Read Matthew 27:62-66
The Guard at the Tomb
62 The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63 “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”
65 “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.
Go Deeper.
Matthew 27:62 begins with, “The next day…” We often read the story of the crucifixion noting Friday and Sunday. Rarely do we pause for the next day, the day after Friday. If the pain of Friday wasn’t enough, the grueling and agonizing waiting in the messy middle of Saturday feels too much. Yet, in God’s sovereign plan, He decided to wait through the next day for the miracle. Jesus could have been dead mere minutes, hours even. Yet, there was a wait. There was a pause. There was a long silence.
Here we are on Saturday. The day darkness tried to further their advance on the Light by ensuring there was no way a follower of Jesus could manufacture a miracle. The chief priests and Pharisees requested Pilate’s help to secure the tomb so that no one could break in and steal the body. It was one last ditch effort to rid the world of the hope and light for the world.
Scripture has much to say about grief and mourning. Jesus never shied away or shunned the deep emotions of grief and pain. He never told those who were hurting to “stop crying.” He often sought out the hurting and the grieving bringing them in closer rather than pushing them to the margins. He cried with his friends, Mary and Martha, when their brother, Lazarus, died.
Death is brutal. Not only physical death, but death of dreams, health, marriages, and innocence. Jesus could have come back to life five minutes after his death; but, perhaps there’s this messy waiting period in the middle of the resurrection story because God so deeply wants us to know He understands that grief takes time. To work through the labor pains of grief so that hope might be born. To skip over “the next day” is to run past the pain that gives birth to joy.
If in this season, we find ourselves grieving the loss of something or someone, know that He understands the pain. He understands our messy middle. In the darkness and disorientation of Saturday, hope was waking up. In God’s silence, He was still working. In our waiting, He’s still working.
First the pain. Then the waiting. Then Sunday. Hope is waking up.
- Why do you think God allowed “a next day” before the resurrection on Sunday?
- How have you seen God work in the waiting of your life?
- Where do you need to trust God more with your pain?
Keep Digging
Interested in learning more about this day known as “Holy Saturday”? Check out this brief article from GotQuestions.org.
4 thoughts on “Saturday”
It speaks much about the chief priests and Pharisees that even though they got what they wanted it wasn’t enough. They sought control over the dead body of Christ, too. They had to have experienced the darkness that covered the earth and the temple curtain torn, did ever it enter their minds that they were wrong? It seems their image mattered most to them.
Throughout my life I’ve learned that grief and joy can coexist. For example on Thursday, my sister’s health shifted into major decline and a healthy grandson was born. God is sovereign over all. As these lyrics proclaim:
There is strength within the sorrow
There is beauty in our tears
And you meet us in our mourning
With a love that cast out fear
You are working in our waiting
You’re sanctifying us
When beyond our understanding
You’re teaching us to trust
(Sovereign Over Us)
Amen, congrats on the new grandchild….and prayers for your sister.
Waiting
We are all waiting for something. I am so incredibly thankful that I have God to rely on in/around the waiting. Fully trusting in the fact that as we wait for healing, prodigal sons, relationships to be changed, we can know that God is in the dead middle of it all with us. His desires is to know that He did raise His son from the dead and Jesus the Christ is seated with Him. That Jesus is the propetation for our sins and that He will come for us at the time appointed by His Father. I stand amazed in the all the magnificant details of the Word of God.
How can we live in what we learn today for God’s glory?
What does these passages we read about show about God’s character?
What motivated God to do what He did and does?
https://youtu.be/EMvLUOLhU-8?si=V25yD3eLj8HaGCHd Not in a Hurry, song by United Pursuit and Will Reagan
Open my eyes, I want to see You more clearly
Open my ears, I want to hear You speak
Tell me your thoughts whats on Your mind
I’ll be your friend, I want to see through Your eyes
I want to see through Your eyes
I’m not in a hurry
When it comes to Your spirit
When it comes to Your presence
When it comes to Your voice
I’m learning to listen
Just to rest in Your nearness
I’m starting to notice
You are speaking
God I give You glory and honor for my life. Just like the lyrics to this song, thank You for resting in Your nearness. God thank You for what all these days,this week have represented. Thank You for keeping them in my mind all days not just these few. I love You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength, as much is humanly possible, every day more!! Thank You for eyes to see (love goggles), ears to hear, to really listen and a voice that speaks about You!!! Your hesed love pour out on me today and all days is so beyond words incredibly!! Thank You in Jesus name amen.
WOOHOO!!!!!
Good word!
Need to start approaching the mournful “Saturdays” of life with a “Sunday is coming!” mindset!