Randy Yancey (Message)
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Good Friday
Good Friday
Today, the day we memorialize Randy’s life, is also the day that Jesus was whipped, beaten, hung on a tree and died.
It is called Good Friday.
How is that about the day of the most wicked event in human history, we say it is good?
As theologian R.C. Sproul said, we call it good Friday, because what God wrought in that action was the greatest good in the history of the world in the atonement of His people.”
Atonement is a $5 Bible word that simply means this:
We were created by God to know Him and to love Him; to be in relationship with Him, but because of our sin, we broke that relationship and made ourselves enemies of God.
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
His death, which the world meant for evil, God meant for good.
AND In his death, He paid the debt we owed which is why on the cross, Jesus said: “It is finished.” In the Greek: Tetelestai, which yes means it is finished, but also caries the meaning: Paid in Full.
Jesus said:
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
Belief here is not just an intellectual knowledge, but means to trust, put faith in; rely upon Him.
Two Questions
Two Questions
I have just two questions for you this afternoon that I hope you will consider now and for the rest of your days.
Do you know Jesus?
Do you know who He is? Do you know the things He said? Do you know what He cared about? Do you spend time with Him in prayer? Do you love Him?
23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
That means: Salvation is not a one and done thing but a life long journey to know, love and follow Christ.
Paul declared toward the end of his life in:
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;
His life wasn’t defined by meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus, It began there and was defined by His good works not for his salvation, but because of it. BECAUSE:
When he learned who Jesus was it changed everything about his life.
He came to the profound understanding:
21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Do you know Jesus? or just know about Him?
Jesus was with His disciples and asked, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?
14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”
15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
The Apostle Thomas didn’t believe his friends when the told him that Jesus had risen from the grave, but when he saw the risen Jesus, he declared: My Lord and my God!”
Do you know Jesus?
Does Jesus know you?
Does Jesus know you?
Second question: Does Jesus know you?
Jesus said:
27 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;
28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.
29 “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
30 “I and the Father are one.”
Does He know you?
Jesus said:
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
22 “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’
23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’
Does He know you?
I asked Randy’s kids if he talked about his struggles; and they both said that he did, but framed it as a cautionary tale. What he wanted for his children was to be better than he was.
That is a father’s love. To root for his children to be the very best they can be.
The best that all of can be will only be realized in our communion with God through Christ.
I’ll close with this:
Randy and I were best friends for a long time. Life however gets in the way, kids and grandkids, work and obligations. We get busy and there just never seems to be enough time.
Over the past 15 years I only saw or spoke to Randy sporadically. Undoubtedly toward the end of each conversation we expressed the sentiment of: The next time your in Jonesboro, give me a call…..or…..You need to come up her and go hunting some time.
Now, to my regret, that time is past…..
There will come a time, and as we so painfully know, we don’t know when, that the time to answer these two questions will pass.
Do you know Jesus?
Does He know you?
