Holy Week Devotional - Saturday

Luke 23:50-56 – “50 Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God. 52 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. 53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. 54 It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. 55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. 56 Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.”

On Friday, Jesus was crucified.  On Sunday, Jesus rose from the dead.  What happened on Saturday?

Well, verse 56 here gives us a good glimpse of what happened on Saturday.  “They rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.”  You see, when Jesus died, He needed to be buried.  The Sabbath was coming quickly.  Joseph of Arimathea, a good and upright man Luke tells us, was a member of the Council but not one in agreement with their decision to crucify Jesus.  He got permission from Pilate to take Jesus’ body and bury it.  He owned a tomb and placed Jesus, wrapped in linen, into it.  We know from Matthew 27:60 that a huge stone was placed in front of the tomb, and Matthew 27:62-66 tells us that Pilate ordered that Roman guards be placed in front of the tomb to guard it, precisely because they worried about someone stealing the body.

The women prepared spices for a proper burial – you see, the plan was that the day after the Sabbath (meaning, Sunday), they were going to go to the tomb and request that the stone be removed so they could prepare the body right for long-term burial.  They simply didn’t have enough time on Friday before the Sabbath was to start (sundown on Friday).  So they did some preparation but then the Sabbath came, from Friday night through Saturday night.

What happened on Saturday?

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

They rested on the Sabbath, as the Law commanded them to do.  They spent the day in quiet reflection, in prayer, and in worship.  They spent the day, sad as they were, with God. 

Do you wonder what they reflected on?  I’m going to guess that they meditated on what they just experienced – the death of the one they believed to be the Messiah.  Now don’t forget – they expected a Messiah who would free Israel from Rome’s rule.  We know this because even after Jesus rose from the dead, in Acts 1 the disciples asked, “Is it at this time that you will restore your kingdom to Israel?”  So maybe they saw this as a lost opportunity, their hopes dashed, but more importantly, a loved one lost. 

Do you ever reflect, before God, on the evil and injustice in the world?  Do you grieve in front of the Lord?  Do you bring your sadness and your lament to Him?  Or do you tend to keep it inside?  Or do you tend to complain to others? 

Grieving and lamenting death, suffering, evil, injustice is good and healthy.  David did this a lot in the Psalms.  Jesus lamented over Israel and over the death of Lazarus (even though He knew He would raise him from the dead). 

What are some things you grieve?  What are some injustices weighing on your heart?

Today, take some time to sit and be still with the Lord.  Put your school books away; put your Xbox away.  Sit with God and talk to Him about the things that grieve your heart.  It’s ok.  It’s good and healthy.  It’s not meant to be a gripe session (God, why am I not getting XYZ that I want?), but rather a time to grieve and lament.  God wants us to come to Him with these things.

Holy Week Devotional - Friday

Luke 23:33, 39-43 – “33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left…. 39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. ” 43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”” 

Imagine this scene.  Jesus is being mocked and insulted by soldiers.  And also by one of the criminals who was crucified next to Jesus.  Jesus was considered by Pilate to be completely innocent of all charges.  He found no wrong in Him.  And yet, giving in to the pressure of the crowds (remember how the crowds treated Jesus on Palm Sunday?), Pilate sentenced Jesus to die by crucifixion – a punishment reserved only for the worst criminals.

So here was Jesus on the cross, a man who did nothing wrong, who is being mocked by a criminal who actually was receiving his due penalty for his heinous crimes.  What was the criminal saying?  Basically, if you’re really God, save yourself and save me too! 

You know, people mock Jesus and Christianity all the time.  They make fun of God.  They mock the things that Christianity stands for. 

But how does Jesus deal with it?  First off, He offers forgiveness.  He’s not angry.  He said on the cross, “Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do.”  And He gave His life for them – even those mocking Him. 

But then we come to this other criminal who simply says, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”  He is, in his own way, asking for forgiveness.  And Jesus lets him know he’s forgiven by saying, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” 

The gift of grace bestowed on us by Jesus is astounding.  In the midst of our sin, He gave His life for us.  Paul put it this way in Romans 5:8 – “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” 

Today is Good Friday.  It’s a weird day in that I don’t really know how to observe it.  Do I say, “Happy Good Friday”?  That doesn’t seem right.  We remember a horrific, painful, excruciating death on a Roman cross.  That’s not a happy thing.  And yet, it was a voluntary choice on Jesus’ behalf to save us from our sin, because He loved us so much.  That IS a happy thing! 

What does Good Friday mean to you?  In what way do you think is best to observe it? 

In what way are you like the first criminal – let’s be honest, we all have a little bit of that in us (God, if you really love me, why aren’t you doing XYZ for me???) – and in what way are you like the second criminal? 

