It's pretty stunning to think year after year that the city wants to gather on a

night like this. And interestingly I'm sure most all of us have thought or had

this conversation today with someone good Friday you know the worst of days. A day

that had we been standing in that moment all of us would agree the religious

among us and the anti among us the certain and the uncertain the Jesus people

and I'm not really sure who I am people we would have all agreed on that day.

This man taught great things he claimed great power he touched like no one

else touched he did what no one else would do but yet now he's crushed

bruised humiliated stripped down and crucified the worst of deaths it's not

instant it's not quick it's not humane it's brutal and long and over the

hours that Jesus hung on the cross we would have all reached the same

conclusion that this is a mess and no one would have said what a great day no

one would have written a script it said what a good Friday no one would have

been able to imagine that millennia would have gone by not just today not

just a week not just a month not just a century but millennia would have passed

thousands of years would have passed the world would have changed everything

would look different but yet somehow gathered in a city in America outside

Atlanta Georgia would be thousands and thousands of people tonight and they

would be saying oh this day is not only good this day is just not good Friday

this is the best of Fridays this is the greatest of days this is the most

amazing thing humanity has ever seen and it is because our God has the power to

turn things around and it is because he has ultimate authority over everything

...