snuffed out. Only a single, solitary candle on his coffin remained lit to signify his greatness.

Louis had asked Masillon, the court preacher, to deliver the funeral sermon. Masillon entered the pulpit, waited, and then very slowly, deliberately, said, “Only God is great. Only God is great.” Then he snuffed out the lone, solitary candle.

Only God is great. Nowhere is the greatness of God more apparent then on Good Friday. Jesus died a terrible death on that Friday. He died by crucifixion. Mark 10:45 gives the divine purpose for His death, “To give His life a ransom for many.” Jesus overcame death for His people. Romans 5:8 says, “God demonstrated (put on display) His own love for us in that while we were yet enemies Christ died for us.” Jesus died for us when we were still God’s enemies. The cross is the pulpit of God’s love. In Mark 15:33-39 God the Father demonstrated His love for you in four ways.

First, there was darkness from 12 noon until 3 PM that day. Verse 33 says, “And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.” God the Father was making a point about sin. He hates sin. Sin must be punished. The Father punished our sin in His own Son.

William Hendriksen said, “The darkness meant judgment. The judgment of God upon our sins. His wrath, as it were burning itself out in the very heart of Jesus so that He as our substitute suffered more intense agony, indescribable woe, terrible isolation and forsakenness. Hell came to Calvary that day and the Savior bore its horrors in our stead.”

Second, Jesus was abandoned. In verse 34 Jesus cried out with a loud voice at 3 PM, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” The essence of eternal judgment is separation- separation from God. On that Friday, God the Father treated Jesus the way I deserve to be treated. He turned His back and abandoned Him. Jesus was alone.

Third, Jesus died an amazing death. When a person died by crucifixion death came by suffocation. The lungs filled with fluid. Usually a crucified person died a very slow, gradual death. The person became weaker and weaker. The victim lost his strength, his voice, consciousness and gradually died.

When Jesus cried out with a loud voice, He was nowhere near the death of crucifixion. Verse 37, “And Jesus cried out with a loud cry and breathed His last.” John 19:30 says that Jesus said, “It is finished!” It is paid in full. Jesus paid the price for sin. Matthew tells us, “He yielded up His spirit.” Jesus dismissed His spirit. Jesus chose the hour of His death. He gave up His life when He chose.

Fourth, the curtain in the temple was torn in two. Verse 38 reads, “And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.” The Holy of Holies in the temple in Jerusalem was blocked by this curtain. This curtain was 30 feet by 60 feet. It was almost 4 inches thick. It took more than 300 priests to move it.

This curtain was a barrier. It pictured the distance between a sinful people and the presence of a holy, perfect God. God the Father tore the curtain from top to bottom and invited us in! We can now be right with God through the work of Jesus!

Our response should be the same as the Roman centurion. Verse 39 reads, “When the centurion, who was standing right in front of Him, saw the way He breathed His last, he said, ‘Truly this was Man was the Son of God!’”

Centurions were the backbone of the Roman army. This man was a career soldier. He was not allowed to marry. He was a hardened, profane, wicked man. Just six hours earlier he oversaw the crucifixion of Jesus. Now He came to saving faith. In Luke 23:47, “He praised God, saying, ‘Certainly this Man was innocent!” We must come to the same conclusion and respond in the same way. Jesus died for us. It was a very good day for you and me.

Pastor Ethan Hansen

Faith Bible Fellowship

Big Lake, AK