WILLS POINT, TX – As we turn the corner from Palm Sunday and arrive at the final week of Lent, we enter what has been commonly known as Holy Week. Many churches, regardless of whether or not they observe the liturgical season of Lent, hold special services on Good Friday. Regardless of what they have done in the past, churches will be celebrating Christ’s atoning death on the Cross differently during the Year of the Coronavirus.

The purpose of observing Good Friday remains the same. The means of doing so will, of necessity, temporarily change. Following are some points to ponder as April 7, 2020 approaches.

• What’s so good about Good Friday?
• As we are so often prone to do, Americans think that the entire world refers to this day as Good Friday. What we know as Good Friday has also been called Long Friday, Holy Friday, and Sorrowful Friday. It is a Good day because it is the first day of the three-day, three-night period that is the foundation of the Good News. It is the day Christians celebrate the death and burial of Jesus Christ. The rest of the Good News – also known as the Gospel – occurs on Resurrection Sunday (Easter).
• How do we know that Jesus died on a Friday?
• Actually, we don’t know to a certainty. Prevailing tradition says that He did. However, no one has actually been able to prove that was the case. A growing number of Bible scholars now believe that Jesus was crucified on Thursday, which is the only way in Hebrew or Hellenistic thinking that He could have been in the grave for three days and three nights. Still others, albeit a smaller number, believe that Jesus died on Wednesday.
• Does what day He died make a difference?
• No, it does not. It would be interesting to know, but what really matters is that He DID. The whole of the Good News that Christians believe is that Jesus became a man, lived a sinless life, became the only perfect Lamb of God who could take away the sins of the world, died on the Cross, rose again to life on the third day, ascended into Heaven, and is coming again to rule and reign. Could there be any greater reason to celebrate?
• Should we celebrate His crucifixion on Good Friday?
• Absolutely. There is no point in changing the day observed for His giving His life for the world. Christians also celebrate His birth at Christmas, although it is almost certain that He was not born in the Winter. The point is that believers take the time to meditate and celebrate what He has done.
• Is there any time other than Good Friday that we should celebrate Jesus dying for our sins?
• Yes. Absolutely, yes! Christians celebrate all that He has done for us on every day that ends in the letter “y.”

In summary, Christians believe this: No greater love has ever been shown for any of us than Jesus showed. Even if someone else chose to die for us, only the blood of Jesus Christ, the sinless Lamb of God, has the power to pay the price for and have the power to save us from our sin. He alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one can come to the Father except by Him. (John 14:6)

Whether you are able to congregate or must separate this Good Friday, set aside some or all of the day to meditate and celebrate what Jesus has done for us all.

About Gospel for Asia

Gospel for Asia (GFA World, and its affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) is a leading faith-based mission agency, bringing vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across Asia, especially to those who have yet to hear the “good news” of Jesus Christ. In GFA’s latest yearly report, this included more than 70,000 sponsored children, free medical camps conducted in more than 1,200 villages and remote communities, over 4,000 clean water wells drilled, over 11,000 water filters installed, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 200,000 needy families, and spiritual teaching available in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry. For all the latest news, visit our Press Room at https://press.gfa.org/news.

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