BLACK FRIDAY? BUT THE LIGHT HAS COME!

BLACK FRIDAY?  BUT

THE LIGHT HAS COME!

 

 

I had a conversation with my daughter the other day and she mentioned that the world is getting so dark with evil. And I shared with her that yes, the days seem dark spiritually, evil abounds, but our Lord promises that His light shines on and on, and someday that light will cover the earth. But for us who are believers, His light has come:

 

“Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and the kings to the brightness of your coming” Isaiah 60:1-3.

 

Yes, as believers we have the light of the Lord Jesus Christ upon us, even though darkness seems to be covering the earth and its people. Hear the word of the Lord from Jesus Himself:

 

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” John 8:12.

 

Thanksgiving Day is coming tomorrow and I pray that you and your family will have a blessed day of giving thanks and praise to our Lord for the blessings He has bestowed upon us, namely His salvation and His gift of eternal life. And Friday is what we have come to be called “Black Friday.”  Many will stand out in the cold and dark waiting for those doors to open and looking for a bargain.

 

I want to now go back to another “Black Friday” so long ago.  And there were no long lines at shopping malls or waiting in parking lots.  In fact, on this day, 2000 years or so ago, there were crowds of people, but not out for a bargain.  This indeed was a dark day, a day of earthquakes and darkness when the sun refused to shine.

 

It was a day of suffering, intense suffering.  And as the earth trembled and the sky grew dark, there upon the hill were three crosses.  And on the middle cross was the Savior, Jesus Christ.  And there He was suffering for my sin, for your sin.  And of all Fridays to come down through the years, this was the blackest Friday in history. 

 

And there were crowds at the foot of the cross, crowds of men and women calling out curses at the One who was taking their sin on Himself.  And also at the foot of that cross were those who loved Him, and now felt helpless as they watched Him suffer and die there.  They thought He had come to overthrow the Romans and would set on the throne of David and bring peace to the world, and they just couldn’t understand why He would die and suffer such a cruel death.  And they felt they had lost all their hope in Jesus, the Messiah.

 

But it was “At the Cross” on that first “Black Friday” that we can kneel today as the price has been paid in full by the shedding of His precious blood. 

 

AT THE CROSS

 

“Alas, and did my Saviour bleed and did my Sovereign die? Would He devote that sacred head for such a worm as I?

 

At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light and the burden of my heart rolled away.  It was there by faith I received my sight and now I am happy all the day!

 

Was it for crimes that I have done He groaned upon the tree? Amazing pity, grace unknown, and love beyond degree!

 

Well might the sun in darkness hide, and shut His glories in, when Christ the mighty Maker died for man the creature’s sin.

 

But drops of grief can ne’er repay the debt of love I owe; here, Lord, I give myself away, ‘tis all that I can do.” (Isaac Watts)

 

People are running everywhere looking for that special price on a bargain they are looking for.  But I want you to know that another price has already been paid.  And it was paid, not for physical “things” that would soon decay and fade away.  But a price was paid for your eternal soul and for mine.

 

“knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:” II Peter 2:19.

 

We owed a debt of sin and it was paid in full on the cross on that “Black Friday.”  How can we comprehend the debt of love that our Saviour took to that cross?  As the song says so plainly, we give ourselves totally to Him as Lord of our lives and look forward to spending eternity with Him.

 

Yes, that day was dark, but three days later, the “Son” shone again!  The earth again shook, but on this day, our Saviour came out of the tomb shining brightly.  He conquered death and is seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven for you, my friend.  He has sent His Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts by faith.  His precious Holy Spirit brings comfort and peace into our hearts as we walk with Jesus.  We may have dark days, but I am so glad that the “Son” still shines in our lives! The Light has come!

 

So on this “Black Friday” we remember the “Black Friday” so many years ago on Calvary, and we meet Him at the cross where our sins are forgiven, and we can praise Him for His great salvation.  Just stop in all your running around today and give Him praise with a grateful heart for all He has done and we can look forward to seeing Him face to face at last!

 

In Jesus’ Name,

Pastor Sharon