Some years ago I preached from John’s Gospel on Good Friday. The text describes death as the last enemy and that was the focus of my sermon. One man complained bitterly following the service that I spent too much time with death. “Why not preach resurrection hope?” he protested.
In response, I noted, “You can’t preach Easter without Good Friday and you can’t understand the gift of Easter, if you haven’t contemplated your own mortality or what it meant for Jesus to embrace death as a means of liberating us.”
I continue to believe that is the case. Easter is not a sequel to Good Friday. It is not the second clause in a sentence that begins, “Jesus died, but….”
It is the day that we measure that darkness that makes real the Light.
Hardly I agree! I think what happens with a lot of people is they don’t want to admit they are sinners in need of forgiveness. Just bypass that aspect and get on to the glory and power. I believe glory and power are very present at the Lord’s last supper, Judas’ betrayal, Peter’s denial, all disciples forsaking Him after the chosen three could not endure one hour while Jesus prayed so earnestly that great drops of blood came from His precious head while He asked His Father if there was another way and His submission of Not My Will But Thine Be Done. His enduring terrible mockings and corrupt trials as well as horrible physical abuse ending with death on the cross. Now why would some people not want to look at that? If that is not glory and power I don’t understand the concept. Jesus, the Perfect, yes, the Perfect Substitute for each person, endured to the end because He knew there was no other way for us to be a family. He is our Sacrifice. There was no way the grave could hold Jesus. He never sinned. We are the sinners. Until a person takes their place with Jesus before Easter there is no hope for them to experience Easter.