Remembering the Crucifixion

by Ken Ham 

Today is known as Good Friday, a time when many Christians remember the Crucifixion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul reminds us in the book of Romans that God demonstrated His love and mercy for us through the death of His Son:

For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6–8)

As you think on the death of our Savior, I want to share a short devotional with you that Tim Chaffey, content manager at our evangelistic Ark Encounter project, wrote about the Crucifixion. Below are the introductory paragraphs:

On the day often called Good Friday many Christians will commemorate the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The Creator put on human flesh and died a horrific death on the Cross. Rather than worshiping Him as their Creator and God, most people rejected Him and sentenced Him to death. How could the day associated with mankind’s heinous act possibly be called good?

The answer to this question is found in the purpose for Christ’s death. Jesus said that He “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). Since we have all sinned against the infinitely holy God, we deserve to pay the price for our rebellion—death (Romans 3:23). But praise God for His mercy and grace! Rather than condemning us for our sin, the Bible tells us that God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son to take the punishment we deserve (John 3:16; 1 John 4:10; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

I encourage you to read the entire piece on our website. Now, the Crucifixion is a big part of the gospel message, but that’s not all. On Easter Sunday, we’ll remember and celebrate the key to the gospel—the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Visit my blog again this Sunday for another encouraging devotion.

Don’t Forget the Resurrection!

Yesterday during our morning staff meeting, we received a challenging message about the Resurrection by Ark Encounter content manager Tim Chaffey. I posted this on my Facebook page earlier this morning, but I wanted to include it here for those who may not have seen it.

Tim gave this talk in connection with his new book In Defense of Easter, which is now available at a special sale price in our online store. Consider getting a copy for yourself—and your family—to discover the history behind the Resurrection and why everything hinges on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,

Ken