Three More Words That Make the World Go Round

What do you think is the greatest word of all time – the “GWOAT”? Any ideas? According to a poll conducted by Dictionary.com, it’s a word we’ve all come to know and love: LOVE. There were other words that received votes, but apparently folks just love “love.”

 

Based on this unscientific study, it would seem reasonable to assume that the same voters would favor “I love you” as the greatest trio of words of all time. My last post dealt with three words that I believe are the most momentous of all time: “It is finished.” But these other three little words – “I love you” – expressed probably millions of times every day, are nearly as impactful. Who doesn’t like to hear them?

Being a writer, I think about words a lot. It strikes me that even in its simplicity, “I love you” carries a host of connotations. “Love makes the world go round,” the old pop tune told us, but what do we really mean when we say that?

 

Because we can love our spouse or significant other. We can love our children. We can love our dog (or cat if that’s your preference). We can love our job or career. We can love our house or the neighborhood in which we live. We can love seeing a brilliant sunrise or a spectacular sunset. We can love our favorite sports team. We can love travel. But the “love” we reference in each situation is different from all of the others.

 

Some languages, like Greek, manage to separate the meanings of a word like love, using terms like eros, agape, philia, storge and others to clarify what one loves and in what ways. In English, however, we basically have just one word – love – whose meaning is largely determined by context.

 

Even when someone says, “I love you,” we can’t always assume we know what they mean. Because it’s rarely a stand-alone phrase. We might mean, “I love you because…” – because of how someone makes us feel; what they do for us; how they look, or a variety of other reasons.

 

Someone saying “I love you” might mean “I love you if…” – if we do what they ask of us; if we behave in a certain way; if we meet their expectations, or many other things. This “love” is largely performance-based. The same holds true for the form of “I love you” that really means “I love you when….” It also is largely conditional.

 

As I’ve pored over the Scriptures through the years, I’ve found God saying to us, “I love you” in a very different way. It’s not based on “if” or “because” or “when.” He says, “I love you…period.” No conditions or expectations attached.

 

When we read, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16), Jesus’ declaration didn’t include any conditional words such as if, because, or when.

 

In fact, another verse makes it all the more clear that God’s love is unconditional. Romans 5:8 tells us, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Chronologically speaking, not one of us had committed our first sin when Jesus died on the cross – because we hadn’t been born yet. Not even a gleam in anyone’s eye at that point. We know the Lord wasn’t waiting for us to clean up our act first.

 

Another time Jesus told His followers, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). This wasn’t some random philosophical statement. At this point in His ministry, Jesus had His sights unwaveringly set on Jerusalem and the sacrifice of His own life for our sins. Again, He added no stipulations or conditions.

 

We must never forget this. When we say, “I love you,” we may mean this in a variety of ways for a number of different reasons. But God’s “I love you” carries with it no caveats, no ifs or maybes.

The apostle John wrote, “How great the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are…” (1 John 3:1). It’s a love available to us all, to any of us, simply by accepting it – without conditions. How great is that? 

What Was Understood When Jesus Said, ‘It Is Finished’?

Just a few weeks ago Christians around the world completed their annual observance of Holy Week, commemorating the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, followers of Christ understand that the significance of Good Friday and Easter has no real season. The impact of what those days represent, individually and collectively, is experienced 365 days a year.

 

I’d go so far as to say that all of humanity ultimately hinges on three small words, the last ones uttered by Jesus on the cross that gruesome yet glorious day: “It is finished” (John 19:30). That is an English translation of the Greek word tetelestai, which also can be translated “it is completed” or “paid in full.” 

 

After uttering those words, certainly in excruciating pain as the last bit of strength oozed from His body, Jesus bowed His head and died. With the benefit of historical hindsight, we now know what He meant by that simple declaration, but I wonder how those words were understood by those who heard them on that day 2,000 years ago.

 

For the Roman guards charged with nailing Jesus to the cross and then lifting it for Him to hang there for hours, they probably interpreted the meaning as what seemed obvious – He was breathing His last.

 

For the Pharisees and other religious leaders who had orchestrated the rigged trial and trumped-up charges that would justify Christ’s crucifixion, hearing “It is finished” probably meant the threat that “troublemaker” Jesus had posed to their prominence, prestige and authority had been put to an end. They must have been thinking, ”Good riddance!”

