Good Friday: The Day the 'deed was done, the victory won'

Many Christians tend to think of Easter Sunday as the key day of Holy Week. It isn't. Today 'Good Friday' is the key day.

As vital a day as Easter Sunday is, it is actually the day that the PR work was done...when we all found out what had actually happened ... on Friday. It was no defeat on Friday, rather a glorious victory. It will be right to celebrate on Sunday, that's when the first Christians found out the truth, and that's what we re-live as we remember. But we should also know that the victory was achieved at the Cross, on Friday.

When Jesus went down into Hell, it was not as some ridiculous church leaders teach to be beaten and scourged again et al. He went dow to 'Lord' his victory over the powers of darkness. "It is accomplished were his final words on the Cross. That wasn't on Sunday, it was on this 'Good' Friday.

Here's a prayer I wrote for our church's annual three-hour (12noon till 3pm) vigil (the first two parts adapted from a song I wrote some years ago):

Heaven sent the glory, to leave behind a story, The greatest story I have ever heard.

Now I need to know him, to love him and to show him,

The love within that my sweet Lord has stirred.

There's a joy I posess, I want someone to hear,

He showed me how not to live in fear.

For he died for mankind, Up on Calvary,

On a cross designed for you and me.

Lord, as the darkness of this day's events overwhelmed the disciples,

so let us never become overwhelmed by life's unexpected events.

Instead, have us take up our cross daily, until that day when we see you face to face.

In the name of him who died for our sins, Amen.