“When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.”(Luke 23:33)
If you’re at all like me, you often find it difficult to come up with a good segue to introducing the gospel message to folks you come in contact with. But every year, as Good Friday rolls around, I get a little more courageous to speak to people about Jesus, because the name of the holiday is just what the doctor ordered.
The beauty of the name is that if you examine the events of that day from an earthly perspective, you almost have to conclude that there appears to be nothing “good” about the day at all. After all, it’s the day Christians commemorate the torture and killing of an innocent man. We understand the other-worldly significance of the event, but the unbelieving world sees either a bloody, brutal murder scene, or, perhaps, a routine execution. Nothing jumps off the page as being worthy of the label, “good.”
So after wishing your friends, colleagues and family members a “Happy Good Friday” (and having received a quizzical look in return), you can follow up with, “By the way, do you know why they call it ‘Good Friday’?” Note the blank stare.
Your answer: “Because that’s the day that Jesus was hung on the cross and died.” Queue the blank stare again…
Your follow up may go something like: “So what’s so good about that, you ask? Well, it’s because…”
Thus begins your presentation of the good news of the Father’s love for all mankind-wrap it up in less than a minute and maybe, just maybe, God will use that short presentation for the growth of His Kingdom (or further discussion opportunities)!
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.”(Matthew 10:16).
” But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;” (1 Peter 3:14-15).
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