Why is Good Friday 'good'??

What is Good Friday and why is it 'good' when the events it commemorates are about suffering and death?

For Christians, Good Friday is a crucial day because it celebrates what we believe to be the most momentous weekend in the history of the world. We believe the cross and the resurrection of Jesus to be the decisive turning point for all creation. 

On Good Friday we remember that Jesus willingly suffered and died by crucifixion as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins (1 John 1:10). This is followed by Easter, the glorious celebration of the day Jesus was raised from the dead, heralding his victory over sin and death and pointing ahead to a future resurrection for all who are united to him by faith (Romans 6:5).

The name Good Friday is entirely appropriate because the suffering and death of Jesus, as terrible as it was, marked the dramatic culmination of God’s plan to save people from their sins.  The good news of the gospel can only make sense if we first recognise the darkness of our sin.  The cross is where we see the convergence of great suffering and God’s amazing forgiveness.  Psalms 85:10 speaks of a day when “righteousness and peace” will “kiss each other.” The cross of Jesus is where that occurred, where God’s demands, his righteousness, coincided with his mercy. We receive divine forgiveness, mercy, and peace because Jesus willingly took our divine punishment, the result of God’s righteousness against sin.  Good Friday marks the day when wrath and mercy met at the cross. 

That’s why Good Friday whilst being so dark is, in fact, so Good!!