It’s Friday, But Sunday’s Comin!

Recently, myself and about a dozen other FATC guys spent a week fly fishing near Christmas Island. The island is part of the Line Islands group in the central Pacific and is the largest coral atoll in the world. Christmas Island, now officially known as Kiritimati, is located within the nation of Kiribati located roughly 1,300 miles (about a 3.5 hours flight) from Hawaii.

Christmas Island also happens to be about 100 miles from the equator—so the days and nights are almost equal in length throughout the year. In contrast, St. Louis is located about 2,700 miles north of the equator—where there’s a difference of about 5.5 hours between the longest and shortest days.

I’m writing this just a few days after the first day of spring (aka, the vernal equinox or spring equinox). The equinox simply means that the length of day and night are (almost) equal here for a day. What I find energizing is that for a while the days are now getting a little bit longer every day (that is until the summer solstice on June 21, 2026).

I appreciate sunlight, in part because it equates to some degree in how much time I can spend outdoors enjoying God’s beautiful creation. In addition, some scientists claim daily sunlight exposure improves energy levels, reduces stress and anxiety, enhances cognitive function, and can lower blood pressure.

Another important day in my calendar is upon us. That day is Easter, when I celebrate Christ’s resurrection. To me, Easter is so much more than Easter eggs, chocolate bunnies and ham dinners. Easter is the most significant Christian holiday, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after his crucifixion (Good Friday), signifying victory over sin and death. It validates Jesus as the Son of God, offering Christ followers hope for eternal life, forgiveness, and a renewed relationship with God.

Easter confirms the bodily resurrection of Jesus, which is the cornerstone of Christian faith. Without it, Christian faith could be considered baseless. Most Christians believe Jesus’ death and resurrection conquered death and redeemed humanity, repairing the broken relationship between humans and God.

The resurrection provides believers with the promise of life after death and a hope that transcends earthly suffering. It verifies all that Jesus taught, transforming him from merely a teacher into a living Savior. Easter is symbolic of a “new life,” enabling believers to live a renewed, faithful life following the example of Christ.

Like most great stories, Easter is a bad-news, good-news story. Jesus had to suffer and die before he could be resurrected. Jesus death was the payment for my sin debt and the sin debt of everyone who admits to their need for a Savior and trust in Christ death and resurrection as the payment for their sins.

A reading of the Bible confirms that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). And Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). A full reading of the Bible does not support the concept that heaven is earned by good works, going to church, being religious, or donating time or money. Many are perhaps ignorant of the fact that Jesus said, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 9:10 NIV).

On Good Friday, the words of Apostle Paul become real to me: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God”                (1 (1 Corinthians 1:18). This is often referred to as the “folly of the cross.”

The “folly of the cross” refers to the concept that the message of a crucified Savior appears absurd, foolish, or weak to human reasoning, yet acts as the power of God for salvation. It implies that God’s wisdom, which triumphs through sacrifice and humility, contradicts the world’s values of strength and power.

Many people have a belief system that says bad things shouldn’t happen to good people. Some act as though God wasn’t in control when Christ was tried, crucified and died. As if all these events were not a part of God’s plan and had not been prophesied hundreds of years earlier.

Perhaps some even, in part, justify their own antisemitism, by saying that the Jews killed Christ. They miss the entire point, that we each were in a sense responsible for Christ’s crucifixion. Some of the Jews and some of the Roman authorities at the time were involved, but were merely tools in God’s plan for salvation.

What could compel Jesus to give his life, be tortured and humiliated on the cross? Love. In the Bible, we read the words of Jesus in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” He thought of us above all else, so that we would experience the power of love through forgiveness, the abundant life and eternal life. The cross of death became the gift of life!

I am a storyteller because I enjoy stories—and because stories are one of the most powerful forms of communication. Men have been telling stories since the dawn of time. I can picture my great, great, great, great grandfather, Ugg Muckerman, sitting around a campfire chewing on some saber-toothed tiger backstrap with his hunting and fishing buddies reliving the highlights of the hunt.

