His Death—Our Life
Why is Good Friday good? Why did Jesus have to die on a cross? What did Jesus’ death on a cross accomplish?
Jesus died the death that we experience daily in this broken world. Jesus died the death that we deserve in our sin and brokenness.
Good Friday is good because Jesus accomplished his purpose of suffering and death in our place and on our behalf. Jesus died so that he would intercept our consequences, so that we could be forgiven and restored. Jesus died so that this broken and sin-filled world would not feel the brunt of the judgement it deserves.
The Prophet Isaiah wrote of Jesus, sacrifice on the cross when he prophesied, “Yet it was our pain that he bore, our sufferings he endured. We thought of him as stricken, struck down by God and afflicted, But he was pierced for our sins, crushed for our iniquity. He bore the punishment that makes us whole, by his wounds we were healed. We had all gone astray like sheep, all following our own way; But the LORD laid upon him the guilt of us all.” (Isaiah 53:4-6, NASB).
Jesus died on the cross so that he would be the lightening rod for God’s judgement, which we deserve. Jesus hung on a cross to carry the weight of all our pain, brokenness, and suffering. Jesus shouldered the cross to be struck down by God and saddled with all the afflictions of the world.
Jesus was pierced through so that we would not have to be. Jesus was crushed under the weight of our consequences so that we could walk free. Jesus took on sin to take us in and to make us whole.
Jesus was taken apart so that we could be put together again. Jesus was wounded so that be could be healed. Jesus died on a cross so that we would not be lost. Jesus took on our guilt so that we could be acquitted and set free.
May we see Jesus’ death as our way to experience Jesus’ life.
A Collect for Good Friday: “Almighty God, we beseech you graciously to behold this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the Cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (Book of Common Prayer, 2019).
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