Once, I was taking a taxi from KLIA into the city. On the way, I asked the taxi driver, “Have you heard of Good Friday and Easter?” He said, “Yes!” So I asked, “Do you know what Good Friday and Easter is about? Why do we have Good Friday? Why do we have Easter?” He replied, “I don’t know! Can you tell me?”
Dear friends, do you know? Do you know what Good Friday and Easter is about? In fact, Good Friday and Easter is closely related to Christmas.
Christmas tells us that the Lord Jesus was born, in order to die and resurrect for us sinners. So Christmas is for Good Friday and Easter. Jesus is the true God who came from heaven, to become the perfect sinless man. Why would a perfect sinless man have to be nailed to the cross so cruelly?
The Bible says: “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” (Romans 4:25)
Jesus was delivered over to death for our sins:
When my wife was a young child, she accidentally hit her third brother in the eye. His eye swelled up. Their father asked the children, “Who did this?” Her eldest brother, also in primary school at the time, spoke up bravely: “Dad, I did it.” So the father picked up a rattan stick and began beating the eldest brother. Why did this eldest brother say that he did it? Because he loved his little sister and wanted to protect her and take her punishment.
The Lord Jesus is our big brother. For the love of us sinners, even though He Himself was sinless, he was willing to bear all our sins and transgressions, to be nailed to the cruel cross. Because he is the true God, He not only saves one person, but He saves anyone in the world who is willing to believe in him. Dear friends, please believe that Jesus suffered and died for your sins.
Jesus was raised to life for our justification:
I know an old woman who is over 80 years old. She had followed folk religion since young and was especially knowledgeable in funeral matters, so she was the advisor for many funerals among the local people. But when she saw a Christian funeral, she said to her Christian daughter, “When I die, please arrange a Christian funeral for me, because it is cleaner and faster.” The daughter said to her, “Mother, you need to believe in Jesus before you can have a Christian funeral!” The old lady said, “Fine, then I believe in Jesus, but I am too old, I can’t go to church anymore.” But after she believed in Jesus, she received the resurrected life. Her life was changed. Not only did she go to church, but she was able to read the Bible, memorize Bible verses, sing hymns etc.
Dear friends, Jesus died for our sins, and he was raised to life for our justification, so that we may receive the righteous life, the resurrected life. We can live a new life, and one day we will go to heaven.
Please, right now, believe that Jesus died for your sins and resurrected on the third day. Pray right now to express your trust in Jesus. Tell him: Lord Jesus, I confess and repent of my sins to you. I believe that you died for my sins. I believe that you rose from the dead for me, so that I may be justified, to become a new creation. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Brothers and sisters, congratulations! Now you are justified. From today onwards, you belong to Jesus forever. Jesus is also forever yours, and you will very naturally do 4 things: 1. Read the Bible: Pick up the Bible to read His Word. 2. Pray: Talk to God, 3. Church: Join church gatherings to worship God and love with brothers and sisters in Christ, 4. Witness: Share what you have received with others. You can then demonstrate the true meaning of Good Friday and Easter in your life.
Please remember: Good Friday is Jesus delivered over to death for our sins; Easter is Jesus was raised to life for our justification.
By Rev Dr Tie King Tai
SCAC President