Amazingly Good Friday
"For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified."
1 Corinthians 2:2
The redemption of mankind is in the Cross of Christ. The hope of mankind is in the Resurrection of Christ. But it was the cross that set us free. We get a little queasy when we think of Christ Crucified. We like to rush to the resurrection. It’s a much happier place. We see Jesus glorified by the Father, walking, talking, and eating with the disciples no worse for the wear. But we were redeemed by his suffering and death.
"Jesus Christ died for my sin," is a sentence very familiar to our ears. But perhaps it’s a bit too familiar. Perhaps it has become so familiar that it has lost some of its power. We often say it as a platitude or an evangelical tool without contemplating the implications. All of humanity was under a death sentence. Our unrighteousness had separated us from the source of life; and slowly hope was suffocated by sin. But God became a man. The Uncreated became like the created. The Holy God walked outside of the Temple. God dwelt among us. Then the source of life allowed life to be taken from him. The All-powerful, Unchanging God died.
Today we still struggle with sin. Our pride and selfishness often drive our decisions. We are still worthy of death. But God looks to Good Friday. God sees the punishment for our sins executed on himself, and sees us clothed in the righteousness of Christ. God became like us, so we could become like him. "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Cor 5:21) Let us meditate on this amazing mystery and rejoice.
1 Corinthians 2:2
The redemption of mankind is in the Cross of Christ. The hope of mankind is in the Resurrection of Christ. But it was the cross that set us free. We get a little queasy when we think of Christ Crucified. We like to rush to the resurrection. It’s a much happier place. We see Jesus glorified by the Father, walking, talking, and eating with the disciples no worse for the wear. But we were redeemed by his suffering and death.
"Jesus Christ died for my sin," is a sentence very familiar to our ears. But perhaps it’s a bit too familiar. Perhaps it has become so familiar that it has lost some of its power. We often say it as a platitude or an evangelical tool without contemplating the implications. All of humanity was under a death sentence. Our unrighteousness had separated us from the source of life; and slowly hope was suffocated by sin. But God became a man. The Uncreated became like the created. The Holy God walked outside of the Temple. God dwelt among us. Then the source of life allowed life to be taken from him. The All-powerful, Unchanging God died.
Today we still struggle with sin. Our pride and selfishness often drive our decisions. We are still worthy of death. But God looks to Good Friday. God sees the punishment for our sins executed on himself, and sees us clothed in the righteousness of Christ. God became like us, so we could become like him. "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Cor 5:21) Let us meditate on this amazing mystery and rejoice.