046: Good? Good!

April 2, 2010
Isaiah 52:13-53:12, Luke 23

Good Friday. The name makes no sense at all if you don’t believe that Jesus didn’t stay dead. If he didn’t come back to life, than this day is just the commemoration of an innocent man being put to death in the most brutal, violent, disgusting, shaming, abhorrent way imaginable. Crucifixion was not a pretty, sophisticated way to die, it was reserved for people who had committed the worst of crimes.

But it’s called “good” because of the goal that was accomplished – Jesus laid down his life so that he could rescue mankind from their sins. It’s “good” because of the GREAT work he did. And he was good to do it. And what he accomplished was good.

But the story isn’t finished until Sunday.

I drove up to Seattle to attend Mars Hill’s Good Friday service with a couple friends – Mollee, Claire, and Rinat. I’d made up a playlist of my favorite worship songs that seem to encapsulate the essence of Easter weekend within their lyrics and melodies, and we all piled into my car, Poppy, and drove through blustering rain and wind and fallen trees. I’ve never been to a Good Friday service – either at Mars Hill or anywhere else that I remember. I’m glad I went.

We arrived almost late, so we had to sit in the overflow. I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew there would be a movie. After some awesome worship – which was somber and heavy and fit the solemn mood of the evening – we watched a 30 minute original production that portrayed the events of Jesus’s death. It’s always hard to watch violence on the big screen, at least for me, but it’s even harder when I attempt to fully grasp that the REASON Jesus did what he did – similar to what was being portrayed on the screen – was for me.

By far my favorite part of the evening, however, was taking communion. I realize Jesus first commanded his disciples to take communion on Passover night – Thursday – but I liked taking it on Friday. It seemed so pertinent and relevant to eat the bread I’d dipped in the cup of wine and then watch the movie that depicts how Jesus was broken, crushed, beaten, and bruised, bleeding and stumbling and faithfully proceeding to Golgotha to sacrifice himself on the cross. For me.

I kept hearing an old song in my head: “Down the Via della Rosa called the way of suffering, went the man who’d been exalted the Messiah, Christ the King. And his forgiveness set me free as he chose to die alone on Calvary…”

I want to remember these events better. I suffer a terrible case of amnesia. I want Jesus and His work in my life to be central and focused in my daily vision. Lord, help me see you!