On the front wall of St John’s (and many other churches!), there is a cross. Not surprisingly, some people find it odd that the Christian church has a symbol of execution as its ‘logo’ – surely that’s not the way to attract people? But Christians believe the death of Jesus was an execution with a divine purpose, as Jesus took on himself the punishment that we deserved. That’s why the anniversary of Jesus’ execution is considered ‘Good’ Friday.
On Easter morning, some of us will enjoy the earliest service of the year, at 6am on the beach. We look forward to watching the s-U-n rise while we celebrate the rising of the s-O-n from the empty tomb. In everyday experience, dead people stay dead, but Jesus was different, leading millions down the ages to follow Him as Lord and enjoy transformed lives as a result. I love giving away copies of Val Grieve’s book ‘Your verdict on the empty tomb’ at this time of year, do let me know if you’d like a copy.
As a quick summary, I think about Good Friday as being about God’s love and Easter Day as about God’s power. Both are unlimited! I hope that, amid the chocolate and other goodies we enjoy, you will take time to reflect on both God’s love and power – HAPPY EASTER!
David