Red Letter Day

Good Friday was a Red Letter day.  We say that because in many Bibles you find the words that Jesus spoke written in red ink.  There are a couple reasons for that I suppose.  One, the red ink stands out among the black text.  Pretty simple right?  But I like to consider a second reason for the red ink.  It represents His blood.  And together - the words He spoke and the blood He shed - mean everything.

I could go on for pages with each set of words, but consider these:

Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. I am thirsty.  Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. It is finished!  Dear mother, here is your son. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

As I was read in Mark 15 this morning I tried to imagine what was happening to Jesus.  And the more I reflected on it, the more my heart sank.  We have all seen the images on television or the internet of people being beheaded, burned alive in cages, or dropped feet first from very tall buildings.  And like Jesus these people weren’t criminals.  They didn't deserve to be treated this way.  What makes it worse for me is when they show pictures or video of the perpetrators of these heinous acts with cold stares or heartless smiles on their faces.  I must confess my first reaction is not to utter the words of Jesus when He said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)  I’d much rather reach into my television or computer screen and inflict some discomfort on them!  I cannot understand how people can find pleasure in causing someone else to feel fear and pain.

It’s not fun to seriously consider what the soldiers did to Jesus.  They took him to the palace and called all the other guards to come along.  It was Jesus against all of them.  He didn’t have a buddy to turn to or a hand to grab for some mild comfort or reassurance.  He was among a whole host of hate-filled people who were enjoying themselves as He suffered.  It wasn’t enough to simply kill him.  They needed to prolong the process.  In Mark 15:19-20 we read, 

Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. 20 And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him."

The more I reflect on all of this the more I realize that the people committing these acts are no worse than I am when I envy, lie, steal, lust with my eyes, gossip, use foul language, or disrespect my wife.  

By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16915011

I remember seeing The Passion of the Christ (2004) for the first time in a local theater.  At one point while Jesus is being led to the place where He would be crucified, He fell down and the camera angle was such that Jesus was looking right at everyone watching.  Up until this point He had endured so much already that I remember myself crying and asking why didn’t He just give up and die!  And then I remember thinking that He had to finish so that God’s plan was complete.  He needed to die like a common criminal and not sin once along the way.  He needed to endure the mocking, the laughter so that we could all hear him say, “Father forgive them.”  He needed to fulfill the Father’s plan so we don’t have to live forever in pain and unbearable suffering.

When you think about Good Friday, try and remember that it is a Red Letter Day.  The words are red so they stand out.  And they are red because they have Jesus’ blood all over them.  And it’s that blood that allows us to come before a loving God and have our sins forgiven and our eternity sealed.  

If you want to know more about what all this means and how to have an everlasting relationship with the one true God we would love to hear from you! Simply email us at quimby@jenandmikeq.com.  You can also find some helpful information here: peacewithgod.net