More than meets the eye
Today is Good Friday, the the end of Holy Week; the week where we remember the events leading up to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. On Sunday, Christians will celebrate Easter as the day Christ broke the bonds of eternal death for His creation, replacing death with eternal life. We’ll celebrate decked out in our Sunday best and in casual jeans. We’ll gather in church pews and folding chairs of make-shift churches. The early-risers will show up at sunrise services and others will roll out of bed for late services. We’ll celebrate with traditional hymns and with contemporary praise bands. But we’ll all celebrate one common belief; the resurrection and saving grace of Jesus Christ.
I’ve never understood why today is called “good” Friday. Yes, I believe the final outcome is all good, but today is all about crucifixion and death. It’s the result of a week that, for all accounts, looks like events went spiraling wildly out of control and ended badly.
As a Christian, I believe the events that happened this week circa 33AD were intended. That this person named Jesus was a man…historically that cannot be disputed…but he was also God, the Son. One hundred percent mortal and 100% divine. And as such, clearly knew and accepted his mission on earth. He willingly became the once-and-for-all sacrificial atonement needed to reconcile creation back to a holy God.
“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” ~John 10:17–18
Which brings me back to the events of the week. As a mere mortal in the first century, it would most certainly have looked like things were out of control. In one week, the man so many thought was the promised Messiah…the one they hoped would liberate the Jewish people from Roman rule…went from celebrated savior to arrested heretic to convicted and crucified criminal.
But looks can be deceiving. What looked like a total mess was actually a divine plan in action. Holy week is exactly that. A week of pure chaos filled with disappointment, accusation and judgement…all rolled up in a holy, divine plan. There were no accidents or coincidences. God’s plan for reconciliation and redemption was being flawlessly executed through celebrated savior to convicted criminal to resurrected king.
And when our lives look like everything is spiraling out of control, full of disappointment and chaos, we look back to this week circa 33AD and know there’s more to what’s going on than meets our eyes.
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. ~Romans 8:11
A blessed Easter to all.
