4-11-2020

Good Morning All, 

    Luke 23:56; “Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments.  On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.”

    That Sabbath day must have been the longest and worst day of their lives.  They had all come to Jerusalem for the Passover and with Jesus to celebrate and to maybe, just maybe, deliver the Messiah who would toss those horrible Romans out on their ear and return Israel to its glory.  It started to unravel Thursday, by late after noon on Friday, Jesus was dead and buried; now what?  Luke’s version of what transpired tells us that Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Pilate granted his request, so Joseph took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a new tomb close by.  The women who followed Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the place and how Jesus’ body had been laid out.  They went back to where they were staying and prepared spices and ointments, as was the custom, and they rested according to the commandment.

    How did they rest?  You can almost imagine that Mary, Jesus’ mother, was almost inconsolable.  The rest of his family, his disciples and the others who followed from Galilee were lost.  They were fearful of the Jews, the Pharisees who led the way to killing Jesus would probably be hunting for them now.  All their dreams were gone; all their desires were crushed.  The light had died and gone away.  They were so sure, but now, not so much.

    That first Saturday after the crucifixion of Jesus must have been devastating.  The darkness almost impenetrable.  Yet once again, God showed how little we understand God’s love.  He used this death to bring about life and forgiveness to his people.  The Romans, the Chief Priests, the angry crowds, all seeming to have the power were only tools used by God to accomplish his goal.  The goal of offering the perfect sacrifice to atone for the sins of his people, you and me.  Now, we have eternal life, now we have a lifeline, directly to his loving arms, now we are delivered from the taunts and jeers of the devil.  Death is no longer the final act of our existence.  There is more, so much more ahead.

    These past few weeks have been difficult on almost everyone.  Uncertainty, loneliness, despair have been par for the course.  Our life has been one long Holy Saturday.  While the days seem bleak, while death seems to have the upper hand, when it seems to be lost, remember, the Light of Jesus still shines.  These days do not define us as individuals.  Jesus defines us by his love and grace.  Jesus defines us as his children and there is so much more to come.  So much more that is greater than anything we can comprehend.  When the Apostle John describes heaven in Revelation 21, it is so beyond his understanding that he can only explain what is missing.  No more sorrow, no more pain, no more death only God’s pure love.

    Hang on, Easter is coming!!  Christ is risen; He is risen indeed!!  Death is destroyed and we are always a people of hope.  Never lose sight of this!!

Father, too often we focus on the bleakness of today and miss the glory of your mercy alive in us every day.  Lead us to look up and to see your mercy and grace.  Save us, that we may always rest in your loving arms.  In the precious name of Jesus, we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret