Remember... =)

Good Friday is coming soon. To be exact, two more days to go. Let us start this few days by reflecting on the good things that our Lord Jesus Christ had done for us. It might not be big, it might be small but I believe it is significant. Do not feel small whenever things do not go your way. (I know I had that feeling sometimes)

Anyway I do believe that everything that we do, whether big or small, are done according to God's plan. This include His death on the cross for us. Let us not forget people of those who were walking with Jesus from the moment of His birth till His death. Remember John the Baptist? He was there to declare for an open pathway for Jesus' ministry to begin. He did not came from a rich family but people come running after him to be baptised. All the Bible verses are taken from New Living Translation version.

1 In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, ² “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.^[a]” ³ The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said, “He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’”^[b] (Matthew 3: 1-3)

Remember the Roman officer? He was a man of faith. Not any faith. He believe in Jesus for healing without even wanting Jesus to go to his place to heal his soldier. He shows us that healing can come if we have faith.

⁵ When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer^[a] came and pleaded with him, ⁶ “Lord, my young servant^[b] lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.”

⁷ Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.”
⁸ But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. ⁹ I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”
¹⁰ When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! ¹¹ And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. ¹² But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
¹³ Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour. (Matthew 8: 5-13)

 Remember Peter? He was the one who disown Jesus when Jesus was facing persecution. Not just one time but three times. But guess what? In the end he became a victorious leader in his own right and become the elder and become an author to two epistles in the Bible; namely 1 Peter and 2 Peter.

⁶⁹ Meanwhile, Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl came over and said to him, “You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean.”

⁷⁰ But Peter denied it in front of everyone. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
⁷¹ Later, out by the gate, another servant girl noticed him and said to those standing around, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.^[a]”
⁷² Again Peter denied it, this time with an oath. “I don’t even know the man,” he said.
⁷³ A little later some of the other bystanders came over to Peter and said, “You must be one of them; we can tell by your Galilean accent.”
⁷⁴ Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know the man!” And immediately the rooster crowed.
⁷⁵ Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he went away, weeping bitterly. (Matthew 26: 69-75)

Remember the woman who anointed Jesus in Bethany? Jesus disciples' were pretty angry with her for wasting her perfume just like that. But guess what? She was mentioned in the Bible but without any name given. It is believed that the woman was Mary, Lazarus' sister. But nonetheless, she was mentioned as someone who anointed Jesus who is also a God. 

⁶ Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. ⁷ While he was eating,^[a] a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head.

⁸ The disciples were indignant when they saw this. “What a waste!” they said. ⁹ “It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.”
¹⁰ But Jesus, aware of this, replied, “Why criticize this woman for doing such a good thing to me? ¹¹ You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me. ¹² She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. ¹³ I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”  
(Matthew 26: 6-13)

Remember the high priest's servant who were there when the mob of arresting Jesus happened? The servant's right ear were cut off. Well what happened was Jesus despite meeting His persecutor, He still have mercy and healed the servant's ear. It means Jesus still forgive us though we had sinned against Him. 

⁴⁷ But even as Jesus said this, a crowd approached, led by Judas, one of the twelve disciples. Judas walked over to Jesus to greet him with a kiss. ⁴⁸ But Jesus said, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”

⁴⁹ When the other disciples saw what was about to happen, they exclaimed, “Lord, should we fight? We brought the swords!” ⁵⁰ And one of them struck at the high priest’s slave, slashing off his right ear.
⁵¹ But Jesus said, “No more of this.” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.
⁵² Then Jesus spoke to the leading priests, the captains of the Temple guard, and the elders who had come for him. “Am I some dangerous revolutionary,” he asked, “that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? ⁵³ Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there every day. But this is your moment, the time when the power of darkness reigns.” (Luke 22: 47-53)

Remember the criminals who were hanged together with Jesus during the crucifixion time? One of the criminal were mocking Jesus while the other one were asking Jesus for a chance to enter heaven with Him. Well despite the criminals were in the wrong, Jesus forgave them and allows the one asking for forgiveness into heaven with Him. It shows that Jesus still forgives and given us hope despite we do not deserve it at all. 


³⁹ One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”
⁴⁰ But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? ⁴¹ We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” ⁴² Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”
⁴³ And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23: 39-43)

Last, but not least, remember Jesus asked God for our forgiveness, a few moment before His death. It shows that He still love us and wants us despite us persecuting Him.

²⁶ As they led Jesus away, a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene,^[a] happened to be coming in from the countryside. The soldiers seized him and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. ²⁷ A large crowd trailed behind, including many grief-stricken women. ²⁸ But Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. ²⁹ For the days are coming when they will say, ‘Fortunate indeed are the women who are childless, the wombs that have not borne a child and the breasts that have never nursed.’ ³⁰ People will beg the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and plead with the hills, ‘Bury us.’^{[b] 31} For if these things are done when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?^[c]”

³² Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. ³³ When they came to a place called The Skull,^[d] they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left.
³⁴ Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”^[e] And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. (Luke 23: 26-34)

So please remember that Jesus still loves us no matter what we do to ourselves or to Him for His love to us are eternal love and agape love. This is mentioned by Paul in Romans 8: 38-39.


³⁸ And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[a] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. ³⁹ No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So have a blessed Good Friday and Easter Sunday. God bless you dearly.. =)