There Was Never a Plan B

Since I will not be at a computer next week, and next Friday is “Good Friday”, I wanted to take the time today to talk about that fateful time in earth’s history.

Many people today still consider Friday as preparation day. Sabbath keepers use Friday to prepare for the Sabbath such as clean the house, get all the shopping done for the weekend, maybe begin to prepare, or completely prepare, the Sabbath meal. It is a day to prepare for the upcoming celebration that Sabbath was intended to be: a celebration of Creation Week.

But today, a reminder that Jesus did something so unimaginable for a “God” to do that we cannot fully understand it. Perhaps we never will.

This part of the story picks up on Friday i.e., Preparation Day:

“Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

“Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.

“And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.” And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.” John 19:31-37 NKJV

We in our sinful nature, cannot understand just how badly He wants us to be a part of His plan, because His plan was long in the making. How long, you ask. We’re not sure, but the Bible says He chose us before the creation of the world. There was a plan.

1 Peter 1:19-21 “…with the precious blood of Christ,…He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world,…” NKJV

Paul called it an eternal purpose in Ephesians 3:11.

Next weekend as you attend church and hear again the story of the women heading to the tomb of Jesus early Sunday morning.

As you are reminded of the violent earthquake, of the angel going to the tomb and rolling back the stone. As you once again picture the angel then sitting on that stone, his appearance like lightning, and his clothes white as snow.

As you are reminded of the guards fear and fainting, and the angel’s word’s to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said…”

As you remember that they were told to go quickly and tell the disciples, and how they ran from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy. As all of this story is retold, remember this, it was always the plan!

It wasn’t Plan B. It was Plan A. It was the only plan.

God knew there would be sin; God is all-knowing, and God planned to pay the cost of that sin; His blood on a wooden cross, on a beautiful, blue, spinning globe that He had created in 6 days, by people He had created with His own hands and breath. This was always the plan. And it was never Plan B.

by Jeanette Stark – Friday, March 31, 2023