"Ye who think of sin but lightly,
Nor suppose the evil great,
Here may view its nature lightly,
Here its guilt may estimate.
Mark the sacrifice appointed,
See Who bears the awful load,
‘Tis the Word, the Lord’s Anointed,
Son of Man, and Son of God.”
On Good Friday blood is shed. In a tortuous way, in long-drawn out agony.
Isaiah explained it 700 years before it happened. “We esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted”. An ugly sight indeed, “BUT, He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities, upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and by His stipes we are healed" Is. 53.
That is why we call it Good Friday, this day that Jesus Christ died, because, as St. John writes in his first letter, “The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sins.”
So we call this day Good Friday, the day on which blood was shed, for “Without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness?” Heb. 9,23.
That is what it cost for our salvation. But now it is completely and fully done. We have this all by faith. By His grace, out of his love for us.
Thank God for Good Friday. We observe it with reverence, awed by the majesty of the gift Jesus Christ won for us on that cross at Calvary.
GPD 4/10/09
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