Psalm 22; John 18:1-19:42; Philippians 2:8–9 (read online ⧉)
This is the day that the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24
It seems strange to rejoice. It seems strange to call today Good Friday. Yet, we do rejoice that Jesus went through horrible shaming, abuse, disgrace, and agony…then was crucified. We do not rejoice what Jesus went through. We rejoice that he went through it.
As Jesus quoted Psalm 22:1 on the cross, many have claimed that God could not bear to look upon the sin and shame that Jesus bore, so God turned away. Yet, Mary, Jesus’ human mother, did not turn away. She stayed to the end. That being the case, can we really think that God would turn away?
We try to avoid the cross. We wear little cross necklaces. We decorate the walls of our homes and churches with them. Some of us even have tattoos of crosses. We soften the cross with our familiarity with it. As much as in our daily lives we surround ourselves with crosses, nothing, absolutely nothing, can erase the brutality of the cross.
Yes, we rejoice on Good Friday.
Christmas and Resurrection Sunday (Easter) are nice joyful days. They are easy to make warm and family-friendly. Good Friday, not so much.
Yet, we rejoice on Good Friday.
Christmas was the proof that God was moving, and that God’s word was being fulfilled.
Easter is often the “candy” that initially attracts people to think about, “what’s next?”
Good Friday is what holds it together: the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
1. Have you ever thought about rejoicing on Good Friday?
2. Have you ever hammered a nail? Think about that noise echoing in your mind.