Good Friday: From Tragedy to Triumph
Easter is one of my favorite times of the year. As we look intently at the cross, waves of thankfulness and praise rise up within me as we celebrate all that is ours because of the death and resurrection of Christ. The enemy thought that he had won when Jesus died on the cross but the one that was actually defeated was the devil. The power of sin and death was broken by the shed blood of the perfect sacrificial lamb, Jesus. Where we were once captive, we are now set free. Hallelujah!
In the Old Testament God gave instructions to Moses for the Israelites to kill a lamb and paint the blood of the lamb over the doorposts and lintels of their houses so that when God sent the angel of death over Egypt, he would pass over them when he saw the blood. In doing so, everyone in the house would be kept safe and not die. I have tried to put myself in one of these houses knowing what was to come during the night. Would I have been fearful that just that blood over the doorpost be enough to keep me and my family safe, would I have gone to sleep or laid awake listening for what was to happen? But what I am sure of is that I would definitely have joined in the rejoicing, realising that we were all safe and were given the go-ahead to get up and go and leave the captivity of Pharoah. The blood had worked not only for my family but for the whole of Israel!
What happened in the Old Testament was just a picture of what was to come. We see at the cross that Jesus was the sacrificial lamb for all mankind. We read in John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” The shedding of Jesus’ blood has set us free from the wages of sin and death and has brought us into His wonderful Kingdom of light.
Jesus’ death was a one-time sacrifice that has satisfied the price of sin for the whole of mankind. We know forgiveness and our sins are remembered no more. For all of us that say yes to Jesus, we have his blood over our lives, and this brings us into right relationship with The Father. The Israelites left Egypt so that they could go and worship their God. Because of the cross, we are brought into right relationship with the Father, can enter his presence, know the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and worship our Father face to face.
The devil thought he had won by getting Jesus on the cross. But in reality, this was the moment his power was broken, Jesus’ death was the price for our sins. What appeared to be a defeat was God’s master plan to defeat death itself. This is the heart of the gospel: Jesus’ death was not a tragic ending, but a triumph. When Jesus cried out, “It is finished”, it was not a cry of despair but a declaration of victory.
My prayer for each of us would be that we would have a fresh realisation of the depth of God’s love for each one of us. He held nothing back so that everyone that says Yes to Jesus can have a personal relationship with our Father, we are fully included, adopted, loved beyond measure, have right standing, have a new identity. We would know the victory of the cross in our lives and all of this would overflow out to those around us to the glory of his name.
- Christine Smith