Good Friday | Day 6 of Hope Week

This devotional is the sixth installment in our Hope Week devotional series—following Jesus' journey from the gates of Jerusalem, to the cross, to the hope of the empty tomb. Join us every day from March 29 to April 5 to re-experience the story of His sacrifice and the magnitude of His love!

Today, let's reflect on the events of Good Friday—when Jesus was tried and crucified.

We often think of loyalty as stable, but it can change quickly and sometimes easily. Maybe you’ve observed this with professional sports teams, where some fans stay loyal and committed whether their team is winning or losing—while other fans shift to whichever team is most successful. We also see this with brands that build loyal followings—until another brand releases a better product, and suddenly, people flock to it instead.

When Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, he was met with crowds recognizing him as King and asking Him to save them. Now, on Good Friday, He faces crowds of people whose sentiment and loyalty toward Him has completely changed. Jesus is arrested and found innocent of a crime in the eyes of Pilate and Herod—and still the crowds cry out, “Crucify Him!”

This is not the first time the Israelites responding this way in Scripture. There are numerous stories where God’s people change their minds and fail to be loyal to Him. The good news is that God remains faithful even when His people do not. Jesus willingly bore the cup of suffering that He did not deserve. The apostle Paul would later say in 2 Corinthians 5:21 that “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” The suffering and ridicule that Jesus endured had a purpose.

As I reflect on the events of Good Friday this year, I continue to return to the moment found in Luke 23:28. As Jesus is being led to be crucified, He notices some women who are mourning and turns to speak to them. I was struck by Jesus’ ability to notice the grief and pain around Him during His own painful experience.

I believe this is good news for you and me. When we find ourselves in seasons of grief or pain, we can remember and believe that Jesus sees us and does not move past us—but toward us.

As Jesus works to reveal the Father, He demonstrates the great lengths God would go to reconcile His creation. As we remember the suffering that Jesus endured, let us focus on the fact that it is by His wounds that we are healed and by His death that we live. May we not be like the crowds who did not remain loyal to Jesus but instead confess our need for His forgiveness.

This Good Friday, I want to invite you to pause and pray this prayer with me:

Today, Jesus, I remember the great price that you paid that I may be forgiven of my sins and reconciled to the Father. Reveal to me the areas of my life where my loyalty to you has wavered based on my circumstances. I confess my continual need for your forgiveness and thank you for your faithfulness when I come up short and for the way you see me in my seasons of pain. Amen.

In what seasons of your life have you noticed your loyalty to Jesus slip? How might reflecting on this example of His faithfulness shape your response today?

At Crossroads, Easter is more than a day. It's the culmination of a week of expectation—as we follow Jesus from the gates of Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, to the cross on Good Friday, to His triumphant resurrection that first Easter morning.

Explore our Hope Week services and resources via the button below. We invite you to experience the sorrow, victory, and joy of the salvation story like never before!