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April 10 - Join Pastor John for a Daily Devotional

“God’s Friday” 

 Today is Good Friday, and while we are not having a worship service this evening, it is important to understand a bit better its meaning and why it is important. Good Friday is a critical day for Christians, because it celebrates what we believe to be the most important weekend in history. We proclaim the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ to be the decisive turning point for all of creation. On Good Friday, we remember the day Jesus willingly suffered and died by crucifixion as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. 

 

Ever wonder why it is called, “Good Friday” instead of “Bad Friday?” Some Christian traditions do take this approach. In Germany, the day is called “Karfreitag,” or “Sorrowful Friday.” Others believe it developed from an older name, “God’s Friday.” Regardless, the name Good Friday works, because the suffering and death of Jesus, as terrible as it was, marked the dramatic culmination of God’s plan to save his people from their sins.

 

There’s the story of the little girl who was riding in the car with her mom. Suddenly, a big bumblebee flew through the window and it started smacking up against the windows on the inside of the car. The terrified little girl was crying, “Mommy, Mommy, don’t let it get me. Don’t let it get me!” And that wonderful mom calmly reached over and grabbed the bee with her hand and said, “It’s alright, honey. You don’t have to worry anymore.” Good Friday reminds us of the purpose for which Jesus died? He died to take the sting out of all our failures. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “O death, where is thy sting?” Through the power of the cross, -- sin, death, and all of our failures from the past are nothing but a stinger-less bee that can’t hurt us anymore.

 

I would encourage you to read in the Bible what is called the passion narrative  They can be found in all four gospels (Matthew 26:30–27:66; Mark 14:26–15:47; Luke 22:39–23:56, and John 18:1–19:42). May God bless you in the darkness of this day, but may the light of hope through the living Christ bring you the anticipation of His resurrection on Easter morning.  

 

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