I first heard Tony Campolo’s It’s Friday, But Sunday’s Coming message when I was a senior at Wheaton College way back in 1984. It left a powerful impression on me and I was thrilled when I later found a copy of his book by the same title. A section in the forward says,

No matter what your need may happen to be, I have good news for you: Jesus can meet  that need. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, because I know  of no situation or predicament that human beings must face that poses problems for which Jesus does not have answers.

That is amazingly Good News! That is the Gospel!

His Friday message recalls the story of a black minister using one line for 90 minutes over and over again, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming!” He explained how the preacher started softly, “It was Friday and my Jesus was dead on a tree. But that was Friday, and Sunday’s comin’!” He goes on,

It was Friday and Mary was cryin’ her eyes out. The disciples were runnin’ in every direction, like sheep without a shepherd, but that was Friday. Sunday’s comin’. The old preacher kept going, picking up the tempo… It’s Friday. Cynics are lookin’ at the world and sayin’, ‘As things have been so they shall be. You can’t change anything in this world. But those cynics don’t know that it’s only Friday. Sunday’s coming!

Tony explains that by the time they had come to the end of the message everyone was so worked up they could hardly stand it any longer. Finally, the old preacher yelled at the top of his lungs, “IT’S FRIDAY!” and every person in the audience yelled back with one accord, “SUNDAY’S COMIN’!” (You can find excerpts of Tony’s Friday message on YouTube.)

When I had the opportunity to go back to the recording studio, one of the most profound and worshipful writing times was writing “Friday” with Don Koch. The result is what you can listen to (and see) here: Friday.  My prayer is that it will encourage your heart as it has mine.

As Tony says,
‘It’s Friday but Sunday’s coming’ is what we have to tell the world. When they are depressed, we have to tell them it’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming. When they feel they can never know love again, we have to tell them Sunday’s coming. When sin has them bound so tightly they feel they will never be free, we must tell them Sunday’s coming. When they have lost their belief and no longer expect great things from God, we must tell them that Sunday’s coming. When injustice is rampant, when all hope seems lost, when we are on the brink of despair, we can yell at the top of our lungs,

IT’S FRIDAY, BUT SUNDAY’S COMING!

Forever!

Ed Thompson
Friday