It's Friday, But Sunday Is Coming.

“He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.” Isa. 53:7. 

A great preacher named Dr. Shadrach Meshach Lockridge, was the Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, a prominent African-American congregation in San Diego, California, from 1953 to 1993. He was a pastor and a civil rights leader who marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. One of his most famous sermons was “It’s Friday, But Sunday’s Coming.” Here are some snippets of that sermon: “It’s Friday. Jesus is praying. Peter is sleeping. Judas is betraying. But Sunday’s coming. It’s Friday. 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. He’s hanging on the cross, feeling forsaken by His followers, left alone and dying. Can’t anybody save Him? Oh, it’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming. 

The earth trembles. The sky grows dark. My King yields His spirit. It’s Friday. Hope is lost. Death has won. Sin has conquered. And Satan’s just a-laughing. It’s Friday. Jesus is buried. A soldier stands guard, and a rock is rolled into place. But it’s only Friday. Sunday is a-coming.” You know how this story ends. The stone was rolled away, and Jesus Christ stepped out of that tomb. He was no longer the silent lamb but the lion of the tribe of Judah. He arose victorious and roaring with resurrection power! The spirit of the world may seem to be winning, but Sunday is coming. Jesus is coming back one day for His people. One day, Satan will be chained and thrown into the bottomless pit. Even though the forces of evil cheered on Friday, they ran scared on Sunday. 

I need to encourage someone out there reading this now. You may be dealing with your Friday now. You Friday may represent the pains of rejection and betrayal. It may seem like an end has come because you are trapped in-between disappointment and great embarrassment. I need you to hang in there, it's not the end. The scriptures rightly declares “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.” Psa. 30:5. Certain unfavourable situations may endure for a season, guess what, change is around the corner. Yes, change would bring to an end the reign of terror. That's exactly what the death and resurrection of Jesus did for us all. It encourages us to endure our challenges with the hope of a resurrection. Selah!

FURTHER READING:

“When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.” 1 Peter. 2:23.

“but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness. / And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross.” Phil. 2:7-8.

DECLARATION: 

Dear Abba Father, I thank You for the gift of life and the privilege of salvation. Father, I rise from the ashes of lost opportunities to a season of divine restoration, I rise from the ashes of despair to the joy of a new morning, knowing that weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. I rise from the ashes of failure to the height of my destiny, I lay hold on the grace that is available for me in Christ Jesus, I refuse any entanglement and setbacks in the mighty name of Jesus, amen.

1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:

2 Sam. 8:1-18.

2 Sam. 9:1-13.

2 Sam. 10:1-19.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY:

“What Looks Impossibly Hard Today, Would Be Surmounted Tomorrow. Just Hold On.”