Today is Good Friday. When I was a kid we didn't go to school on Good Friday. Some schools still arrange Spring Breaks for the week before Easter, but most in my area do not. Good Friday is just another day. I was always confused as to how we could call the day that Jesus was crucified "good". I thought this should be a day of sorrow, followed by the "good" that comes on Easter. Today, I just wonder how many people even know what Good Friday signifies. Hopefully I'm being cynical, and it is not as forgotten as I assume.
The other day out of the blue Sunny announced: Grammy, did you know Jesus died?
Me: Yes, He did die, but he came alive again three days later.
Sunny: He did?!
Me: Yes, who told you Jesus died?
Sunny: Jasmine (a school mate)
Me: Jesus died, He was buried, but three days later He came alive and He lives in Heaven with God.
Sunny: How did He die?
Me: He died on a cross.
Sunny: What's a cross?
Me: (she was in the back seat of the car and I was in the front so I showed her the "cross" with my fingers) He was killed on a cross.
Sunny: Who killed Him?
Me: Some men who didn't like Him because He told people about God and Heaven (this is my 5 year old version of the story). They killed Him on a cross, buried Him, and He came alive three days later and lives in Heaven with God. That's why we can prayer to Him, because He's alive.
That seemed to satisfy her and the subject was changed. Later that day we were taking Jessica, Adam, and Storm to the airport when:
Sunny: Tia, did you know Jesus died?
Jessica: Yes, I did.
Sunny: Yep, He died on a plus sign and now He lives in Heaven.
Jessica and I somehow managed not to laugh, and I said "no, He died on a cross".
I'm sure when God heard her explanation of the plus sign, he must have chuckled. I know (or hope) I will never forget this funny, innocent explanation of Christ's Crucifixion.
The fact of the matter is that Jesus was born on earth as a man, He lived as a man experiencing all of the emotions that we do. He was hung on a cross, where He died for our sins. On the third day, He rose from the grave, and He now lives in Heaven. For me. He did this for me. And for you.
As we approach the holiest day of the Christian faith, I pray that you know Jesus. Believing that He died for me is not complicated. It's simply a matter of choosing to believe. It's faith.
Matthew 27:32-54 NIV
The Crucifixion of Jesus
32 As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. 33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). 34 There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 36 And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.
38 Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” 41 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42 “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
The Death of Jesus
45 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”
48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49 The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”
