This Sunday, perhaps billions of Christians around the world will be in church to celebrate Easter, commemorating the day that Jesus walked out of the tomb. It is the holiest of days on the Christian calendar, celebrating Jesus’ triumph over the grave, signifying God’s approval of the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross to pay for our sins. People will turn out in their Easter finest, and many people who don’t normally attend church will be present, likely because of a sense of tradition. It is a day of rejoicing, and there will be no other day on the church calendar that has this sort of global attendance.
Many churches will also hold a service on Friday, commemorating the seemingly contradictorily named Good Friday when Jesus was crucified and subsequently laid in the tomb. Whereas the celebration of Easter will see standing-room crowds and extra service times offered, the crowds coming to worship on Good Friday will seem paltry in comparison. Worship services centered around an execution aren’t meant to be joyful or celebratory, as they instead carry the weight of Jesus’ sacrifice, and the reminder that it was our sin that necessitated such a tremendous cost.
Perhaps it is that last point that causes most of us to skip past Good Friday on our way to Resurrection Sunday. Sure, we would much rather celebrate than mourn, and for those who have given up something for Lent, getting to Easter means breaking our self-imposed fast. So our eyes are focused on the culmination, and the joyful festivities that follow. But we must remember that, without Good Friday, there is no Easter Sunday. Further, without our sin, there would have been no need for either Good Friday or Easter Sunday.
The price for our reconciliation with God was paid on Friday, paid in full by Jesus, who owed God absolutely nothing and yet was the only one who could pay the debt. Jesus had prayed fervently on Thursday evening to God, hoping that there might be some other way to cancel the debt other than experiencing the humiliation, torture, and execution on Friday that would exceed the limits of human pain tolerance. Jesus didn’t want to go to the cross, but he was willing to go if it was the only way. While we rejoice on Sunday, the fullness of God’s love is what was displayed on Friday.
If you were not already planning to attend a Good Friday service this Friday, give it some thought. If it seems like a personal sacrifice to carve out that time, remember the sacrifice that Jesus made approximately 2,000 years ago so that you could be reconciled to God. If we don’t spend time considering the cost that lead to the empty tomb, we won’t be able to fully comprehend the majesty of the resurrected Christ. So hopefully you’ll be able to join me at 2:30 pm at the church on Friday, as we contemplate the love and goodness of God on the cross. Peace and blessings – Pastor Aaron