On the day Christ died for us, Good Friday seemed anything but good. Hope seemed to collapse under the weight of the cross. The man called Savior had been beaten, scorned, crucified until his body hung lifeless. Darkness fell over a trembling earth. The veil tore. Heaven stood silent. Surely, it would have seemed as though evil had won.

But God was not finished.

What looked like defeat was, in reality, the greatest act of sacrifice and love the world has ever known. Jesus Christ gave his life willingly. His body was broken and his blood was poured out for humanity. But it was not the end of the story—it was the turning point.

Because in just a few days, one miraculous breath would change the world forever. A stone would roll away. A tomb would sit empty. Death would be forever conquered, and sin would never again have the final word.

On Good Friday, we solemnly remember that Jesus died on a cross that bore our name and submitted himself to a death that was rightfully ours. A spotless lamb sacrificed for a fallen world.

But even as we remember, it’s hard to quell the anticipation, the rising joy on the horizon, the distant song of victory that’s building to a triumphant roar.

My friends, we know Sunday is coming. Because of him, we are not bound by the weight of sin or death, but instead freed and given new life through his victory.

This Easter weekend, let us remember the cost and rejoice in the promise of redemption. God authored hope, and in Christ’s sacrifice, He wrote it into eternity—calling us to live it out with courage, conviction, and a steadfast commitment to truth and freedom.

Christ is risen. O death, where is your sting?

— Greg Sindelar