As a storyteller, I recognize that true glory, often defined as eternal significance, refined character, or divine purpose, is frequently illustrated as emerging from the crucible of sacrifice and suffering. For example: A young fireman sacrifices his life to save a baby from a burning building, dying in the process. Twenty years later, a young woman weeps at his graveside, honoring him as the man who died for her. This scene illustrates that true sacrifice, though leading to death, yields a lasting legacy of glory and gratitude.

Christ’s sacrifice reminds me that sacrifice is an integral part of glory. Jesus was very upfront about that when he told a crowd that following him requires self-denial, daily sacrifice, and obedience. In Luke 9:23, Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

Taking up your cross could be a fireman running into a burning building to save a life or one of us being inconvenienced by spending time preparing dinner for others and sharing about how God is working in and through our lives. Or it could be a group of FATC guys spending a few hours on a Saturday helping a needy little church in the city clear out a building or rebuild a roof.

Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Jesus spoke these words to his disciples during the Last Supper, warning them of coming difficulties while offering peace through his victory. The next day was Good Friday.

In remembrance of that part of the greatest story ever told, I’d like to share part of a famous sermon. You may want to go on line and hear the actual recording of this powerful sermon by Black Preacher, S. M. Lockridge (March 7, 1913 – April 4, 2000) who was the Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in San Diego from 1953 to 1993. His sermon, It’s Friday, But Sunday’s Coming! has been often repeated.

It’s Friday. Jesus is praying. Peter’s a sleeping. Judas is betraying. But Sunday’s comin’.

It’s Friday. Pilate’s struggling. The council is conspiring. The crowd is vilifying. They don’t even know, that Sunday’s comin’.

It’s Friday. The disciples are running like sheep without a shepherd. Mary’s crying. Peter is denying. But they don’t know, that Sunday’s a comin’.

It’s Friday. The Romans beat my Jesus. They robe him in scarlet. They crown him with thorns. But they don’t know, that Sunday’s comin’.

It’s Friday. See Jesus walking to Calvary. His blood dripping. His body stumbling. And his spirit’s burdened. But you see, it’s only Friday. Sunday’s comin’.

It’s Friday. The world’s winning. People are sinning. And evil’s grinning.

It’s Friday. The soldiers nail my Savior’s hands to the cross. They nail my Savior’s feet to the cross. And then they raise him up next to criminals. It’s Friday. But let me tell you something, Sunday’s comin’.

It’s Friday. The disciples are questioning. What has happened to their King? And the Pharisees are celebrating that their scheming has been achieved. But they don’t know, it’s only Friday. Sunday’s comin’.

It’s Friday. He’s hanging on the cross. Feeling forsaken by his Father. Left alone and dying. Can nobody save him? Ooooh It’s Friday. But Sunday’s comin’.

It’s Friday. The earth trembles. The sky grows dark. My King yields his spirit. It’s Friday.

Hope is lost. Death has won. Sin has conquered and Satan’s just a laughin’.

It’s Friday. Jesus is buried. A soldier stands guard. And a rock is rolled into place. But it’s Friday. It is only Friday. Sunday’s comin’!”

Maybe you’re suffering right now or maybe you’re living what seems like a purposeless life. Well according to Jesus, it doesn’t have to be that way. Not only did Jesus say, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NLT). He also said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). And in 2 Corinthians 12:9 he says “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”.

I had a time in my life when I came to the end of my rope, but thank God there was a loving Savior there. I chose to surrender my life to my Savior and to start investigating through his word what he had in mind for me to do with the rest of my life. It was the best decision I ever made. So now I say Thank God for Fridays…because thanks to Jesus, Sunday’s a comin’!

I know I mentioned a lot of Bible verses in this post; that’s because I obviously believe they are powerful and true…and I hope to encourage others to start reading God’s Word. I’ll close with what is probably my favorite Bible quote. These are Paul’s words, but I have adopted them: “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20 NLT).

How about you? What does Good Friday and Easter mean to you? Do you have favorite and special days each year, and if so, what are they and why are they special to you? Feel free to share your thoughts here on the FATC FORUM. Remember our motto: It’s not just about the fly fishing.

John Muckerman

FATC Inspirational and Leadership Lead