BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — For many Christians, Holy Week is about more than the Easter bunny or hiding eggs; it is about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Good Friday is a day of reflection marking the crucifixion, but pastors and church leaders say the word "good" points to what followed after.
The belief is that the death of Jesus Christ brought forgiveness, hope, and new life. At churches across Bakersfield, including Canyon Hills, Bakersfield First, and First Presbyterian, a common message stood out: You cannot have Easter without Good Friday.
Lyndsee Farzan, the adult ministry pastor with Canyon Hills Church, explained the significance of the day.
"We believe Jesus Christ went to the cross and died for our sins. He paid the price for us to be forgiven, to be redeemed, to be made new creations through him," Farzan said.
Marcos Ortega, the senior pastor with First Presbyterian Church, echoed the connection between the two holidays.
"It’s only Good Friday because of Easter. You have to have Good Friday and Easter together—you can’t really separate them. Without Easter, Good Friday is just the death of another prophet, another political activist that the Romans crushed. With Easter, we learn that Jesus is much more than that. Jesus is the son of God who came to take away the sins of the world," Ortega said.
Jason Kennedy, the lead pastor with Bakersfield First Church, emphasized the importance of the cross.
"Good Friday and Easter is the essence of Christianity. A lot of people admire Jesus as a good teacher, a lot of people want to say that there is a God and have belief, but there is no way really to connect to God without the cross because our sin separates us from him," Kennedy said.
The cross remains central to the Christian faith, giving meaning to both Good Friday and Easter. For believers, Good Friday leads directly into the celebration of Easter.
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