“When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.” (St. Matthew 27:58-59)
We begin in darkness. All is quiet. It is finished. Even though the shadows of that dreadful death on Good Friday still shroud the day, it is now the Lord's Sabbath. But His rest is not for Him alone, it is also – and especially – for you.
You, too, have gone down to the grave with Jesus, having been baptized into His death. Crucified, dead and buried with Jesus, you are now at rest from all your labors. It is finished.
This Sabbath rest is no longer bound to a certain day, just like Christ is no longer bound to the tomb. He is Risen, and so are you. This, too, you’ve been given in your Baptism, you who have been buried with Christ. Just as He has been raised again, by the power of the Father, so you now live in the newness of His life.
Shadows on this day give way to light. The waters of Holy Baptism, which cover you in Jesus, also raise you up in His glory. They lead you to the High Altar of the Lamb in His Kingdom, where Lent at last gives way to Easter.
May the Lamb of God, who bled yesterday, and bled into your mouth during this Holy Week, fill your heart with His righteousness so that your mouth can do nothing but burst forth with loud “Alleluias!” But even though longing to burst forth even now, you wait – and rest – in the cool Sabbath of the Saturday tomb, looking forward with anticipation to entering into Jerusalem in the Golden dawn of Easter, where you, even now, begin to sing again and for all eternity: "Alleluia!" In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
“O Lord Jesus Christ, we give You thanks that through death You have destroyed the power of death and delivered us, who are subject to lifelong bondage through the fear of death, comfort us with Your precious merit and assist us in our last hour by Your grace; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.” (Collect for Saturday of Holy Week)
Daily Lectionary: Exodus 13:17-14:9; Hebrews 7:1-22
Readings for the Day: Dan. 6:1-24; 1 Pet. 3:17-22; St. Matt. 27:57-66
Lenten Reflections have been written by Reverend Daniel J. Feusse. Pastor Feusse is pastor at Concordia Lutheran Church in Clearwater, NE.