Good Friday

Jesus' death and the purpose behind it is significant and relevant to me every day of my life...but sometimes I forget how significant it is, and I am reminded of it each year around this weekend. I should look to Jesus every day and thank him for the wonderful gift of life he gave me, but I often stumble and forget. Yet, God still loves me! I often wonder why...but in his great love and mercy, he saved me - and the chance of this amazing relationship was made through Jesus' death - and his death, a horrific, violent, and seen by many as a shameful execution...is what is known as Good Friday? Some have asked me why it's called 'Good'...surely an execution would be 'Bad'...and yes, an execution is horrible to think about. But on this day of Jesus' execution, it was *our* sins on Jesus' shoulders as he hung on the cross...not his own.

It is Good Friday, because Jesus took our sins from us...and our sins are punishable by death, that was the price that had to be paid. Jesus died for me.

I heard an story once about two brothers. One brother was a liar, a thief and frequently rioted in the town. His older brother had a completely clean rap sheet, wore smart clothes, and was respected by many in the town. The younger brother had been arrested after being caught rioting, and he was thrown into prison awaiting his trial - over his life, his clothes had become worn and torn, and he had become dirty from being in a grim cell. When his trial date came, he was sentenced to death by hanging for his crimes. The brother was able to escape...and he ran to his older brother's house -with the police close behind him. He had heard about his younger brother's death sentence, and saw him approaching the house. The brother came out of his house and looked at his sibling. He quickly told his brother to take his clean shirt, and give him his dirty shirt, and to go and hide in his house, and that he would sort everything out. His brother ran into the house, trusting his older brother to help. The older brother who remained outside put on his brother's dirty shirt, messed his hair up, and wiped dirt and mud over himself, and smeared mud on his face. The police soon came to the house, and took the older brother away. After a day, the younger brother had heard nothing so came out of the house and walked through the town. It was quiet, and not many people were around. He continued walking through, until he came to the town gallows, where he looked up and saw his brother hanging there on the gallows. The younger brother fell to his knees, and wept. He rushed to the police station and told them of the mistake and demanded they hang him, the true criminal. The police told him that the price had been paid...and that he could go free.

This story helped me understand exactly what Jesus had done for me...I felt guilty, and convicted. But I knew that Jesus had died for me - like the older brother...he was perfect, had never sinned, yet he took our sins and our dirty clothes and wore them for himself and took our place. He did not say "I told you so" or "Sorry, can't help you there" - no, he took our sins without hesistation and died for us. He went through Hell for us...for me, for you.

The reason why we are free today is because of Jesus' death...when Jesus was resurrected from the dead, he conquered death! He restored the relationship between us and God...giving us the chance to recognise our sins and to come to God for forgiveness, and willing to turn our lives around and live for God. The moment we do this, we have Jesus' white shirt on...and will eternally. The price paid, fully and completely. This is why it is Good Friday!