Have you ever read a book or watched a movie that the title was the exact opposite of what the movie was about. The name of today "Good Friday" is a great example of that very thought. It seems to be an odd name for a very horrible series of events. Over the years I have read accounts of the actual crucifixion process. Some illustrate various aspects of either Roman adeptness at corporal punishment or the many medical things that happen to a person who is being crucified. I even saw the movie The Passion of the Christ. All of it points to something more gruesome and horrific than we can even get our minds to comprehend. Yet, we call this day "Good Friday". If there was ever an oxymoron this would be it.
I included a picture of a place that I visited in Jerusalem that could be the place of the crucifixion - often known also as Calvary, Golgotha, or The Place of the Skull. Even if it is not the site - it lends itself to a powerful image of how it might have looked. Skulls create all kinds of illusions of death and evil. This picture certainly exudes that kind of feeling as well. Again, knowing the history of what took place there - an innocent man dying a terrible death - we celebrate today. The only way to explain that is in Paul Harvey's words "and now to the rest of the story".
Yes, Jesus did die and it was painful and it was horrible. But we can celebrate because He became that which we could never be - perfect. As a result, once and for all Jesus paid the debt owed on behalf of all mankind. At the time of his death, the curtain in the temple was torn completely in two exposing the "Holy of Holy's" - where God dwelt. That it happened at all was a miracle because of the thickness of the curtain - but the fact that it was torn in the direction from top to bottom signified that God was now accessible to all people. No more mediation by a priest and no more sacrifices would be needed. Jesus became our High Priest and mediator and was the perfect sacrifice.
That my friends is why we have Good Friday. We now have our debt paid and can enter the presence of God at any time. There are no more barriers and death and sin have been defeated once and for all time! And...Sunday is coming!
