It's Time (Guest post by my husband Chris)

We had two kids at the time, but late one Saturday night, my wife said … “it’s time.”

Did I forget to say we were 9 months pregnant … at least my wife was! "It’s time” wasn’t something she said often, so I didn’t hesitate to ask for further clarification.

We loaded up the car, called friends who had committed to come spend the night and watch our two older boys and we headed to Good Samaritan Hospital.

Upon arrival, we learned it apparently was time for a lot of other babies that night also.

We did all the typical stuff you do when a baby is about to be born -- paperwork, blood pressure, etc. I asked the attending nurse if we could get a room for my wife and she answered that no rooms were available and we could wait in the hallway. The waiting room was full but they had placed a few chairs in the hallway -- I got one for my wife and I stood by her.

When I asked how she was doing she said “it’s time".

My wife had already delivered two boys; this was our third. For those who know my wife, she has an extremely high pain tolerance, and already told me earlier in the day that the baby was coming but that she would wait until the end so we didn’t have to spend time waiting at the hospital

So, when she said … “it’s time” … oh, you guessed it … it was time.

I went back to the desk area just like when you are checking on your fast food order and you are certain someone who ordered behind you clearly skipped ahead and got what they wanted before you, and stated very clearly and politely … “it’s time” … can my wife get a room or at least get a nurse to examine her?

The attending nurse began to explain all the reasons we would have to wait and began to list a bunch of other reasons why we better get happy with our circumstances, when I felt a gentle breeze come my way. It was my wife standing beside me and before the nurse said another word, my wife said...“it’s time.”

Well, they did find a place for my wife to be examined (nothing like a portable bed and a few curtains pulled around for counterfeit privacy) and sure enough one of the delivery nurses came in, she was wonderfully professional, asked if she could help, said, “let me take a look.”

Then she declared … “it’s time!” … don’t push, move, breath!

It wasn’t long until our third baby … another beautiful boy was born.

We have had the time of our life watching him grow up … [side note for all those who care … he is getting married on June 13 this year!]

For just a few minutes... it’s time to share these final thoughts:

Why is Good Friday good?

Two thousand years ago, our Savior willingly looked at the cross -- this instrument of excruciating pain and death -- and said … “it’s time”

He knew what He was facing because He is God, yet it made the pending moments no less painful, no less heartbreaking, no less emotionally exhausting.

God’s Word tells us that God is the keeper of all of time.

He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end and all of human life that exists on earth, this side of heaven, is held in his hands. All things were created by Him and He, Christ, holds all things together.

The Apostle Paul was inspired of God to write to a young church full of believers who had heard the story of Christ’s life, death, burial and resurrection and believed. They gathered to worship His name and thank Him for His grace alone that brings salvation.

In that letter, Paul writes, “it gave Him great pleasure”....

See, “at just the right time” God entered the world. Two thousand years ago, Jesus had entered the world immaculately through a virgin birth. He lived a
sinless life completely obedient to His Heavenly Father. He spent the last three years of his earthly life calling men and women to Himself and now He is standing at the precipice of the most defining three days in all of history.

The night of His betrayal that leads to his death (one that He was in complete control down to the last details), Jesus prays

• He prays for Himself
• He prays for those disciples living right beside Him
• He prays for all those who will believe (that includes me and all of you who believe)

And at the conclusion of His prayer …
“It’s time”

• Time for the Savior of the world to be the sacrificial lamb of God to take away the sins of the world.
• Time for Christ’s Passion to be displayed in beating, torture, and ultimate death on a cross.
• Time for the Old Covenant of God (for God to choose one great nation, to bless them to be a blessing to the world, so that the world would come to know, love, and worship the one true God) to become the New Covenant covered by the blood shed for the remission of sin
• Time for the veil in the temple to be torn from top to bottom in the Temple that separated a Holy God from sinful man
• Time for the enemy
• Time for the disciples

When that Friday came, it was time for the darkest moment in history. That is why many in the Kingdom of God choose to fast, pray, reflect upon the darkness of our sin on this day.

