At bible study, a friend was opening our time with prayer. It’s Easter week, and in his prayer, he thanked God. These very specific words, cut through everything else as he prayed, “the most extravagant 3 days in history”. My heart was pierced with the magnitude of God’s love as I contemplated those words. Easter is this Sunday, and as I write this, today is Good Friday. Jesus was taken into custody on Thursday night, beaten, and questioned. He was betrayed by one of His closest friends, the signal to the soldiers—a kiss. Friday, His body was scourged with a leather whip, which had metal and bone shards in the tips, so that as it was pulled away, it would grab the flesh, ripping and tearing, skin and muscle. After He was scourged, He was forced to carry His own cross through the crowds of haters, as they hurled insults at Him. He was taken outside the city where they laid Him on a cross and drove nails into His hands and feet. Setting the cross upright, they left Him to hang, suffocating and forcing Him to pull Himself up against the ragged wood, fighting for each breath. He hung there for hours, before drawing His last breath and giving up His soul to the Father. His last words, “It is finished.”

You may have heard the story of Jesus’s death before, but I want you to take a fresh look at these events that have shaped history. What made my friend call this “the most extravagant 3 days in history”? What was extravagant about a man being nailed to a cross to die? To answer that question, we must first look at the man, Jesus. John 1:1-3, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” Jesus is the Word. He is the physical representation of the unseeable God. He is not inferior to God the Father, for they are all equal parts of the Triune God. Yet, our God, the Triune God, Father—Son—Holy Spirit, knew that we were incapable of living a life good enough to be saved. For compared to the holy righteousness of God, we are but filthy rags. No matter how hard we try, we will fail—never to have relationship in eternity with God. Once man fell into sin at the Garden of Eden, the only way for mankind to find our way back to relationship with God, was through sacrifice. Jesus left His throne in heaven, took off His robes of superiority as the all-powerful maker of the heavens and earth. He put on human flesh. Stop and set this image in your mind. Jesus left the beauty, warmth, and peace of heaven—and entered into the dirty, ugly, cold world that we struggle through each day. He cast aside His power and took on the helpless form of a baby. He walked amongst us for 33 years, living in poverty, hunger, fear, pain…why? For you! He did all of that for you and for me!

The definition of extravagant is “exceeding what is reasonable or appropriate; absurd.” We could imagine that Jesus would leave heaven so that He could come to earth, live amongst us, teach, and heal all who He came into contact with. But to die? And to die on a cross? Crucifixion was one of the most barbaric and painful ways to die. So, why would anyone decide to do this willingly?

A couple of years ago I can remember not wanting to attend Good Friday service. I’m always tired by the end of the week and Friday is an extra long day, with working later hours. The last thing I wanted to do was attend a church service. I reasoned that God would understand and that His love for me would not change because of my decision. And all of that is absolutely true. God does not hold my salvation to a standard of work or achievement. I am forgiven, solely because I believe in Jesus and because of His death on the cross. No amount of work will add to or subtract from the love that God has for me. However, I was missing an important part. It’s not about me—why I should attend church on Good Friday. It’s about Jesus—what he did on the cross, and why WOULDN’T I attend church, knowing all He put himself through on my behalf. You see friend, it’s not about us, and yet it’s all about us. Jesus left heaven to become a man, for the sole purpose of dying, thus restoring our broken relationship with God. His blood covers our sins, washing us white, taking away our iniquities, so that we can stand before the throne of heaven, acceptable in God’s site. So, in that regard, it is about us. But Good Friday service and Easter—that is ALL about Him! Without His willingness, His extravagant, absurd, unreasonable love for us, we would be lost!

Knowing that, picturing the suffering He did as He hung on the cross. His body beaten beyond recognition, His lungs screaming for air, His legs nailed together, but forced to push up against the jagged wooden cross—do you see it? Now, ask yourself, why haven’t you opened your heart to Him? Have you thanked Him for how He suffered for you? Have you told Him how sorry you are? “…for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” There is no way to buy yourself into heaven. You cannot be good enough, kind enough, rich enough, pretty enough, talented enough—the only way you will receive everlasting, true beauty, and peace, is to accept the free gift that Jesus offers to you at the cross of Calvary. Accept His gift today—because dear friend, Sunday is coming, and the tomb is empty!