Holy Saturday

“On Holy Saturday, the hopes and prayers of every disciple lay dashed and broken in the grave. But God did nothing. Said nothing.” Pete Greig, God on Mute

Terrified.  Jesus’ disciples were terrified. With hearts racing, each of them trembling with fear. So many questions filled their minds. Was Jesus really who he claimed to be, the Son of God? Was what he showed and taught them really true, or was he just another teacher?  Had they really witnessed his brutal execution? Jesus’ disciples found themselves facing these questions immediately following his crucifixion. After spending three years witnessing his miracles and being changed by him, they were facing the harsh reality that he was dead and buried in a tomb. The Saturday following his crucifixion, also referred to as Silent Saturday, had to be the longest, darkest day of each of their lives. So many questions. So many fears. What was next?

As if that wasn’t enough, they were being pursued by both the Roman authorities and Jewish religious leaders who had crucified Jesus. The Saturday following his death, Jesus’ close followers were feeling both helpless and hopeless. Little did they know that God was still at work, even in the midst of this tragic situation; that their pain, fear, and heartbreak was part of his greater plan to bring lasting hope and eternal life to the entire world.

For on the next day, Jesus would rise from the dead and reveal himself to each of them. He would build his church through them, as they proclaimed who he is and what he did all over the world. He would command them to do so boldly and fearlessly, assuring them that he would always be with them. This empowered them to boldly proclaim Jesus all over the Roman Empire. They would make thousands of new disciples in places no one thought possible. In the face of persecution and fierce opposition, they prayed, loved, and served as he commanded. In the time following his resurrection, Jesus’ church would be built and expanded, and still is all over the world. Even though each of them faced dark moments of being imprisoned and executed for his name, his followers were not shaken. 

This shows us that even in our darkest moments, God is still with us and at work. Each of us face circumstances where we feel helpless, overwhelmed, and hopeless. This pandemic has magnified our difficulties and challenges, yet our current frustrations do not have to be the end of the story. Even though God doesn’t operate according to our timetable, he is still with us and working. Psalm 23:4 says “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff they comfort me.” 

Jesus himself told his disciples before his death that “In this life you will have many troubles but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

What we see is that God does not operate on our American timetable of instant gratification. As we wait on him, he does not leave us. We can find ourselves like Jesus’ disciples full of fears, doubts, and questions. It is critical that we remind ourselves of his promises and celebrate the way he’s already shown his goodness and faithfulness in our lives. These hardships are things we don’t have to be afraid to share with him and one another. Each of us has the choice to magnify our circumstances or magnify Jesus, who is far greater. This doesn’t mean we have to deny the pain and frustration, yet he is inviting us to give him our burdens, and trust him to pull us through. Jesus has modeled this trust for each of us. Even though he was facing death, he still trusted his Father.

You may be facing the loss of a loved one, a job layoff, or the painful heartbreak of a failed relationship. In the darkness of this moment, you may be feeling much like Jesus’ disciples on the Saturday before his resurrection—helpless and hopeless, waiting. Jesus, trusting his father to the point of death, shows us that God does his best work in hopeless situations. These dark moments are part of a greater story that God is writing through each of us.

What would happen if we sought to know him in all seasons? By spending time in prayer and reflecting on scripture at all times, we are reminded of his promises and goodness. We don’t have to wait to hit our lowest moments to seek him. Jesus was always pulling away to be with his father. When we do this, our identity and confidence is fully in him. This builds our constant trust and reliance on him at all times, no matter the season or event. So, “take heart for I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Good Friday

On Good Friday, we witness unanswered prayer. Nailed to a cross and slowly suffocating, the Son cried out to the Father with a chilling question: “My God,” He gasped, “My God, why have You forsaken Me?” And there was no response to the “why”. No dove descending. No booming voice.” Pete Greig, God on Mute  

Jesus was sent from heaven to earth to live and die for our sins.  That was the Father’s plan all along.  Jesus, son of God, would be born in a lowly manger and grow up the child of a mere carpenter.  When he came of age, he began teaching and preaching about God and his plan to redeem his people, including of course, that he, the Son of God, would die and be raised again.  Jesus would also perform miracles in God’s name.  All of this and yet people did not really understand who he was, chose to ignore it, or call him a liar for claiming to be the Messiah.

Jesus had many followers, including his twelve disciples, Jesus’ closest friends.  Regularly they were witnesses to his awesome miracles and teachings, and yet still they didn’t fully understand.  When Jesus told them that he would need to be killed and then raised again on the third day, his disciple Peter actually got upset with him for saying this (Mark 8:31-33). Mark 16:10 tells us that those who were his followers were mourning and weeping after his death. 

These followers of Jesus gave up everything to follow him: families, homes, material possessions.  They were devoted to him, to his teachings and to following him physically- telling others about the good news and the coming Messiah. So how did the followers and friends of Jesus process watching their teacher, their friend, die on the cross?

Many were probably at the scene of the cross; watching him suffer and ultimately die.  The one they had invested everything in, devoted their lives to, became close to even as a friend and confidant was now gone.  Many probably felt lost.  Their sense of purpose was gone.  The man that they thought was going to save them and become their Messiah was gone.

They met together to mourn this loss.  They cried and probably asked each other and God, “Why?” and “What now?”.  Maybe they felt angry at God, trying to reason with him, saying, “This wasn’t what was supposed to happen.  He was supposed to save us and be our mighty Messiah.” 

But what they didn’t realize is that it was never about their idea of what Jesus should be or do.  It was God’s plan.  His plan has always been to provide a Messiah, to save and redeem. 

Jesus revealed God’s plan to them many times, but they were blinded to the whole truth by their idea of what God’s plan should look like, not what it would actually look like. 

How many times have we been disappointed by God?  How many times have we questioned God’s will and goodness?  “God, you promise good to your people, you promise to give us hope and a future, but this can't be good,” or “God, why would you allow this to happen?  How could this horrible loss be part of your will?” 

Many of our questions to God are the same his followers had at the time of Jesus’ death. We can ask those questions, but eventually, we have to recall the truths we know about God.

God is a good God (Psalm 100:5).  He does love his people (Psalm 86:15).  He promises to give us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11), but it doesn’t always look the way we feel it should look. 

You see, God can see the big picture.  We only see a pinhole of what he sees.  He has a plan for his people, his creation.  One that is beautiful and filled with his glory, but we might not get to see his vantage point this side of eternity. 

Jesus’ followers had to wait three days.  Three days of darkness, sorrow, confusion and disappointment.  At the end of those three days there was beauty- Jesus was raised from the dead and God’s plan for redemption was revealed, but first they had to sit in the heaviness of their confusion and loss. 

God promises that all will be revealed to us, but it may not be until we get to heaven (Luke 12:2).  He may ask us to sit in the sorrow, disappointment and confusion for some time.  He warns us that this world will give us trouble (John 16:33), but he also promises to be with us (Joshua 1:9). Our creator, our Heavenly Father, who loves us so much that he sent his son to die for us (John 3:16) so that we could be saved from the bondage of sin and live in communion with him, promises to walk with us.  He gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit to bring his peace and joy (John 15:11; Romans 15:13), even when it seems impossible.  We can come to Him with our sorrow, our confusion, and our disappointment.  He promises to comfort us and to give us rest (Matthew 11:28).

The waiting is hard.  The loss often feels unbearable.  But we are never alone and we will one day see the big, beautiful picture of God’s story.  Your disappointments, your losses are not for nothing.  They are part of the beautiful story God is writing.  Take heart that God is always good, even when we don’t understand it.