Easter

Why did Jesus have to die? What does it even mean that He might have risen from the dead? Basically, what does one man dying 2000 years ago have to do with me?

It's a great question. I think about it often.

I think we can find an answer on Easter Friday. There are seven words or phrases recorded from Jesus as he hung on the cross dying. In my church on the Good Friday Service (see below why it is good) each of the candles represented one of those sayings, as it was said the candle was snuffed out, by the end, Jesus breathes his last and gives up his spirit.

After this, we remember that Jesus' body was laid in a tomb nearby. That night the Sabbath day of rest began. No one could do anything for the body until that day was over. In the culture at the time, a day was not measured by hours but rather simply by participating in a part of that day, so Jesus died on Friday afternoon (one day), all of Saturday he was dead (another day), and on Sunday morning (the beginning of the third day) Jesus' tomb was found empty.

 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”

But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb.

(Mark 16:1-8a)

The Sun has risen! The tomb was empty, not because Jesus' body had been stolen, not because it was the wrong tomb, but because Jesus is alive!

Why is it called Good Friday? It's not just because we know that Jesus rose from the dead 3 days later, so a good man didn't suffer an unjust death forever. No, it is good because of what Jesus achieved on the cross. He laid down his life, freely, so that many might be saved.
But what does that even mean?

Jesus was a popular teacher in his time, which threatened the local religious leaders at the time, they worried that Jesus would overthrow their positions, but also bring attention from the Roman Emperor who might take away more rights from the Jewish people. So the religious leaders debated what to do with Jesus...
But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should perish for the people, not that the whole nation should perish." He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. ~John 11:49-52

Jesus died on behalf of the nation of Israel, to bring peace, but not only for them but for all who are God's people! That is why it is Good Friday! We have someone who paid the perfect price for eternal peace.