A Good Friday Meditation

It started in the Garden of Eden. A simple bite of a forbidden fruit set in motion a catastrophic series of events. By a conscious decision to ignore the word of God death entered into our world. Communion with God was damaged, our bodies began to decay, and nature rebelled against us.

By rejecting God we surrendered to Satan. We gave up the dominion God meant for us to have over creation and handed it over to the Prince of Darkness. Ever since then our world has been wrecked by wars, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, and disease. Ever since then our lives have been wrecked by murder, jealousy, envy, guilt, and pain. Our lives are plagued by doubt and fear. But even in the midst of the chaos we've created and the chaos that Satan perpetuates - there is hope! Even as man was sinning in the Garden of Eden God was setting in motion a plan of rescue.
God promised a Savior. He would be born of a woman and bruised by the serpent, but He would crush the head of the serpent with His heel.

Throughout the long and winding annals of history God has continued to promise the coming of a Savior and He has foreshadowed His coming. He gave us a glimpse of the Savior on Mount Moriah as Abraham prepared to sacrifice his only son as an offering to God. He gave us a glimpse of the Savior as Moses led the Israelites to safety through the waters of the Red Sea. He gave us a glimpse of the Savior as David defeated the enemies of Israel and made preparation for the House of God. And throughout the course of history God has sent priests, prophets, judges, kings, and angels to tell us - "Do not be afraid, there is hope, the Savior is coming!"

The Savior came, not in splendor, but in swaddling clothes. He came not from a wealthy family, but from the family of a carpenter. He came not riding on a royal stallion, but on a borrowed donkey. And now He is hanging on a cross between two thieves. Where is the hope?

The hope is found in the words, "It is finished." As He hung bleeding and mangled on the cross, suffocating under His own body weight, He struggled to utter these words. He pulled up with His arms as the nails tore the flesh of His hands, He pushed up with His legs as the nail tore the flesh of His feet, just to get enough air into His lungs to utter each word - "It" - "is" - "finished." And as that final word rolled past His lips with His final breath His life left with it. He was dead.

When the world heard these words they mourned in defeat. When Satan and the host of Hell heard these words they trembled in fear. When God the Father, the Holy Spirit, the holy Angels, and all of the saints of Heaven heard these words they began to celebrate. Jesus wasn't announcing His defeat - He was announcing His victory! St. Paul tells us that the last enemy is death. Jesus died to conquer death. He was facing the enemy on its own turf. In the Creed we say, "He descended to the dead." Why? To announce His victory over death and to set the captives free.

What was finished at the Cross was our salvation. All of the sin, guilt, loneliness, depression, and chaos in our lives can now be given to the Savior and He will make our lives right again. He has broken the bonds of sin and death. He has taken back the dominion from Satan and will restore it to us if we are willing to live in Him.

That's why we call this Good Friday. It signaled the beginning of the end for evil and it points us to the ultimate victory found in the Resurrection.