Today, I heard someone describe Easter weekend as “grieving with hope.” I thought that phrase summed it up perfectly. At Easter, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. However, the whole weekend wasn’t a celebration.
Friday
- Jesus was betrayed by his friend and turned over to the authorities.
- He was relentlessly beaten, incessantly mocked, and had a crown of thorns pushed into his head.
- The crowd, who had sung Jesus’s praises 5 days before, chanted for him to die.
- Jesus had not received justice as he was sentenced to death even though he had done nothing wrong, while a murderer received the release and pardon Jesus deserved.
- His hands and feet were nailed to a cross with large stakes.
- A spear was shoved into his side.
- Jesus called out, “My God, why have You forsaken me?”
- He was naked and left to suffocate to death on the cross.
- There was a massive earthquake and the sky went black even though it was the middle of the afternoon.
- After Jesus died, his body was removed from the cross, wrapped in burial cloth, and laid in a tomb. A large rock was rolled in front of the tomb to seal it. Guards were placed outside of the tomb to ensure no one stole the body.
Friday was a terrible day. Death had won. Jesus was dead on the cross. God did not come down and save him, but instead turned his back on His own Son. Friday seemed like the end, but it wasn’t.
Saturday
- Jesus’s family and friends mourned while his enemies celebrated.
- Jesus was silent.
- God was silent.
- The earth was silent.
Saturday was the waiting period. Saturday seemed like the end, but it wasn’t.
Sunday
- 3 women arrived at Jesus’s tomb to find that the stone had been rolled away. An angel announced, “Don’t be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen.” (Matthew 28:5-6)
- Mary Magdalene was the first person to see Jesus alive.
- The first person to see Jesus alive was a woman! Jesus told Mary to go and tell people that she had seen Jesus, now resurrected from the dead!
- Mary Magdalene was formerly a prostitute and had been demon possessed until she met Jesus and decided to follow him. Jesus forgave her of her sins and transformed her life.
- Mary Magdalene is just another example of God being able to save and transform anyone, no matter what that person has done in the past.
- Jesus then made 5 other appearances including seeing his disciples.
- His disciple, Thomas, had not been with the other disciples when Jesus visited them. Thomas had not believed Jesus had risen from the dead until he put his fingers in the nail holes in Jesus’ hands and the wound in Jesus’ side.
Sunday was completely different from Friday and Saturday. Jesus had triumphed over death. He suffered and died to pay the price for our sins. Jesus endured all of that pain and suffering so we wouldn’t have to. This is a free gift that God offers to each one of us – to receive it, invite Jesus to be Lord of your life, and ask Him to forgive you of your sins.
(Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection story – Matthew 26 – 28, Mark 15 – 16, Luke 22 – 24, and John 18 – 20.)
It’s so easy for me to get stuck in the Saturday moments of life. It’s the waiting period between the struggle and the solution. It’s the time between the prayer and the answer to the prayer. It’s the day between sadness and rejoicing. It’s the feeling between the hurt and the healing.
I have to remind myself that Friday and Saturday are not the end of the story even though they seem like they could be at the time. Just because bad things are happening and God may be silent at the moment, it does not mean that He is absent. God never abandoned Jesus on the cross. He knew the plan was for Jesus to die and rise again on the 3rd day. The crowd didn’t know that would be the outcome, but God did. God never abandoned Jesus and He won’t abandon me. God is still in control no matter how out of my control things get. No chain is too powerful for him to break and no mountain is too big for him to move.
So if you also find yourself in a Saturday moment of life, remember that your story isn’t over yet. It’s ok to grieve and still have hope that God’s got it. Sunday is coming.
“God’s Not Done With You” by Tauren Wells
“Believe For It” by CeCe Winans
Love,
Redeemed Mama