Holy Week

Good Friday: It was Good for Me! 

Scripture:

• Isaiah 53:5 — “He was wounded for our transgressions…”
• John 19:30 — “It is finished.”
• Romans 5:8 — “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Historical Happenings: The Darkest Day in History
Good Friday does not feel good. It is filled with betrayal, injustice, immense suffering, and a gruesome death.
Jesus was:

• Betrayed, denied and abandoned by those closest to Him
• The same voices that cried “Hosanna” a few days prior are now screaming, “Crucify Him”
• Mocked, beaten, and falsely accused
• Nailed to a cross meant for criminals
• Only 1 of His disciples was there for His last breath
• The greatest moment of suffering was the first time He ever felt separation from His Father

The sky grew dark. The earth shook. Hope seemed lost. By every human definition… this was a tragedy, no good in sight.

Devotional Thought:
So Why Do We Call It “Good”?
Because what looked like defeat… was actually victory.
What looked like the end… was actually the beginning.
What looked like loss… was actually a fulfillment of increase.
What looked like an act of evil… was actually love on full display.

-  It was Good because “It was Finished”
At the cross, Jesus took on what we could never carry. Every sin. Every failure. Every wrong. All paid in full. When He cried, “It is finished,” He wasn’t giving up, He was declaring that the debt of humanity had been completely satisfied. The sentence to death was overturned. The cross turned our guilt into an abundance of grace.

- It was Good because Love Refused to Walk Away
God didn’t just say He loved us, He displayed it publicly. Not because we had it all together. Not because we deserved it. But in our brokenness, in our sin and in our rebellion He sent love anyway. The cross is the clearest picture of love the world has ever seen: Love suffers, Love sacrifices, Love stays. Love don’t walk away.

- It was Good because Access was Granted
When Jesus died, the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom. That veil once separated people from God’s presence. But now, because of Jesus, nothing stands in the way. No more distance. No more barriers. The cross made a way for us to draw nigh and Him to draw nigh in return.

- It was Good because Death and Hell was Defeated
Even though Jesus died, death did not win. Good Friday is only “good” because it is not the end of the story. Sunday was coming. The cross was not a conclusion—it was a setup for resurrection. What looked final was only temporary.

- It was Good because Lives were Changed
While earth was in complete chaos, time seemed to slow down for two. A thief’s eyes were opened to the power of the man hanging next to him, then declared “Remember Me.” That thief would accompany this Savior to paradise.
In the same sovereign time the soldier who assisted in all three crucifixions had an epiphany as he looked up to Jesus and declared, “Surely this is the Son of God.”  
From the punished to the punisher, love embraces them all. Love changes lives.

- It was Good… for me!
Good Friday reminds us that God can bring goodness out of the darkest moments. Your pain is not wasted. Your suffering is not unseen. Your story is not over. If God could turn a cross into salvation… He can turn your hardest season into something meaningful.
Good Friday is good… not because it was easy, but because it changed everything.
Sometimes life has “Good Friday” moments, times that feel heavy, confusing, and painful. But this day teaches us: God is still working, even when it looks like everything is falling apart.

Reflection:
What does this day mean to me? 
What “good” have I experienced because of His love? 
Am I living my “good” out for others to see that they might be changed?

Prayer
Lord, Thank You for the cross. Thank You for loving me enough to suffer in my place. Help me to never take for granted what You paid for me. When I walk through dark seasons, remind me that You are still working for good. Teach me to trust You, even when I don’t understand.
In Jesus Name, Amen.