 

For Jesus’ followers, who had devoted the previous three years to joining Him in ministry and leaving behind their families and livelihoods, those words must have sounded like the crushing climax to their hopes and dreams. Their charismatic, miracle-working leader hung lifeless as blood continued to seep from His body. The great cause He had personified seemingly had come to a tragic conclusion.

 

Thankfully, they all were wrong. When Jesus declared, “It is finished,” in no way did He mean defeat or failure. Rather, He was announcing that His mission was complete. His ultimate purpose, to become the atoning sacrifice for sin and make it possible for broken, sinful people to establish personal relationships with the holy, righteous God, had been accomplished.

 

This is the message throughout the New Testament. As the apostle Paul asserted in Romans 8:1-3, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.”

 

In another New Testament letter, writing to believers in the ancient church of Corinth, itself a wicked, sin-infested city, Paul said, “And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).

 

At times, we all have seen our own hopes and aspirations dissolve, falling short of much-desired goals. With dismay and even despair we’ve thought, “It’s over. I’m done.” And we struggled to pick ourselves up from the heap of humiliation to try again, hoping for more success the next time. 

 

But for Jesus there was no need for a “next time.” For Him, “It is finished” meant He had provided the ultimate remedy for sin’s consequences and death would be dealt its ultimate defeat. On the third day, the empty tomb would serve as vivid, tangible evidence of that. Because of that reality, we can cling to this wonderful promise: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Thank God we can live according to His perspective and not our own. For us, because of what Jesus has done,  “It is finished” means it’s only just begun. 

The Trouble with Building Sandcastles

During a recent vacation trip to Destin, Florida, we spent a lot of time on the beach. My days of soaking up rays and trying to achieve the world’s darkest tan are over, but I always enjoy watching the relentless waves crashing toward the shore. The unending ebb and flow of the tides is truly one of nature’s wonders.

One day I observed a man and woman building an extremely elaborate sandcastle. I’ve seen simple sandcastles many times, the product of a plastic bucket, toy shovel and water. But this sandcastle was something to behold, complete with arched gates, stairways along two sides, towers with pointed turrets, and of course, the requisite moat.

 

As I watch them, I discovered there are even specialized tools for creating sandcastles. Turned out these folks were working for a sand sculpture company that teaches beachgoers how to build sandcastles, demonstrating their skills at birthday parties and other special events. Who knew there was money to be made in sand?

 

Their work was meticulously detailed to make it appear the sandcastle had been constructed with tiny sand bricks. It was entertaining to watch how diligently and carefully they worked; I appreciate the myriad ways people manifest their creativity, and this was yet another example.

 

But as I observed their sand artistry, I couldn’t help thinking about Jesus Christ’s parable about two types of people – those who hear and obey His teachings, and those who don’t:

“…everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash” (Matthew 7:24-27).

 

Sandcastles can be pretty,
but they don't last.

When the man and woman had finished creating their marvel of a sandcastle, they left their creation to stand proudly all day for passersby to admire. The next morning, however, the sandcastle was gone. No trace remained to indicate it was ever there. Perhaps someone mischievously kicked it down, but more likely the advancing tides beat against it and eventually leveled it.

The sandcastle, as grand as it once appeared, was a metaphor for many of our lives – and society in general. Whether it’s an extensive education, a career, a thick investment portfolio, personal reputation, or many other things, they’re like building with sand. A strong wind or surging wave can bring any of them crashing down if they’re not anchored on the right things.

 

For many years our society seemed to be undergirded with a commonly understood Judeo-Christian ethic. Some decades ago, however, the powers that be deemed that was no longer necessary, that we didn’t need God. Kind of reminds me of the ancient Israelites, who had turned to the Lord in times of distress, but in times of prosperity determined they could do perfectly fine without Him. As it turned out, that didn’t work out very well for them.

 

I think of the refrain from the old hymn that’s rarely heard in most churches these days: “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.” There’s a lot of truth to that, but many of us seem to have forgotten it.

Maybe it’s time – personally and collectively – that we re-examine our foundations. Are they built on the solid, steady, unshakable Rock, or are they teetering on sinking sand? 

