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Saturday, March 31, 2018

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.

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