The day after Jesus was crucified, a group of priests and Pharisees said to Pilate, “Sir, we remember what that deceiver once said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise from the dead.’ So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he was raised from the dead! If that happens, we’ll be worse off than we were at first.’” (Matt. 27:62-64)
Lord Jesus, as the sun rose the day after “Good Friday,” no one realized the most undeserved death would yield the most incalculable return. The priests and Pharisees had the Scriptures, but they had no clue. They feared your body being stolen more than they feared the God they claimed to worship. They wanted to kill the memory of you, not just the heart within your breast.
But hallelujah 10,000 times over, Lord Jesus…
Your forsakenness secured our belovedness.
Your “bruising” was the devil’s “crushing” (Gen.3:15)
Your fatal wounding guaranteed our everlasting healing.
Your death set in motion the death of all death (Rev.21:4)
Your “termination” purchased creation’s reconciliation (Col.1:20-21).
Your last words ”It is finished!” are the “Yes!” to every promise of God.
Your body, planted as a seed, will yield the garden-world of the new earth.
Oh silly, sinful men—they’d sooner hold back the rising of the sun than the rising of the Son. Resurrection Sunday was coming, and there was absolutely nothing they could do about it. The sad, stunned silence of Saturday would soon be shattered with the swelling, unfettered shouts of Sunday: “The Lord is risen! He is risen indeed!” So Very Amen