Unforgettable Good Friday

Good Friday!  What’s so good about it?  Well for those who were or are part of it, it’s not only good – it’s unforgettable.

Unforgettable for those involved - I've read again this morning Mark’s wonderful detailed account of those last hours of the life of Christ.  Some say that the longer you live the more cynical you get; but the more you read these wonderful accounts the more unforgettable it all becomes. 

Unforgettable for Pilate – the hard, cynical,  twister of a politician who was ‘amazed’ at Jesus silence in the face of unjust accusation.  Yet in the face of all his judicial instincts he handed Christ over to be executed.  He would never forget that day.

Unforgettable for Simon of Cyrene - plucked from the crowd and forced to carry the cross. His name immortalised on the pages of Holy Scripture – an obscure country dweller, father of two boys.  He would never forget that day. 

Unforgettable for the soldiers – experts in the art of crucifixion but never a prisoner had died like this one, who breathed his last with a loud cry and seemed confident of his future. They would never forget that day.

Unforgettable for the thief on the cross – from certain death to glorious entrance into paradise. He could never atone for his sins, yet was remarkably saved, by simple faith alone. He would never forget that day.

Unforgettable for Joseph of Arimathea – a member of the Jewish ruling council who dissented from the decision of his fellow leaders, who boldly went to Pilate and asked for the body and then buried Jesus in his very own new tomb. He went against the crown and he would never forget that day. 

Unforgettable for you – if you have trusted the man on the cross and given him your life. There is no turning back from this life. We should never forget this day.

“Bearing shame and scoffing rude

In my place condemned he stood

Sealed my pardon with his blood

Hallelujah what a Saviour”