Friday
night began preparation day for the Sabbath.
The
bodies were not to remain on the cross during the Sabbath.
The
soldiers had the duty of making sure the men that hung on the crosses were
dead.
The
soldiers went to each of the thieves and broke their legs.
With
their legs now broken, the men could not press against their feet to breathe
and thus died of cruel suffocation.
When
the soldiers came to Jesus, they saw that He was already dead.
They
did not break His legs thus fulfilling scripture.
“Not
a bone of it will be broken.”
As
solider thrust a lance into Jesus’ side and a combination of blood and water
came flowing out.
“They
will look upon him who they have pierced.”
The
blood that flowed from Christ was the very blood that washed over all of our
sins.
The
water signified the complete and unending mercy that Jesus has toward us,
regardless of our continuous sins.
Joseph
of Arimathea received permission from Pilate to take the body of Jesus.
Nicodemus
brought a mixture of aloe and myrrh, spices and burial clothes as was the
Jewish custom.
When
Jesus was taken down from the cross, His mother was given the grace to hold Her
Son once again.
“on
the hill of calvary
woman behold your son
she watches Him nailed to a tree
the child she bore grasps for air
a loud cry and her heart is pierced
the child she held has gone from her
woman behold your son
she watches Him nailed to a tree
the child she bore grasps for air
a loud cry and her heart is pierced
the child she held has gone from her
His
body hangs without life
they take him down from the tree
they lay him in His mother's arms
they lay him in her arms
she won't understand
why her son had to die
they take him down from the tree
they lay him in His mother's arms
they lay him in her arms
she won't understand
why her son had to die
But
she said, "Come hold my son,
Come hold my son."
Come hold my son."
The
Thirsting-
Come
Hold My Son
I
can’t even begin to imagine the pain and grave and deep sorrow that Mary
experienced on Good Friday. I think the greatest pain of all was for Her to see
Her Son suffering and She can do NOTHING. There is nothing She could say or do
that would change the situation and ease Her Son’s sufferings. When Jesus was
placed in Her arms once He was taken down from the cross I would imagine it was
the most intense moment of mixed emotions. Mary was still in sorrow and pain
that Her Son had died. Yet, He was no longer suffering physical pain. She could
hold Him once again but do nothing to change what had just happened. Some say
that She knew exactly who Jesus was, what He had come to do, and what would
soon happen but that does not take away Her motherly love and desire to care
for Her Son.
Jesus
was buried and laid in a tomb close by.
The
stone was rolled in front of the tomb.
The
Sabbath was upon them.
Holy
Saturday.
For
the Jews, Sabbath.
They
could do nothing.
But
sit.
And
wait.
Despite
the events that had taken place the day before, the apostles rested on the
Sabbath.
They
obeyed the law despite what would have been going through their minds.
I
can’t even imagine how hard it would have been to rest when their minds were
probably racing a million miles a minute.
Thinking
back on every word Jesus had said to them
Playing
back His suffering and passion from the day before
Wondering
if He really was going to come back
And
if so, when?
The
apostles probably had to muster much self-discipline to obey the laws of the
Sabbath that day.
The
important thing here is that they did obey the law.
Regardless
of their thoughts, feeling, and emotions they obeyed.
Regardless
of what was going on inside, in their heads and hearts, they had FAITH.
Silent,
Quiet,
And
obedient.
FAITH.
Maybe
they weren’t exactly sure what they had faith in at the moment.
Maybe
they did have their doubts.
Maybe
they did have their moments where they just wanted to give up,
To
stop playing the waiting game,
And
to break the law on the Sabbath.
But
they didn’t.
They
waited in silent, quiet, and obedient faith.
And
it was in this moment when their God, OUR God was working.
It
is often in moments of silence when our God works.
When
we finally shut up and just LISTEN to Him.
Or
maybe He doesn’t have anything to say but that we are open to Him.
That
we have the faith that He knows what He is doing, even if it is complete
silence.
There
are moments in our lives when we are communicating with other people when the
most effective and correct response to their words is silence.
It
is in the silence and the stillness and the peace that our God does great
things.
Help
us to be silent and filled with peace on this Holy Saturday as we wait for our
Lord.
Help
us to have silent faith in our lives when we need it most.
thank you!
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