Easter Sunday, April 12
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.Matthew 28:1-10
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
An angel in dazzling white clothes brings good news!
“Jesus is not here, he has risen from the dead, just as he said he would do! Run and tell the others.”
Imagine what those women must have felt. Imagine the mixture of fear and surprise, of joy and doubt!
The next part of the story is particularly interesting to me. Jesus appears to the women, and what do they do? The run to him, fall to the ground, clasp his feet and worshipped him.
It is my prayer that today we do the same.
Let’s not drag our feet into the sanctuary. Let’s not stand in our usual spot and mumble “He is risen...”
No! Let’s run! Let’s fall to the ground, clasp Jesus’ feet and let’s worship with abandon. Let’s worship with unbridled joy! Let’s pour out our souls to our God who saved us! Jesus Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Pray: Fill our hearts with joy and wonder so that we may worship you in a manner you deserve...with EVERYTHING we’ve got! Amen.
Saturday, April 11
Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.Matthew 27:57-66
As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.
The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 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.”
“Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.
Here we sit, in the great “in between.” We sit with the knowledge that our Lord has died, we wait in the hope of his resurrection.
This “in between” does not just apply to Holy Week. When Christ was born, the beginning of a new era was ushered in. Since his death and resurrection, we wait in the “in between” for Christ to come again. We wait for a new heaven and a new earth. We wait to be reconciled to God for eternity. We wait...
As we wait, we might as well do something with ourselves! We do indeed have plenty to do. We have justice to seek, we have mercy to administer, we have grace to extend, we have love to share, we have a Gospel to spread.
So, don’t just sit there twiddling your thumbs! Get to work while we wait in the “in between!”
Pray: As we await a glorious Easter celebration, remind us that the joy we experience in worship is just a tiny glimpse of all you have in store for us! While we await your coming, put us to work, and free us for joyful obedience. Amen.
Good Friday, April 10
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.Matthew 27:32-56
As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.
Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”
Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”
Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
Lead me to the cross.
Lead me to the place where my debt was paid.
Lead me to the spot where my sentence was carried out.
Lead me to the hill where insults fit for me were hurled at my Lord.
Lead me to the Bible, to the Psalm Jesus spoke as he died for me. (Psalm 22)
Lead me to the mount where the earth shook, to the temple where the curtain split.
Lead me to the position of the women, watching from a distance, as their loved one gave up his life.
Lead me to the cross where my Lord died for me.
Lead me to the cross, Lord.
Let me stay there a while.
And then draw me away, for an empty tomb awaits...
Pray: As I reflect on the great price you paid for me, remind me that the story does not end here. Amen.