GOOD FRIDAY….Good for what? Good for having a lie in, if you’re lucky enough to get the day off. Good for doing the last minute shopping before the Easter holiday. Good for relaxing with the family. Good for enjoying yourself and forgetting you’re everyday worries. Good for a laugh? There wasn’t much to laugh about in first century  Palestine. Life was hard, entertainments few; but there was no charge for watching a public execution and lots of people took time out from their busy lives to watch criminals and rebels being put to death. It took their minds off things for a while. There’s always someone worse off than you are. 
 

Good for nothing. That’s what most of the spectators said when they saw  Jesus hanging on the cross on the first Good Friday;  but, after it was all over, they went back to their homes with the same cares and worries. Only, it wasn’t  all over. Good for God. The man who died on the cross was the Son of God. He had spent his life sharing the cares and worries of human existence. But God was determined to show that his power and love are greater than suffering and death. Jesus was raised to new life. His friends found that their lives were changed too.  Changed out of all recognition!  Good for you. Today’s holiday will soon be over. Some of us will not even get a holiday. Certainly the cares and responsibilities of life will continue.  What we need is not entertainment to take our minds off the problems. That’s just escapism. What we need is someone to share them with, someone to  transform  our lives. That person is Jesus Christ nailed to the cross for the love of you and me. Good Friday.  It’s Good News for the human race Good Friday is Good News for you and me  
 

Yours sincerely, 
 

Adrian