Holy Saturday
4/16/22
Read John 19:38-42
Jesus had been crucified. He was dead. Things were bleak. The Savior of the world had fallen. A man named Joseph, and Nicodemus who we met back in chapter 3, prepared Jesus' body for burial, then closed the tomb the day before. On Friday, the Sabbath began at sundown, so they couldn't do anything until Sunday morning. On Saturday they waited and rested. Do you remember what Jesus' last words on the cross were? "It is finished." One thing that was finished was God's wrath against sin for those who believe. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). It is a beautiful thing that Jesus died the day before the Sabbath because He would then rest from the work He had just completed on the cross. And now all who call upon Him can enter His rest, resting from their works and trusting in His finished work on the cross for their salvation and right standing before God. We no longer have to be beaten down by working for our salvation, meeting all of the requirements of the law, or even offering multiple sacrifices for the forgiveness of our sins. It has all been completed through Christ, once and for all. And now we can enter His rest. Hebrews 4:10 tells us, "for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his."
Today I hope that you can find rest for your body and mind after what may have been a long week. But ultimately, I hope that you can see that the finished work of Jesus on the cross allows you to enter into his ultimate and everlasting Sabbath Rest. Are you still trying to work for your salvation and please God by your own good deeds? Are you stressed because you feel like you can never measure up? You're running ragged trying to do something that's already been accomplished on your behalf. You'll never do it on your own. Trust Him! Spend a few moments asking Him to reveal places in your life that you are not trusting in the finished work on the cross. You will be amazed at the weight lifted off of your shoulders when you realize He really has paid it all. Pray that God helps you find and trust in the true spiritual rest found only in Jesus.
Jesus had been crucified. He was dead. Things were bleak. The Savior of the world had fallen. A man named Joseph, and Nicodemus who we met back in chapter 3, prepared Jesus' body for burial, then closed the tomb the day before. On Friday, the Sabbath began at sundown, so they couldn't do anything until Sunday morning. On Saturday they waited and rested. Do you remember what Jesus' last words on the cross were? "It is finished." One thing that was finished was God's wrath against sin for those who believe. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). It is a beautiful thing that Jesus died the day before the Sabbath because He would then rest from the work He had just completed on the cross. And now all who call upon Him can enter His rest, resting from their works and trusting in His finished work on the cross for their salvation and right standing before God. We no longer have to be beaten down by working for our salvation, meeting all of the requirements of the law, or even offering multiple sacrifices for the forgiveness of our sins. It has all been completed through Christ, once and for all. And now we can enter His rest. Hebrews 4:10 tells us, "for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his."
Today I hope that you can find rest for your body and mind after what may have been a long week. But ultimately, I hope that you can see that the finished work of Jesus on the cross allows you to enter into his ultimate and everlasting Sabbath Rest. Are you still trying to work for your salvation and please God by your own good deeds? Are you stressed because you feel like you can never measure up? You're running ragged trying to do something that's already been accomplished on your behalf. You'll never do it on your own. Trust Him! Spend a few moments asking Him to reveal places in your life that you are not trusting in the finished work on the cross. You will be amazed at the weight lifted off of your shoulders when you realize He really has paid it all. Pray that God helps you find and trust in the true spiritual rest found only in Jesus.