Luke 23 :: Good Friday? Really?

Luke 23

From Luke 22:67-70

Having already begun the beating, the men in charge of Jesus asked him, "Are you the Messiah?"

"If I said yes, you wouldn't believe me.  If I asked what you meant by your question, you wouldn't answer me.  So here's what I have to say:  From here on the Son of Man takes his place at God's right hand, the place of power."

They all said, "So you admit your claim to be the son of God?"

"You're the ones who keep saying it."

In Chapter 23, amidst the crucifixion narrative, Luke records Jesus as saying...

• Those are your words not mine.
• Father, forgive them; they don't know what they're doing.
• Don't worry, I will.  Today you will join me in paradise.
• Father, I place my life in your hands!

These are not the words of a king.  These are not the words of the most powerful man on earth.  These are not the words that I want my Savior to say as he is spit upon, beaten, tortured and killed.  This is not the way it is supposed to happen.  Why doesn't he fight?  Why doesn't his Father step in?  Why can't he stop this?

The answers to these questions mean everything.  The answers are the reasons why such a horrible day can be referred to by Christ-followers everywhere as "Good Friday."  Several people have put together lists of why, but I wanted to highlight one...

"This is how much God loved the world:  He gave his Son, the one and only Son.  And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.  God didn't go through all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was.  He came to help, to put the world right again.  Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted"  - John 3:16-17 (The Message)

Jesus suffered and died to justify the love of God.  His love for his creation, so great that it cost him the life of his son.  His death, his suffering, doesn't point an accusatory finger, but extends a loving embrace.  Have you been embraced by this love?  If you haven't you can.  If you have, that's why we can call it "Good Friday."