Today, is the day that Christians world-wide remember Christ crucified on Calvary’s cruel cross. So many nuggets are in Scripture, I love how the Lord used a virgin womb with Mother Mary and a virgin tomb of Joseph of Arimathea to be the bookends of history. Yes, it has been said: “History is really HIS STORY.” Life begins and ends with Jesus! “April Fool’s” was yesterday, the day before “Good Friday.” What is no joke is that the sinless Savior was slain for sinners. In the words of the Apostle Paul: “I am the Chief of Sinners.”

The day after Thanksgiving in America (right or wrong) is coined BLACK FRIDAY. When Christ died at Mount Calvary the sky went completely black. How? Because the Light of the world was extinguished. Secondly, God turned His back on Jesus because His Son became sin. Jesus was willing to become our Subsitute, Sacrifice and Savior. The Man (Messiah) who knew no sin became sin in our place. All the mistakes, errors, flaws, shortcomings and SIN that you and I, ever commited fell on the back and body of Christ. He was whipped for our transgressions, He was slain for our sin and He died in our place. Jesus not only died but arose again from the dead on the third day. I love Rocky Balboa because he never quit. I worship Jesus because He never stayed dead.

The God of the Universe, Creater of the World and Savior of our sins desires to have a personal relationship with you! More than Uncle Sam: “Jesus Wants You!” To gain access into Heaven, we must confess to Christ our sins, ask Him to forgive us, believe in His death, burial and resurrection and we receive Him as our personal Savior “by faith.” We don’t get into Heaven by our merits but His mercy. The White House had some “gate crashers” but no one will get into Heaven other than by trusting totally in the sacrificial death of Jesus. It is because of the cross that we come to Christ. Yes, Heaven is a prayer away. God desires a relationship not a religion and then you are on your way to victorious living, a reservation ensured for eternity and then you begin to walk and talk with God on a daily basis. This is not only communion with Christ and a community of Christians’ but discipleship with Deity and mentored by The Master.

Even as a kid, it never made sense that today would be called “GOOD FRIDAY.” For sinners obtaining salvation through Christ, yes, that was “good” but not for Him. Jesus died so we could live. In my finite, child-like mind I couldn’t comprehend why we call it good. Good for who? Are we joyful that Jesus died? Are we mocking the Messiah who died in our place? The fact is, if any other person in the world would have died it wouldn’t be considered “good.” But since Jesus is unlike anyone who will ever live it is “good” when you won’t be dead long. Jesus is not just good but God.

Years ago, an American businessman went overseas and was told by his drinking buddies to see the famed bar called “THE GATES OF HELL.” He was there for 10 days and with a day left to spare he asked a guard standing on post for directions to “The Gates of Hell.”

The guard not trying to be religious said: “Son, that is actually one of our most requested tourist attractions. I will give you a landmark. Walk down three streets and make a right. Proceed two blocks and make a left. You will come to a large cathedral (church) and its called CALVARY. Next door to the church is the bar.” Then he said these powerful words: “Son, if you go pass Calvary you will end up at the Gates of Hell but if you stop at Calvary, you won’t have to go there!”

WOW, I shared that ten years ago and they went CRAZY! It will still preach and thanks to Christ, His Cross and Calvary we can be forgiven like white, new fallen snow because of His rich, red blood. Truly, we find POWER in the blood of the Lamb! Friends, I have been to the borrowed tomb of Jesus in Israel in 1995. As you exit the EMPTY tomb it has a Scripture verse. “Why do ye seek the living among the dead, He is not here but He IS RISEN!” – Luke 24:5-6

The tomb of Christ is the only tourist attraction in the whole wide world where folks travel from miles around and stand in line to see absolutely NOTHING! Thank Jesus that we don’t serve a dead god but the True and Living Lord! He loves, He LIVES and He is still leading folks to Heaven with Him.

