The Silence Of The Grave
That’s what the Gospel is all about: a real God who interacts with us through our griefs, fears, anger, and uncertainty.
The Silence Of The Grave
Today is Holy Saturday. This is the day between Good Friday and Easter. Historically, it is the day after Jesus was crucified and before He rose from the dead. So, what does a Christian do today? Let’s look at the biblical record.
Luke 23:50–54
“And a man named Joseph … went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. And he took it down and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had ever lain. It was the preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.”
Unlike the loud “hosannas” of Palm Sunday and the “alleluias” of Easter morning, the Saturday of Holy Week is where most of us live our lives.
As the shock settled in among the followers of Jesus, the “What next?” part of the story became very real. This is what we, as Christians, contemplate on this day.
What would His followers have been doing? They had to wrestle with the fear that they might be next on the executioner’s list. There was the uncertainty of life without their Teacher. They must have felt anger at the injustice they had just witnessed, and they were pressed in by the sorrow and grief of their Friend’s death.
These are the real-life reactions of real people in a real world. That’s what the Gospel is all about: a real God who interacts with us through our griefs, fears, anger, and uncertainty. So today is a time to think about me. Every one of us should take this day to ask: How does this day make a difference in my life?
Take time today for honest prayer and soul-searching. Jesus could have come down from that cross. He could have raised an army to fight His enemies. God could have sent a legion of angels to take Him up into heaven. But He didn’t.
Instead, there was a day of rest on a Passover Sabbath—a pause ordained in God’s plan—so that we might stop what we are doing and focus on one simple truth: This is real.
As a great preacher once said, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming!” Let’s use this time to reflect on the Friday that has passed, to contemplate the Saturday that is right before us, and to anticipate the Sunday that is coming.
I’ll see you in church tomorrow!
