Friday Faith
He died on Friday, it was Silent on Saturday, He Rose on Sunday.
Remember, if the worst possible thing could happen, God is still greater.
Since we have seen Sunday, we can face Friday.
“And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. [Some of the earliest manuscripts do not include 16:9–20.]”
Mark 16:8 ESV
They said nothing to anyone for they were afraid, And the earliest manuscripts stop there.
Fear stops a lot of our stories too. A lot of us stop at the tomb where our hope dies, our disappointment in what we thought was going to happen gets so deep in our heart we no longer want to try, believe, pray. our heart isn’t really in it.
You must make a decision tonight that fear is not going to decide how your story ends.
Do not let fear dictate where your story ends, where your praise ends, where your gratitude ends, where your trust ends.
Don’t let fear have the final word in your story when you know know Sunday’s coming and He has risen.
Who was the first person that Jesus appears to when he was risen from the dead?
“When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons.”
Mark 16:9 NIV
Magdalene was not her last name, it was where she was from. she was identified by where she came from, Magdala. She was wealthy, the gospels mention her 12 times, she was a large supporter of the ministry of Jesus and was one of the women who made His ministry go forward.
“When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons.”
Mark 16:9 NIV
Antiquity tells us she financed a large part of His ministry but that was minuscule compared to what He did for her.
It goes to prove we can trust God with our everything, our giving, our living, our serving, and we’ll never be able to outdo what He has done for us. He Paid It All.
So now we know who he appeared to first but now we have to wonder why?
“She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping.” “When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.”
Mark 16:10-11 NIV
How do you not believe He said He was going to do it? she is telling you He has done it, and yet it’s so easy to let that promise die because it contradicts your circumstance.
So why did Mary Magdalene get be the first witness of the resurrection?
“So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where he was laid.”
Mark 15:46-47 NIV
Mary Magdalene saw where He was laid. Mary Magdalene saw where He was laid. Mary Magdalene saw where He was laid.
The first one to see His resurrection was the last one to see His death. You cannot expect resurrection until you have accepted death.
Faith stands in the midst of Death and Believes God for resurrection.
A lot of people expect God to fix things they aren’t willing to face.
I believe because she had the Faith to Face Friday, she was the First to See him on Sunday!
The first one to see him risen on Sunday was the one willing to stand on Friday when he was dead.
Faith has the ability to face Friday because we have seen Sunday.
When you have the Faith to stand in the disappointment of Friday you will get of revelation of God’s glory on Sunday
