It's Friday, but Sunday's Comin'

In life and in death, Jesus stands alone.

Listen to this podcast here:  https://www.pastorwoman.net/podcast/episode/e70a6b6c/its-friday-but...;

We last were with Jesus as he died on the cross.  After all he had been through, death almost seemed merciful, his suffering over.  But then what?  Imagine with me that you are considering this information carefully for the first time, as is the case for some of your fellow readers. Though interested, they do not have a grasp of what happened next in the life of Jesus Christ according to the historical record.   Our place in Mark 15: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+15&version=NLT

But first, how to figure out the behavior of the prominent people in the story.  Okay, we understand the agenda of the Jewish leaders, the soldiers, Pilate and the Romans—they had to eliminate Jesus at all costs.  It is more difficult to understand the crowd who called out ‘Crucify him!’ Was it just pack mentality?  Pack mentality: dogs get lathered up and do something they ordinarily would not--like attack a small non-threatening dog--just because other dogs are going crazy, trying to hurt or dominate them? hmmm...

But how about the disciples?  Come on… why did the disciples and Jesus' close followers forget what Jesus had told them?  Look at these verses captured in Mark’s gospel:

>And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. Mark 8.31

>he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” Mark 9.31

>And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise. Mark 10.34

>But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” Mark 14.28

In their fear, they forgot what Jesus had told them. It was Friday, but Sunday was coming—death would not, death could not have the last word.

Consider this creative retelling~

It’s Friday* - Jesus is praying - Peter’s a sleeping - Judas is betraying - But Sunday’s comin.

It’s Friday - Pilate’s struggling - The council is conspiring - The crowd is vilifying - They don’t even know - That Sunday’s comin.

It’s Friday - The disciples are running like sheep without a shepherd - Mary’s crying - Peter is denying - but they don’t know - That Sunday’s a comin.

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 comin.

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 comin.

It’s Friday - The world’s winning - People are sinning - And evil’s grinning.

It’s Friday –  The soldiers nail my Savior’s hands to the cross - They nail my Savior’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 comin.”

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 comin’

It’s Friday - He’s hanging on the cross - Feeling forsaken by His Father - Left alone and dying - Can nobody save Him?

It’s Friday - But Sunday’s comin’

It’s Friday - 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 laughin’

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 comin"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I do not remember how I found the poem by Shadrach Meshach Lockridge, a San Diego preacher for 40 plus years, but it is powerful, especially when you hear him deliver it.  

“It’s Friday but Sunday’s Comin” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS2wPotScZY

Was it forgetfulness on the part of the disciples or was it a lack of faith? Which came first--did their lack of faith cause them to forget or the other way around? From our perspective, it is easy to criticize them. . . after all, they were physically with Jesus. When Jesus talked about rising on the third day, he was with the disciples. They did not read this or learn it secondhand--that he would meet them after in Galilee (Mark 14.28)--they heard it from the lips of Jesus himself. Hmmm...

And. then. I. remember. how many times I have forgotten. O, I do not forget, of course, but my lack of faith in the present moment shows that I do not operate with God's faithfulness in the forefront of my mind. I go about as if I had not seen God answer prayer, as if I had not seen him miraculously heal, had not been the receiver of his unmatched peace, provision, protection, and wisdom. Rather I let my anxious heart subjugate the truth that God is faithful, and God will be faithful to his word. He will do what he said he would do.

So, yeah - Friday had Jesus dead on the cross, but Sunday's comin. Hope springs eternal!

Here's Alabama, like you've never heard 'em: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqKo_lsf5WY

Christine

following his footsteps in the gospel of Mark, #52

PastorWoman.net

*poetic license I guess. these parts happened on Thursday night of that Passover week, the night before Jesus' crucifixion