When the Chips Are Down, Who Do You Trust?

Do you remember Johnny Carson? He’s best known for having set the standard for late-night talk show hosts over his three decades as star of The Tonight Show. Even to this day, his talent and excellence make contemporary late-night hosts seem like rank amateurs.

 

However, before Carson’s emergence on The Tonight Show, for about five years he emceed a daytime quiz show called “Who Do You Trust?” (Grammatically dogmatic English teachers contended it should have been called, “Whom Do You Trust?”) The quiz show has long since faded into TV archives, but its thematic question remains relevant today: Who do you trust?

 

Sadly, we find ourselves living in an age when it seems there are fewer and fewer people and entities that we truly can trust. 

 

For a vast assortment of reasons, trust levels have decreased – at least in the eyes of some – In one or more of the following professions that once enjoyed almost implicit trust: law enforcement officers; scientists; doctors and nurses; educators; business leaders; the clergy; the media; manufacturers. This barely scratches the surface of all those who have had members that betrayed public trust.

 

It’s become a cliché to claim that no politician is worthy of trust. Some are (at least we'd like to think so), but we’ve become all too accustomed to hearing about those who aren’t. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” we’re told in Romans 3:23, but as moral and ethical standards have declined in our society, that’s become more evident than ever.

 

When all else failed, we’ve usually felt we could trust the family dog. Sadly, there have been occasions when even that proved untrue. The same can be said of spouses – and parents.

 

So, the question remains, who do you trust? Or more accurately, who can you trust?

 

For me, I’ve concluded there’s only one answer. And it’s not myself, because I’ve failed my wife and children – even myself – more times than I can count.

 

Rather, my answer is found in two Old Testament verses that many years ago I adopted as my “life verse,” Proverbs 3:5-6. It says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

 

It’s less than 30 words long, but it captures a wealth of meaning and wisdom that I continue to mine. Of course, my trust in the Lord was not automatic. Just as with any relationship, my trust and confidence in Him has grown over time. It’s one thing to read this passage and given it mental assent. It quite another to actually embrace its assurance and live accordingly.

 

I could write entire books about the many ways God has proved Himself unfailingly trustworthy. Suffice it to say He’s never failed me, and I know He never will. When the Lord says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” – in Deuteronomy 31:6,8; Joshua 1:5; Hebrews 13:5, and many other places – He means what He says.

 

If you go to a Bible concordance or do an online search, you’ll find dozens of passages that encourage us to trust in the Lord. Given the reality that everyone and everything else in this world will fail us, proving unworthy of our trust at one time or another, He’s the one we can trust without fear of betrayal.

 

Another of my favorite passages, Psalm 37:3-4, declares, “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” I’ve found this to be true again and again. 

 

God hasn’t always given me everything I wanted, but He’s always provided everything I needed. And over time I’ve discovered that the desires of my heart have changed to become more aligned with what He desires for me – my Father truly does know best.

My hope and prayer for everyone reading this is that if you haven’t already learned this for yourself, you soon will. We live in a world when it would be easy to cynically conclude, “I don’t trust anybody.” But God is the one exception. As Isaiah 26:4 declares, “Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal.” In that promise we can indeed have rock-solid faith. 

Peer Pressure: Perilous or Positive?

Did you hear about the ship that was faulted for damaging a large dock? They said it caused unnecessary pier pressure. (Lame joke, I know – but I’m a dad, so I’m told that makes it okay.) But growing up, I heard a lot about its homonym, peer pressure.

 

Most of the time, peer pressure was referred to in negative terms, such as fellow students coercing or persuading someone to do something they knew they shouldn’t. “If your friend jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?!” 

And without doubt, the power – and potential perils – of such peer pressure these days might be greater than it’s ever been: “Challenges” being posted on social media, often to do dumb or even dangerous things. Demands by the “in crowd” at school to behave, dress and even speak in certain ways. Protests promoting and endorsing certain lifestyles and worldviews. 

 

I know of a parent planning to remove a child from her present school because of relentless peer pressure. Even though the daughter is popular, she’s being pressed by her peers to engage in activities her parents have consistently taught her were wrong.

