Category Archives: It’s Friday. But Sunday’s Coming!

　Another day. Another Friday. Another early morning when the rooster crowed. Folks were awakened. There is work to be done. Business to take care of. People to see. Preparations to be made for Sabbath worship.

A neighbor mentioned some commotion going on in the night. Some criminals captured. A late night and early morning meeting of the Sanhedrin. Odd. But there a day’s business ahead. There is a crowd in town and a buzz about a crucifixion. Guess they found that criminal guilty. But there’s things to do and no time to worry about that.

It’s just another Friday. With much to do. And no time to be distracted. Continue reading →

As children, many of us learned a little prayer that began, “God is good, God is great….”

We often sing a praise song in worship with the lyrics, “God is so good.” And indeed He is. God’s goodness created the world. Called Abraham. Protected the patriarchs. And blessed Israel. Asaph, the Psalmist said, “God is good to Israel” (Ps 73:1).

It was God’s goodness that sent His Son into the world. But it was a corrupt culture. One perverted from God’s original purpose. In a word, evil. Continue reading →

Jonathan Ortberg’s book, “Who is this Man?” provides a powerful testimony regarding the impact of Jesus’ life. He says, “Jesus is mysterious not just because of what we don’t know about him, but because of what we do know about him.”

We know he was a compelling figure. He Spoke with authority. As A.T. Wright put it “(Jesus) is so unlike what we know about anybody else that we are forced to ask, as people evidently did at the time, who, then is this?”

That is what the high priest wanted to know when he asked, “Are You the Christ?” Continue reading →

The cross is the most recognizable symbol of Christianity. It tells the story of Jesus in one simple, easy to understand picture. The cross represents God’s love, mercy and grace. It reminds us of Jesus’ vicarious sacrifice. And it prompts us to remember our personal need for salvation.

We celebrate the cross. We glamorize it. We even romanticize it. We all know what it means. Yet the cross was used by the Romans as a cruel means of capital punishment. It was a shameful death. A humiliating death. A painful death.

It is also good to remember that on the Friday Jesus was crucified to become our Redeemer there were two other crosses occupied by robbers. Continue reading →