Some of you may know what Good Friday is (or stands for) and some of you may not. For the latter, I will explain the significance of this day.
Good Friday isn’t a free day off from work. It also isn’t just another day of the week. Good Friday is a quiet day. It’s a day of remembrance. It’s a day of thanksgiving. You see Good Friday celebrates/symbolizes/commemorates Jesus Christ’s death on the cross for our sins (crucifixion). We are unable to save ourselves. The only way to guarantee a place in heaven is through faith alone in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:23-25). We as Christians base our faith on this very event.
Romans 3:23 says, “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” If we move on to Romans 6:23, it says, “for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus or Lord.” So, what does all this mean to us? Romans 3:23-25 is telling us that we are ALL guilty of sin. There’s no way around it – deal with it! However, we are “justified freely by His grace” (Romans 3:24). What does justified mean? It means that we have been found “not guilty” should we put our faith in Jesus. God presented Jesus as a sacrifice of atonement (Romans 3:25). This basically tells us that Jesus died in our place for our sins!
Good Friday, although symbolizing the horrific, painful death of Jesus, is actually a good day. I know, that sounds kind of weird, right? Yeah, it was a sad day, but in the end, the thing that happened – Jesus’ death on the cross as payment for our sins – was a good thing. In reading Matthew 27:46 Jesus cried out in a loud voice “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Jesus was actually reciting the first line of Psalm 22. He was expressing the pain and anguish that He felt when He took on the sins of the world – he was not questioning God. Taking on the sins of the world caused Jesus to be separated from His Father – something much more painful than the physical pain He was going through. Jesus suffered this death so that we may never have to experience eternal separation from God.
So on this Good Friday, I ask you to look at this day as I described. Be thankful that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins so that you may have eternal life. The only way, and I do mean the only way, to receive eternal life, however, is through FAITH ALONE in Jesus Christ. You can’t get to heaven by good works. You can’t get to heaven by being a good person. There is one and only one way to receive salvation and that is through Jesus Christ. A question I like to ask people when speaking to them about salvation is this: if you were to go somewhere in your car and it starts but your heart stops, do you know for certain that you will go to heaven? This is a question you may need to ask yourself. There’s no gray area here…either you know or not. I know that on May 14, 1994 I prayed the prayer that would change my life – and give me salvation. Have you prayed that same prayer?
The prayer doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but it must be sincere. If you would like to ask Jesus to come into your heart, save your life, and ensure your eternal salvation, all you need to do is pray a prayer like this:
God: I’m a sinner and I know that I don’t deserve eternal life. I’ve screwed up in my life and I’m tired of living for myself. I believe you died and rose from the grave to purchase a place in heaven for me. Please come into my life, take control of my life, forgive my sins and save me. I am now placing my trust in You alone for my salvation and I accept Your free gift of eternal life. Amen.
If you just prayed that prayer, you just received Jesus as your Savior and now have a place in heaven just for you! Please contact me and I will send you information on churches in your area, send you a Bible, and other literature. Of course, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me!
Blessings,
Jeremy
Good Friday isn’t a free day off from work. It also isn’t just another day of the week. Good Friday is a quiet day. It’s a day of remembrance. It’s a day of thanksgiving. You see Good Friday celebrates/symbolizes/commemorates Jesus Christ’s death on the cross for our sins (crucifixion). We are unable to save ourselves. The only way to guarantee a place in heaven is through faith alone in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:23-25). We as Christians base our faith on this very event.
Romans 3:23 says, “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” If we move on to Romans 6:23, it says, “for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus or Lord.” So, what does all this mean to us? Romans 3:23-25 is telling us that we are ALL guilty of sin. There’s no way around it – deal with it! However, we are “justified freely by His grace” (Romans 3:24). What does justified mean? It means that we have been found “not guilty” should we put our faith in Jesus. God presented Jesus as a sacrifice of atonement (Romans 3:25). This basically tells us that Jesus died in our place for our sins!
Good Friday, although symbolizing the horrific, painful death of Jesus, is actually a good day. I know, that sounds kind of weird, right? Yeah, it was a sad day, but in the end, the thing that happened – Jesus’ death on the cross as payment for our sins – was a good thing. In reading Matthew 27:46 Jesus cried out in a loud voice “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Jesus was actually reciting the first line of Psalm 22. He was expressing the pain and anguish that He felt when He took on the sins of the world – he was not questioning God. Taking on the sins of the world caused Jesus to be separated from His Father – something much more painful than the physical pain He was going through. Jesus suffered this death so that we may never have to experience eternal separation from God.
So on this Good Friday, I ask you to look at this day as I described. Be thankful that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins so that you may have eternal life. The only way, and I do mean the only way, to receive eternal life, however, is through FAITH ALONE in Jesus Christ. You can’t get to heaven by good works. You can’t get to heaven by being a good person. There is one and only one way to receive salvation and that is through Jesus Christ. A question I like to ask people when speaking to them about salvation is this: if you were to go somewhere in your car and it starts but your heart stops, do you know for certain that you will go to heaven? This is a question you may need to ask yourself. There’s no gray area here…either you know or not. I know that on May 14, 1994 I prayed the prayer that would change my life – and give me salvation. Have you prayed that same prayer?
The prayer doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but it must be sincere. If you would like to ask Jesus to come into your heart, save your life, and ensure your eternal salvation, all you need to do is pray a prayer like this:
God: I’m a sinner and I know that I don’t deserve eternal life. I’ve screwed up in my life and I’m tired of living for myself. I believe you died and rose from the grave to purchase a place in heaven for me. Please come into my life, take control of my life, forgive my sins and save me. I am now placing my trust in You alone for my salvation and I accept Your free gift of eternal life. Amen.
If you just prayed that prayer, you just received Jesus as your Savior and now have a place in heaven just for you! Please contact me and I will send you information on churches in your area, send you a Bible, and other literature. Of course, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me!
Blessings,
Jeremy