Good Friday Prayer

Good Friday, April 3rd, 2026

Good Friday seems like an odd title for the day we remember Christ’s crucifixion. Nobody exactly knows how Christians decided to call this day “Good Friday.” The day happened, but the title “Good Friday” is definitely not referenced in the Bible. The most accepted idea is an older meaning for “good” meant “holy”—thus, “Holy Friday.”

Jesus’ early followers didn’t experience the day as good: they mourned Jesus’ death that Friday and Saturday. And remember those first disciples gave up their livelihoods, believing they would be key witnesses in a messianic kingdom to overthrow the rule of Rome.

Why, then, do Christians still refer to Good Friday as “good”? The answer is mainly found in knowing we have the benefit of seeing the day through the lens of God’s promises in history.  We have hindsight, and we have the Bible. We can read about God’s work and discern God’s sovereign plan through the Old and New Testaments. Today we claim this truth: Easter Sunday changes the meaning of Good Friday. The authors of the Bible all took part in weaving stories of God throughout Scripture: the pattern of “not good at all” being reinterpreted as God sovereignly using bad events to bring about what is ultimately good.

Good Friday is good because on this day, God’s great work to save his people came closer to completion through the sacrifice of Jesus. Humans are in an impossible predicament that can only be fixed by God’s own self. The cross is part of that work to save us.

There would be no hope apart from the triune God’s plan to bring us a salvation we cannot secure for ourselves. Jesus, the perfectly Good One, took the punishment for our sins upon Himself. We deserve eternal separation because of our broken condition, yet we receive the perfect righteousness of Christ through His sacrifice.

Ultimately, Good Friday is holy because through His death, Christ redeemed us. Multiple authors explained it in scripture: we avoid the curse of sin because Jesus became a curse for us - we receive adoption as children (Gal. 3:13–14; 4:5). Because Jesus bore our sins in His body on a tree (1 Peter 2:24), we have redemption through His blood and the forgiveness of our trespasses (Eph. 1:7). We are ransomed with the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18–19). We are justified, saved from the wrath of God, and reconciled to God (Rom. 5:9–10). The Good News is a consistent message from the early church.

Let us declare with the Apostle Paul, “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” (2 Cor. 9:15).

Good Friday Prayer

Lord, on this day, I join with Christians around the world to remember your good work through your Son. You became something horrible so I can experience your wonderful love. I remember this truth:

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” Galatians 3:13

Lord, on this day, I believe in You as Lord and Savior. You saved me, and I am grateful for your gift of eternal life to me, and to Your church. I remember this truth:

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. Galatians 1:7-9

Lord, on this day, I remember your sacrifice and give thanks for your eternal promises to all your people. Your love never fails. Your forgiveness is from everlasting to everlasting. 

In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!  Romans 5:9-10