“And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, ‘Truly this man was the Son of God!’” – Mark 15:37-39
Today is Good Friday. On this day, we remember the terrible suffering and death of Jesus, the Son of God, on the cross. There on the cross, Jesus suffered not only physically but spiritually. As He was nailed there, bleeding and gasping for breath, Jesus carried all our sins upon Himself. As His strength faded under darkened skies, Jesus personally suffered all of God’s righteous wrath for those sins.
However, with His death, we already see the promise of our hope! As Jesus died, the enormous heavy curtain that separated the Most Holy Place in the Temple from the Holy Place suddenly ripped in two. This curtain separated all of us from God’s holy presence. With Christ’s death, there was no longer a heavy curtain of separation. With Christ’s death, the presence of God can be experienced not just by a High Priest once a year, but by everyone who believes in Jesus every day.
When the Son of God died on Good Friday, He made it possible for everyone who believes in Him to be reconciled to God. Because of the cross, we can enjoy God as our Father and our friend. Because of the cross, we can enjoy eternal life from the moment we believe and for the rest of eternity.