At EasterSample

Holy Saturday

“It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ When he had said this, he breathed his last.”

When Jesus died, darkness overtook the earth, and those responsible for His death held their breath to see if He would indeed come back to life as He had said. Many mourned and were distraught at the sight of their Teacher lifelessly hanging from the cross. No doubt the word spread fast that Jesus, the self-proclaimed Messiah, had been executed in public by the Roman Empire whom He was meant to liberate them from. Surely many people pondered those three days whether He had truly been the Son of God, and if so, how death could have come so easily. In the darkness they waited; for three days they waited.

Today, we pause and consider God’s plan of redemption and salvation; salvation for you, yes, but also for the world filled with billions of people, lost without hope and light. God met us on the dark path to destruction, picked us up and restored us to His family in this mission of reconciliation. Now we are commissioned to participate in this mission to seek and save the lost. As we reflect today, we not only consider Jesus’ blood spilt for our redemption, but we choose to follow His path and accept the transformative work that God performs in us as we seek to be more like Christ.

“I'll walk salvation's road,
With fear and trembling,
Your way borne as my own,
As Christ is formed in me”

This Holy Saturday, many candles will be lit in a vigil remembering Jesus, the Light of the world; overcoming the darkness and bringing light to us all. This is a time for us to remember His body, which was broken, and His precious blood that was poured out for us. Let us not only remember for a moment but rather, let’s live our lives in this posture of remembrance, always keeping His sacrifice and victory at the forefront of our minds. It may be dark right now, but the resurrection is coming…

“Until I see You face to face,
Until at last I've won my race,
Remind me You're not finished yet,
Hallelujah, I'll live in remembrance”

Lyrics taken from “Remembrance” by Hillsong Worship