A ‘Good Friday’ reckoning for a resurrection generation
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” — Isaiah 53:5 (NIV)
Today is no ordinary Friday. It is Good Friday: the darkest, most sacred day on the Christian calendar. A day when time stood still, and the earth trembled under the weight of sacrifice. Today, we remember the Saviour who chose suffering over escape, silence over defence, and death so that we might truly live.
But let us ask ourselves: What are we doing with this sacrifice?
Too often, we rush toward Easter’s celebration without standing still at Calvary. We skip the sorrow to sing the victory. But there can be no resurrection without a crucifixion. No empty tomb without a blood-stained cross. This is not a day for religious routine but a holy disruption. A divine pause. A call for Christians, especially the youth, to step out of shallow faith and into sacred fire.
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On this Good Friday of 2025, while the world is scrolling, shopping, and shouting for attention, Christ is still whispering from the cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30). The debt is paid. But will you live like it?
The Lenten season that began on March 5 has been a sacred journey: one of fasting, reflection, and sacrifice. At the onset of this season, a general Ash Wednesday service was held at St. Moses Orimolade Cathedral (Hotonu General Headquarters), 3–5 Orimolade Road, Agodo-Egbe, Ikotun, Lagos State. His Eminence J.A.O. Oladapo (JP), the Vice Baba Aladura (The Eternal), was represented by Supt. Gen. AP. Pro. (Dr) J.A. Esan (JP), Chairman of the Central Working Committee of The Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim, Hotonu Mother Church. In his sermon, he emphasised the essence of the Lenten season—calling on all to embrace the path of personal renewal and to “journey together in hope”. Just as the Apostle Paul reminds us, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23, NIV).
His Eminence J.A.O. Oladapo (JP), the Vice Baba Aladura (The Eternal)
But Lent was never meant to be a seasonal performance. It is a spiritual surgery, peeling away distractions so we can hear God again. And now, as we stand between the shadow of the cross and the light of Easter, we are invited to ask the hardest question of all: Have I changed?
This year’s Lent also coincides with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan: a rare alignment that reminds us that devotion, sacrifice, and compassion are not foreign to faith; they are the heartbeat of it. The world is groaning for meaning, and we cannot afford to be lukewarm. “Because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:16). We were not saved to be safe; we were saved to be sent.
To the Eternal Youth Fellowship (EYF-Hotonu) of The Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, this is your moment. This is your mountain. The cross is not a museum piece to admire; rather, it is a weapon of love to carry. Let the spirit of this day pierce your hearts. Continue to organise prayer vigils. Feed the hungry. Speak life into your mates. Don’t wait for revival, but be the revival. You are the bridge between ancient fire and future glory. And it is time to burn again!
Read also: Lent and Ramadan: A time for introspection and a chance to be better
Let this Good Friday be more than an annual tradition; let it be your turning point. As Jesus was laid in the tomb, some things inside us must also die: apathy, pride, bitterness, and fear. “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Not yearly but daily!
And as we move towards Easter Sunday, remember this: the stone was not rolled away for Jesus to get out; it was rolled away so we could see in. So we could believe again and live again.
The cross was bloody; the tomb was silent but the resurrection is coming. Will you rise with it?
Brother Ndewenu Oluwafemi Wusu is the Chairman of MMC.