Today, think about Good Friday and why it’s so important.  Think about God’s astounding love for you that is such that He would give His life for you.  Think about how you can share this incredibly good news with someone else in your life.  It’s a perfect time for that conversation!

Holy Week Devotional - Thursday

Matthew 26:36-46 – “36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”  37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.  38Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”  39Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” 40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” 43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. 45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!””

Jesus went to the garden in Gethsemane, knowing what was going to happen to Him.  Clearly the thought of being crucified is distressing.  As someone once said, “I don’t fear death.  I do fear dying, however.”  Jesus was pleased to die for our sins.  But He was also realistic about the pain and suffering He was about to endure.  So as He was praying to the Father, He was expressing His distress.  Sweating blood (see Luke 22:44) was a sign of incredible stress.  I can only imagine what He was going through.

Notice that Jesus was stressed about dying and expressed that to the Father, but at the end of the day, He submitted to the Father’s will. 

What difficulties are you going through?  What is causing you stress? 

How do you respond to stress?  Do you talk openly to God about it?  Or do you keep your stresses to yourself? 

And then, after you’ve talked to God about it, are you willing to submit to His will, even if His will is difficult?  It’s hard to imagine going through anything like what Jesus did.  But the hard things in our own lives are still hard.  We don’t want to minimize them. 

One thing to note from this is that Jesus brought His disciples along for support.  But they failed Him.  When you’re going through something really hard, who can you turn to?  Who are the people you can count on for support and encouragement? 

Today, think about the issues in your life that are hard.  Who are you turning to?  Who is your support team?  Find those people. 

Holy Week Devotional - Wednesday

There are no recorded acts of Jesus on the Wednesday of holy week.  Isn’t that interesting?  I wonder why that is.  What did He do? 

Well, there were still things happening.  One thing in particular.  Judas was plotting with the religious leaders for the arrest of Jesus. 

Matthew 26:14-16 – “14 Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests 15 and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.”

And

Matthew 26:3-5 – “3Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 5 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.””

The religious leaders were plotting against Jesus, even working with one of His disciples (Judas) to arrest Him.  Why were they so interested in getting Jesus? 

For the crowds, Jesus represented their political hope.  He was, they thought, the coming king who would throw off the yoke of Rome and restore the glory of Israel.  But for the religious leaders, Jesus represented a threat to their own establishment of power.  He constantly had harsh words for the Pharisees, for example.  He shocked them by letting them know that the gospel was for Gentiles, not just Jews. 

So here’s the question:  In what way does Jesus threaten you?  That may seem like a strange question.  But Jesus threatens many things that seem natural and normal to us.  That’s because Jesus is a bit…radical.  He brings a radical message and He shows that God’s ways are different than ours. 

You want to prosper?  Be generous and give to others.

You want to live?  Surrender your life.

In what way does Jesus challenge you?  In what areas of your life do you feel Him pressing in and making you reconsider? 

Today, take time to ask yourself what areas of your life is God pressing in on and challenging you?  Think about the ways you respond when you sense Him challenging you.  Do you surrender, or do you act like the Jewish religious leaders and resist Him?

Holy Week Devotional - Tuesday

Luke 21:1-4 – “1 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury.  2 And He saw a poor widow putting in two small copper coins.  3 And He said, "Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them; 4 for they all out of their surplus put into the offering; but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on." 

Jesus was with His disciples the next day and they observed this poor widow putting money into the treasury as an offering.  How much did she put in?  Two small copper coins.  Less than pennies, really.  But Jesus made it clear that she put in more than all the rest.  Why?  Because she gave out of her poverty – for her, this was an enormous sacrifice. 

Here’s the thing.  The rest of the people gave out of their abundance, out of their surplus.  They spent their money and then when there was some left over at the end of the week, they gave some of that.  This woman did the opposite.  She gave despite not having enough to live on.  Jesus said that she “out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on.”  She did not give out of surplus.  She gave out of lack.

You might not think you have lots to give.  I’m not just talking about money, though as college students I’m sure you think you don’t have much to give.  I’m also talking about as a whole person.  What do you have to offer society, to offer the body of Christ, to offer God? 

The answer is:  A LOT!  It may not seem like as much as some others you look up to, but I assure you, God wants you to give anyway.  Give of your time.  Give of your money.  Give of your energy.  Give of your talents.  Give what you are able, even if it seems like not that much, because this is what God made you for.

What are some things you can give to God and others this week?

Who are some people you can give to? 

What difference do you think you can make in just one other person’s life?

Today, take time to think about how God has made you and what you can offer Him by way of service to others.