March 26th, 2024
In just a few days, Easter weekend will be upon us and many churches will be investing time and energy in their Saturday night and Sunday morning celebrations of the Resurrection. Of course, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is exciting, compelling, life-transforming and essential to the Christian faith. It’s so important that I take time out of my schedule to celebrate it once a week! Yet, among American Christians, our annual commemoration of the day Jesus died has fallen on hard times. Good Friday has been deemphasized, forgotten, and even lost by many Bible-believing churches and faithful Christians, to say nothing of wider nominal Christianity.
Why is this? There are a variety of reasons. 21st century American Christians have such full schedules that it’s often a challenge to attend church once a week. Fifty years ago church was a significant part of the Christian family’s weekly schedule, with hours invested in Sunday School, midweek services, and fellowship events. Today, church is treated like a drive-through restaurant: get some fast food and a few happy meals for the kids and be on your way until the next week. There are theological reasons as well. Many contemporary churches focus so much on resurrection power and the transformation of the Holy Spirit that Jesus’ emphasis on suffering and example of humiliation are neglected. Truly, a theology of suffering and sacrifice is missing in much of America’s pulpits.
As I see it, the Good Friday service is one of the most important events on a church’s calendar, and a rich source of grace for each believer. Let me give you four reasons why you should plan to attend a Good Friday service this year.
History. There is no more important day in history than the day the Son of God bore the wrath of God in the place of sinners as He was put to death on a cruel cross of wood. On Nisan 14, AD 30 (or AD 33, if you prefer), Jesus was crucified. His public humiliation was completed, and the scandal of the Christian faith was revealed: a Savior who was both the Son of God and the Suffering Servant (see Mark 15:39). We could say that all the key events of Jesus’ life were equally important – the Incarnation, Crucifixion, and Resurrection. But the cross holds the key to the significance of it all. Ironically, Christians attend multiple celebrations of Jesus’ birth, and are sure to show up on Easter Sunday, but Good Friday? Somehow, it’s not a priority.
Community. Someone might ask, “Why can’t I just spend a few minutes in meditation on my own on Good Friday? Why do I have to attend a service?” Fair question. One of the most significant moments of the Good Friday service is the observance of the Lord’s Table. Yes, it’s something we do often (I Corinthians 11:26). But at the Good Friday service, the entire program is sure to be arranged around the whole point of Communion – remembering the sacrificial death of Christ. When Paul speaks of this ordinance in I Corinthians 10 and 11, he makes it clear that this is a communal event. It’s found in a section where he repeats the phrase, “When you come together…” indicating that these are issues related to the gathering of God’s church. Christ has brought together His Church and He delights in our unity as we approach the Lord together, and particularly the Lord’s Table. We are “one loaf…[and] we who are many, are one body” (I Corinthians 10:17). We are to “discern the body” (I Corinthians 11:29) by considering the needs of others as we approach the Lord’s Table. At a Good Friday service, we have another opportunity to lean into the blood-bought community of saints that the Lord has provided for each one of us.
Spirituality. There is no greater catalyst for spiritual growth and maturity than meditating on the cross of Christ. The Apostle Paul makes this point in numerous ways in his writings, but probably the most succinct is found in I Corinthians 5:14-15, “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” The love Christ demonstrated in his life-giving sacrifice motivates every Christian to live not for themselves, but for Him. Living the “cross-centered life” is the only way a Christian acknowledges his own frailty, relies on Christ’s indwelling Spirit, and reaps the benefits of the spiritual fruit developed. We should find ways to remind ourselves of the cross regularly, but the Good Friday service provides an annual refocus on the importance of Christ’s death as the theme is developed in profound and compelling ways.
Eternity. The death of Christ on the cross is not only the most important event in human history, it will be the most important theme of eternity. When the Apostle John received a backstage, all-access pass to the heavenly throne room, he recorded that they began to sing a new song to the Lamb, “because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and tongue and people and language.” After that, myriad angels broke out in song, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain!” We will join in this song for all of eternity, we ought to start preparing now!
So let me exhort you: plan to be with the people of God on Good Friday. It is a time of sober reflection and deep meditation. It’s often a somber service. But it is necessary preparation for Sunday’s celebration. As we grieve over sin and glory in the cross our hearts will be filled with wonder and awe at the great love demonstrated by the Father and the Son on that dark day, so many years ago. We will join the community of saints who have observed this day for millennia, promote unity in the Body of believers we’ve been placed, and participate in another dress rehearsal for that great day when every tribe, tongue, people, and nation will be singing, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain!”
