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So Jesus is Dead... Now What?

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I was asked about Good Friday by my daughter. She told me that it was when Jesus died on the cross. Then she said "Daddy, then why is it called Good Friday if Jesus died?

How many agree that was a good question?

Then at a Good Friday service at my church a 3rd grade said "Good Friday is when we celebrate Jesus dying on the cross."

I liked that she said that because we know that it's something to celebrate. We have the end of the story. We know what happens. We can celebrate! But back then - it was over. Jesus was dead. It was a day of sorrow. How could  Jesus - the Savior of the world - be dead? How was He going to save the world from a tomb? How was He going to become king?

I can imagine that a lot of people felt betrayed, abandoned, sad and lied to. The had waited and waited and waited for this promised Jesus - 400+ years to be exact. They had put their hope in Jesus and now their hope was dead on the cross and death was permanent.

So Jesus is dead... now what? What if this is the end of the story? The stopped here. There was no Easter. There was no resurrection. There was just Friday. Friday was the end. What does that mean? How does that change everything?

If Jesus is still dead - doesn't that make Him just another guy? Doesn't that make Him a liar? Jesus had spoke of His pending resurrection and this is referenced in Luke 24:

“He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:” – Luke 24:6 NIV

So Jesus is dead... now what? There is no chance for ultimate peace. There is no chance for this broken world to be healed. There is no purpose to life. There is no chance for us to be free. Sin still reigns. Death still reigns. Satan wins.

But we know that is not the end of the story. In Luke 24 we see these words:

“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! – Luke 24:5b-6a NIV

Death had been beaten! Sin has been beaten! Satan has been beaten! There is a chance for this broken world after all. Jesus was the key to God's restoration plan for world. There is peace. There is purpose. There is a way for us to be free! Jesus is that way!

God had tried many different ways to restore the world to its original perfect form. But they all failed. We couldn't do it on our own. We needed help. So God should His love and started the plan that was left and He didn't wait for us to get it together first:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." – John 3:16 NIV
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8 NIV

So Jesus is dead... now what?

Victory!
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