 

Once regarded as primarily a teenage phenomenon, it seems more than ever peer pressure has extended its reach to all age levels. We’ve seen its effects in terms of how people responded to pronouncements regarding COVID and vaccinations, political perspectives, views on myriad social issues and concerns, even types of recreation and entertainment to engage in. Sometimes that’s a good thing; sometimes it’s not.

 

In the Bible we don’t find the term peer pressure, but it’s addressed just the same – both in the positive and negative senses of the word. Proverbs 22;24-25 warns, “Do not associate with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared.” Uncontrolled anger is not a trait worth emulating.

 

Another passage admonishes, “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33). Another translation states it, “Evil companionships corrupt good morals.” Behavior, good and bad, is both caught and taught.

 

However, peer pressure also can provide great benefits, as the Scriptures repeatedly affirm. For instance, the value of mutual encouragement: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

 

The importance of maintaining a sharp blade is everyday reality for many people, such as lumberjacks and chefs. As followers of Christ, we too must strive to remain “sharp” in living out our faith. This is why we’re instructed, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17). As we “rub together,” we can keep each other sharp and focused.

 

What we know as the “Christian life” was never intended to be lived in isolation. We each have our own strengths, abilities and gifts, but to effectively serve the Lord we need to support, cooperation, and “peer pressure” of one another: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!... Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).

 

Other than the relationship of Jesus Christ with His disciples, perhaps there’s no better illustration of positive peer pressure in the Bible than the relationship between the apostle Paul and his protégé, Timothy. Paul rightly regarded himself as Timothy’s spiritual father. Over and over, we find him reminding Timothy to hold firmly to the essentials of the faith and never to forget his calling.

 

“Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith…” (1 Timothy 1:18-19).

 

In a subsequent letter, Paul offers this exhortation: “You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:1-3).

As we persevere in our journey of faith, we’d be wise not to avoid peer pressure – as long as it’s pressing us closer to the Lord, not pulling us away from Him. 

Remaining Steadfast Amid Severe Winds of Change

Granite quarry in Vermont.

Of late I’ve been thinking about a word we don’t often use these days, but one that history has consistently held in high regard. It’s a proud, noble and virtuous term. The word is steadfast.

Despite the apparently lack of appreciation for this word in contemporary culture, it’s used repeatedly in the Bible. One verse I learned early in my Christian life is Isaiah 26:3, “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You.” The New International Version says it a bit differently, but equally effective: “You [the Lord] will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You.”

We see the word again in Psalm 112, which declares, “Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commandments…. He does not fear bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord” (Psalm 112:1,7).

 

What is this word, “steadfast”? One definition of it is, “resolutely or dutifully firm.” The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines it as “a steady and unwavering course in love, allegiance, or conviction…firmly fixed in place, not subject to change.” For me, the word also evokes the term “stand firm.” Put together, these definitions and synonyms call to mind someone who isn’t easily moved in the beliefs or standards they follow.

 

Why is this important? Because the foundational principles, virtues and values upon which our society was built and established are under assault, being attacked by gale force winds of change, compromise and watered-down convictions.

 

Whenever we read about great exploits, whether it’s being the first to climb a mountain like Mount Everest, engaging in combat, developing a championship sports team, or founding a great nation like the United States, we can’t avoid encountering men and women who remained steadfast, unbending, filled with rock-solid resolve in the pursuit of their goals.

 

I’ve been reading The Founders’ Bible, an edition of the Scriptures that also includes hundreds of articles, brief commentaries, and notes about how our Founding Fathers clung to their convictions and beliefs in the face of formidable, almost impossible odds. They were, in a word, steadfast.

 

In our walk of faith, we’d be wise to keep that word foremost in our minds. With everything that we see and hear transpiring all around us, it’s clear that like it or not, we’re involved in an intense spiritual war. Perhaps more than ever before, we must remain steadfast to avoid succumbing to the ongoing assault.

 

We read about this in 1 Corinthians 15:58, where the apostle Paul exhorted Christ followers in ancient Corinth, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” The NIV translates the word as “stand firm.”

 

The Corinthians could have used any variety of excuses for wandering from the faith, from everyday challenges they faced to the emergence of false teachers seeking to lure them away from the bedrock truths of the Gospel that they had learned and were living by.

