Good Friday...

Today is Friday,  March 25, 2016.  But it's not just any Friday - at least not for believers of the Christian Faith.  Today is the day that Christians observe the crucifixion of Christ, "Good Friday." 

This won't be a long post, as I'm at work (on another project), and will be leaving soon so I can gather the not-so-little-anymore people so we can go to church this evening.  I remember when I was younger,  Good Friday always meant a midnight musical at my church.  Um, yeah. Those days are long gone,  as I would more likely be turning over at midnight on a Friday these days than out anywhere!  Anyway, I digress. I couldn't let Holy Week pass without reflecting on Christ's death and it's meaning for believers. 

Bible scholar, stellar Sunday School student or not, most people have heard of The Crucifixion.  Whether you observe the holiday or not, at this time of year the airwaves are flooded with Holy Week programming, such as last week's  "The Passion," as well as "Risen" and "Young Messiah" in theaters.  So I think it's safe to say we are all familiar with the story,  although not the whole story,  but an amazing midpoint to a story that was first foretold many years before it happened,  way back in the Old Testament.  Just briefly, the book of Isaiah (Isaiah 53) spoke of the "substitutionary death of Christ" as replacement of the traditional Passover Ceremony.  Sidenote: for a more detailed analysis of this subject, head over to this site for this writing, Seeing Christ Through Old Testament Prophecy, at lettersofchrist.com.

Anyhoo, believers know that this day represents the fulfillment of the prophecy that a savior would be sent into the world and, blameless, would shoulder the sins of the world, in redemption.  All born out of God's love for us.  As stated in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but shall have everlasting life."  Or this one found in Romans 5:8, "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that,  while we were yet sinners,  Christ died for us."  So, without getting too deep,  that is indeed good news and why we call this a "Good Friday." 

So take time today to reflect on how Christ's death was a necessary midpoint to the story that began with His birth of a virgin mother...  

Ah, but as it's just the midpoint, that means there has to be an ending, right? Stayed tuned! Questions,  comments or just to say "hey," you know the drill, Holla @ Darvi!  Be blessed!

P.S. - I had finished this earlier, but just got in from church, listening to seven (7) sermonettes on the 7 last utterances of Christ when he was on the cross and it was outstanding!  It was the first time I've been able to hear it because I've always been tied up in recent years.