On the 2nd Day He Rested

From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised  Matthew 16:21 ESV

We all know what happened on that first day, that terrible and blessed day on the cross. On the third day it is very clear that Jesus rose from the dead. But in spite of many ideas and even elaborate tales no one truly knows just what occurred on Holy Saturday. So can we ask the question, “What if Jesus simply rested? What if when Jesus said, “It is finished!” and gave His spirit into his father’s hands He just rested without sorrow, suffering or demands of any kind for that day. What if after three and a half years of ministry in which it was said that he had nowhere to lay his head and scarcely time to eat; that Jesus chose to rest in His Father’s ability to do all that needed to be done for the day.

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What if Jesus rested because it was the Sabbath? What if like a field rests in Winter waiting for Spring rains He lay quietly just as on the day in which the creation of the heavens was completed? Perhaps Jesus just paused to see everything that was good in the new creation now begun. What if there are times in our own lives when there is nothing more holy to do than nothing? What if on this Holy Saturday we could quietly reflect and rest in the completed work of Jesus Christ. What would our lives be like if for even one day we simply trusted God to do all?

Poured Out

I am poured out like water and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax it is melted in the midst of my bowels. Psalm 22:14 KJV

When we are singing “It is well with my soul” we should always remember the price of what we are singing about. As a teenager I always loved the Christmas presents I got from my stepmother. She bought me beautiful expensive clothes, but she always left the price tag on! She didn’t mind spending the money, but she wanted to be sure that I treated her gifts other special care!

In the garden Jesus said that His soul was sorrowful unto death. He agonized in prayer in order to accept the suffering of the cross. He asked if there were any other way and then sweat ran down His face like great drops of blood. Just hours after

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He had finished praying, Jesus was nailed to the cross. The Bible tells us that He was poured out like water. Last, the spear pierced His side and the last drop of the lifeblood of Jesus flowed down to the ground. What a price He paid for us!  Maybe like me you will go to church this Good Friday and receive communion. Jesus said that each time we receive the bread and drink from the cup we are to remember His death until He comes. Jesus is not angry that our sin drove Him to the cross rather in love He chose a way of  leaving the price tag attached so we would know the price of His gift.

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