Silent Saturday, April 4, 2026

Opening Scripture

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:19-25

Opening Prayer

Gracious Heavenly Father, you are holy and exalted! May your kingdom come and your will be done in my life, home, and community, just as it is in Heaven. Help me to trust you today to meet all of my needs. Help me to forgive others as you have forgiven me. Help me to resist temptation and overcome the evil one. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Daily Bible Reading

John 19:38-42

Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Reflection  

Not only was Roman crucifixion the most brutal form of capital punishment, the final humiliation was to typically leave the body exposed to the birds and beasts long after death. The violated corpse served as a grotesque warning to others who might be tempted to commit the same crime.

The Jewish Law forbid leaving the body of an executed person “on the tree overnight.” They were “under God’s curse” and leaving the body exposed too long would “defile the land” (Deuteronomy 21:22-23). That’s why the Jewish leaders asked for the victims’ legs to be broken, to speed up their deaths. The Sabbath started at sundown!

After Jesus died, two religious leaders – Joseph and Nicodemus – went “boldly” to ask Pilate for possession of Jesus’ body. “Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead,” so he called a centurion over to confirm it (Mark 15:43-45).

Joseph of Arimathea was wealthy and had himself become a disciple of Jesus (Matthew 27:57). Though a member of the Sanhedrin, he was a “a good and upright man who had not consented to their decision” (Luke 23:50-51).

Joseph was accompanied by Nicodemus (another “secret disciple”?) who brought seventy-five pounds of embalming spices, representing a significant financial investment on his behalf. Nicodemus showed up at the beginning (chapter 3), middle (chapter 7), and end (chapter 19) of Jesus’ earthly ministry.

Surely, this final act “outed” Nicodemus as a follower of Jesus. Perhaps he now understood how “the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

Together, Joseph and Nicodemus prepared Jesus’ body for burial by washing then wrapping it with the large quantity of spices and clean cloth (reflecting the kind of “abundance” that Jesus was famous for).

Since the day was nearly over, they had to move quickly. Near the crucifixion site was a private garden with a new tomb cut into the rock. Matthew tells us that it was Joseph’s tomb, though whether he intended it eventually for himself or specifically for Jesus, we don’t know.

The men laid Jesus inside, and a large stone was rolled across the entrance. That was that. It was over. Everyone headed home. Some celebrated. Some grieved. Most were indifferent. But no one could have imagined what would happen next.

Flourishing Habit

Meaning and Purpose

The events of this weekend literally “split time” as we know it! And for good reason. In addition to John’s account, the other Gospel writers share several significant occurrences that testify to the magnitude of Jesus’ death.

Luke tells us that darkness came over the whole land for three hours early in the afternoon. Jesus had told the religious leaders, “This is your hour when darkness reigns” (Luke 22:53), and it did, for a time, as the sun stopped shining.

“The curtain in the temple was torn in two” (Luke 23:45). The fabric separating the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies) was ripped from top to bottom, symbolizing how Jesus’ death provided access to God. Jesus is now the Eternal High Priest and Final Sacrifice for sin!

Mark tells us that, among those who witnessed Jesus’ death, was a Roman centurion who seemed to sense what was happening. He praised God and said, “Surely this was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39)

Matthew adds that “the earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many people” (Matthew 27:51-53).

When we took the Flourishing and The Church survey last Fall, the highest “Individual Christian Flourishing” response was in “Meaning.” Over one thousand participants self-reported an average of 8.71 out of 10 to these two statements:

• Because I trust God, I will believe all that God has revealed.
• I trust in God even when I don’t understand his purposes.

If ever there was a situation that seemed terrible, it was the crucifixion of Jesus. And indeed, it was. But God was accomplishing something spectacular in that moment that no one could fully comprehend.

That’s God for you. He can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to His power at work within us (Ephesians 3:20). In all things He works for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

Do you believe that?

What do you need to trust God about today?

Remember: Nothing changes until something changes!