by Lenore Buth
On that dreadful day the only people who rejoiced were the ones who wanted Jesus dead.
Even those who loved Jesus the most did not understand that three days later their dear Friend would rise from the dead and they would see him again.
Some had abandoned everything to be with him. To listen. To learn. To believe.
And now this. Those who stayed at the cross, waiting, couldn't believe what was happening. Most of his followers were filled with disbelief and fear, wondering what lay ahead for them. Would they be next?
Even most of his closest disciples, the ones who marveled when Jesus commanded howling winds and fierce waves to be still (Matthew 8:23-27) could not bear to be present. Many others knew--or had heard of this rabbi, Jesus, as one who worked miracles, all with just words or a wave of his hand.
Now their Teacher, their Friend hung on the cross as if he were powerless.
Those who followed Jesus often were considered fools
After all, what sane man would leave behind nets full of just-caught fish without a backward glance, as Peter did? All it took was Jesus saying, "Follow me."
Matthew walked away from his lucrative position of tax collector for the Romans when this Stranger invited him, "Follow me."
Each of these twelve men left their livelihoods and their families without a backward glance, all to follow this "upstart" from a no-account town in Israel.
Soon, wherever Jesus went he attracted attention and the crowd of followers grew.
The New Testament books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John tell us why
Each Gospel writer records some of the times Jesus revealed himself to be true God by working miracles in their midst.
Wherever he went he healed people with sicknesses and diseases, as with the man born blind (John 9:1-23.) He said to a long-paralyzed man, "Get up. Take up your mat and go home," and the man did just that (Mark 2:1-12.) When thousands gathered on a hillside to hear him speak and had nothing to eat, Jesus multiplied a young boy's lunch (John 6) and fed them all, with baskets of crumbs left over.
Jesus even took the cold, lifeless hand of a young girl and she opened her eyes, then got up and walked around, completely alive and well (Luke 8:40-56.)
Let's be sure not to confuse these healings with some sort of revival meeting. Jesus healed people quietly, with love. He often instructed those he healed not to tell others about it. Still, that kind of news spreads like wildfire.
Less than a week before Good Friday Jesus rode into Jerusalem and was treated as a conquering hero. You would have thought it was Caesar coming to town, seated in his ornate chariot which was pulled by powerful white horses. Instead it was this Teacher in his simple white robe, seated on a young donkey.
The throng of men, women and children who lined shouted, "Hosanna to the son of David!" and waved palm branches, as if for a king (Matthew 21:1-11.)
And now . . .
Now.
That Friday the skies went dark at noon and stayed that way for three hours
All the while, Jesus hung on the cross. Matthew 27 tells us when Jesus spoke his last words from the cross, the earth shook and groaned. Huge rocks split open.
At that very moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom—without any human touch. Mind you, this was no gauzy sheer. This curtain (also called the "veil") separated the Holy of Holies, which measured 30 ft. long, 30 ft. high, and 30 ft. wide. The curtain covered that entire space and the weave of it was heavy enough that no one could see through it. God's presence abided in this space. Only the high priest could enter this space and only once a year.
That curtain represented the separation of Most Holy God from sinful humankind.
Through that long day the hearts and minds of Jesus' followers were in turmoil. During those hours they replayed and discussed everything they had believed and tried to understand. Despite their years of following and learning from Jesus, his followers seemed not to know the rest of the story. (Read the account for yourself in Matthew 26-28.)
They had not grasped that Friday was a beginning, not an end
Good Friday is called "good" because on that day Jesus paid the penalty in full for all the sins of all the world. For all time.
That includes your sins and my sins, all the ways we fail to be what we know God would have us be.
You and I are privileged to know what came after Good Friday. Three days later Jesus rose from the tomb and proved his power over death and the devil. He reappeared to his followers and others, spoke with them, even ate with them (John 20.)
As Pastor Brad often says, "Now it's a done deal. Death and the devil have no power over us. Jesus has set us free!"
Easter is coming!
It's the celebration of the third day, when Jesus arose out of the tomb. No curtain, no barrier separates us from our loving Father. We can talk to him any hour of the day or night, wherever we are.
We call Good Friday good because that marks the day Jesus willingly died on the cross to set things right between God and all of humankind.
How can this be? The Bible is full of answers to that question. Here are three verses that show the way to salvation in Jesus.
"Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." Acts 16:30-31
For our sake he made Him who knew no sin to be sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9