Sunday’s Coming

To taste pain and suffering is never nice or easy. To sit with a loved one and watch them go through serious pain can also be an unsettling experience.

On that Friday as Jesus carried his cross to a certain death we are told that, ‘a large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him’ (Luke 23:27).

It’s interesting to note the difference between the way the followers of Jesus handled his suffering, and the way that Jesus himself handled the suffering. His followers reacted to the suffering like Pavlovian dogs with fear, sorrow and confusion. Jesus, on the other hand, faced it with an inner strength and peace. Why?

Dr Tony Compolo (pastor, author, social activist) has made famous the mantra, ‘It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming!’ The disciples were sleeping, Judas was betraying, the soldiers were coming, but that was Friday – Sunday’s coming. Disciples running, Mary crying, Peter denying, but that was Friday – Sunday’s coming. Councils conspiring, Satan smiling, crowds stirring, but that was Friday – Sunday’s coming. His body beaten, dripping, stumbling, tiring, but that was Friday – Sunday’s coming. Hung on a cross, pierced with a spear, sealed away with a stone, but that was Friday – Sunday’s coming. It was because Jesus knew that Sunday’s coming that he was able to face Friday’s suffering differently than everybody else.

Jesus talked with his disciples several times about his immanent death and resurrection but they just didn’t seem to get it. It was only on the Sunday when they saw the resurrected Jesus that they began to understand and their hope was restored. It was this resurrection hope that then enabled them to face future trials and times of testing with a new found hope and confidence in the love, strength and authority God.

As we journey through the various stages of Easter in the coming weeks, may it be a reminder to us all of the great sacrifice that God has made for us through Jesus’ death and resurrection. May it also be a reminder to us that no matter how bad or dark any situation might be, that we can face it with hope and confidence in the love, strength and authority of God because Sunday is coming!

Stuart Traeger

Spiritual & Cultural Leader

PS. For those interested in Tony Compolo’s sermon on, ‘It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming’, please click here and start at 49:36.

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