I couldn’t decide if it was scary,sad or sacred. But I brought my kids anyway.
We stood at the entrance, about to walk through a dark path.
We would stop to touch, smell, see, hear and taste different things that represent the last week Jesus lived here on Earth.
It’s definitely an experience that is richer, deeper and more meaningful than sitting down to hear a sermon in church.
This is like walking into a movie about Jesus and getting to interact with props; you are an extra that can get pretty close to the main character.
Christopher, my ten year old son, stood for a moment, feeling how rough and heavy the wooden cross was.
My six year old daughter Allyson was curious about how pointy the crown was. Daddy explained that some mean people made Jesus wear it.
Good Friday was a very sad day, we told the kids.
Jesus had been loving people, doing awesome miracles and teaching about the Kingdom of Heaven. But the people still turned against him and had him killed.
We also shared with the kids that, we can be mean, too. Jesus had to die to forgive and save us, too.
But, like Allyson said when I asked her if the whole experience was a little too scary and sad, she said:
“Mom, it’s actually good, too!”
Baby, you are absolutely right. That’s why we call it Good Friday. Because the story didn’t end there.
Allyson stood where the veil was torn, looking into a sacred place called the Holy of Holies.
Regular people couldn’t go in there. Only the high priests could, and only under certain strict conditions could they have access to God.
When Jesus died, the veil was ripped from top to bottom. He made a way for us to access God!
God’s love, His power, His peace, His goodness, all of it–we now have free and full access because of Jesus’ sacrifice.
Wow.
I don’t know how you feel about Jesus or if Good Friday has special meaning for you. But I hope this blog post maybe helped you consider it in a new light.
And if you’re in Houston, you can still dare to walk through The Passion Experience at Second Baptist Church today and see if it’s not an experience that completely changes your life. And bring the kids, too!
Love you!
~Coppelia