IS IT REALLY A GOOD FRIDAY?

"It was about twelve o'clock when the sun stopped shining and darkness covered the whole country until three o'clock; and the curtain hanging in the Temple was torn in two. Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father! In your hands I place my spirit!” He said this and died.  There was a man named Joseph from Arimathea, a town in Judea. ...He went into the presence of Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. It was Friday, and the Sabbath was about to begin." -Luke 23:44-46, 50, 54 (Good News)

It was a dark Friday that eventually turned out to be the best Friday in the history of man. Heaven and earth stood still as the deadly nails of sin pierced through the flesh of the Saviour. The terrible hammer of judgment broke the phalanges of the only begotten son of God. He was beaten, bruised and humilated on that old rugged cross for the offenses he did not commit. He fought with the beast of second death and won galantly. What a good day! What a victory! But that Friday was not a Good Friday for everyone in Jerusalem. For those who betrayed Jesus, it was the beginning of their dark days on earth and in Hell. For those who surrendered their lives to him, those who loved him like John the beloved, Mary Magdalene and the other disciples, it was a Victorious Friday, when the cleansing flood from Calvary mountain swept the sting of the second death away. For the thief who repented on the cross at the last minute,  it was indeed a good and glorious Friday (Luke 23:43). For the second thief who was adamant and unremorseful, that Friday was the beginning of his journey into the city of unending pains which is located in the dark dungeon of Hell ( Matthew 13:49-50).

Beloved, as you celebrate Good Friday today, please consider these questions: Is it really going to be a Good Friday for you? Have you obeyed the Lord's call of salvation?  If you have not, then, like those many unrepentant people in Jerusalem, this Friday cannot be a "Good Friday" for you. That is the hard truth! And that is why you must repent today so that the precious blood that was shed for you on this day, over 2000 years ago can wipe away your stain of sin. Please don't delay it any further. If you are saved, please tell someone about Jesus today and am sure you will not miss your reward in heaven.

“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. .....Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him." John 3:16-18 (MSG)

The wordings of a wonderful poem written by Rose Newman explains how that dark or black Friday in Luke 23:44 became a "Good Friday" for us.  Please join me on this beautiful Good Friday morning to meditate on this poem below as we realign our lives with the story of God's love: 

HIS LOVE

Have you ever stopped to wonder
Why they called Good Friday “good”?
It seems to me that sad, black day
Could be misunderstood.

How His Father must have anguished
As He watched His dear Son die,
And not for crimes that He had done,
But for sinners such as I.

What kind of love could be so great,
To suffer willingly
The penalty for someone else;
His blood was shed for me.

But then when Sunday came around
And death had lost its sting,
That glorious morn’ was victory
For Jesus Christ, the King!

Now He’s alive for evermore.
The Father’s will was done.
Forgiveness, pardon, full and free,
By trusting in God’s Son.

It was a “good” Good Friday
For the thief who died there too;
He took his place in Heaven
When that long, dark day was through.

I am grateful to my Saviour:
My life to Him I owe.
I’ll serve and love Him always,
Because He loved me so".

May I use this opportunity to invite you to our Easter 2018 Let's Go a Fishing program. The theme is: Alive. Date: Friday, March 30 - Saturday, March 31, 2018. Venue: Abati Nursery & Primary School. 14, Abati Close, off Samuel Street, Vulcanizer Bus stop. Akowonjo. Lagos, Nigeria, Time: 4pm. Ministering: Our beloved Daddy, Pastor Amos Olu Adebayo (PICZ-Victory, LP 38).

Good morning and do have a fantastic and blessed Easter Celebration.

Maranatha!

Bro. Okanlawon Taiwo

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