A Jewish Carpenter is killed! You won’t believe what happens next!
If the crucifixion of Jesus happened today, I’m pretty sure Reddit would have a headline like that. Except, unlike the way you feel watching a funny cat video, when you click through to the link, you would be let down.
The story would be disappointing.
A man, who claimed not just to tell people about God, but also to BE God, was tortured and killed. Maybe you would have heard of the guy and have been curious how he healed the sick and upset the “religious” people, but likely you would not concern yourself with his “spiritual philosophies.”
It was a brutal killing, so you’d grimace at the details, but otherwise you’d move along.
I’m guessing that’s how Good Friday played out for much of Israel. I think it’s how Good Friday plays out for many today.
The story may be interesting, but most of us think about ourselves first, and if we don’t see relevance to our lives, we move on.
Perhaps we move on too quickly, not wanting to think about suffering and death.
However, if you were in Jesus’ inner circle, or one of his followers, they couldn’t move through the moment fast enough. They were riddled with disappointment, fear, and doubt.
They wallowed in the ick like anyone would in the middle of grief. They were mad at God, and let’s face it, God’s a good target for anger. We all go there at some point, but especially when he doesn't act the way we think he should.
I mean, if he’s really God, shouldn’t we all be spared grief and pain? Shouldn’t life be more than death? Wouldn’t there be a plan to fix what’s broken?
These are heavy questions, but the biggest one of all is how a day of death could be redeemed.
It’s impossible to imagine.
On Friday, the day seemed anything but "good." However, despite how the day looked, it was beyond good, it was perfect; perfect because the story didn’t end with a burial any more than the story ended on Passover.
The story was bigger than the feeling and the circumstance of the moment.
I don’t know what (if anything) Good Friday means to you, but it reminds me not to judge God’s plan based on what I'm able to process in any given moment.
Friday feels like despair and feels like hopelessness, but Sunday is coming.