if you haven't given God a chance, i dare you to listen | GOOD FRIDAY

Hello everybody, welcome to another episode of Christ with Coffee on Ice. I am your host, Ellie Yost. It is a joy and honor to be here with you guys today. As a lot of us know, if not all of us, know that today is Good Friday, and I would not want to be anywhere else but with you guys today on Good Friday. This is a really cool day. Today I've also decided that it will be a day where we are not going to be playing any ads during this episode because I just feel like that would feel kind of funny. I feel like Jesus wants to do something really special in this episode today. I just don't want it to be interrupted. I want it to just be about him. And so I think we're going to do all of the attempts that we can to make sure that no YouTube ads go playing during this as well. Sometimes YouTube is like hit or miss. They're pretty unpredictable. Even if I put specifically or no ads for this episode, I think sometimes YouTube has played ads where I'm not making anything from it but they're still whatever. So I'm just hoping Jesus protects this episode of any distractions, any ad moments interrupting this because I do think it's going to be a very special episode. So yeah, I don't have my coffee on ice today. Just didn't think it was important. This podcast is so fun and obviously it's girl time and it's bestie hang, energy, 99% of the time. But I think just because of what today means, I just want to make it all about Jesus and nothing else. Yeah, I'm not even really sure what he's going to do today but I have a feeling in my spirit. I was getting really emotional about it before I even sat down. I think that he just wants to meet people. And I don't even know how much I'm going to be saying in this episode. I just feel that his spirit wants to move. And he wants to meet people. If you're not sure exactly what that means, what I'm feeling from Jesus is that he is going to make himself known in rooms right now, like his presence will be tangible in a way as if he is a person standing in your room. I believe that's what he wants to do today. And so I think the first step to this, what's really cool y'all and what makes it like so for me is that's how I knew he was real. That's how I fell in love with him. It was one day when I was sitting in my apartment in 2023 and I was reading in the book of Matthew. He entered my apartment and he met me. And I met him, like the person of Jesus. It makes me emo to think that this episode, even if it's just one person, but it's really cool that he wants to meet other people in the same way he met me and saved my life. My life was changed forever that day. And so my deepest, deepest desire and prayer with this episode is that other people get to experience what I experienced that day. It changed my life. He changed my life. So there's a garbage truck outside. Also, why didn't I bring tissues? I should have known better. I'll just wipe my nose on my sleeve here. Sorry. I also have some fun soaking music playing in the background. We haven't done this in a really long time. If you've been watching the podcast for quite some time now, you know that this isn't totally foreign for us. Sometimes I really do feel like Holy Spirit's just going to be doing his thing and I'm just, I'm passenger. I'm in the passenger seat. But yeah, I just thought it would be really sweet to have some soaking music going in the background. If you guys are curious about what that even means, it's basically just like really awesome instrumental music that I think helps usher. I don't even want to say usher, the spirit of God, because the spirit of God is already with us, but I think it just helps tear that veil from our eyes of like, oh my gosh, he's here and he's always been here and I feel it now. It's less about more of you Jesus, like please come. He's already here. It's more of like an awareness. It's more us than him. It's actually becoming more aware of his presence versus more of his presence. This kind of music really helps me with that. Just kind of helps me really see that he's already here. And so this is literally called Three Hours of Soaking in His Presence. I listened to it on Spotify. It's also available on YouTube and it's by William Augusto, who I need to blow my nose. I'm so sorry. He has been the only, this has been the only soaking music I've listened to since I was saved. It's the best. I also have some communion with us today and I do think that we should take that at some point. I'm not sure when. Yeah, we'll just see. We'll see what the Holy Spirit has planned, but that will be something we will do together as a body and as a family. So I'm very excited for that. But I think before we really get into, I mean, I want to just go right to the part of whatever Jesus wants to do with encountering people on the other side of this podcast. But I think first and foremost, recognizing what today means and just chatting about it a little bit for anybody who may not know. I just always want to be mindful of anyone who could be tuning in that's like, I'm really, really new here. And I just don't ever want this podcast to turn into something where if you are just starting to get curious about Jesus or you've just committed your life to him, that it's just, I don't ever wanted to get to a place where you can't feel included. So Good Friday. So today is the day that Jesus was crucified on the cross for us. So today is the day that Jesus actually dies on the cross, which is a really, really heavy day. But simultaneously, it's called Good Friday, which is funny, huh? Like what? How can a day like today, where a man who is perfect, a man who had not committed a single sin in his life, a man who was truly innocent of a gruesome, awful death was killed? How could that actually be good? Yeah, I think that would be my question too. But I think the truth is, is that without today, we would not be where we are. We would not be able to, one, experience the Holy Spirit the way that we get to today, that we wouldn't