What’s so “good” about a Good Friday in the middle of a worldwide pandemic? The answer is everything. In a time where hope is in short supply, Good Friday offers the hope of redemption, salvation, and life as God intended it. The people of the first century were no strangers to disease and sickness. It was a constant companion, only they lacked the medical care and facilities we have today. There were no ventilators, only the breath of life provided by the spirit of God.
There were few doctors, but Jesus, the great physician, healed many with a word or a touch. People saw Jesus not only as an eternal Savior but also as one who could deliver them from their day-to-day troubles. Everything He did was good, and everyone He touched was restored. And then they killed Him.
As we approach Good Friday this year, not much has changed. A virus is ravaging our planet, and while the percentage of people affected is small, everyone who contracts the sickness is important to someone. Many are grieving the loss of loved ones or are in despair as they deal with being sick. More insidious still is the fear gripping millions, perhaps billions of people around the globe. As the media and misinformed fan the flames of panic, many are becoming paralyzed with fear. Life has changed for all of us. There is fear, uncertainty, and doubt. We need a solution. We are desperate for a savior.
Just as people did two thousand years ago, we refuse to see Jesus for who He is. We cast Him to the side as old-fashioned folklore. The hope, peace, and love He offers to all is being rejected by those who need Him most. We do not believe He is who He claims to be, and so we turn away from the only One who can give us life. Jesus offers a love so strong that fear cannot stand in its presence. He offers a peace that overcomes all anxiety. And Jesus brings life when all we see is death. We may have allowed Christ to be crucified, but He refused to stay on the cross or in the grave.
When Jesus defeated Satan by overcoming even death, the devil knew it numbered his days. Since then, Satan has been doing everything he can to destroy as many as he can. At the same time, Jesus has been saving, redeeming, and restoring. The cross, despite all its horrors, was not the end of the story. Jesus rose again and continues to bring life to all who will call on His name.
On this Good Friday, know the coronavirus is not the end. It is one more consequence of generations of compounded sin that still cannot overcome the blood of Jesus. There is a cure for your fear, anxiety, and pain. The solution has not changed. Jesus is the same today as He was at the beginning. He gives life; He does not take it away. He lavishes us in love, not fear. And Jesus brings hope to our heartache. He is no longer on the cross, but on the throne of Heaven, and He longs for you to be with Him. This Good Friday is very good indeed. Jesus still reigns, and He is calling you today.