“Sir, (Pilate) 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 your crucifixion, no one realized the most undeserved death imaginable yielded the greatest return calculable. With your last breath on the cross, the powers of darkness were defeated and the judgment against us was canceled (Col. 2:14-15). Satan was routed, and we were ransomed.
Jesus, your death killed death. Your mortal punishment brought our eternal peace. Your fatal wounding secured our everlasting healing. Because you were “crushed” for our sins (Isa. 53:5), we are cherished by the God of all grace.
Though the priests and Pharisees had the Scriptures, they had no clue. But they did remember you promised your resurrection. Gladdened by your death, they were fearful of your life. They were terrified your stolen body would empower your deceived and deceiving disciples.
O silly men—they’d sooner hold back the rising of the sun than the rising of the Son of God. No amount of Roman tomb-sealing could withstand your tomb-emptying power. Resurrection Sunday was coming, and there was absolutely nothing they could do about it.
The silence of Saturday would soon be shattered with the shouts of Sunday: “The Lord is risen! He is risen indeed!” Hallelujah, everything was about to change, everything. So Very Amen.