be forgiven of our sins. And also that Jesus wouldn't then eventually, in just a few days, triumph, evil, death, sin, shame, like literally everything you could think of, he defeated it. And death being like the bottom of the bottom of that pit, right? Of all these things for Jesus to overcome. It's like death is pretty much it, right? That's like the last thing in life that we could fear that could be evil, like it's death. And he overcame that too. Good Friday is called good for a deeper reason. We believe that through Jesus' death, sin was forgiven and humanity was offered salvation and restoration with God. So even though the day itself is tragic, the outcome is seen as incredibly good. Good meaning holy or sacred. Historically, the word good could also mean holy or set apart. So good Friday can also be understood as holy Friday. It points to hope and not just suffering. Good Friday isn't the end of the story it leads to Easter, which celebrates resurrection and victory over death. So the good reflects the hope that comes from the sacrifice. It's called good Friday not because what happened was easy, but because what came from it changed everything. I think another beautiful thing about good Friday, at least for me, is I think good Friday truly is such a reminder of what true and deep love is. Today is the day that Jesus represented the most humble, sacrificial, and selfless love known to man. And so I think today Trump's Valentine's Day, like today is the day of true, authentic, like raw, sacrificial love that Jesus demonstrated for all of us. It was love that he said, okay, I will do this for all of humanity. Yeah, and I think that today also is definitely a day of hope. Because we know what happens in just a few days on Sunday. I think the reason that we can have hope is because we know that Jesus actually overcame what happens today. And so even in, I think there's just such a beautiful message even in the darkest day in history for being honest. We killed Jesus Christ, we killed God, right? Who's fully God fully man, but he was murdered and killed on a cross. Darkest day in history. It's a reminder that as dark as this can feel and actually be, so much can change in just a few days. And so I think even Jesus, his sacrifice, his death, burial and resurrection can give us hope in so many ways of like in just a few days, everything can be so different. So it is a, it's a day of hope as well. There's hope in today and celebration and joy. There should be joy in today. Yeah, I think it'd be really cool to maybe read something. Why don't we read it from our Bibles today? What do you guys think of that? I'm reading the NLT translation. That's what I read. This is my Bible with Hosanna revival. And I say that because you guys ask all the time, which I love. I love that you guys are always curious about the Bible that I have. This is a newer one that I did just get from them. They gifted it to me. They're the best. Hosanna revival, genuinely the best company, like so kind. Like the people that I interact with every day through Hosanna are amazing people. So I would totally support them if you are on the market for a new Bible. Okay, let's read in the book of Luke. Let's go to Luke 23. Everybody, let's just read at the beginning of Luke 23, verse one. Then the entire council took Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor. They began to state their case. This man has been leading our people astray by telling them not to pay their taxes to the Roman government and by claiming he is the Messiah, a king. So Pilate asked him, are you the king of the Jews? Jesus replied, you have said it. Pilate turned to the leading priests and to the crowd and said, I find nothing wrong with this man. Then they became insistent, but he is causing riots by his teaching wherever he goes all over Judea from Galilee to Jerusalem. Oh, is he a Galilean? Pilate asked. When they said that he was, Pilate sent him to Herod because Galilee was under Herod's jurisdiction and Herod happened to be in Jerusalem at the time. Herod was delighted at the opportunity to see Jesus because he had heard about him and had been hoping for a long time to see him perform a miracle. He asked Jesus question after question, but Jesus refused to answer. Meanwhile, the leading priests and the teachers of religious loss did their shouting, their accusations. Then Herod and his soldiers began mocking and ridiculing Jesus. Finally, they put a royal robe on him and sent him back to Pilate. Herod and Pilate, who had been enemies before, became friends that day. Then Pilate called together the leading priests and other religious leaders, along with the people, and he announced his verdict. You brought this man to me, accusing him of leading a revolt. I have examined him thoroughly on this point in your presence and find him innocent. Herod came to the same conclusion and sent him back to us. Nothing this man has done calls for the death penalty. So I will have him flogged and then I will release him. Then a mighty roar rose from the crowd and with one voice they shouted, kill him and release Barabbas to us. Pilate argued with them because he wanted to release Jesus, but they kept shouting, crucify him, crucify him. For the third time he demanded why, what crime has he committed? I have found no reason to sentence him to death, so I will have him flogged and then I will release him. But the mom shouted louder and louder demanding that Jesus be crucified and their voices prevailed, so Pilate sentenced Jesus to die, as they demanded. As they had requested, he released Barabbas, the man in prison, for insurrection and murder. But he turned Jesus over to them to do as they wished. As they led Jesus away, a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, happened to be coming in from the countryside. The soldiers seized him and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. A large crowd trailed behind him, including many grief-stricken women, but Jesus turned and said to them, daughters of Jerusalem, don't weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children, for the days are coming when they will say, fortunate indeed are the women who are childless, the wombs that have not born a child, and the breasts that have never nursed. People will beg the mountains, fall on us, and plead with the hills, bury us, for if these things are done, when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry? Two others, both criminals, were let out to be executed with him. When they came to a place called the Skull, they nailed him to the cross, and the criminals were also crucified. One on his right and one on his left. Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. The crowd watched, and the leaders scuffed. He saved others, they said. Let him save himself, if he is really God's Messiah, the chosen one. The soldiers mocked him too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. They called out to him, if you're the king of the Jews, save yourself. A sign was fastened above him with these words, this is the king of the Jews. One of the criminals hanging beside him scuffed, so you're the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself, and us too, while you're at it. But the other criminal protested, don't you fear God, even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn't done anything wrong. And then he said, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. And Jesus replied, I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise. By this time it was about noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o'clock. The light from the sun was gone, and suddenly the curtain in the sanctuary of the temple was torn down the middle. Then Jesus shouted, Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands. And with those words, he breathed his last. When the Roman officer overseeing the execution saw what had happened, he worshiped God and said, surely this man was innocent. And when all the crowd that came to see the crucifixion saw what had happened, they went home in deep sorrow. But Jesus' friends, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching. Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish High Council, but he had not agreed with the decision and actions of the other religious leaders. He was from the town of Arimathea in Judea, and he was waiting for the kingdom of God to come. He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. Then he took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth and laid it in the new tomb that had been carved out of rock. This was done late on Friday afternoon, the day of preparation, as the Sabbath was about to begin. As his body was taken away, the women from Galilee followed and saw the tomb where his body was placed. Then they went home and prepared spices and ointments to anoint his body. But by the time they were finished, the Sabbath had began, so they rested as required by the law. But very early on Sunday morning, the women went to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance, so they went in, but they didn't find the body of the Lord Jesus. As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes. The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn't here. He has risen from the dead. Remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day. Then they remembered that he had said this, so they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples and everyone else what had happened. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened, but the stories sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn't believe it. However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings, and he went home again, wondering what happened. That same day, two of Jesus' followers were walking in the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. As they walked along, they were talking about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. But God kept them from recognizing him. He asked them, What are you discussing so intensely as you walk along? They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn't heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days. What things? Jesus asked. The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth, they said. He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago. Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive. Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough his body was gone, just as the women had said. Then Jesus said to them, You foolish people, you find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the scriptures. Wasn't it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory? Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the scriptures the things concerning himself. By this time they were nearing Amos and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, but they begged him, stay the night with us, since it is getting late. So he went home with them. As they sat down to eat, he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. Suddenly their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared. They said to each other, didn't our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the scriptures to us? And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the 11 disciples and the others who had gathered with them, who said the Lord has really risen. He appeared to Peter. Then the two from Amos told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread. And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. Peace be with you, he said. But the whole group was startled and frightened thinking they were seeing a ghost. Why are you frightened? he asked. Why are your hearts filled with doubt? Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it's really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don't have bodies, as you see that I do. As he spoke, he showed them his hands and feet. They still stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, do you have anything here to eat? They gave him a piece of broiled fish and he ate it as they watched. I'm sorry. I cannot. It's me, Allie. Hi. I cannot imagine. Okay. For extra context, for anyone who may not know, Jesus isn't just showing them his hands and feet to be like, Hey, see, here are my hands and feet. His hands and his feet were pierced on the cross. And so the reason why he's saying, look at my hands and feet is because he still had the marks of the nails that were once in his hands and feet. But it's just like Jesus is out here alive. He's alive. And he's also being like, y'all, I'm going to be honest. Why are you shocked? The entire Bible up until this point has already prophesied that this day would come. He's like, so honestly, I don't know why you're shocked. Number one, number two, I've been telling you guys that this was going to happen. So not only did the scriptures point directly to it and speak to it, but also I told you. And thirdly, look at my hands. So anyway, he does all of this. And then he's like, by the way, I'm hungry. So they give him a fish. And I don't know why I just like literally saw all of them just like staring at him as Jesus is just like so casually sitting there like just eating. He's like, I'm hungry. Can I have some dinner? And they're like, I like genuinely wish I could have been a fly on the wall in that moment. Can you imagine how honestly like kind of hysterical and comedic that had to have been? He was like, I'm a little hungry. Does anybody have any food? And they're like, yeah, we have this. Was it a broiled fish? They said, sure, yeah, Jesus, we have this broiled fish. He sits down at the table. He's eating it. He's like, this is delicious. And they're all like, I just see it. I don't know. That just cracked me up. Anyway, Jesus, I'm obsessed with you. Okay. So Jesus casually is just like raised from the dead and then is like hungry and eating this broiled fish. And he ate it as they watched. They all sat there. They just watched him. I'm obsessed with that. Then he said, when I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets in the Psalms must be fulfilled. Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures and he said, yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. And it was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations beginning in Jerusalem. There is forgiveness of sins for all who are pegged. You are witnesses of all these things. And now I will send the Holy Spirit just as my father promised, but stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven. Then Jesus led them to Bethany and lifting his hands to heaven. He blessed them while he was blessing them. He left them and was taken up to heaven. So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. And they spent all of their time in the temple praising God. And that, my friends, is the story of Good Friday and the rest of this weekend into Easter. That happened. That happened. And it's also the gift of the fact that Jesus then, as the father promised, left his Holy Spirit here to empower us and fill us as the body. So here's the invitation that I feel from Jesus right now. I believe that there is an invitation today for you. If this is the first episode you've ever clicked on, if you haven't actually officially given your life to Jesus, I believe that this is your invitation to do so today. And to not meet the religious, like the Jesus, like the Jesus of religion, like the religious Jesus, but to just meet Jesus, the man, the person to encounter Jesus today. I believe that he wants to do that. And so if that is you, if you are somebody who has never experienced that in your life, I would say that step one is you have to have an open heart. You actually have to have an open heart. Skepticism is okay. Because I think even myself, I don't know. I might have had a little skepticism on like what that even meant or what that feels like or if it, you know, it was possible. That's okay. God isn't intimidated by like our questions or skepticism where you're like, uh, but you have to have an open heart. Meaning you have to be like, okay, God, if this is real, if you are real, I'm open to it. I'm open. Like genuinely, like your heart is like cracked open and it's vulnerable, but it's open. Okay. There's no protecting yourself. There's no like being like, Oh, well, I'll only be like, you actually have to be like, okay, God, I want to experience you. People are saying, Ali says that she wants experienced you. That's really cool. I'm a little skeptical if it can happen to me, but I do, I think it'd be really cool. I actually think I want that. If that's the truth, then I can promise you that you will meet him. You will meet him. So I'm excited. I'm excited. I think that it means that if, if you've never encountered, or let's say it's been a long time since you've encountered the Holy Spirit, I believe that the Lord wants to just refresh your soul. And he wants to meet you there. But if you are somebody who encounters the Spirit of God every single day, I love that for you, but I know that you're also not going to pass up another opportunity to experience God because he is Jesus is just intoxicating. His love is intoxicating and it will change you from the inside out. And so I think I just want to do, Oh God, Oh God, what do we do? Okay. Um, I'm not even going to really say much. I don't think, I don't think this is where I need to be in the driver's seat. I think this is where I take passenger seat. And I think that the Holy Spirit just wants to talk to you. He wants to talk to you. Jesus wants to speak to you. And so I think all I'm going to do is just sit here and help create a space for that. If you are in a place to sit down, I'm so excited. If you are in a place to sit down and be still, that's very important. So like if you're currently walking your dog on the sidewalk, it might be hard. I think like a place of no distractions, preferably maybe your bedroom, maybe your dorm, maybe like a literal closet. I don't know what that looks like, but I think you need to sit somewhere where it is still and there's no distractions