Welcome to Tuesday, it just happens to be, a Valentine's day just for you, just for me. We do not have candy, nor flowers, or cards. We just have these greetings from an internet bard. Married, or single, dating or not, rejoice in this day and love others a lot. Love all the workers that you get to see, you spend with them hours why not love who they be? Love all the strangers you encounter today. Open their door, you just might pave the way. Their outlook improves with the love that they feel.
From your simple gesture, a heart you can heal. So welcome to Tuesday and a day filled with love. There's none better than it, no none that's above. Today fill with love, and change will be sure. As a soundtrack to help you, we bring you The Cure...
The Cure is a British band formed in 1978. The mainstay of the band since its inception has been lead singer Robert Smith, who continues to front the band and is the driving force for new music and touring. The Cure has sold over 30 million records worldwide and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019. Their most recent offering was the 2008's 4:13 Dream. Smith has continually hinted at new studio music from the band for years, but as of this writing, we find nothing in the musical pipeline from the band.
The Cure paved the way for many of the rock bands of the 80s that wanted a different look and sound. They were one of the pioneering bands behind a new sound that was a bit difficult to define. While not completely punk, they adopted a goth look and rode the more melancholy tide of New Wave as it came crashing on the shores of Musicland.
Smith and company have produced 13 studio albums, 6 of which have gone top 20 in the US. The highest charting record was Wish which peaked at #2.
Today's featured song is from that highest-charting, ninth album, Wish. "Friday I'm In Love" was released in 1992 at the beginning of the grunge alternative sound, but was an upbeat and happy throwback to the 80s New Wave sounds of Depeche Mode (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "People Are People" (Depeche Mode)) and The Human League (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Human" (The Human League)) "Friday I'm In Love" peaked at #18 on the Hot 100, but went all the way to #1 on the Alternative Airplay chart. (We told you there was a chart for everything!!!) Its bright happy sound was a contrast to the usual moody output of The Cure. But wait! The lyrics are stereotypical of Smith as he derides every day of the week except for Friday, because, well...he's in love. I guess that's a good reason to celebrate a day.
We can think of a really good reason that singing about love on a Friday is a good thing...
In Jesus' culture, Friday began at dusk on Thursday as Jews held that the "evening and the morning" were one day. (Genesis 1:5 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV) Judas has just betrayed Jesus with a kiss, his apostles have scattered except for Peter who hangs back watching what is about to transpire, and a mob takes Jesus to Caiaphas the High Priest at that time. As the crowds armed with clubs and swords encompassed Jesus, He quickly reminds them of His teaching in the temple where they never threatened to arrest Him. Gone is the group of folks who shouted "Hosanna!!!" as Jesus rode in on the colt in fulfillment of prophecy. (Zechariah 9:9 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV)
If you were to check rabbinical law, you would quickly see that most of what happens to Jesus violates many of the rules for those who were accused of a crime. The proceedings quickly escalated as witnesses were brought to testify against Jesus (some falsehoods, others with just enough truth to be convincing) who was questioned before Caiaphas. Jesus remains silent until the High Priest asks, "I place You under oath by the living God, to tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.” To which Jesus replies, "You have said it yourself. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Caiaphas shreds his clothes in a sign of utter horror and disgust at Jesus' claims. He then incites the mob even further by decrying Jesus as guilty of blasphemy, the extreme dishonoring of God.
Upon being found guilty, the physical assault on Jesus begins in earnest. The crowd begins to spit on Him and beat Him with their fists, mocking Him in the process. All of this should have harkened the most devout to remember Isaiah 53 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV, yet they did not stop.
In a brief departure from the brutalization of Jesus, Matthew takes an aside and contrasts the reactions of two of Jesus' apostles who have been witnesses to the kangaroo court and sentencing of Jesus. Remember Jesus had told that Peter would be denying Him earlier in the evening. Peter immediately began defending himself going so far as to proclaim that he would die for Jesus if necessary. All during the "trial" before Caiaphas, Peter had been a bystander. When the guilty verdict was handed down and Jesus was being taken away to be confronted by Pilate, Peter was recognized by some of the mob and questioned regarding his relationship with Jesus. Peter denies having any knowledge of Jesus 3 times during the process of following the illegal entourage to Pilate's palace. Then the rooster crowed signifying that daylight was approaching. I wonder what Peter saw in the light of that day. Fear overcame his boldness.
Matthew also provides the narrative on another of Jesus' apostles, Judas, the one who betrayed Him. Judas becomes immediately aware of the results his betrayal is going to have and regrets his part in it. His remorse is so great that he decides to refund the money he was given to betray Jesus into the priest's and scribe's hands. His request falls on deaf ears as they deny his request. Overcome with guilt at what he had done, he throws the money at the feet of the religious rulers and goes out and hangs himself. Despair and death overcame his hope.
The mob and religious rulers took a beaten and bruised Jesus to the Roman governor of Judea, Pilate. As the ruling military and political authority, the Romans were the only ones to have death penalty powers over the infractions that occurred in the land. The power of the growing mob convinced Pilate to hear the case to which he saw very little merit, yet the crowd insisted on seeing Jesus crucified. According to Luke's account (The Gospel of Jesus according to Luke, a physician, chapter 23 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV) thro
Pilate succumbs to the wishes of the crowd and in the tradition of the day decides to release a prisoner to them as a political nod to Passover. The crowd now gets to choose, Barabbas the convicted felon, or Jesus in whom Pilate could find no fault. Again we go from "Hosanna! Hosanna!" on Sunday to "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" on Friday. They choose Barabbas to go free and Jesus to be crucified.
Jesus' physical body had already been through significant abuse at the hands of the crowds. He had nothing to eat or drink since the previous evening, had gone through 3 "trials" and was now handed over to the Roman centurions who had become experts in the elements of torture to the body and a slow painful process of death via crucifixion.
The skies grew dark as Jesus was hanging on the cross. Other miraculous occurrences were happening as Jesus' final hours were being completed. The massive veil to the temple was torn from top to bottom, earthquakes occurred splitting rocks, and many of what the Bible calls "the saints" were seen alive after having been in the grave. Jesus says 7 things: 1) (To God) Luke 23:34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." 2) (To the thief on one of the other crosses) Luke 23:43 "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." 3) (To Mary His Mother, and John the apostle) John 19:26–27
When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." 4) (To God)
Matthew 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” 5) (To the guards) John 19:28 Jesus knew that everything was now finished, and to fulfill the Scriptures he said, "I am thirsty." 6) (To everyone)
John 19:30... he said, "It is finished!" 7) (To God) Luke 23:46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.
On this Tuesday, we remember Friday and love not easily understood. A love that explains sacrifice. A love from God to all of mankind. A love that defines what love is. God wants a deep, personal relationship with everyone and He sent Jesus to demonstrate that love on this Friday. Jesus is the way to a restored relationship with God. Jesus is the truth of a love so deep that it is incomprehensible. Jesus is the life that completes the love that was demonstrated on the cross. The perfect sacrifice is given. Those who believe are redeemed and it's Friday I'm in love...
'Til Tuesday,
Loving HIM by Loving You,
randy
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