Never understood why they call it Good Friday.

I’m pretty sure that, watching the events of that day, Jesus’ friends didn’t call it good. Nothing good about the sinless Son of God being betrayed, arrested, accused, denied, condemned, beaten, mocked and crucified.

But then Jesus’ friends didn’t know about Sunday. They had forgotten his words about the grain of wheat that had to die before it could bear fruit (John 12:24), and his clear promise that, if his temple was destroyed, in three days he would raise it up (John 2:19).

I suppose theologians would say it’s Good Friday because, on it, Jesus died for our sins. I’ll buy that, but there’s more. I say it’s Good Friday because it sets up Easter.

Put succinctly, Jesus’ disciples needed to know the same thing we need to know when faced with death and dying (see John 11 and I Corinthians 15).

Sunday’s comin’.