Good? Friday | Cincinnati, OH
How “Good” is Good Friday?
Faith | Hope | Blood | Brokenness
Personal Antidote
The meaning and weight of “Good” Friday this year hits me unlike ever before. Like a ton of bricks right to the chest- packed with a beautifully paradoxical cocktail of pain, mourning, peace, hope and joy. Sitting in the wonder and mystery of what the Gospel truly means has initiated a flame that has set the whole forest ablaze.
While I’ve been fortunate to have grown up in the church, knowing about God and Jesus for as long as I can consciously remember, the power that lies within that sacred relationship lay dormant for so long. My perspective of God was heavily influenced by the season of life I was in- the amount of success I was having in my endeavors and the level of love I felt through the people and circumstances I found myself chasing after. When it was good, He was good. When it was bad, there was probably some purpose or meaning to it, but, He was still supposed to be good…I think?
At the end of the day, I felt like I could pursue a life with God in it- like it was His pleasure to be involved and allow me to let Him take the lead when it seemed too big for me to control or manipulate into what I had a vision for. “Thanks Jesus for paying for my sins. I’ll do my best to live by the rules and be ‘good’ cause I think it’s ‘right’ and I’ll see you in heaven, whenever that may be.” I was oh so wrong.
Several months back, I was graciously invited to participate in a bookclub through a group of young adults at church. We were going to dive into a book called “Back to The Gospel” by Peter Louis and admittedly I thought I already knew the Gospel message, so I was mainly joining to further meet new people and get involved into a community. Internally, I completely wrote off the power this message had to break chains, remove scales from my eyes and soften my heart to what had been so long refraining me from being able to step into the fullness of my relationship with my LORD. My friend said her mentor’s life was changed after reading this book- outwardly I was intrigued, inwardly I slightly doubted.
Going through the book, Peter Louis has taken all of the information I grew up sleepwalking through knowing and memorizing as a kid, and so masterfully re-presents that very same information with a fresh breath that jolted me away. I went from not having opened my Bible in years, to carrying it with me and cracking it open to reference and get context any chance I could. The words inside it took on new life and made sense to me in a way they never had, no matter how many awards I had for memorizing scripture. It was like I was finally seeing in color after only having monotone lenses on for ages.
The reality is that we have grown so far removed and numb to the original consequences of our sins. God’s original design was to be in intimate relationship within us, and because sin separated us as He is holy and we were full of sin, He did everything in His power to get us back to Him. Even though that meant giving His own beloved son up to live a fully human life [Hebrews 2:14], be tempted and suffer, take on all of the sins of the world (even for those who were persecuting Him), and then rise again from the dead. To receive this forgiveness, we need do NOTHING but accept His love for us through faith [John 3:16]. The compelling power of this reality is rooted strongly in the fact that it’s the only religion where the promise of peace, forgiveness and freedom is offered to us regardless, whether we want to step into it or not. No more sacrifices or rituals or rules to be followed. Simply accept.
This day, historically where Jesus was unjustly betrayed by a close friend, sentenced to death, denied, utterly mauled to the verge of death, mocked, and then nailed to a crucifix to be left to die. And while, yes, Jesus was fully God, He was also fully human, so he felt it all the same way we would if we had to endure such treatment [Hebrews 5:8]- we are quick to gloss over and move on. Case closed. “What happened, oh, that’s just history.” “It’s so awful I don’t want to think about it.” “I just reflect and celebrate Good Friday and Easter every year cause I’m a Christian and that’s tradition.” STOP. We have grown numb and that is SO heart breaking. I’m even astonished for how clean and whole Jesus appears to be in so many famous paintings of this event.
Hear me: do you realize that every.single.detail that occurred through that day, every specific infliction, the severity, every ugly part of this day was intentional and meaningful from the Father to us. “What” happened on that day can become something we all know in our heads, but may we never ignore or fall short to recognize “why”…to go beyond just saying it with words, but displaying how great His love is for us [John 15:13]. Whoah.
The same story runs parallel through several different books in the New Testament: Matthew 26-28, Mark 14-16, Luke 22-24, John 18-20
The power lies not only in the symbolic intention behind every detail leading to the cross, but in His death itself. Because He took the place as the perfect lamb to be the sacrifice to atone or pay for all of OUR sins, by His death this means sins are dead as well. If you are covered by the blood of Jesus, all of your past sins, present sins and future sins are already paid for. We are no longer identified as “sinners” but “saints”[Ephesians 2:8-9]. We aren’t under the oppression and rule of our human nature any longer. Yes, we are flawed and make mistakes and will sin, but as a believer in Christ, you are free from sin [Titus 2:11-14].
Oh also, Jesus didn’t stay dead. 3 days later he rose again to be in Heaven with our Father where He is constantly interceding on our behalf. Since we are clean from sin the Holy Spirit can live inside of us and be a direct line to Jesus and The Father. This is what it means to be born again! That is SO big and wild in it of itself.
I want to honor this incredible and undeserved gift of redemption constantly, thanks to the compelling love I have for the LORD by what was revived in me through Peter’s book. We’ve had communion in cars, at breweries, in homes and proclaimed the authority of the blood of Jesus over so much brokenness, pain, and suffering. But today is different and I think maybe that is what’s actually “good”. While I walk through each day in remembrance appreciating the freedom from what was accomplished through the cross and the Gospel message, it’s okay to sit in reflection, to lament over the very rugged reality of the day. To put yourself in various different positions of observers of that time based on your position of relationship with Him today. Ask Him to lead you to the cross. Spend some time at the intersection of mourning and joy.
My hope is that we no longer sleepwalk through this day, this weekend, this season, this year or even this life. There is far more freedom and fulfillment when we take the focus off of ourselves and place it on Him and all that it entails. It can be scary to step into faith, but if you trust to give Him even a centimeter, He can turn it into lightyears.
Even when you think you’ve reached the capacity of your understanding and relationship with God, there’s always more.
I hope you know how much I appreciate you for taking the time to consider the Lord’s truth to you through my ramblings. Whether this is the first time you’ve heard these things, or the millionth, I pray you are able to gain a new viewpoint and experience revelation yourself. Open your mind to the possibilities that are available when you get outside your comfort zone and explore. I highly recommend checking out “Back to the Gospel” and “Keep the Blood Warm” by Peter Louis and Braveheart Ministries.
With love + blessings,
Brittany