THE BEST FRIDAY IN THE HISTORY OF MAN

THE BEST FRIDAY IN THE HISTORY OF MAN

"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. It was Friday, and the Sabbath was about to begin." -Luke 23:44-46, 54 (Good News)

Over 2000 years ago, the world witnessed a dark Friday that eventually turned out to be the best Friday in the redemptive agenda of God for human race. For three hours, 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 the living God. He was beaten mercilessly, bruised and humiliated on that old rugged cross for the offenses he never committed. He finally fought with the beast of second death and won gallantly ( 1 Corinthians 5:55-57). What an exploit! What a victory! And what a day! The day that God corrected the error that would have separated man from Him eternally. 

Unfortunately, that glorious Friday was not a good Friday for many people in Jerusalem. For those who disdained the gospel that Christ preached, that day will forever remain an ordinary Friday.  For those who rejected the call of salvation, that day will be the beginning of a journey into the city of unending pains in the dark dungeon of Hell ( Matthew 13:49-50). Obviously, these people will forever regret that they refused to embrace the redemptive package that God offer to humanity in John 3:16-18.  On the other hand, for those who embrace the saviour and the sacrifice He made for humanity on that fateful day, that Friday will forever remain a Good Friday. The day that the cleansing flood from Calvary mountain washed their filthy garments, put an end to the cold war of sin and swept away the terrible sting of the second death. The day that ushers in the lasting victory over ailments, disasters, heavy burdens and other dead luggages placed upon man in the Garden of Eden by that wicked and terrible fellow called Satan.

“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)

"This is what will happen at the end of time. God will send his angels . They will put the people who did not obey God in one place. And they will put the people who obey God in another place. The angels will throw the people who did not obey God into the great fire. There the people will cry and they will bite their teeth together.’ - Matthew 13:49-50 (EASY)

Beloved, as you celebrate Good Friday today, please consider these questions: Have you accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour? Have you obeyed the Lord's call of salvation? If you have not, then, like those many unrepentant people in Jerusalem 2000 years ago, this Friday may not really be a "Good Friday" for you. That is the hard truth! And that is why you must repent today and surrender your life to Jesus Christ 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.

The wordings of this wonderful poem below explains how that dark or terrible Friday in Luke 23:44 became a "Good Friday" for us. On this Good Friday, I urge you to please prayerfully meditate on the wordings of this poem and realign your live with the story of God's ultimate sacrifice of love for human race:  

HIS LOVE by Rose Newman

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".

My prayer for you and my humble self is that God will grant us more grace to reciprocate His love by serving Him faithfully till Christ returns to take us to our mansions above. May we remain steadfast and undefiled till we hear that glorious commendation " Well done thou good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord (Matthew 25:21)"  in the city of gold. 

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

Maranatha!

Bro. Okanlawon Taiwo

For more articles, please visit -
http:// okanlawontaiwo.blogspot.com
Twitter: @tammytaiwo
Instagram: @lawontaiwo
Facebook: Okanlawon Taiwo