Passion Week – Part 4 – It’s Friday….but Sunday is Coming!

by Donnie Bostwick

April 19, 2019

1968

I am re-posting this SLC3 Movement post regarding the Resurrection along with one of my favorite you tube messages of all time. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Where do I start? I love the number 3! The 3-point line came in my senior year of high school. After a sub-par freshman year in junior college, I faced reality. Do I give up on my dream, or do I conquer two things? 1) Hit the weight room and become bigger, faster, and stronger. 2) Become the best 3-point shooter on my team…. and do it in a hurry. My work study job was to open the gym on the weekends, so I had a key to the gym day and night. My only excuse was, “Would I put forth the effort or not?” I did, and as a result I resurrected my dying basketball career, thus I am writing this blog right now. I know it was all part of God’s plan for my life, but I also had to choose to follow that plan. Not only that, I had to put forth the effort and have the faith to see it come to revelation.  I spoke about resurrecting my career a moment ago, I believe that is the perfect place to begin my discussion on the number 3.

On Friday April 3, in the Year 33 AD at 3 p.m. our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ rocked satan in the jaw with an upper cut that shook the earth creating an earthquake! Click this to read more. Even the biggest skeptic will agree that the number 3 has a special place in God’s plan.

The number 3 is mentioned 467 times in the Bible. It symbolizes growth and multiplication from the very beginning with Adam, Eve and their first child. On the third day the earth rose from the water symbolizing resurrection. The Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Holy Trinity is where everything began. We could go crazy in depth on this, but my goal is to point to some unique things in the Bible regarding the number 3.

Here are a few of the many times the number 3 is mentioned in the Old Testament.

• Noah had 3 sons. (Genesis 6:10)
• Abraham had 3 angelic visitors (Genesis 18:2)
• Jonah came out of the whale after 3 days (Jonah 1:17)
• 3 patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
• Holy, Holy, Holy is an obvious 3 (Isaiah 6:3 and Rev. 4:8) 

Each of these instances are interesting, especially Jonah in the whale, because it is one of the many times the number 3 points to the resurrection. There are 27 books in the New Testament, which is 3X3X3, or completeness in the 3^rd power! The number 3’s connection to the resurrection is what one person called a fingerprint of God. Check out this sequence of 3’s or multiples of 3’s.

• Jesus began his ministry at age 30.
• Jesus ministry lasted 3 years.
• Jesus raised 3 from the dead. Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:37); A widow’s son in the town of Nain (Luke 7:14); his friend Lazarus (John 11).
• Jesus was tempted by satan 3 times (Matt. 4:1-4).
• 3 Disciples (Peter, James, and John) went with Jesus to pray at the Garden of Gethsemane
• Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of Silver.
• At age 33, Jesus was crucified. 39 stripes on his back.
• The 3 Disciples fell asleep 3 times, woken up by Jesus. (Mark 14:41-42)
• Peter denied Christ 3 times, and 3 times Peter was asked by Christ, “Do you love me?” (Luke 22:54-62) (John 21)
• There were 3 crosses at Jesus Crucifixion.
• On the 3^rd hour of daylight (9 AM) Jesus was Crucified, at noon darkness covered the earth, and at 3 PM It Is Finished!
• Many say Jesus died on Friday, April 3rd, AD 33 at 3 PM
• 3 Days later Jesus Resurrected from the Grave.
• The Holy Spirit anointing at Pentecost happened at the 3^rd hour of the Day as well (Acts 2:15)

See the Entire Timeline By Clicking on this link

I will close this post with a prayer that I spoke over my life, family and team for years. It is found in Exodus Chapter 33. I personally love reading the Message Version of this passage. God tells Moses it’s time to go! Time to take His Promised Land. God even promises to send an angel ahead of them to drive out the enemy. God said he would not travel with them because they were stubborn and hard-headed people. Moses sets up a tent, a meeting place outside of town where he speaks with God. An interesting note in verse 11 – When Moses left the tent, a young Joshua stayed.  Guess who in the end, took over the destiny of the leading the people into the Promised Land. Moses tells God, “If your presence doesn’t take the lead here, call this trip off right now.” Not only does Moses ask God this, but he asked God 3 details, that I believe we should ask God as He leads us to our Promised Land.

1. Make us your People!
2. Show us your Plans!
3. Show us your Glory!

Stay tuned for the Final Part in this 3 Part Series where I unveil the plans that I believe God has given me for the SLC3 Movement! I pray that God will take a committed group of coaches to be his People, show us His plans, and He will show the world His Glory like never before!