Friday, April 22, 2011

Good Friday

Tonight, called Good Friday in the Christian faith,  is a night of high solemnity in the church but it's called "good"  possibly because it ushered in a whole new and extremely "good" era hinging on the miracles of the coming Sunday, Easter, when Christ rose from the dead.   The Friday before Easter is also referred to as Holy Friday, God's Friday...and other names.    The name matters not.   What matters is that Jesus was hanged until his body was dead on the cross that day and that He went through that for us.   I'd call that good for us.


Be careful when viewing this, those of you who know THE PASSION know that this is graphic and heartbreaking.

What did He do to deserve that?  But, most importantly, what did WE do to deserve that?  Could we ever be 'good' enough to deserve His dying for us?  No.  That's why forgiveness of all our sins, ever, and our salvation, is solely based on our faith in Him, nothing more, nothing less. 

Have a GOOD Friday.

z

23 comments:

Z said...

by the way, my stepson here from Munich was surprisedd that businesses here aren't closed today...In Germany everything's shut down for Good Friday and even dance clubs are required to turn the volume of the music waaaay down at midnight. I thought that was pretty wonderful, respectful.
"Godless Europe"...maybe, but not yet.
Everything's open today...odd we call them 'Godless'.

Mark said...

It boggles the mind how much He went through in our place. Blessed be the Name of the Lord.

Pris said...

This was the most powerful film I've ever seen. As it should be. When it was over, the silence in the theater was deafening, and the feeling in that silence, was palpable.

And as Mr. Pris and I left the theater I was crying as others were as well.

We were reminded once again that out of suffering can come something good, and that gift is faith in something greater than ourselves.

Ducky's here said...

The markets weren't open today,z.

Jan said...

Z...I just read your words to my husband, and his response was:
"I am honored to hear such great words of wisdom, delivered in truth, honor, dignity, and sincerety. Thank her for blessing my heart...may we all rejoice in Him, and His great sacrifice for us."

So, thank you, Z, from the bottom of our hearts for a beautiful post, which was a blessing.
xoxo

Jan said...
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Z said...

Mark, it surely is Blessed, isn't it.

Ducky.. good. I"d sure like to see more closed in respect like Germany and France do. Probably Italy and many other countries as well.

Pris, quite a gift.

Jan, that means so much to me, thank you and thank Mr. Jan... that's so nice.


What wasn't so nice was tonight's Good Friday service when I was accompanying a good friend as she sang Via Dolorosa and the piano music stand fell back..BANG! Well, a dear friend in the front row popped up from the congregation, straightened it for me, and my friend just waited, and we continued the song! actually, it's funny now. Also funny is how she and I both didn't flinch, we just ..went on!!

(((Thought Criminal))) said...

Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. - Isaiah 53

elmers brother said...

My favorite Scripture Beamish. Through HiaHis suffering we can be reconciled to God. Thank you Jesus for taking my place.

elmers brother said...

His

(((Thought Criminal))) said...

I've always found it fascinating that Isaiah got to see the entire life and ministry of Jesus some 800 years before it happened.

Ticker said...

Great post Z and yes what did we ever do to deserve such. I posted a song on my blog that asks that question not too long ago.

Why Me Lord? Kris Kristofferson

Why me Lord?
What have I ever done?
To deserve even one
Of the blessings I've known

Why me Lord?
What did I ever do?
That was worth love from You
And the kindness You've shown


He asked nothing in return other than our Love and our acceptance of Him as Lord of our life. How little to repay Him for taking OUR sins and making them his.

Z said...

beamish, you're absolutely right, he did. I read your comment twice because I was looking for the verses where Isaiah got the crucifixion perfectly right, too., I thought that's what you'd posted ..remember he prophesied that this man would not have his legs broken, which they always did to those hanging, to make sure they were gone...and Christ didn't have his broken because they knew he'd died...and they pierced his side to make 100% sure, exactly as predicted. I'm too lazy and a little distracted right now so I won't be posting it, but wanted to get that in here.

Ticker, I love that song and hope Kris feels it to his bones.

elmers brother said...

Absolutely Z. The cross wasn't even a means of exe ution, great observation.

Always On Watch said...

Z,
You might want to check out this post over at Right Truth.

Z said...

AOW, you're right...I did check it and commented.
imagine a girl in the Bible belt not even knowing what Good Friday is...seemed like she'd never even heard of it.
And we wonder why our kids are screwed up.

Z said...

Elbro...as I just emailed you, I thought that was right but wasn't positive...
So Isaiah is even MORE right..
but maybe Scripture says 'tree' back then?
Gad, I just did some quick research and I googled "did Isaish mention the cross?" and got nothing but "Isaiah 53 does NOT prophecy about CHrist on the cross" ..there is a blog dedicated to that!
They have so much wrong that you don't know where to start...like nobody knows for sure who wrote JOHN :-)

Right Truth said...

We did nothing to deserve that, as you say nothing. There is no way a human could ever deserve Eternal life. Christianity understands that we could never live perfect lives, we sin, but Christ paid the price for us, took our punishment. I am so thankful.

Debbie
Right Truth
http://www.righttruth.typepad.com

(((Thought Criminal))) said...

Gad, I just did some quick research and I googled "did Isaish mention the cross?" and got nothing but "Isaiah 53 does NOT prophecy about CHrist on the cross" ..there is a blog dedicated to that!
They have so much wrong that you don't know where to start...


These are the same people who believe Jacob / Israel got his hip dislocated wrestling an allegory.

Z said...

Our commenter 'tio' just emailed me reminding me of Psalm 22, also amazing prophecy from the words of David.
"He has done it" is the last line...compelling.

JINGOIST said...
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JINGOIST said...

Happy Easter to all of you good Christians!

Z said...

Thanks, Jingoist, come back and see my Easter post like a good Jewish boy :-) You know, Jesus was a good Jewish boy, too!
love you! xxx