John 19:38
After all this, Joseph of Arimathea (he was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, because he was intimidated by the Jews) petitioned Pilate to take the body of Jesus. Pilate gave permission. So Joseph came and took the body.
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Faith In the Silence
We call it Silent Saturday. We sit and wait and hope. Of course, we know that Sunday is coming; but the disciples didn’t know that. All they knew was that Jesus was dead, and all their hopes and dreams were dead, too. But faith is something you cling to when reason and understanding are dead. We don’t believe once we understand—no, we believe in order to understand.
Silent Saturday is the time to engage faith, not disengage it. It is a time when we stand in the truth that God is still sovereign even if our expectations about Him are not. The disciples did not know what we know. So often we prematurely move from Friday through Saturday and jump joyfully into Easter Sunday morning to celebrate. But we shouldn’t. We should sit in Silent Saturday to learn the truth that it brings to us.
Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate to request Jesus’ cold, dead body so that he could properly prepare it for burial. After the crowds fled away and the groans of the dying criminals ceased, Joseph slowly and carefully lowered the cross and pulled those nails out of Jesus’ hands and feet. Imagine that! The darkness must have been intensely thick around him. What was he thinking? He had left his life of predictability and safety to follow this man Jesus. Now this. Joseph made a choice. This was his work, his calling, and his responsibility. He would help the family. He would carry the corpse of Jesus to the tomb.
Faith sometimes requires that we experience a Silent Saturday by sitting in a dark, damp, tomb-like place for a little while. But Jesus is there, so it is a holy place. There is nothing more to do except sit there quietly and wait for the morning light.
Are you sitting in a tomb-like place that is void of life and light? If you are with Jesus, then God is with you in that place. You are not alone. Wait with hope. Engage your faith—don’t abandon it. Remember Christ’s words: “I am the resurrection and life.”
Enjoy the Full 6-Day Series
- Monday, April 15 – Faithful to Your Mission – w/ Pastor Jamal Jones
- Tuesday, April 16 – Give Your Purest Worship – w/ Pastor Marlyn DeFoggi
- Wednesday, April 17 – Surrender to Peace – w/ Pastor Jeremy Woltz
- Thursday, April 18 – Confident in His Strength – w/ Pastor John Kelly
- Friday, April 19 – Share in His Suffering – w/ Pastor Dave DeMasters
- Saturday, April 20 – Faith in the Silence – w/ Pastor Lisa Eggert
Revisit Last Year’s Holy Week devotionals
Watch the 6-part Holy Week 2018 video series, The Week God Died, on YouTube
One Comment
Richard A. Utterback, II
I have regarded three of the videos and am encouraged to regard the rest.