In closing, I love Joseph of Arimathea. Outside of Christ, he is probably my favorite Christian in the Bible. At the foot of Calvary’s cross on “Good Friday” when Jesus needed the men the most; He counted on them the least. Then again, God didn’t need man to deliver Him because He came to deliver mankind (read that again – that will flat out preach). Men think “we” are big, bad and bold but on the day that Jesus died practically naked in public, men were M.I.A. They were hiding behind closed doors. Perhaps they thought if Pontius Pilate was in a bad mood he may sentence them to die for being disciples of Jesus.

Women were doing two things and they both start with “W.” They were WEEPING and WORSHIPPING their Lord (now Savior). The Bible is clear that the only men recorded in Scripture were male Roman soldiers gambling for the garments of God and then we have Jesus half-brother and here comes this brother from another mother, Joseph of Arimathea and the Bible said he boldly went to Pilate and demanded the body of Christ. Now when when most men sat out this man stood up. From Golgotha (“Place of a Skull”) to Garden Tomb it is about the length of a NFL Football Field. Joseph and a few friends carried Christ from Calvary’s cross to the tomb owned by Joseph of Arimathea. Fitting that a Joseph would be present at Jesus’ birth and another Joseph at His death. Truly, God is the “Author and Finisher of our Faith.”

My father, Frank Shelton, Sr was Acting Assistant Chief of the United States Capitol Police. Out of 2,100 sworn officers on Capitol Hill protecting the United States President, Members of Congress and the most beautiful building on Earth (The US Capitol Building) my Dad was number two in command when he retired. Dad was a fourth generation police officer in our Nation’s Capitol. My ancestor, Joseph William Shelton was on duth at Ford’s Theater on GOOD FRIDAY, April 1865, the very night that President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. It was noted that my ancestor (first of the now five generation police officers in my family) was one of a few men to carry our Commander in Chief across the street the day he died.

My parents took me to see Elvis Presley in concert twice at age five in 1977. My dad’s friend was an honorary pallbearer at Elvis’ funeral. The man was known by billions with “B” by his first name. Loved by millions and worth more dead than alive but my father’s friend was asked to be a pallbearer at Elvis Presley’s funeral. The reason I love Jesus, “Good Friday,” and Joseph of Arimathea is because I reflect on the fact that my ancestor carried what historians claim will be the “greatest political figure in American history.” Lincoln freed the shackled slaves, loved by Democrats and Republicans (almost impossible these days), the most quoted American in history, made Thanksgiving a National Holiday, put “IN GOD WE TRUST” on our currency and still adored today. Ruth and I, were engaged on the Lincoln Memorial steps, I was born on President’s Day, our son, Andrew LINCOLN Shelton was born on Inauguration Day, January 20, 2009. Hence, one reason we named him after President Lincoln. It was said in my ancestor’s obituary that Lincoln loved my ancestor and they became close friends.

When my ancestor carried President Lincoln, by God’s grace he carried the closest to “The King of a Nation” that America will ever have. President George Washington was correct to note that “America will have no king but King Jesus!” Rock on Brother George! The fact is after working 17 years for Congress, I realized early on that the Presidency is an institution NOT an individual. When my dad’s friend carried Elvis Presley’s casket even today disc jockey’s would agree he carried “The King of Rock N Roll.” What I love about Joseph of Arimathea, we don’t carry “The King of a Nation,” nor “The King of Rock “n Roll” but we carry daily by our life and lips “The KING of ALL kings!” It is one thing to carry “greatness” but entirely and ETERNALLY different when GREATNESS CARRIES YOU!

Today, is not only “Good Friday” but a Friday that God changed the world. A day where the lost could be found, those blinded by religion could SEE the reality that a relationship with the Redeemer (Jesus) is all we need, the worse sinners could become the best saints and orphans could become kids of the King. When Christ was on the cross – YOU were on His Mind. Yes, “Good Friday” is here but Sunday’s coming! He Loves, He LIVES and He’s still Leading sinners to Himself. Don’t delay – trust Christ today!