Melody Jacob

Hi everyone, Good Friday is here in Glasgow (April 18th, 2025), and it's a really significant day for lots of people around the world, especially Christians. You might be thinking, "Good Friday? Why 'good' when we're remembering something so sad?" That's a totally fair question!

See, Good Friday is the day when Christians remember Jesus' betrayal, his brutal beating and torture, and ultimately, his death on a cross. Jesus was a Jewish man from a small town in Judea, and he was known for doing incredible good – healing the sick, caring for the marginalized, and offering forgiveness. He touched lepers, gave sight to the blind, and treated everyone with love and respect.

But not everyone liked his message. The religious leaders at the time felt threatened, and on this day we call Good Friday, Jesus was falsely accused, betrayed, whipped, mocked, and then executed through crucifixion, which was a really cruel and painful way to die under Roman rule. You can read more about it in the Bible, in the book of John, chapter 19, verses 1-30.

So, back to the big question: How can a day like that be considered 'good'?"

The answer lies in understanding why God sent Jesus into the world and who Jesus truly was. Christians believe that God — our Creator — loves us all so much and wants to be in a perfect, peaceful relationship with us. He wants to give meaning and purpose to our lives. That's why he sent his one and only son — Jesus — to Earth to live, die, and rise again for our sake. As it says, "For here is the way God loved the world — he gave his only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in him will never perish but experience everlasting life" (John 3:16). 

Jesus experienced life on Earth just like us. He knew what it was like to be hungry, tired, alone, and even grieving. Then, on Good Friday, he faced betrayal, rejection, and immense physical and verbal pain.

And here's a powerful thought: Many of the emotions that were there on Good Friday are like those we experience today. There's nothing you might be feeling – friends who let you down, fear about the future, worries about money or health, sadness for loved ones, confusion, or even loneliness – that God hasn't seen before. Jesus understands all of it.

The significance of Good Friday lies in the fact that Jesus loves us so much that he gave up everything so that we could experience true and everlasting life. He took all of this – our shame, our brokenness, our mistakes – upon himself. He put them to death on the cross so that we could be free from it all. 

That leads us to Easter! What's the meaning behind all the chocolate eggs and bunnies? Well, at its heart, the true meaning of Easter is about the incredible love Jesus has for us and the purpose and peace he offers us.

The Bible says that Jesus himself said, "I am the path, the truth, and the energy of life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). Jesus died and then rose back to life so that everyone could have a meaningful relationship with God the Father, the Creator of everything. Sin broke that connection, but Jesus fixed it through his sacrifice and resurrection. Because Jesus overcame death, we too can have the hope of a new, everlasting life in Heaven with God.

But Easter isn't just about a promise for the future. It also offers us hope and joy for today. Life can throw a lot at us – worries about money, health, safety, and just general heartache. But Jesus offers something deeper: peace of mind and heart. He said, "I am leaving you with a gift — peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give isn’t fragile like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid" (John 14:27).

So, the meaning of Easter is that no matter what we're going through, we can have hope and peace because of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. It means we are deeply loved and never alone in our struggles. This promise of peace is constant and forever – it's up to us to choose to accept it.