Day 4 (2)

Today is different

Today in the Easter timeline nothing happens. Jesus is in the tomb, his disciples are all inside taking part in the Sabbath, a day of rest, So we are left hanging.

One of the things that makes it hard for us to look back at things that have happened in the past, is that we know how the story ends. But for the people living through this Saturday they didnt know how the story ended.

Jesus disciples had spent three years walking with Jesus, three years in the presence of God, and now he was absent.

For

So we are left in this low point in the Easter story, just like those people who went through the first Easter 2000 years ago.

The good thing is God doesn't leave us to sort out these emotions by our selves, we aren't meant to just slap on a smile and pretend everything is ok, we don't have to always be jumping up and singing happy songs.

Think back to yesterday, one of the last things that Jesus said was

New International Reader’s Version Chapter 23

“Father, into your hands I commit my very life.”

Jesus wasn't the first person to say those words, Jesus was quoting a song that was ancient, even when He spoke it 2000 years ago.

Jesus was quoting

Because our Easter story has taken a pause today lets look more at the song that Jesus quoted.

Now this song is a bit different from a songs we sing today, The fancy techincal way of describing this song is a “Lament Psalm” which is a fancy way of saying that this is a song about being upset.

New International Reader’s Version Psalm 31

LORD, I have gone to you for safety.

Don’t let me ever be put to shame.

Save me, because you do what is right.

2 Pay attention to me.

Come quickly to help me.

Be the rock I go to for safety.

Be the strong fort that saves me.

New International Reader’s Version Psalm 31

1 LORD, I have gone to you for safety.

Don’t let me ever be put to shame.

Save me, because you do what is right.

2 Pay attention to me.

Come quickly to help me.

Be the rock I go to for safety.

Be the strong fort that saves me.

New International Reader’s Version Psalm 31

I will be glad and full of joy because you love me.

You saw that I was hurting.

You took note of my great pain.

Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary: Year A, Volume 2 Homiletical Perspective

On this day between Good Friday and Easter, nothing happens. Jesus is dead. All movement stops. The events have played themselves out. Holy Saturday has a quality of limbo, neither here nor there. This can be hard to endure.

When things here go wrong David goes to God for safety, he knows that God does what is right so he asks God to save him

New International Reader’s Version Psalm 31

7 I will be glad and full of joy because you love me.

You saw that I was hurting.

You took note of my great pain.

This verse can sound confusing, is David is glad and hurting at the same time?

No he is glad BECAUSE God has seen how much he is hurting and he knows what David is feeling.

New International Reader’s Version Psalm 31

9 LORD, show me your favor. I’m in deep trouble.

I’m so sad I can hardly see.

My whole body grows weak with sadness.

David sounds really upset and he isn’t afraid to let God know, he isnt bottling up his feelings, but talking them out with God,

New International Reader’s Version Psalm 31

14 But I trust in you, LORD.

I say, “You are my God.”

15 My whole life is in your hands.

Save me from my enemies.

Save me from those who are chasing me.

16 Let your face smile on me with favor.

Save me because your love is faithful.

But there's a change coming up in this Psalm, just like in most other Psalms of Lament

Verse 19-24 sound different, from verses 1-18, from Verse 19 David moves from Lament to Praise, from sadness to happiness , its like he has let God know what he is feeling , David has reminded himself of how much God loves him and that's made him feel better, check it out

New International Reader’s Version Psalm 31

19 How great your goodness is!

You have stored it up for those who have respect for you.

New International Reader’s Version Psalm 31

How great your goodness is!

You have stored it up for those who have respect for you.

New International Reader’s Version Psalm 31

21 Give praise to the LORD.

He showed me his wonderful love

when my enemies attacked the city I was in.

New International Reader’s Version Psalm 31

23 Love the LORD, all of you who are faithful to him!

The LORD watches over the faithful.

New International Reader’s Version Psalm 31

24 Be strong, all of you who put your hope in the LORD.

Never give up.

New International Reader’s Version Psalm 31

21 Give praise to the LORD.

He showed me his wonderful love

when my enemies attacked the city I was in.

New International Reader’s Version Psalm 31

24 Be strong, all of you who put your hope in the LORD.

Never give up.

Today is an odd day, for those people going through the first Easter they would have felt like they were living in the first 18 verses of , everything had gone wrong, nothing was what they thought it would be.

But

Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary: Year A, Volume 2 Homiletical Perspective

The central dilemma in this sermon is how to stay focused on holding and accepting fragmentation and p 313 brokenness without offering the pabulum of “everything is all right.” Mary really does not think “everything is all right” as she holds Jesus at the foot of the cross. After someone has died, in those days that follow, we do not really think that everything will be all right. That is not the first thing that comes to mind.

Today

Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary: Year A, Volume 2 Homiletical Perspective

Christianity is not, on this day, glorious or triumphant. The day itself is a time of quietly following enormous suffering, when human compassion is one of the few gifts we can offer and one of the few we can take.

We know that tomorrow is going to be a good day, tomorrow is going to be a day where its easy to sing about shout about how good God is, but today is a day where we can remind ourselves its ok to be upset, to feel like things arent going to work out and to tell other people about how we feel.

Check out etc.....

Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary: Year A, Volume 2 Pastoral Perspective

Our calling is to live free from the hopelessness of Holy Saturday. Our consolation is that after the long vigil, he rose again sometime in the wee hours. We do not toast a dead hero. We serve a living Lord.

Easter Sunday dawns early and bright. On Holy Saturday we count the hours to that redemptive dawn.