Good Morning Easter Devotional Day 5 – The hope of full restoration

Good morning! It’s day 5 of the Good morning easter devotional! Thanks for joining us! I’m so excited you’re here! Happy Good Friday! 

Today we remember what makes Good Friday good. And it’s Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. It sounds really weird to celebrate someone’s death, but today is not where the story ends, thank goodness. Jesus’s death was not defeat, this was a victory. Good Friday is filled with Good News.

The devotional says, “On the cross, Jesus ended the reign of sin and death in the world—the “old order of things has passed away.” He took the punishment we deserved for our rebellion against God. Now, if we believe that Jesus has saved us from our sin and ask for His forgiveness, we too are free of sin and death and can look forward to that joyful day when His work is complete and “he will wipe every tear from [our] eyes.” 

And when Jesus died on the cross, the disciples thought it was the end. His followers thought all was lost, it was over, there was no hope. Let’s read the crucifixion account from John.

So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”

When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says,

“They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots."

So the soldiers did these things, but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:17-30

After seeing these things, who ever would have thought to keep hold of hope? I really don’t think I would have. I know Jesus, throughout his ministry and time with his disciples, mentioned and foreshadowed that he would rise on the third day and that he has overcome the world. But at that point in time, before his death, it was not common for someone to resurrect themselves. I totally understand why the disciples were so scared and afraid and went into hiding afterwards. They thought they were next, and I don’t blame them at all.

But what they couldn’t see coming next is what really changed the world forever. Jesus overcame death. John 16:33 says, In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” And he did. The troubles in our present age are temporary, but God’s promises of something better are eternal. 

Praise God, a day is coming when there will be no death or mourning or crying or pain. The old order of the world will have passed away, and instead, God’s dwelling place will be among his people. This is the good news of Good Friday!

How can the hope Jesus brings give you comfort in the challenges of your life?