“Good Friday is good because Jesus is good.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – April 3, 2026
So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). Here they crucified him. John 19:16-18
Good Friday bears Christianity’s most paradoxical name. To casual observers, it marks a cruel tragedy, a brutal execution on a Roman cross. Yet for those who’ve journeyed to the foot of that cross in repentance and faith, it is truly, divinely good. This is the day the ultimate sacrifice for the world’s sins was consummated, transforming an execution site into a fountain of grace. John 19 describes Jesus carrying His own cross to Golgotha, the “Place of the Skull,” where history’s greatest exchange occurred. Christ, the only one who knew no sin, became sin on our behalf. He allowed His body to be writhed in excruciating pain so the sick could find healing. He endured total abandonment by the Father so the rejected could finally be accepted. As Paul writes, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Consider what witnesses saw and heard. His swollen face communicated compassion beyond words. His raspy, thirsty voice spoke forgiveness, even for His executioners. His nail-pierced hands, though pinned to wood, unleashed grace that would span millennia. His nail-pierced feet initiated the “good news” proclaimed for two thousand years. Even the crown of thorns, intended as mockery, demonstrated humility that disarms every human heart. Every physical detail preached a sermon. The blood spoke of cleansing. The outstretched arms declared a universal invitation. The bowed head showed finished work. The torn flesh revealed a torn veil. Nothing about Calvary was accidental; everything was eloquent. Fear would be replaced by love.
Friday’s goodness is rooted in its absolute necessity. Yes, the Lord is good on Friday, but we know He is great on Sunday because He rose from the dead. We celebrate the sacrifice because we know the victory that followed. Yet we must not rush past the cross too quickly, treating it merely as a prelude to resurrection morning. The centurion who stood at the foot of the cross didn’t wait for the empty tomb to believe. He saw how Jesus died and cried out, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” Something about the quality of Christ’s suffering, the dignity of His agony, and the love in His abandonment convinced this executioner that divinity hung before him.
Good Fridays come and go on the calendar, but the vital question remains: how is it with your soul? Does the cross still move you to gratitude, or has it become distant historical fact? If devotion’s fire has cooled, today is the day to ask the Father to restore your salvation’s joy. If you’re approaching Him for the first time, look upon the blood that mingled with love and see the gift offered specifically to you. Linger long today in the cross’s shadow. See His hands and feet. Realize this was God’s love demonstration while we were still sinners, not after we cleaned up, not once we deserved it, but in our rebellion and ruin. Good Friday is good because Jesus is good. He gave His life just for you, so He might walk and talk with you as risen Savior today.
“Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You carried Your cross to Calvary to carry my sin. Thank You for enduring the shame and pain of Golgotha so that my heart could be made pure. In Your name, I pray. Amen.
Application
Focus on the love of Jesus on the cross, and worship Him with a grateful and forgiving heart.
Related Reading
Genesis 22:6; Isaiah 53:5; Romans 5:8; Galatians 3:13
Worship Resource
Casting Crowns: The Power of the Cross
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