John Pridgen

Isaiah 52

This passage in scripture perfectly sums up what happened on the day we have deemed “Good Friday”. I would imagine that anyone who doesn’t know the full scope of what happened afterwards though would most likely not call anything about what happened to Jesus “good”. So why do we call it “Good Friday” then? Scripture never gives a name to the day Jesus died, and the people that experienced that day in-person would also probably not describe it as good based on the actual day itself. 

The good news for us though is that we have full access to scripture which shows us why Good Friday is so good and so important. Time and time again in scripture God calls his plans and purposes “good”. Our definition of good though is quite different from God’s definition. When God says something is “good” it’s actually closer to holy or perfect. Jesus’ death on the cross was God’s good, holy, and perfect plan of redemption for all of creation. 

So today on this Good Friday, I challenge you to sit with Isaiah 53. Only through what Jesus did on the cross are we healed and redeemed. There is nothing we could ever do in our own power to earn or deserve it. The even better news about this Good Friday is that the story doesn’t end there. Sunday is coming.