 

King David, who experienced more than his share of opposition and adversity, wrote about the importance of standing firm. In Psalm 57:7 he wrote, “My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast…. I will praise You, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of You among the peoples.”

 

Even if we’re not of the spiritual stature of an apostle Paul or King David, the importance of a steadfast, uncompromising approach to life and faith is vital. Like a competitor in a marathon, we must remain fixed on our goal, the imperative of finishing our life’s race well – and serving God well as we do so.

 

The peer pressure is there. Prevailing messages in our culture beckon us to veer off course, “losing our first love” as the church in Ephesus was described (Revelation 2:4). Another ancient church cited in the next chapter, the body of believers in Laodicea, was said to be “lukewarm – neither cold nor hot.” Because of this, God said, “I am about to spit you out of My mouth” (Revelation 3:16).

 

The one who is not steadfast, who chooses instead to straddle the fence or is susceptible to losing heart, is like what we find pictured in James 1:6, “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave in the sea driven and tossed by the wind.”

For many of us, Sunday mornings are times when it’s fairly easy to stand firm. We hear wonderful praise songs and hymns, a strong, biblically based message, and enjoy the company of like-minded believers. That’s good. But what happens when it’s Monday morning and the alarm of reality goes off, we go to the office and the phone rings, or we enter the classroom where contradictory views and values are espoused. Can we stand firm, remain steadfast even then? 

The Day That’s ‘Good’ Because of What Happened Next

Christmas has given us Santa Claus, reindeer, festive lights and candy canes. Easter brings us the Easter Bunny, Easter eggs, beautiful flowers and jellybeans. But what both annual holidays have in common is Jesus Christ. One commemorates His birth; the other celebrates His resurrection. Without the latter, Easter, there would be no reason for the former, Christmas.

 

When I was a boy, my parents would take me to church on Good Friday, where we would sing mournful hymns and hear a somber message. Two days later we’d return to church for Easter, where hymns of joy and triumph would be sung and an uplifting sermon would be spoken.

I vividly recall one Good Friday, I might have been eight or nine, sitting quietly in the pew pondering. If I had been a character in a comic strip, there might have been a question mark hovering over my head. I remember turning to my mother and asking her, “If this is the day Jesus was crucified, why do we call it ‘Good Friday’?” In my mind the thought kept recurring – what’s so good about being crucified?

 

My mom, even though she liked to play albums of hymns by the likes of Perry Como and Tennessee Ernie Ford and proudly possessed a lighted reproduction of Leonardo da Vinci’s famous “The Lord’s Supper,” was hardly a theologian. So, she suggested we ask “the Reverend” after the service was over.

 

That sounded like a good idea. As we slowly shuffled toward the church doors to leave, I knew the minister would be there greeting the congregants as they departed. When we reached the door and he gripped my hand, I popped the same question. 

 

Apparently, he didn’t view this as an important, teachable moment, because I don’t remember him giving me much of an authoritative answer. I know he mumbled something, but he definitely didn’t suggest anything like, “Son, that’s a great question. Why don’t you ask your parents to bring you to my office this week where we can talk about it?”

 

It wasn’t until many years later that I discovered the answer to my youthful question. Good Friday isn’t “good” because a sinless, blameless Jesus Christ was wrongfully scourged, then forced to carry His own cross to be executed in perhaps the most horrific manner ever devised by humankind. It’s good because on that cross He became the propitiation – the absolute substitutionary atonement – for our sins. 

 

The words of 2 Corinthians 5:15,21 express it perfectly: “And He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf…. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Try chewing on that for a while.

 

Because of this, the apostle Paul could announce to believers in the ancient church of Rome, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). As a good friend of mine used to say whenever he spoke, “Jesus took the rap for you and me.”

 

In isolation, the events of Good Friday weren’t good: Angry, spiteful and frightened religious leaders bringing trumped-up charges against an individual who threatened their positions of power and authority. A spineless Roman official, Pontius Pilate, willing to sacrifice his conscience and sense of rightness to appease an increasingly hostile mob. Torture, mocking, and then the crucifixion Jesus endured, the Son of God crying out in His last breaths, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46).

 

And yet even then, Jesus’ heart of love and compassion could not be defeated. He pleaded, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Who could do that? Only the incarnate God, in His limitless and unfathomable mercy and grace.

