In just over two weeks it will be Easter. You can’t have missed the advertisements and the shops with their Chocolate Eggs and Easter Bunnies. Amidst the pastel colours of fresh grass and new spring flowers there will be pictures of fluffy new born chicks and lambs gambolling in the fields. It can all seem rather twee, but in the midst of all this feel-good freshness and new life there is a very serious message.
There’s a true story of a young preacher in America who had just delivered what he thought was his finest message to date when the senior pastor stood up and took over the pulpit. He started to tell the story of Easter punctuated with a simple message.
It’s Friday – Jesus is praying, Peter’s sleeping, Judas is betraying, but Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday – Pilate’s struggling, the disciples are running like sheep without a shepherd, Mary’s crying, Peter is denying, but they don’t know that Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday – The Romans beat my Jesus. They robe Him in scarlet. They crown Him with thorns, but they don’t know that Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday – They see Jesus walking to Calvary, His blood dripping, His body stumbling and His spirit’s burdened, but you see, it’s only Friday; Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday – The world’s winning, people are sinning and evil’s grinning.
It’s Friday – The soldiers nail my Saviour’s hands to the cross. They nail my Saviour’s feet to the cross and then they raise Him up next to criminals.
It’s Friday – But let me tell you something – Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday – The disciples are questioning what has happened to their King and the Pharisees are celebrating that their scheming has been achieved, but they don’t know it’s only Friday; Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday – He’s hanging on the cross feeling forsaken by his Father, left alone and dying. Can nobody save him? Ooooh it’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday – The earth trembles, the sky grows dark and my King yields his spirit.
It’s Friday – Hope is lost. Death has won. Sin has conquered and Satan’s just laughing.
It’s Friday – Jesus is buried. A soldier stands guard and a rock is rolled into place, but it’s Friday. It is only Friday. Sunday is a coming!
What seems to be the blackest day in history is only the start of the greatest miracle the world has ever seen or will see. John the Baptist had told the crowds “Behold the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world”.
Now three years later Jesus has been arrested, tried and sentenced to death. The preacher told of the trials and tribulations of that Friday which culminated in Jesus dying on a cross and being buried in a tomb with a large stone across the door, but that was Friday and Sunday is coming!
On the Sunday morning Mary Magdalene went to the tomb intending to embalm Jesus’ body with spices, but the stone had been rolled away and the tomb was empty. Her heart was filled with sadness, but she met a man she thought to be the gardener. She asked if the man knew where they had taken Jesus’ body and he replied with one word “Mary.”
With that one word, Mary knew Jesus was alive. Friday was put a long way behind Sunday is here – Jesus is alive!!
If you would like to know more about this Jesus who is alive and who takes away the sin of the world, why not join us? On Good Friday at 11am we will be at The Vista Bar at Camposol A, where we will be singing traditional hymns and enjoying Hot Cross Buns and Coffee.
On Easter Sunday we will be at Wellspring Church at 11am where we will proclaim Jesus is alive!
