Sabbath’s morning is eerily quiet throughout Jerusalem, as Jewish people awaken and ponder the previous day’s happenings. Jesus, the Messiah, was dead. How could it be? Everyone had been so hopeful just a week earlier, as He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, to shouts of honor and pleas to save. But now it was over, a beautiful life ended. All of their hopes dashed.
CityAlight, the music ministry out of St Paul's Church in Sydney, Australia, has written and recorded a beautiful modern hymn that captures the inevitable conclusion of that Sabbath. I especially appreciate the following lyrics from the second verse:
“Though the sun had ceased its shining
Though the war appeared as lost
Christ had triumphed over evil
It was finished upon that cross.”
The sun has ceased shining in the middle of the day on Good Friday. The war between good and evil, between God and Satan, between right and wrong, appeared as lost. But looks can be deceiving. In actuality, Jesus had triumphed over evil, Satan, wrong, death, hell and the grave when He finished it on the cross.
In today’s reading from Luke’s gospel, we focus on an event that actually concluded Good Friday’s horrific details, and are introduced to a man unknown except for this incident, recorded in all four Gospels.
Read Luke 23:47-56
Joseph of Arimathea was a member of the Sanhedrin, the ruling body of Jewish leadership. Luke notes that he was a good and righteous man, who was opposed to the decision his colleagues made to put Jesus to death. This is encouraging to read, as it would seem that most of the council was corrupt and wicked. We read of another dissenting voice in Nicodemus throughout John’s gospel, who also implies that Nicodemus and Joseph worked together to prepare Jesus’ body for burial as best they could, with the little time they had so close to the Sabbath’s start. As a member of the Sanhedrin, Joseph had greater access to the governor and would raise less suspicion and hostility than Jesus’ family or the disciples, plus Joseph had an empty tomb already prepared, perhaps his own? Even though all seemed lost, Joseph did what he could with what he had and used his substantial influence to lay Jesus’ body to rest in the most honoring way possible. Still, I imagine it didn’t feel like enough to Joseph, but because it was the Sabbath, there was nothing he or anyone else could do but wait.
Big Picture Questions for Today:
* Tomorrow is the day we’ve been moving towards for all of this lenten season. Try to put yourself in Joseph of Arimathea’s sandals. What would you have thought and felt on this long, seemingly never ending Sabbath?
* Are you personally going through a season of uncertainty, where you are tempted to lose hope? If so, remember you are not alone. Jesus, your Savior understands all of the emotions and concerns you experience, because He came standard with all of those emotions as well. Snuggle into Him today as you wait.
Pray the following prayer from “It Was Finished Upon That Cross,” by CityAlight:
Now the curse it has been broken
Jesus paid the price for me
Full, the pardon He has offered
Great, the welcome that I receive
Boldly I approach my Father
Clothed in Jesus' righteousness
There is no more guilt to carry
It was finished upon that cross
Death was once my great opponent
Fear once had a hold on me
But the Son who died to save us
Rose that we would be free indeed!
Yes, He rose that we would be free indeed!
Free from every plan of darkness
Free to live and free to love
Death is dead and Christ is risen!
It was finished upon that cross
It Was Finished Upon That Cross (Official Lyric Video) - CityAlight
It Was Finished Upon That Cross
By CityAlight
How I love the voice of Jesus
On the cross of Calvary
He declares His work is finished
He has spoken this hope to me
Though the sun had ceased its shining
Though the war appeared as lost
Christ had triumphed over evil
It was finished upon that cross
Now the curse it has been broken
Jesus paid the price for me
Full, the pardon He has offered
Great, the welcome that I receive
Boldly I approach my Father
Clothed in Jesus' righteousness
There is no more guilt to carry
It was finished upon that cross
Death was once my great opponent
Fear once had a hold on me
But the Son who died to save us
Rose that we would be free indeed!
Yes, He rose that we would be free indeed!
Free from every plan of darkness
Free to live and free to love
Death is dead and Christ is risen!
It was finished upon that cross
Onward to eternal glory
To my Saviour and my God
I rejoice in Jesus' victory
It was finished upon that cross
Songwriters: Rich Thompson / Jonny Robinson / Nigel Ian Hendroff
It Was Finished Upon That Cross lyrics © Shout! Music Publishing Australia, Cityalight Music
