It’s Saturday. I’m trying to imagine what it must have been like for the disciples and those who had followed and deeply loved Jesus. It’s hard. I know about Sunday. They didn’t. For them, it had to have been a lonely day. They must have felt the heaviness of grief, but more! They were afraid for their lives, and spent the day hidden…afraid of the slightest noises. Who knew if they might be taken next? It’s why after the encounter in the Garden, when the soldiers came to take Jesus away, the Scriptures tell us, they all ran away! Every last one of them! (Matthew 26:56) Peter made it to the so-called-trial, but only to the courtyard. Then, he denied even knowing Jesus – not once, but three times, just as Jesus had predicted. Yes, there was those emotions, but there must have been more than even grief, and fear. These hard-core followers were confused (in spite of Jesus’ words, for days, even weeks, about his death and his predicted return); they were, perhaps, a bit angry, too (we gave up our lives for three years for….what?), and certainly, hopeless. Hopeless! Maybe they even found themselves, quoting the mockers at the crucifixion, “He had saved others, why didn’t he even try to save himself?” (Matthew 26:42) I probably would have had those mocking voices in my head. Why didn’t he fight – at least for my sake? Of course, they’ll understand it more, after Sunday comes. They’ll know, and it will be life transforming, and empowering, because everything Jesus did was for their sake, my sake, your sake… Saturday was quiet. Probably, too quiet; and, you, and I, know what quiet days are like. They go on and on and on and on and on…forever. Would life ever be normal again? What comes next?
However, Saturday was anything but quiet for Jesus. He was busy. Busy preparing for the new normal of Christianity. Busy planning for the what next. Jesus was busy in a world that no one else could see. We don’t know exactly what happened, but we get snippets in Ephesians 4:7, Colossians 2:15, and 2 Peter 3:15-18. What we do know is Jesus descended into a place, which we know nothing about, and proclaimed TRUTH to those who were being held captive there. What we do know is that he made a public display of the enemy he had triumphed over through his death. For some reason, Jesus needed Saturday in order to prepare for Sunday’s grand event… So while the disciples spent Saturday greatly distressed, Jesus spent it busily preparing for their new life to come following his GLORIOUS RESURRECTION. Come Sunday morning, their fear would be replaced with courage, their sadness and grief would be replaced with joy. The confusion would be cleared up, and they would be given a mission of their own to proclaim. The lesson of Saturday, for me, is this: No matter what life’s are issues in the Saturday’s of our lives, there will always be a Sunday. Jesus is always at work preparing for it, in a place we can’t see, and the result? JOY! Joy always, always, comes in the morning! (Ps. 30:5). Our mourning will always be turned to dancing (Jeremiah 31:13)!
Sunday is coming!