First of all, Good Friday is good because of what all of us were spared! The Bible says, "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God..." (1 Peter 3:18a, NKJV). In other words, the One who had not done anything wrong to be punished for, was punished for all the wrongs that we have done instead, so that we could be with a Holy God who cannot tolerate sin. Such an act can only be understood as an act of love. The Bible explains that "...God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8, NKJV). Jesus literally suffered and died in our place, taking the ultimate punishment for sin, which is death. Good Friday is good not because of what Jesus suffered on that day, but rather because of the fact that Jesus suffered for us on that day, sparing us the punishment that we deserve for our sins!
Good Friday is also good because of the victory that was won on that day! This might be confusing to some who have always thought of that day as a victory for Satan. It is often described as a battle in which Satan and his forces succeed in killing the Son of God, which is then followed by a demonic victory party that abruptly ends when Jesus rises from the dead three days later. The impression is given that the Resurrection of Jesus rather than the Crucifixion of Jesus was the victory that was won. If this what really happened, then Good Friday should never be called good, but that it was not what the Bible says happened that day. The Bible explains to believers, saying, "And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it" (Colossians 2:13-15, NKJV). The Bible also explains, saying, "Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Hebrews 2:14-15, NKJV). Did you get the point? Your forgiveness was provided at the cross, not at the tomb. The victory over Satan was won at the cross, not at the tomb. Good Friday is good because it was Jesus who won and Satan who lost on that day!
Finally, Good Friday is good because of what it led to! Jesus personally warned His disciples ahead of time, saying, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again" (Matthew 20:18-19, NKJV). Jesus had to go through the crucifixion to get to the resurrection. The Gospel requires both to be complete. The word "Gospel" means "Good News" and that news would not have been near as good without the events of Good Friday. The Apostle Paul explained the Good News, saying, "Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you -- unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures..." (1 Corinthians 15:1-4, NKJV). Before there could be an empty tomb, there had to be a bloody cross. Good Friday is good because there would be no Good News of Jesus' Resurrection without the Good News of Jesus' Crucifixion!
So, why would anyone not think that Good Friday is good? I can think of two possible reasons. First of all, they may simply not understand what Jesus was doing for them. They may think that day represents a tragic miscarriage of justice, resulting in the death of a good man. That is true to a point, but the Bible tells us that He was so much more than just a good man and also that His death served a far greater purpose. There is hope for those who miss the point of Good Friday for this reason, because they can learn from the Bible what Jesus did for them that day and choose to believe.
But that brings us to the second reason why someone would not think that Good Friday is good: they may have refused to believe in what the Bible says that Jesus did for them. If this is the case, they will not only miss the point of Good Friday, they will miss out on the salvation that Jesus provided for them that day. That's why Good Friday only becomes good to you when you believe, because the salvation that He died to give you can only be received through faith in Him. That's why Good Friday is good to me and I hope it is to you too!
Have a Good Friday and a Happy Easter!
