by Dave Farris, Lead Pastor at our Pulaski campus
Good Friday (John 19:28-30)
John 19:28-30 says, “After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), ‘I thirst.’ 29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, ‘It is finished,’ and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”
I feel confident on the original Good Friday, the followers of Jesus would have referred to it as anything but Good. In fact, it would have been an extremely long, exhausting, discouraging, dark day. After walking away from everything they knew and devoting the past 3+ years of their life to follow this man, they were witnessing every hope and dream they had die on the cross with Him.
Try, for a moment, to put yourself in their situation. What would be going through your mind & heart at the time?
How often do we ride similar emotional roller coasters because life throws a punch that seems to drown us in the same fear, anger, frustration, & deflated state the disciples must have felt when their Rabbi was gone (as far as they knew)?
Somehow, it is in the midst of these sometimes seemingly constant downward spirals of life, we need to remember the big picture the disciples could not see. The Sovereign end result that can set us eternally free!
Hebrews 12:1-2 encourages us to, “Run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Jesus knew how it would end, even as He muttered His last words through the incredible pain He was absorbing, for you and for me.
There are times when we cannot see any glimpse of hope. The disciples could not see any either. BUT…Sunday is coming…and hope comes with it!
How can the knowledge of Resurrection Sunday change the perspective you have on your life, your career, your relationships?
How can trust (faith) in Jesus wipe away any fear or frustration you have?
How can you take this trust and share it with someone you know could use it right now?
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