But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once and for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. (ESV)

I grew up going to a very liturgical church, and one of my most notable memories is of their Good Friday service. We would sing hymns, interspersed with reading verses from the Gospels leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion. After each hymn, the lights in the sanctuary would be progressively dimmed, and as the passage of Jesus’ death was read the pastor would strike a gong - CRASH! After it was all over, we would walk out to our cars in silence, a stark contrast from the typical joy and fellowship after a service. The darkness and the silence were both small reminders of what the disciples were probably feeling that day: that horrible, terrible, but good Friday.  

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In our passage for today, I love how the author of Hebrews contrasts dead works with the living God. The sacrifices the Israelites had to make that we read through a couple of weeks ago in Leviticus were continuous; there was never a point where the Priest stood in front of the congregation and said “Ok, that’s enough! We’re all good here.” No - until Jesus came it was like that viral video of the robotic arm trying desperately to clean up its own leaking oil but failing miserably with each movement.

Because Jesus “secur(ed) an eternal redemption” (emphasis mine), we can live in freedom, no longer bound by sin. This is something that gets said a lot, but it is foundational to our faith. Because we don’t experience anything “eternal” here on Earth, we can have a hard time grasping that Jesus’ sacrifice has no limits on our sin. Everything we’ve done past, present, and future is already washed away through his blood.  

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That church service I attended as a youth wasn’t particularly exceptional or unique on its own, but taking time to stop and really reflect on the cross and what Jesus did, was what made it so special. I think most of us prefer not to dwell on the hard and painful things, but in this case, it’s vital to our faith. It’s easy to rejoice in what Jesus did, and we absolutely should, but we lose the significance of Easter if we skim over Good Friday.

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One of my favorite hymns has these lyrics so beautifully composed by Isaac Watts:

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When I survey the wondrous cross

On which the Prince of glory died,

My richest gain I count but loss,

And pour contempt on all my pride.

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See from His head, His hands, His feet,

Sorrow and love flow mingled down!

Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,

Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

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Today, I encourage you to take some time to remember. Pause and reflect on what Jesus has done for you and the significance of Good Friday. How has what he has done changed you from death to life?

Lord, how eternally rich you are in mercy and love. We could thank you endlessly for sending Jesus to take on our sins and it would never even come close to how much you love us. From the beginning of time, you’ve known exactly what we’ve needed, and you’ve provided for us abundantly according to your perfect plan. We love you, Lord! Amen.