and it's quiet. Put your phone away. Like don't have your phone with you. Yeah. Okay. I might just pray a little bit. We'll just, we'll just see. Oh Jesus. Yeah. And feel free to close your eyes. Yeah. Feel free to just close your eyes. And I think just sit. Just sit and close your eyes. Okay. The next thing is, I think, um, just repeat after me. Jesus. I want to know you. There might be parts of my heart that are skeptical, but I thank you, Jesus, that you have grace for those parts of my heart. Lord, I want to know what it means to be made for you. God, I want to know what it means to be made by you. Jesus, I want to experience your love. I'm not even sure what that really means, but I know that it is something I was made for. And so Jesus, I invite you into this moment. My heart is open to you. Holy spirit, please come into my heart. Fill me with the joy that I have been lacking in my life. Jesus, come. Jesus, come. Holy spirit, come. You are so safe here. I know that this could probably be a little funny. This might be like the most spiritual thing you've ever done where you're like, I'm not even into like, I don't do this stuff. I know it feels funny, but the truth is, is that we were made for this. Like we're spirits, right? You have a soul. We were made to be spiritual, and there's so many knockoffs in the world. The truth is Jesus. Like this is the spirituality we were made for, connection with the one who has created us. Jesus is the way, truth and life. This is what we were made for. So it may feel a little funny, but I promise you that you are safe. You're not like being put in a trance. You're not, you're not being manipulated. You're not being manipulated. Like if you are feeling something right now, it's okay. You're safe. It's actually love. It's Jesus. Oh, Holy spirit. I just ask right now God that you overwhelm, overwhelm your son or your daughter on the other side of this podcast right now. Lord, I pray for a peace that surpasses all understanding right now. God, a peace, a peace that they've never felt in their life, just overwhelms them from the top of their head. God all the way to the bottom of their feet. Lord, I pray that it feels almost electric. Your presence feels almost electric, but peaceful. Lord, I pray that they feel a sense of home. That their soul has actually found the rest that it's been looking for. Thank you, Jesus, that you are home. Lord, you say in scripture, you say, come to me all who are weary and carry heavy burdens. Come to me and you will find rest. God, I think you that you are true rest. Peace. Peace. Thank you, Jesus. Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Thank you, Jesus. Okay. I think lastly what I would love to do. This is really important for us to do because it honors the Lord. It honors Jesus. It's also a reminder and representation of what Jesus did for us on the cross today on Good Friday. This is His body and His blood. This is communion. I will say that communion is for those who put their trust in Jesus Christ. And so this isn't something to just like casually take if you haven't yet like fully put in your trust in Jesus or given your life to Him. I think that's worth mentioning that it's very important to understand that this is something to do if you are like I am a Jesus follower, like I identify as a Christian and I put my trust in Jesus Christ. I believe in this. I believe that what He did on the cross for me was real and it is real. And so I would love to invite the body of Christ for those who believe and put their trust in Jesus to take this communion with me. I do have these little communion cups that I get off of Amazon. I order them in bulk. I have like a giant cookie jar in my kitchen of these. If you have something like this, if you have bread and juice at your house, that works too. But I think this would be a really beautiful moment to just honor the Lord today as a family. And I'm of course happy to just lead us in that. So Jesus I thank you for Good Friday. Lord I thank you for your sacrifice on the cross for us. Jesus we love you. We honor you. And we thank you for the fresh and new mercies that we get every day from you. Lord thank you for overcoming sin and death. Thank you for giving us a second chance at life. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to be reconciled with God, our heavenly Father. Thank you that because of your sacrifice we are now made friends of God and no longer enemies. That we are cleansed and washed. We are made as white as snow because of your blood and because of your sacrifice. We love you Jesus. And so we take the body that was broken on the cross and we thank you for that Jesus. Thank you. Jesus. And Jesus, oh do we thank you for the blood? Oh my gosh. We thank you for the blood. I need this blood like a thousand times a day. Lord thank you that we get to plead the blood of Jesus over our families, over our minds, God, over our lives. Thank you that the blood protects us Lord. It's because of your blood that we are protected every day. We thank you for this blood that washes us clean of our sins. Lord thank you for the power of your blood that was shed on the cross for us. Let us never take it for granted God. And please forgive us for the times that we do. We love you. We thank you for today. In Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Okay. Not your traditional podcast episode. That's for sure. Sometimes we just throw in a wild card every once in a while, huh? Um, thank you guys for tuning in. And I just trust that the Lord has his way with today's episode. I just trust and I am really proud of you guys and I love you. And I hope you have a beautiful Good Friday. I hope that it's filled with so much hope and joy. Today is a day to have joy. Yeah, I hope that you get to spend it with the people that you love. I hope that you get to go to church. My church is doing a service, which is so fun. Um, so yeah, happy Good Friday everybody. I love you. And I hope you have a beautiful Easter as well. That's it. Okay, I'll see you next Friday. Bye.