It’s Friday. It’s Good Friday!

I know it’s not Monday, when I usually write something! But felt I had to speak about Jesus since this week In His life, whilst He was here on earth, is so important. The picture above is of Thursday, the day before His crucifixion. It is a moment celebrated continuously in recognition of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is the moment in His life where He is having supper with the disciples and telling them to do this precious thing in remembrance of Him.

When you think back and look at the bigger picture of what Jesus was trying to do. You will find that the Lord had a loving agenda from the moment He was born.

As a young man He was speaking in the Synagogues and regardless of the fact He had left His parents as seen in (Luke 2: 41-52) to go speak He always had the Father on His mind. His passion was on fire by the time He was baptised, and He was ready for anything. What is beautiful is His constant manner of Peace. In every situation we read that He took everything in His stride. He preached, He healed, He cried, He disciplined, and He loved. His presence and nature were one of a man of peace.

He was a worthy Son whose Father absolutely adored Him whilst He was here and now that He sits by the Fathers right hand. It is vey apparent that He is worthy.

I often think about what it would be like to have been there. Been there to witness the day John baptised Him, the forty days He told the devil where to go. The water to wine, the feeding of the fish to the thousands, the healing of the woman with the blood issue, the daughter who they said had died but Jesus comes along and says no she is sleeping! Being there to witness her parents’ elation at seeing Jesus raise her. Being Mary and not Martha and sitting at His feet to absorb every wise and wonderful word that He spoke. It is enough to make you believe and know, that you know, that Jesus is from God. Never had anyone witnessed all Jesus was doing before in the times of the forefathers.

It is amazing within itself that all those that believed with their whole heart left everything behind to follow Him, walk with Him, eat with Him. Women as well as men. Many women had wealth and helped His ministry along the way. Many were accomplished people, and one would think they would not have needed a saviour. But they did and big time!

Imagine living in a world that had pretty much gone crazy. The Romans who were in power at that time, were a warring people believing in false Gods and ready for anything that came without restriction (stealing, sexual immorality, murdering). There were lots of innocent young woman and men, who were being forced to do things they did not want to do to protect themselves or their families.

Then along comes Jesus. The saviour everyone is waiting for. The one they are expecting to save them from the Romans. What they did not realise was that He was here to save them from themselves in a way they could not comprehend. Even the disciples had a challenging time trying to comprehend what Jesus was saying and doing. It was not the normal. Jesus didn’t just arrive with all His angels and say I am here to protect you all from the Romans who were doing you so wrong, and the Jewish leaders who were not exactly leading properly.

Instead, He came via a virgin and grew up slowly like the rest of us and then when the Father was ready, He steps out and lets everyone get to know Him for who He is. He talks lovingly about the Father and continuously talks about money and love. Lots and lots, of people came to listen to Him and be healed. Jesus asked that they stay well grounded, settled, and steadfast not shifting or moving away from hope (Col 1:23). He tells them, if their ears are open to His word, and they truly believe and trust in, and cling to ‘relying on Him who sent Jesus, they would have eternal life.

He truly was a beautiful Prince of Peace who calmed everyone in His presence. The last thing all His followers thought He would allow was that He would choose to die for them and all future generations into eternity.

What is beautiful is that He does not die but rises and goes into the upper room and walks the earth for forty days after being hung on that cross to save us all from ourselves. It is a moment in history that has not been forgotten for over two thousand years. The proof of His existence is irrefutable. His love for us has never died. The way He behaved whilst here, has been noted and written about more than a trillion times over, and one would hope that our behavioural patterns now are such, that we have a good future ahead of us if we all ‘just believe.’ 

Sit and reflect on all He has done for you in this your life up to 2024.

God bless you this Good Friday.

Christine Stephanie Mammarella