Good Friday reminds us about the cost which we have incurred through not always loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Good Friday makes us aware that there is a price to pay for behaving in ways which don’t glorify God. The Bible tells us that the penalty we face for disobeying God’s instructions is the death penalty.
The ‘Good’ news is that Jesus takes the punishment which each of us have incurred. He, instead of us, faces unimaginable pain, while nailed to a cross and gradually feeling life itself draining out of him over a period of three hours. Unlike if it were us facing such a death, Jesus because he is also God, could have at any time come down from the cross, and been comforted by angels. He didn’t do this because he knew that if he did, it would result in each of us not being able to know forgiveness for our sins or experience life-everlasting as adopted heirs of almighty God. So, because of his love for each of us Jesus endured the cross.
Read Romans 5: 6-8
Find some blank paper and cut out the shape of a heart and write on it ‘Jesus died for ‘your-name’ i.e. I will write: ‘Jesus died for Stephen’. Then either put it somewhere where it will often catch your eye, or bring it down to the cross outside church. There are already drawing pins in the cross for you to use to attach the heart to the cross - or you could cut out 2 hearts, one for home and one for the church cross.
Easter Prayer Stations
Helen & Lucy have created on the lawn at the side of church a number of ‘Prayer Stations’, places for you to pause, think about a particular aspect of the Easter Story and pray. This will be available from 10am today (Good Friday) and will remain there until the end of Easter Monday (assuming the weather or vandals don’t destroy them).
Use these familiar words to lead you into a time of thanking God for your Saviour Jesus:
When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of Glory died,
my richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, save in the death of Christ my God:
all the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His blood.
See from His head, His hands, His feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down:
did e'er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were an offering far too small,
love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.
(Isaac Watts 1674-1748)
Easter Sunday
We have no space left at our 10:30am ‘Easter Songs of Praise’, we are at full capacity, but I will post an Easter messag