By Lois Hewitt

Good Friday.  What can happen in a nine-hour period?  A lot, especially if you are Jesus of Nazareth.

The day started early, in the wee hours.  The morning was full of unlawful mock trials. Trials that ultimately brought down a sentence of crixifiction for Jesus.

Scattered throughout those morning hours were random and planned attacks on Jesus. He was mocked, spit on, cut deeply by a crown of thorns, stabbed and beaten. I have read accounts that He was so brutally beaten, His own mother did not recognize Him at first.

After He was sentenced to death, the humiliation continued as He was paraded out in the crowds of people cursing Him.  As He carried His own cross, His body grew weaker.

Unfortunately the worst was not over.  There are many accurate writings describing what happens to the body when crucified. If you have never read one, I suggest you do just to get an idea of the absolute pain and devastation that comes from such a punishment.

Now it was time for the Roman solders to take those huge nails and tear the flesh as they were driven into His hands and feet.

He languished for hours along with the two criminals that joined Him that day each on a wooden cross.  At approximately 3 pm He uttered these words:

Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34, NIV).  

And His last words were, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” (Luke 23:46, NIV).  And it was done.

The sky drew dark and, I imagine, the winds swirled around.  It must have looked like the worst storm you have ever seen. 

Earlier that day, Judas, the one who betrayed Jesus for a few silver coins, took His own life for the grief of his actions was too much for him to bear.

By 6 p.m. Friday evening, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus’ body down from the cross and lay it in a tomb. 

Nine long and excruciating hours. Hours filled with the most cruelty human-unkind could muster.

Good Friday was anything but good.  You must look, however, at the bigger picture in order to appreciate the sacrifice.

Because of all Jesus gave, it allowed everyone the opportunity to know salvation and to know redemption.  Jesus has a love for us so complete, our wildest imagination cannot comprehend it.  We are not able to experience it all now.  But in the future, all will be revealed.

But the good that came out of that Friday, literally changed every life thereafter.
He changed life for believers and non-believers alike.  His love is so profound, nothing was the same as it before.

Just remember the story does not end here.

Friday’s events are recorded in Matthew 27:1-62, Mark 15:1-47, Luke 22:63-23:56, and John 18:28-19:37.