The Longest Saturday Ever

Luke 23:65b

On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

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Here's something that you're never gonna forget

"You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet" by Bachman-Turner Overdrive

This snippet of scripture isn't often the subject of great contemplation, but in truth it should.

All of the events of what Christians call Holy Week have come to pass. Like most big events, it takes more time to prepare than it takes to celebrate the event. We have passed through Lent, the Palms, and the Passion. The Passover is now past and the specter of death did not pass over the door where Jesus shared his last supper. Now, all there is to do is celebrate the Sabbath according to the commandment.

What is there to celebrate? The Christ, the Messiah, Emmanuel, God with us had died on the cross. God is dead and lays in a tomb. What's to come next. The Sabbath, that's what. The joy of Easter is a pale shelter off in the distance, unknown to the Apostles and Disciples.

Well you ain't seen nothing yet. Tomorrow's gonna come and it's going to come in power and glory. Today we may not be able to see tomorrow on the horizon. Today is just too harsh. But tomorrow will come.

Many people live everyday like it's Easter Saturday, the longest most discouraging day in the history of all creation. People live like God is dead and all hope died with him. It's not a way to live, but without Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday is meaningless. What we must remember is that Easter Sunday does follow.

The wait can be hard. The wait can be long, but Christ is coming. When things are their most desperate, God is coming. We may not see it coming, but God sees us, and that's the point. That is the source of our hope even when we are waiting in the dark.

Doing What Has to Be Done

Holy Saturday


John 19:38-42

After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body. Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

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Takin' care of business and working overtime

"Takin' Care of Business" by Bachman-Turner Overdrive written by Randy Bachman from "Bachman-Turner Overdrive II (Yes, that's Keith Moon introducing the clip)

The Lord is dead. Dead. He's not in a coma. He's not asleep. He's not faking it. He's dead. So there's nothing left to do. Actually there is one thing to be done, the Sabbath is coming and he has to be put into a tomb. They won't get it done in time, but they have to do as much burial preparation as they can before sunset.

If this isn't bad enough, Jesus doesn't even have a "they" to prepare him for burial. His apostles and disciples have scattered. Their Lord was on a cross, it would be only human to want to find a place to hide. If they had come out they could have been invited to share his death sooner rather than later. Somebody has to do what has to be done. Somebody has to take care of business.

Joseph of Arimathea asks Pilate for the body. According to Luke's gospel, Joseph was a member of the Jewish ruling council. John tells us he feared the Jews so he was a secret disciple. This actually served Jesus well since he could come for the body without raising suspicion. Nicodemus also came. This is the same Nicodemus who was told that he must be born again. He came with about 100 pounds of burial spices and aloes. Someone also made sure the linen was there to wrap the body. Together they took the body to an empty tomb, which according to Matthew's gospel belonged to Joseph.

It had to be done. The rulers of the temple wanted all three men off the cross before sunset so the nation could celebrate the Passover in peace. Joseph and Nicodemus had to work overtime to make sure it got done.

There was no joy. There was no hope. There was only fear of what would come next. If Emmanuel, God with us, can be killed then all bets are off. Someone might have the thought in the back of their mind that the resurrection would come, but today that thought was a million miles away. Today was a work day.

There are days when the resurrection seems like it's a million miles away, but guess what--it's not. It's coming. The resurrection is coming. But today, while all seems hopeless, we still gotta take care of business. And it's hard. God knows it's hard. That's why God is with us, Emmanuel. Even when we don't think God is present, Emmanuel. Especially when we think we have been forsaken by God, Emmanuel.

The Quiet Hours

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Psalm 46:10

“Be still, and know that I am God!
I am exalted among the nations,
I am exalted in the earth.”

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I'd like you to know
At four in the morning
Things are coming to mind
All I've seen all I've done
And those I hope to find

I'd like to remind you at four in the morning
My world is very still
The air is fresh under diamond skies
Makes me glad to be alive

"Blue Collar" by Bachman-Turner Overdrive written by C.F. Turner from BTO's self-titled first album.

This song with a great jazz riff was recorded by some heaviest gear-head guitar heroes ever to come out of the Great White North and kick guitar hero... well, you know what got kicked.

It's the reflections of a man working the graveyard shift. These are the folks who take care of the world so that we can sleep safe and sound. These are the folks who work the line building new cars or processing fresh food or keeping the light on at the motel. These are the folks who make the world clean for the people who mess it up all day long. These are the people who work under the light of every star in the galaxy mixed with electric candlelight.

For many, BTO sings of a man who has time to reflect on the world. He has time to see the world around him, and see it in ways that few others will. The world is very still.

There is something about working those still quiet hours. There is time to be still and know that the Lord is God.

Be still, and hear the words of the Holy Spirit. God has a plan for each and all of us. God is in control. God is exalted among the nations, God is exalted in the earth.

There is a time to be busy and take care of business, but there is also a time to be still. There is a time to reflect on all that is and all that was and all that ever will be. There is a time to be still and listen for the Word of God. Maybe your time is at four in the morning, maybe not. But the fresh air of life in Christ should make us all glad to be alive. If not, maybe it would be worth trying four in the morning under the diamond skies.