TODAY IS THE DAY

There was a hush over the land. It was the Sabbath and the streets of Jerusalem were empty. A dark day indeed as the followers of Jesus sat in stunned disbelief of the events that had happened with their leader and mentor the day before.

I imagine that day as being gloomy, dark, maybe even raining, but it might have been sunny with a blue sky.  The followers might have wondered why this day, after their dear friend had suffered so much and died, was so bright and cheery.  The day should have matched their hearts.

The memories of the horrific crucifixion of their beloved teacher, brought back the horror and fear anew, yet there was a feeling of expectation to this day. A hushed waiting as they hid in fear.

Just the previous evening there had been several things, unbelievable things, miraculous things, happen that played through their minds over and over.

As Jesus hung in agony on the cross, darkness fell over the whole land at noon. The ones who were near the cross, heard him yell in a loud voice, “It is finished! Father into Your hands I commit my spirit.” His head fell forward, His body became limp.

At that moment the earth began to shake, huge boulders split in two, and tombs opened. Amazingly, many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead and they walked about the cemetery. Many saw them in Jerusalem later, after Jesus was resurrected.

It was reported that at the moment that Jesus breathed His last, the great curtain between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies was ripped in two. A thick curtain that had been there for centuries suddenly split apart indicating that no longer is there a wall between God and His people. No longer do we need to be separated from God because of our sins. No longer do we need to go through a priest and sacrifices to be made pure in God’s eyes.

Jesus, the perfect Son of God is the blameless Lamb, the sacrifice made once and for all, for our sins. He bore my sins and your sins on that cross. The sins of all mankind came between Jesus and His Father whom He had been with from before the creation of the world. He was forsaken by the One, whom He had never been apart.

Where was Jesus that day when His followers hid in fear and grief? We don’t know, His body lay in a tomb that was sealed with a huge stone and guarded by Roman soldiers, but did He go to His Father?  Did He descend to the bowls of the earth?  Was He talking to the people who had been raised from the dead, telling them about His great Victory to come? We don’t know.

What we do know is this: Jesus bore our sins. He paid the price. Justice was satisfied on that cross. The curtain was torn in two.

Now by believing in Jesus and asking Him to be your Savior your sins can be washed away. You can be made white as snow. If you follow Jesus, nothing will stand between you and God.

We can enter into His presence. He is with us for all time. When life on earth is done we will meet our Lord in Heaven and be with Him forever and ever.

This is the day! This dark day when the followers of Jesus were in hushed confusion, is the day the light is dawning. The day God made a way for us to be His children.

Come to Jesus today. Believe. Follow Him. Trust Him. Obey Him. Give your heart and life to Him. Begin a relationship with Him and discover His love!

Today is the DAY!

Hebrews 10:19-22 NLT
“And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter Heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus.
By His death Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.
And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting Him.
For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, our bodies have been washed with pure water.”

For those of you who know Him, but, much like the disciples, are overwhelmed this day by fear, anxiety, loneliness or depression, hold on to Him. He is your hope your strength and your comforter. Enter into His presence. Praise Him!  Trust your God.

Verses 23-25: “Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise.
Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.
And let us not neglect our meeting together as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that THE DAY OF HIS RETURN IS DRAWINGN NEAR.”