The Day After Jesus Died

This morning I read through the Gospels, looking at the response and time following Jesus burial. It interesting to me that they were in a hurry to get him buried, because the next day was the sabbath. It says in Mark and Luke that the women who were going to bring the spices and anoint Jesus' body waited until the first day of the week, after the sabbath was completed, to visit the tomb. So that means all the disciples were at least celebrating the Sabbath, and did no work, transporting the spices would have been considered work. They were recognizing the religious duties and rules, while their Lord and King was laying in the tomb, unattended.

They had just finished celebrating the Passover where they were sitting together remembering how God had saved Israel from Egypt, how He had moved in power through the plagues to free Israel from their enslavement. They were just finished celebrating how through the blood of the Lamb, God passed over their people and instead brought judgement to the Egyptians. They apparently completely missed the significance of what they just witnessed concerning Jesus, how He was the sacrificial Lamb, whose blood would save them from God's judgement.


Now they were celebrating the day of rest in memory of when God had finished His creative work and rested. Jesus said on the cross, "it is finished!" And now it truly was finished. They apparently missed the significance of what God had just accomplished through Jesus sacrifice.


In Luke 24:13-32 it records how Jesus appeared to two of them on there way to Emmaus, and had to explain everything to them, beginning with Moses. They, in turn went back and explained it all to the rest. I think it was only at this point that they started to put it all together, and really start to understand what had really just happened.


I think about how often, I miss the significance of what God is doing, or has just done, all around me, and through Jesus. So often I am so focused on my own disappointment and situations, that i might be right in the middle of the greatest thing God has ever done for me, and I totally am missing it, because my eyes are internally focused. Its only afterwards that God, in His mercy, helps me to see what He was doing. I think He would prefer that I see it and recognize His work in the midst, rather than afterwards. Lord, I pray that You will help me to get beyond my own circumstances and perspective and see what You are really doing.


Additionally, how often do we celebrate Jesus death and resurrection by going to church and going through the religious ritual and totally miss the point of what God accomplished. Lord, help us to understand and recognize what You did, and what we are really celebrating. Help us to move beyond the religious ritual and experience the truth of Your resurrection! We don't want to miss what is really the most significant event in history, since creation.