Sunday is On its Way

Matthew 27:62-66 AMP
“The next day, that is, the day after the [day of] preparation [for the Sabbath], the chief priests and the Pharisees assembled before Pilate, and said, “Sir, we have remembered that when He was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise [from the dead].’  Therefore, give orders to have the tomb made secure and safeguarded until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and tell the people,

‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last deception [the reporting of His resurrection] will be worse than the first [the reporting that He is the Messiah].”  Pilate said to them, “You have a guard [of soldiers]; go [with them], make the tomb as secure as you know how.”  So they went and made the tomb secure, and along with [stationing] a guard of soldiers [to be on watch] they set a seal on the stone.”

As simple as I can make my explanation for this devotion; After the crucifixion of Jesus, everyone is still afraid on Saturday, everyone except the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Pharisees were afraid of Jesus’s words that He would rise again, but they thought it was going to be a hoax. The Disciples were afraid that it was all over. Jesus was dead and gone and now what were they going to do.

The Devil on Friday thought “victory”, but I believe on Saturday was afraid of what God was going to do next, because God always has a plan in place. On Saturday, after the preparation of the passover the Pharisees made plans to foil what Jesus predicted of Himself. It was an elaborate plan that not even Pilate believed was going to be effective. That’s why he said, “make the tomb as secure as you know how.”

Jesus laid in the tomb somewhere between death and the resurrection but His Spirit lived on. How do we know? Luke 23:43 records a conversation between Jesus and one of the thieves on the cross. Jesus answered the man, “And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” I’m sure for our Lord, despite the absence of His physical body in the tomb, He was busy on the Sabbath encouraging hearts and lives that Sunday is on its way!

Prayer:
Lord, thank You that I can always count on You be Lord, Master, Savior and Redeemer. Thank You that You are always alive, always ready to address our needs, and always conquering our foes not matter what their agenda is about. You are Lord forever, in Your name Lord, Amen!