Good Friday is about Good News. Today is a good day.
The Good News of Good Friday is that God Saves Sinners. Good Friday is about God saving sinners. It is not a day of defeat, it is not a day of death, it is a day of salvation, of rescue.
God is not mad at you, He is madly in love with you. He has come to save you. God saves sinners. No matter what mistakes you have made; regardless of the mess your life is right now; irrespective of all the ways you have hated God and rejected Him – He loves you. He longs to save you. Even you! God saves sinners.
That is why Good Friday is Good. Because through the events of that awful day came something impossibly good: God accomplished a path to rescue open for the whole world. All can be forgiven. Anyone can be saved. All suffering and sorrow and death and pain are done away in one decisive act.
Good Friday is about Good News. Today is a good day.
This seems impossible.
It seems impossible because today we stare at the grotesque image of a mutilated man – our supposed saviour - exposed and executed.
Jesus life had such promise. He exhibited such power. He spoke with such conviction. It truly seemed he could actually be from God; perhaps even God’s own son.
But today he hangs from a Roman cross, dead. His message seemingly dead with him, his mission ended in abject failure. His identity shown to be a fraud, just like everyone else before and after him who has offered salvation from all life’s suffering. Today feels terrible.
And yet, it is good.
It is good because the story is not over. Today, rather than showing the failure of Christ, shows his absolute triumph.
It seems impossible, but it is true. In submitting to death Jesus has defeated death. The road to eternal life travels through the cross, past death, and it does not end at it.
Good Friday centres on Good News. The Gospel. The Gospel of Jesus Christ. And the good news, simply that God saves sinners.
From the cross, Jesus prays, “Father, forgive them!” He looks to us. He offers us rescue. He offers us Love. He offers us Life. It is a Good Friday. It is Good News, of Great Joy, for all People. God saves sinners. Even you.