Day 5 of Holy Week: Good Friday

So this year we had another Service of Darkness to commemorate Good Friday. The only light in the sanctuary came from candles lining our altars and centered in front of a cross adorned with a whip, a bag of 30 silver pieces, three large nails, a sign in Hebrew, a crown of thorns, and palm branches. We listened as passages were read and songs about the cross and Jesus' sacrifice were played, taking us from the table at the Last Supper, to the Garden of Gethsemane, to the Courts, and finally to Golgotha. With each passage/song combo a candle was extinguished, making the darkness more present, ever heavier. And finally the candle in front of the cross was covered with a glass topper and we watched as the fire died out. Now, I was tired after a long day at work and I was distracted off and on by the people around me, but as I watched that candle dim from exhaustion I was overwhelmed by sorrow over Christ's suffering for me. And just as the candle went dark, pastor ended service with, "Easter is coming, but for now, go home. Jesus is dead."

That statement stuck in my head and my heart for the night... Jesus is dead. Praise God that He rose again, but He died first. And I can only imagine the anguish His followers felt as the hope He created was questioned by His death! It's so easy for us to forget or breeze by the fact that He died because we live in His resurrection daily; in fact just after this service a large group of us went to dinner and laughed and fellowshiped together. And there's nothing wrong with that, but I sometimes wonder if we avoid the thought of His death because of our part in it - He had to die for us or we could never call God Father. Maybe it's because I'm an artist, and I've been told we are often more deeply effected by sorrow and loss, but I've always been completely heartbroken over His death. I cannot go to a Good Friday service or watch a depiction of Jesus on the cross without becoming overcome with emotion and tears. Of course, I know that I'm not the only one and that we cannot forget that He rose to give us life; I just want to remember His sacrifice and how deeply He suffered to free us from our sin!