Why Good Friday?
What’s so “good” about—Good Friday?
If you’re a believer—it’s a great question.
Where IS the “good” in Good Friday?
Why call this particular day—Good Friday?
Good for who? It certainly wasn’t good for Jesus.
One look at the nature of the cross and we can see it was horrible for Him.
Yet–it was good for us. Great as a matter of fact!
What took place on that cross that made it so great?
. . .why is something that happened so long ago, so far away, all that relevant to you and me?
When Jesus died on that cross, He literally took your sins and mine off of us. They got assigned to Him.
Then His righteousness was assigned to you and me—so that when the Father looks at us, He sees the righteousness of Christ—His Son!
It is truly a GOOD Friday!
NY Church Banned from Public Building
As a pastor I’m concerned when government officials blatantly discriminate against churches!
Thankfully in recent years, courts have ruled in favor of granting equal access to public buildings for churches.
But the government officials in New York were less than receptive to that notion.
One case in point was a church’s request to rent an office building for overflow Easter services. They were denied the request, when the state cited so-called “separation of church and state,” and referenced a policy prohibiting religious expression.
Forget the fact other performances, including Dicken’s A Christmas Carol, were allowed access.
Their policy permitted groups to use the building only—and I quote—“to advance the educational, cultural, or civic climate of the community”—close quote.
How ironic—and frankly, troubling—that state officials would not view people living out their faith as serving an educational, cultural, or civic purpose.
School District to Resurrect Easter
If we allow the word, “Easter” to be banned in the name of religious diversity—what’s next?
I’m grateful for Alliance Defending Freedom standing firm for religious freedom.
They sent a letter to an Alabama school district after it banned the word “Easter” at an elementary school in what the district said were the “interests of religious diversity”—“and as a way to respect and honor everybody’s differences.”
If that’s true, then why ban the word Easter? It’s censorship pure and simple.
The letter from ADF explained that the Supreme Court has acknowledged that government has long recognized holidays with religious significance.
The school district ban on Easter jeopardizes the First Amendment freedoms of students and teachers—and sets a dangerous course for schools elsewhere!
We can’t sit by and allow political correctness to dictate rules for acceptable speech in schools.
More, Bigger, Better, Faster
God doesn’t give us everything we want—He gives us everything we need. Are you okay with that?
We want more, bigger, better, faster—and it’s killing us!
A friend of mine was in Mexico—he noticed a man fishing. Each morning he’d fish, then take time with his family all afternoon.
My businessman friend asked him, “How much do you make a day?” The fisherman said, “Twenty-five a day.”
“Wow”, my friend said. “If you’d borrow the money, you could get more boats, hire more people and make a thousand dollars a day!”
“Why?” asked the fisherman.
“Well so you could take time off with your family.”
The fisherman replied, “But that’s what I’m doing right now.”
Why do we attempt so much? Why are we racing against the clock to make life count?
You know what? Our lives already count because God loves us.
Ban on Easter Egg Hunt Invitations
A 4th grader banned from handing out Easter Egg Hunt invitations? How ridiculous can you get?
A 4th grader gave invitations to her fellow students—and by the way—not during class time. The invitations were for an Easter egg hunt, games, snacks and hearing the biblical story of Easter.
Birthday party invitations are passed out all the time, but in this case, the principal denied permission for the invitations—citing a policy that students are not allowed to pass out fliers related to religious events or activities.
The policy was amended when Alliance Defending Freedom filed a lawsuit on behalf of the student—and the Court struck down the school’s unconstitutional policies.
As the Alliance Defending Freedom legal counsel said, “The First Amendment protects freedom of speech for all students, regardless of religious or political beliefs.”
. . .and thankfully. . .even for forth graders!
Jesus Statue Case
When religious freedom triumphs—it’s a story I’m eager to tell!
Tuan Pham, now a U.S. citizen—fled Viet Nam to openly practice his faith in America.
In gratitude for his new-found freedom, he commissioned a smaller replica of the famous Vietnam “statue of the Christ”—for his prayer garden at his St. Paul, Minnesota home,
Because of an anonymous complaint, Tuan received a formal letter from the city ordering the statue removed–saying it violated city zoning ordinances.
The tide turned, when he contacted Alliance Defending Freedom and their attorneys threatened the city with a lawsuit .
After a two-year battle, the Mayor of St. Paul used his executive authority, and Tuan was allowed to keep the statue in place.
Tuan had the settlement agreement bronzed and it’s now attached to the statue!
. . .a case of faith and justice resulting in religious freedom!
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