This article was originally published on March 19th, 2021.
Why is this? There are a variety of reasons. 21st century American Christians have such full schedules that it’s often a challenge to attend church once a week. Fifty years ago church was a significant part of the Christian family’s weekly schedule, with hours invested in Sunday School, midweek services, and fellowship events. Today, church is treated like a drive-through restaurant: get some fast food and a few happy meals for the kids and be on your way until the next week. There are theological reasons as well. Many contemporary churches focus so much on resurrection power and the transformation of the Holy Spirit that Jesus’ emphasis on suffering and example of humiliation are neglected. Truly, a theology of suffering and sacrifice is missing in much of America’s pulpits.
As I see it, the Good Friday service is one of the most important events on a church’s calendar, and a rich source of grace for each believer. Let me give you four reasons why you should plan to attend a Good Friday service this year.
History. There is no more important day in history than the day the Son of God bore the wrath of God in the place of sinners as He was put to death on a cruel cross of wood. On Nisan 14, AD 30 (or AD 33, if you prefer), Jesus was crucified. His public humiliation was completed, and the scandal of the Christian faith was revealed: a Savior who was both the Son of God and the Suffering Servant (see Mark 15:39). We could say that all the key events of Jesus’ life were equally important – the Incarnation, Crucifixion, and Resurrection. But the cross holds the key to the significance of it all. Ironically, Christians attend multiple celebrations of Jesus’ birth, and are sure to show up on Easter Sunday, but Good Friday? Somehow, it’s not a priority.
Community. Someone might ask, “Why can’t I just spend a few minutes in meditation on my own on Good Friday? Why do I have to attend a service?” Fair question. One of the most significant moments of the Good Friday service is the observance of the Lord’s Table. Yes, it’s something we do often (I Corinthians 11:26). But at the Good Friday service, the entire program is sure to be arranged around the whole point of Communion – remembering the sacrificial death of Christ. When Paul speaks of this ordinance in I Corinthians 10 and 11, he makes it clear that this is a communal event. It’s found in a section where he repeats the phrase, “When you come together…” indicating that these are issues related to the gathering of God’s church. Christ has brought together His Church and He delights in our unity as we approach the Lord together, and particularly the Lord’s Table. We are “one loaf…[and] we who are many, are one body” (I Corinthians 10:17). We are to “discern the body” (I Corinthians 11:29) by considering the needs of others as we approach the Lord’s Table. At a Good Friday service, we have another opportunity to lean into the blood-bought community of saints that the Lord has provided for each one of us.
Spirituality. There is no greater catalyst for spiritual growth and maturity than meditating on the cross of Christ. The Apostle Paul makes this point in numerous ways in his writings, but probably the most succinct is found in I Corinthians 5:14-15, “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” The love Christ demonstrated in his life-giving sacrifice motivates every Christian to live not for themselves, but for Him. Living the “cross-centered life” is the only way a Christian acknowledges his own frailty, relies on Christ’s indwelling Spirit, and reaps the benefits of the spiritual fruit developed. We should find ways to remind ourselves of the cross regularly, but the Good Friday service provides an annual refocus on the importance of Christ’s death as the theme is developed in profound and compelling ways.
Eternity. The death of Christ on the cross is not only the most important event in human history, it will be the most important theme of eternity. When the Apostle John received a backstage, all-access pass to the heavenly throne room, he recorded that they began to sing a new song to the Lamb, “because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and tongue and people and language.” After that, myriad angels broke out in song, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain!” We will join in this song for all of eternity, we ought to start preparing now!
So let me exhort you: plan to be with the people of God on Good Friday. It is a time of sober reflection and deep meditation. It’s often a somber service. But it is necessary preparation for Sunday’s celebration. As we grieve over sin and glory in the cross our hearts will be filled with wonder and awe at the great love demonstrated by the Father and the Son on that dark day, so many years ago. We will join the community of saints who have observed this day for millennia, promote unity in the Body of believers we’ve been placed, and participate in another dress rehearsal for that great day when every tribe, tongue, people, and nation will be singing, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain!”
This article was originally published on March 19th, 2021.
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