Happy Good Friday.
But really, on this Friday, we remember a very sad one. Although each week is an opportunity to remember Christ’s death and celebrate His resurrection, this is THE weekend we set aside to commemorate Jesus’ Death on Friday and then His Resurrection on Sunday.
I am so thankful to have books to help explain all that this weekend holds to Aletheia, my two-year-old. As we’ve read her Jesus Story Book Bible, we come to the page where our Savior hangs on the cross and Aletheia says, “Jesus hurts, He died on the cross.”
And, friends, isn’t that the truth?
Jesus did hurt. The cross hurt. The humiliation that led up to it hurt (John 19:1-30). Ultimately, sin hurts (Romans 6:23).
I have been so struck with the thought that all that is happening in our world today just shows us how much sin hurts.
God created a perfect world that came tumbling down when Adam and Eve sinned, passing the wretchedness on to every human being, dooming us for eternity without God (Romans 3:23, Romans 5:12).
And that’s why we needed Jesus to “hurt” on the cross. He took our place and died on the cross so that we could be forgiven, have our sins washed away (Romans 5:8).
But He did not stay dead.
He came back to life, providing salvation and an eternity with God to all those who would follow Him (Romans 10:9-10, and Romans 10:13).
And as I sat today, rocking my two-year-old to sleep (yes, I do that), leaning my head back, hearing the rain trickle down my bedroom window, I remembered that even in the midst of all the suffering, all the pain, all the hurts in our world today, Jesus came back to life. He conquered sin and the grave. He has saved us from our hellacious eternity and brought us into His family. And I am so thankful.
Although this Resurrection Sunday is going to look a little different, we are still going to celebrate, still going to remember all that God has done for us in Christ.
He is risen, He is risen indeed!
**Maybe all that I’m saying is foreign to you. If that’s case, it’s okay! The Good News of Jesus’ death and resurrection is for everyone. I’d love to share more with you, please let me know if you have questions, I’m here for you.
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