For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. – John 3:16-17

“Our pristine parents chose the wrong tree. Adam and Eve believed what is literally and verifiably the oldest lie in the book—“you shall be like God.” Against the explicit instructions of a benevolent Father-Creator, they partook of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and innocence died. What is this thing that has such awful ability to separate God and Creator from man and creation? What is it that formed this chasm? What could possibly have been so strong and mighty, so dark and drastic as to have driven a wedge between a timeless God and a temporal man? It is sin.” – Rod Pasley (The Cross)

When Adam ceded dominion to the devil in the garden, he did not only give Satan room in the world, he also gave him power to inflict pain and suffering on us, his descendants. Wars, famine, diseases, hardships and worst of it all, death have become a part of our daily existence. There are people in certain parts of the world who have known war, suffering and famine their whole life it feels normal to them.

As we’ve learned in the beginning, that is not how God meant it. Adam succumbing to the deception of the devil was a trade of power we could never get back on our own. God in His infinite wisdom, desiring to restore man to our old nature sent His only begotten son, Jesus, to die for us. So that by His death another exchange can be effected. An exchange that will restore the state of men as God had planned from the beginning.

In our verse for today, we learn that Christ did not come into the world to condemn us all as sinners, as some would peddle for political and religious gains. He died to save us all from it, and ultimately restore us to sonship like it was before. (1 John 3:2) Good Friday is a day of reflection, a day to remember the suffering of Christ and the exchange that brought us. A day to honor Him in fellowship, love and peace.

I pray that while we reflect on this great sacrifice, the peace of God that transcends all understanding will reign in our hearts and will move us to share this good news to others as well. In Jesus name, Amen.