“Your Death O Christ, We Proclaim…Your Coming We Await!”

“Your Death O Christ We Proclaim…Your Coming We Await!”(Heb. 9:24-28).
Some jokes consider this week to be Judas’ week. Others ask that all the Judases should gather together to share the money of betrayal.
Truth be told, the money Judas received for betraying Jesus, like any blood money is never of any use to the betrayer. Judas died without spending a dime out of it; and it is not differentwith any traitor of today. Jesus had said it that nothing shall profit any man if he gained the whole world at the forfeit of his soul. Blood money has never been palatable to whosoever.
Well, if Jesus died to fulfil the Scriptures, then Judas only played his part in that fulfilment plan. In Shakespearean parlance the world is a stage where everybody comes and plays a part and quit the stage. But some realise that their parts are sad ones. The part that Judas played in the salvation story was one of such sad ones.
In God’s plan things happen at the appointed time. God is neither early, nor late. God is always spot on time.
Besides, what is our reality here is a mere reflection or copy of the original.
Life is like a painting. The original is in the imagination of the artist and his finished product which catches our admiration is a copy of the original.
Even the sanctuary where priests serve “is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven…” This is why Moses was sternly warned to make everything according to the pattern shown to him on the mountain(Heb. 8:5).
The ministry of Christ is superior to any earthly replica. “He entered heaven itself” – the original sanctuary.
This happened at God’s appointed time.
“…But now he (Christ) has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”
Today Friday on which Christ was crucified, we are merely commemorating the day, while seriously reminding ourselves of his coming again, “not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”
That is why we constantly remind ourselves: “Your death O Christ we proclaim. Your resurrection we announce, your coming we await.”
Those who await his second appearance should not be like the foolish virgins who did not carry extra oil for their lamps. The bridegroom came just when their lamps were off and they went in search of extra oil. They came back when it was too late. All their waiting had been in vain.
Take note therefore that “Christ will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”
My dear friend, will you be waiting for him? The decision is yours!
Good Friday prayer: Holy Spirit strengthen me in the innerman so that when Christ appears again I will be waiting for him. Amen!
Have a blessed Good Friday! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang!