WHATS SO GOOD ABOUT GOOD FRIDAY

Two friends Roshan & Rohit discuss about Good Friday.

Roshan: Hi, Rohit Rohit : Hi, How are you? Roshan: Fine Thank You. How about you? Rohit : I am feeling great. You know the next Friday is Good Friday Roshan : Yes, Can you tell me Whats so good about Good Friday? Rohit : I do not know anything about Good Friday but I know one thing that is good about Good Friday Roshan : Tell me, What is it? Rohit : It gives me a guaranteed holiday, while other festivals could fall on a Saturday or Sunday which are regular holidays every week Good Friday always falls on a Friday. Roshan : In a way it is good but I know ultimately why it is called Good. Rohit : First tell me what is Good Friday?

Roshan : It is the day on which we remember the death of Jesus Christ. Rohit : Your words remind me of my Dads death. He passed away two years back. His death anniversary is a gloomy day for us. We remember the happy days we spent and long for those days but I know that my longing will remain just longing and I would never be able to meet him again. Roshan : I am so sorry. We are meeting after 3 years, I didnt know about your Dads death. I know how hard it is loose your Dad at such a young age. How did he die? Rohit : He died in a road accident. A truck went over him, crushing him to death on the spot. Lets change the topic yaar. Tell me, How did Jesus die? Roshan : He was crucified on the cross. Rohit : Crucified. What is it? Roshan : The Romans condemned him to die by crucifixion. It was a punishment reserved for the worst criminals. Rohit : What crime did Jesus commit? Roshan : He was innocent. In fact Pontius Pilate the Governor who ordered for the crucifixion declared that Jesus is innocent. He was so convinced of his innocence that he washed his hand off before the Jewish leaders who had sought Jesus Crucifixion and told them that he would not bear the guilt of shedding innocent blood. Rohit : Isnt it then a miscarriage of Justice? Roshan : Yes, definitely. Rohit : Why did the Jewish leaders want to crucify? Roshan : I think that they envied him and felt threatened by his popularity. Just a few days before crucifixion, Jesus went on a procession to Jerusalem and was hailed as Messiah, a King. Rohit : I guess, crucifixion must have been very painful.

Roshan : Yes. He was mocked, insulted and flogged. A crown of thorns was fixed on his head and he had to carry the heavy cross to the site of crucifixion. He was nailed to the cross and made to hang on the nails driven through his hands & legs. A spear was thrust through a side. Blood was dripping from all parts of the body. Rohit : It must have been the most cruel form of capital punishment in history. I dont see anything good about Good Friday. Roshan : Yes, it was the most painful punishment. This apart he also had to face mental agony. All his closest friends deserted him. He felt forsaken by all but even while on the cross he forgave those who were so cruel to him. Rohit : I have read about many great leaders who have laid down their lives for worthy causes. Jesus is one of the greatest leaders in human history. But what did Jesus death accomplish. Roshan : There are some differences between Jesus & other leaders. Jesus claimed he was the Son of God. He offered himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. He is the only person who has ever risen from the dead and is alive today. He rose again on the third day after his crucifixion, death & burial. That day is celebrated as Easter. Rohit : If you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, then there is no problem in believing that he rose from the dead. But tell me why should Jesus die as a sacrifice? Why not somebody else? Why should a sacrifice be required in the first place? Roshan : You have asked many questions. Let me answer one by one. You should first understand what sin is before you understand the need for a sacrifice. Sin is nothing but breaking Gods rules. If we break a traffic rule we have to pay a fine. There is a penalty that we have to pay if we sin. There is another aspect about sin, because God is Holy and sin comes naturally to man, he is not able to have relationship with God. Sin is a barrier between man & God. Rohit: So, you are hinting that to overcome this barrier between man & God, a sacrifice is essential.

Roshan : Absolutely. But the sacrifice that is being made must be acceptable to God. That means the sacrifice of only a sinless man is acceptable. There is not one sinless man in the whole of mankind hence God decided to Incarnate as a man and die for mankind. God showed his love for mankind by offering the sinless Jesus as a sacrifice on the cross. Rohit : You mean to say, man was helpless in his attempt to seek God and therefore God himself came as man and offered himself as a sacrifice. Roshan : Jesus became a bridge between man & God and solved the sin problem. Jesus took our place on the cross. The Bible says by His stripes we are healed. Rohit : I understand the uniqueness of Jesus sacrifice. How do I get the benefits of Jesus sacrifice in my life. Roshan : It is very simple. Believe that Jesus died on the cross for you and is ready to help you now. Ask him to forgive all the sins that you ever did and ask him for strength to lead a holy life. Then God will come into your life and transform you. Rohit : Even as you were saying these words, I did what you said. For the first time I feel peaceful. Jesus has shown me what real love is. I now know what is so good about Good Friday. I am eager to know what Easter is. Thank you, Roshan for sharing this truth to me. Roshan : It was a pleasure chatting with you. We will meet next week to discuss about Easter. May God bless you. Bye for now. Rohit : Thank you once again. Bye. See you next week.