That day was a dark day…

• As Jesus was hung upon a cross he calls out to followers to take care of his mother, Mary.
• As Jesus clothes were torn from his bloody body and soldiers were playing a game of chance like rolling dice, Jesus watched and the people wept
• As Jesus cried out “Father forgive them for they know not what they do”
  Friday was a dark day

When they declared His fleshly body completely dead having stabbed his side where blood and water flowed, the earth shook and quaked and the thunder roared.
It was the darkest moment in time.

Amidst the weeping are a few hundred loyal followers, and at least two men – Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus (the religious leader among the Jews who had a private first-hand conversation with Jesus under the cloak of darkness earlier in his life and heard that profound truth that “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son that whosoever would believe in Him would not perish/die but have eternal life”.

• It was dark when they carried him from Golgotha … a hill of death, lined with blood and bodies crucified by those in earthly power
• It was dark when they wrapped in his burial clothes and put him in a tomb
• It was dark when multiple soldiers rolled into place a stone so large no one man could ever move it – sealing this tomb with human hands and hard hearts

It was dark until the next day dawned.

Then it was silent.

The entire day it was silent … the wailing had stopped and yet the wondering continued.

Disciples certainly saw each other, yet the common denominator of their gathering, Jesus the Christ, was missing.

• The very hope that He had come to establish a new Kingdom seemed lost
• The desire to follow Him wherever He led made no sense
• The call to make fishers of men was elusive at best
• The promise that He would build his church and the gates of Hell would not prevail against it seemed impossible

It was a long silent day of doubt, discouragement, and death.
…
…
Oh, but they couldn’t see the unseen.

They hoped, they waited, time seemed to stop.

Almighty God on the throne of heaven, holding the clock in His hand was not in a hurry.

Everything was in His full control. No power on earth or hell could stop His plan.

On the third day, … Sovereign God declared … “it’s time!”

• It’s time to roll the stone away
• It’s time to defeat death
• It’s time to reveal resurrection power for the world to see
• It’s time to say to say to the doctor of death and the enemy of the soul … guess what, you lost and you can go back to Hell where you belong!

And on that first Easter Sunday morning, according to His eternal plan, God almighty … Father, Son, Spirit declared “it’s time” 

He arose!

The Christ came out of the grave.

Sin forgiven and shame forgotten.

Good won over evil.

• No longer would humanity be far from God, but rather invited into the family
• No longer enemies, He would call us friends
• No longer condemned in our sin, but saved and clothed in His righteousness

What a glorious time that Resurrection moment was in all of history!

If you believe, will you rise and stand with me? It’s time!
If you confess Jesus as Lord, will you say it with me now … Jesus is Lord!
If you realize at a time the world is so divided, it’s time for the church to be united … say “it’s  time”!

If you will strive for oneness, not sameness … “it’s time”!
 Unity is from the Spirit
 Diversity is divine when celebrated as God’s beautiful creation

If you sense it’s time for revival not just survival of God’s people … say “it’s time”!

If you will commit like the pastors, priests, deacons, elders of these churches are committing …
 Speak well on behalf of every church that proclaims Jesus as Lord
 Pray for pastors/priests not to be derailed, depressed, discouraged or disqualified by the schemes of the enemy

If you will pray, fast, and turn from any sin in your life and fix your eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of your faith and join the Revival God is doing among His people worldwide and by His grace in our country, say … it’s time!

Why is Good Friday good? … because 2,000 years ago Jesus, the Prince of Peace, King of Kings, Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God … looked upon a city and wept, and looked into the future and saw you and with love so amazing knew what going to the Cross meant for your salvation.

And it is good today because at that Divine moment in time the One who alone is worthy knew the Father’s instructions to willingly go to the Cross to cover your sin and mine.

Good Friday is great … because at that moment, Jesus said, "It's time."