 

If things had stopped at that point, we’d have no Good Friday. Maybe history might have even forgotten that moment. However, on the morning after the Sabbath, the greatest event in the history of the world occurred. 

 

The stone placed across the tomb’s opening to “secure” it had been supernaturally rolled away to reveal what lay inside – no body, only no longer needed burial cloths. As angels proclaimed to the women who had come intending to minister to their Lord’s body, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He is risen!” (Luke 24:5-6).

 

The fact of His resurrection is miraculous enough. But because Jesus lives today, He offers new life to any and all who will put their trust in Him. Amazingly the Scriptures declare, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

Because of the glorious celebration of Easter and all it represents, we also can rejoice in what the Lord did for us on that truly Good Friday. And we can affirm, "He is risen; He is risen indeed!"

The Saddest, Most Silent of All Saturdays

Coming up this week are two important days on the Christian calendar, Good Friday and Easter. But little thought is given to the day in between, a day we could call Silent Saturday.

 

Jesus Christ, the one who had performed miracles, including healing the sick and lame, raising the dead, feeding multitudes, walking on water, and teaching radical truths about God, had been crucified. His closest disciples, who had left their comfortable, accustomed lives to follow Him, had lost their leader.

The range of emotions they must have experienced was vast: anger, grief, confusion, disbelief. Guilt would have been another. One of the 12, Judas Iscariot the traitor, who had turned Jesus over to the Jewish leaders and Roman authorities, had taken his own life by hanging from a tree. 

 

But each of the remaining disciples, in his own way, also had betrayed Jesus, whom they had embraced as their Lord. When He was arrested, they all had scattered. Two of the disciples, John and Peter, did follow the procession after the arrest furtively, watching the mock trial proceedings from a distance. Peter, afraid of what would happen if his association with Jesus were exposed, vocally denied Him three times when asked if he was one of Jesus’ disciples.

 

Can you imagine what was going through their minds and hearts on the day after Jesus’ death and burial in a rich man’s tomb? Surely there was no laughter. There might have been quiet tears, but most likely there was wordless despair as their hopes and dreams seemingly lay in shambles. After the horrors of that Friday, with the banging of dagger-sized nails being hammered into flesh, cries of pain and anguish from Jesus and the two criminals crucified on His left and right, and the loud weeping of the women who had followed and served Him, the next day must have been dreadfully silent.

 

The Scriptures tell us Jesus’ most dear followers had gathered together “with doors locked for fear of the Jews” (John 20:19). “What do we do now?” was likely a question repeating in each of their minds. For three years they had literally taken marching orders from Jesus, traveling to various parts of Judea; now the leader of their march had been slain.

 

In the gospels we read nothing specifically about how the disciples spent that Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath. The only thing we know for certain is that Pontius Pilate, the Roman leader who had authorized Jesus’ execution, decided to take action to ensure that the body of Christ would be kept secure.

 

“The chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. ‘Sir,’ They said, ‘we remember that while He was alive that deceiver said, “After three days I will rise again.” So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, His disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that He has been raised from the dead. The last deception will be worse than the first.’”

 

Pilate concurred, ordering, “‘Take a guard. Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.’ So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard” (Matthew 27:62-66).

 

Other than that brief, factual report, the Scriptures tell us nothing else about that silent Saturday. Each of the gospel accounts jumps directly from the details of the crucifixion and burial to “the first day of the week” (Matthew 28:1, Mark 16,2, Luke 24:1, John 20:1). So, we’re left to our imaginations as to what was happening in the lives of Peter, John, Andrew, Matthew and the others.

 

Thankfully, as somber and silent as that Sabbath must have been, it was like God pressing the heavenly pause button. Because the next day – Sunday – would be filled with shouts, cries of jubilation and celebration unlike anything ever witnessed in the world before. 

 

In fact, it was while the disciples were huddling behind closed, locked doors that Jesus suddenly appeared to them, declaring, “‘Peace be with you!’ After He said this, He showed them His hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord” (John 20:19-20).

Best of all, that’s not the end of the story. In fact, it’s just the beginning. Which explains why the words from the now-famous sermon by pastor S.M. Lockridge resonate so strongly and loudly today: “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s Coming.”