Joy comes in the morning

It's Friday - but Sunday's coming!!

In these difficult times I was reminded of the following description of the Easter weekend.

It’s Friday: Jesus is praying, Peter’s a sleeping, Judas is betraying, but Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday: Pilate’s struggling, the council is conspiring, the crowd is vilifying they don’t even know that Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday: The disciples are running like sheep without a shepherd. Mary’s crying, Peter is denying; they don’t know that Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday: The Romans beat him, they robe him in scarlet, they crown him with thorns. They don’t know that Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday: See Jesus walking to Calvary, His blood dripping, His body stumbling and his spirit’s burdened, but you see, it’s only Friday, Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday: Death is winning, people are struggling and evil’s grinning.

It’s Friday: The soldiers nail Jesu’s hands to the cross. They nail his feet to the cross and then they raise him up next to criminals.

It’s Friday: But let me tell you something. Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday: The disciples are questioning what has happened to their King and the Pharisees are celebrating that their scheming has been achieved. They don’t know it’s only Friday. Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday: He’s hanging on the cross feeling forsaken by his Father. Left alone and dying. Can nobody save him? It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday: The earth trembles, the sky grows dark, the King yields his spirit.

It’s Friday: Hope is lost, death has won, sin has conquered and satan’s just laughing.

It’s Friday: Jesus is buried, a soldier stands guard and a rock is rolled into place. Heaven is weeping; hell is partying, but it’s Friday. It is only Friday, but Sunday is coming!

Now it’s Sunday. There’s an earthquake, the stone is rolled away, the soldiers are shaking in their boots. Mary’s hugging her Saviour, her God. The lamb that was silent before the slaughter is now the resurrected Lion. “He is not here”, the angels proclaim. It’s Sunday and He is risen from the dead. It’s Sunday and everything has changed. Call upon Him, call upon Him. It’s Sunday and death and evil have been defeated.

Today all over the world it’s Friday, it’s dark, hopeless and full of despair because it’s Friday. On Friday we don’t know what God is doing! Is he even there? Does he even care?

But Sunday is coming. New hope will come, He will help us hang on because Sunday is the day when evil is defeated forever will soon be here.

Love never gives up!

Recently I have the privilege of speaking at a school assembly on Valentine’s day. Maybe the same talk can help us all.

Today we will be thinking about love.

Who loves pizza, chips, Macdonalds, KFC or ice cream?

Who loves Lewis Capaldi, Ed Sheeran, Ariana Grande or Stormzy?

Who loves Chelsea, Man U., Man City, Tottenham, Arsenal, Leicester City or Liverpool?

Did you receive any Valentines cards, chocolates or imojis?

Love is the opposite of hate and fear.

In the Harry Potter books, Lord Voldemort is the most powerful, evil and hateful wizard, but young Harry overcomes him time and time again because of love – his parents love for him and his love for his friends.

God saw that we humans were struggling and so, because he loved us, His son Jesus was born at the first Christmas and lived thirty years getting to know what it is like to be human, so he could understand us and help us. He spent much of his time with people who were lonely.

Have you ever felt lonely, not a part of the “in” group? I remember when I was at school two captains were picking sides for a game of football. I loved football but I couldn’t play very well. One of the captains said to the other, “You can have Bunkum”. I felt so much on the outside. Christians believe that Jesus can help anyone who feels alone even today. Jurgen Klopp, the Liverpool Manager said, “Jesus Christ is the most important person in history”.

Here is a saying about love:

Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love isn’t boastful, Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others, Isn’t always “me first”, Doesn’t fly off the handle, Doesn’t keep score of the faults of others, Isn’t happy when others fail, Takes pleasure in honesty, Puts up with most things, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.

Love never fails.

That saying is from the Bible.

If you love life, love learning and love others you will make a difference.

“Dear Lord Jesus. May your love fill our lives, our school, our town, our country and our world.

Amen”