Holy Saturday

(ESV)

Jesus Is Buried

50 Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid. 54 It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. 55 The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments.

On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

(ESV)

Jesus Is Buried

38 After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. 39 Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. 40 So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. 41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42 So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

It’s Saturday.

In our remembrance of Easter, not a lot is said about Saturday.

Good Friday is a day which seems less than good. It’s a day of screaming mobs, mocking soldiers, beatings, pounding nails, cries of pain. Blood.

Easter Sunday is a day of joy, wonder, celebration, relief!

Saturday is just…silent

It’s a day of fear, isolation, bewilderment.

What had happened? What had gone wrong?

How could we have gone from a triumphal entry 6 days ago with people shouting praises to the Son of David, to…this?

The disciples cast about in their minds for answers. But God just seems…silent.

Have you been there? Have you experienced times when your life seems to have been turned upside down.

When hopes have been dashed, and dreams shattered.

And you cry out to God, “God, I thought you were going to bring this to pass. Now all I can see is darkness!”

And you reach out to Him for assurance and comfort. But all you can see is darkness. All you can hear is silence.

What do you do?

For me, it brings comfort to realize that I am not alone in these feelings. Other men, men I consider heroes of the faith, experienced this same feeling.

David was one of those men.

Many times in the Psalms he begs God, “God hear my cry to you! Don’t be silent!” Hear me and answer me!

He often felt that distance from God that we sometimes feel. And David was a man after God’s own heart.

is a psalm that illustrates this.

(ESV)

The Lord Is My Strength and My Shield

28 Of David.

1 To you, O Lord, I call;

my rock, be not deaf to me,

lest, if you be silent to me,

I become like those who go down to the pit.

2 Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy,

when I cry to you for help,

when I lift up my hands

toward your most holy sanctuary.

3 Do not drag me off with the wicked,

with the workers of evil,

who speak peace with their neighbors

while evil is in their hearts.

4 Give to them according to their work

and according to the evil of their deeds;

give to them according to the work of their hands;

render them their due reward.

5 Because they do not regard the works of the Lord

or the work of his hands,

he will tear them down and build them up no more.

6 Blessed be the Lord!

For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.

7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;

in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;

my heart exults,

and with my song I give thanks to him.

8 The Lord is the strength of his people;

he is the saving refuge of his anointed.

9 Oh, save your people and bless your heritage!

Be their shepherd and carry them forever.

David starts with a cry for God to hear him

And he ends with a declaration of faith, that God has indeed heard him.

He ends by declaring that God hasn’t gone anywhere

He hears our cry for help (verse 6)

He is still our strength and shield (verse 7)

He is still the strength of His people (verse 8)

He is still our shepherd (verse 9)

So today, the day after Good Friday, and the day before Easter Sunday, if God seems far from you and silent,

Remember, He IS there. He has not forgotten you. He still hears you and He will answer you.