Yesterday Friday was observed worldwide as Good Friday. This is because Jesus Christ, the Head of all Christians on earth was crucified on Friday. Every Friday preceding Easter Sunday is known by many Christians as “Good Friday”. Why should an earthly servant call the day his dependable master is killed a “good day?” But most Christian denominations refer to the day Jesus was executed a Good Friday. This devotional is not arguing about whether one knows exactly the day Jesus was killed. The thrust of this devotional is reason behind calling every Friday that proceeds Easter Day a Good Friday. Few of the following points are reasons why Christians refer to the Friday Jesus Christ was crucified as “Good Friday.”
Jesus Christ was born into the world primarily to make Himself a RANSOM for the world. His death fulfilled this purpose. So His dying on the Friday was a good thing. By agreeing to die, Jesus made Himself a substitution for the punishment of our sins. He died the death we are meant to die. He received on Himself the punishments we deserved. Before Jesus’ death, those who sinned against God spent good money to buy goats, rams, and pigeons to kill for sin offerings. Jesus death cancelled all these making Himself a Sacrificial Lamb through His death.
It is Jesus’ dying on the Cross that made Him the Saviour of mankind. His death brought Salvation. In Greek language, the word which salvation was derived from is “Sozo” and it means “saved, healed, and delivered.” Jesus’ death therefore, saved us, healed us and delivered us. Such a day of His death has to be a “good day.” The day Jesus died was a day we were all redeemed from the curses which came upon us through sins. He deliberately made Himself a sinner, a cursed one for us to be free from sin (Gal. 3: 13). His death released us from being slaves to sins. We are slaves to whatever sin that dominates our character. Through salvation, Jesus’ death reconciled us with God. His death brings peace between us and God, removed the separations existing between us and God; that now we are not far from God (2 Cor. 5: 18).
Another very important thing the death of Christ did for us Christians is that His death appeased God’s wrath towards us the sinners. He died to pacify the wrath of God which would have been poured upon us by offering Himself as a price or gift. This is called “propitiation” in theology. We must note that the Bible teaches that our loving God is angry with sinners everyday (Psalms 7: 11). Any time God is angry at our sins, Jesus will show God the Cross He died upon. Today’s devotional brings up these points to us Christians to take Jesus’ death on the Cross very serious. Jesus will not do all these good works for mankind in vain. We His followers must, at the same time, do all we can to forgive people, save them from troubles, reconcile them with their enemies and proffer solution to their troubles.
PRAYERS:
1. Blessed Father, make me realize the purposes by which Jesus died for me and make me serve Him more faithfully.
2. Lord Jesus, I thank you very sincerely for paying all the debts of sins through your death. Never again allow me make light of your death.
POSITIVE CONFESSION:
I claim my total freedom from sins and the wrath of God attach to sins because of the death of Christ. Praise God! Hallelujah!!
bishopubaudenyi@hopealivechurch