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April 10 Good Friday Hope When All Seems Lost

When the wicked thrive, so does sin. But the righteous will see their downfall. ~Proverbs 29:16

All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of His power on the day He comes to be glorified in His holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you because you believed our testimony to you. ~2 Thessalonians 1:5-10

I think that Roosevelt may have been a little off. The day that Jesus was crucified is the day that should truly live in infamy. Yet, we needed this day, more than any other, if we were to be saved. Even Jesus asked the, “why,” question today: “Why have You forsaken Me?” He knew why. He knew that God is Holy. He knew that God could not be near sin. He knew that all sin, yours, mine, the sin of the world was upon Him. His Abba, Father, could only turn away and let the judgment for all that sin come down on His own son, instead of the love and comfort that He longed to give.

“When the wicked thrive, so does sin.” How true that statement appeared to be on this day. What could be seen was so awful and so anti-victorious. How could there still be hope after this? “But the righteous will see their downfall.” That is what kept Jesus moving forward. And that same hope is what Paul is using to encourage followers of Christ who have lost hope because of what is seen.

“God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.”

On Wednesday evening, we talked about Jesus, talking to His disciples on the Mount of Olives, trying to help them grasp the bigger picture. It’s not just what is happening now, it is what came before and what is yet to come that tells the whole story. Jesus knew that His crucifixion was coming. He knew that His disciples would not understand, even though He had tried so hard to prepare them. He also knew that this wasn’t the end.

He knew there was a future and that the righteous would see the downfall of the wicked in the end. “They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of His power on the day He comes to be glorified in His holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you because you believed our testimony to you.”

For now, we may be sad, reflecting on all Christ endured for us. And that is a good thing. It helps us to face the true damage we have done as sinners and enemies of God. But we should never stop there. Another and very important aspect of reflecting in this day is to see it as a powerful demonstration of just how much God loves us, how far he is willing to go to recover us and have us with Him in joyful glory forever. Good Friday sorrow is not God’s goal. Sunday is Coming!

Prayer: Holy Spirit, thank You for enabling me to believe this is for me. Jesus, thank You for doing this for me! I know I don't deserve such love! Father God, thank You for Your amazing Grace and plan for redeeming all that was lost, and all who are willing to repent of sin to join You for eternity. I know I don't deserve such love! And now, because of Christ, I have a meaningful message and mission, to share this love with everyone else I can, to reap a joyful harvest. Oh grant me favor in this, for it is Your will and in Jesus' holy name I ask it. Amen.

Song: How Deep the Father’s Love for Us

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