holy week - Jeremiah's Vow

Why I don’t say “but Sundays coming” on Good Friday

It’s a seemingly innocent phrase I know. But I’m concerned that it has actually created some serious struggles within many people’s relationship with God.

And I do think these kinds of phrases that “wish away” or “skip ahead” of the reality of Silent Saturday are a small example of the context that has created much of the deconstruction happening right now.

Because it’s one thing to say “but Sundays coming.” And it’s another thing to actually live with the reality of Silent Saturday.

For many, it creates a spiritual dissonance. It ignores a crucial reality of the Christian life.

And most times it reveals that we as Christians can misunderstand God, and thus miss His invitation into what He has for us in embracing Silent Saturday.

We can misunderstand when God seems to be silent.

We can misunderstand when God seems to be inactive.

We can misunderstand when God seems to be distant.

These misunderstandings are fairly consistent among God’s people historically and still today.

Many Christians (myself included for too much of my life) were not taught sufficiently how to understand when it seems like God is silent, inactive, or distant.

Though theologically most of us know that because of God’s self-revelation through Creation, Scripture, and Jesus – He could never actually be considered silent, inactive, nor distant.

It still feels this way many times for many people. And it’s a struggle to understand what’s going on when we experience these things…

And we aren’t the only ones who have wrestled with these realities.

Of course, Job is the most extensive story on God being seemingly silent, inactive, and distant.

However, we also see these realities in the final days of Jesus.

In his time in prayer in the garden where God appears to be silent.

In his time during the trial and beatings where God appears to be inactive.

And in his time on the cross where God appears to be distant.

Remember:

“He was despised and rejected – a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief…He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. Unjustly condemned, he was led away…He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave…”
Isaiah 53:1-12 (NLT)

So how do we understand these experiences?

I would propose that Silent Saturday holds the key to understanding them.

And most of us have not embraced Silent Saturday enough to have gleaned the lesson it has for us.

Either our emphasis is on Good Friday – usually focused on man’s activity of sin & repentance,

Or on Resurrection Sunday – usually focused on God’s activity of grace & salvation,

Has many times caused us to minimize or ignore completely Silent Saturday and what this day of “inactivity” means for us.

Silent Saturday is an invitation into the in-between, into the already-not yet, into the every day life experience of the Christian.

You see, the majority of experiences in life are those between the lows and highs.

They’re the times waiting on something or someone.

They’re the times where answers aren’t clear.

They’re the times that you know what’s next but aren’t there yet.

They’re the times when God is likely inviting you into knowing Him beyond your own activity or your need for His activity.

When He is saying:

Just allow me to be with you

and allow yourself to be with me,

without needing anything from me

or imposing an expectation on yourself that you think I have of you.

When He is saying:

Just be quiet.

Still your soul.

And trust me.

When He is saying:

It’s okay if you need to focus on the every day things of life,

just know that I’m in those too just as much as I’m in the highs and lows.

See, it’s the invitation of Silent Saturday that informs a full understanding of a relationship with God.

Something beyond simply being saved by Him or servants of Him.

But instead being His friends [John 15:15].

Without it we find ourselves stuck in the cycle of our continual need for God to constantly be at work “saving us from our sins.”

Death and Resurrection, while crucial components, are not the full Gospel story.

Burial is a crucial part of the story.

Silence is in the middle of death and life.

The space between Friday and Sunday is the space relationships are made of.

And it’s a space God is inviting you to spend time in this Holy Week.

Don’t miss His invitation amid the commotion of the cross and the crowds.

He’ll be there.

Expecting you’ll know Him.

In the silence of Saturday.

Lent 2021, Day 35 | Psalm 119:161-164

Psalm 119:161-164

¹⁶¹Princes persecute me without cause,
    but my heart stands in awe of your words*.
¹⁶²I rejoice at your word
    like one who finds great spoil.
¹⁶³I hate and abhor falsehood,
    but I love your law.
¹⁶⁴Seven times a day I praise you
    for your righteous rules.

* Through these reflections, those phrases that identify God’s word, revelation, or law will be highlighted in the text in the hopes of accentuating the many and varied ways we can visualize what God has given to us for our good.

Reflection

As we begin what is commonly called Holy Week, we enter one of the most important times of celebration in the Christian faith. What makes this week important is it affords us an intentional opportunity to remember the gift of salvation we have been given.

In the busyness of life we can become quite distracted. The number of things that draw our attention can be overwhelming. Not that all of them are evil or sinful. The problem we have is that we find it hard to refocus back on what God is calling us to.

This is why I appreciate the season of Lent. It is a time of preparation. But it also affords me the space to consider what takes up too much time in my life.

The discipline of taking stock of our lives is one we should not take for granted. In fact, we should take advantage of these times in the year when we can look at what we are doing and make important decisions. Decisions about what we want to change or adjust to maintain our focus on Jesus and our spiritual growth.

Commentary

Verse 161: The source of persecution may take the form of officials in high places, but even then the admonition is to stay true to God’s word. Here we see the Psalmist describe this commitment as “awe.” There is something inspiring about God’s word. It is simple enough for a child to read and yet profound enough to keep our attention for years. The depth of God’s word is miraculous.

Verse 162: To see the word of God as a treasure is one of the best ways of thinking about. The imagery here is that of discovery. The writing is minding their own business and come upon the “great spoil” of God’s word. One option is to ignore what you have found. But, when you know the value what you now have before you, it is difficult not to rejoice.

Verse 163: The law of God is juxtaposed with falsehood. This means that the word of God is the measure of all claims. If what we are being told is not consistent or congruent with God’s word, then we have to be cautious in entertaining it. We cannot live in accord with God’s purposes if we are adopting falsehoods as a part of our lives.

Verse 164: Thankfulness for God’s gracious gift of his word is an everyday event. Or at least it should be. The phrase “seven times a day” is a poetic way of saying continually. There ought not be an end to our appreciation for all God has revealed to us.

The Complete Lent 2021 Series

Lent 2020 | Day 36: “Great”

When I saw the word for today the phrase that jumped into my mind was: “Great are you, Lord.”

I find that we often used words in a way that actually diminishes what the words are designed to express. How many things actually inspire awe in us? And yet we use the word awesome. How many things are genuinely wonderful? But we will casually say that something is wonderful.

There are truly few things that should be described with these and other words. But, we have to slow down enough to consider what we are saying. That is not always easy. We have gotten so used to talking like this. Even if it’s not accurate.

This is what I am thinking about the word “great.” How many truly great things have I experienced? The easiest way I can describe what I am thinking is in terms of impact. How many things have truly caused a change in my life? I can name a few truly significant events. My marriage. The birth of my children. My call to ministry. These and a few others have been great moments. They have shaped who I am and even altered the trajectory of my life.

In spite of all that is going on in the world, the truth of the matter is that what God accomplished in and through Jesus’s sacrifice can truly be described as great. Maybe even the greatest of things.

As we make our way through Holy Week this year, and as we approach the glorious celebration of Christ’s resurrection, my hope is simple: May we honor God as he deserves.

Great is the Lord. And he is worthy to be praised.

Jesus suffered so that I could Live

There are few films that evoke the kind of emotions in the viewer that may have been felt by those who witnessed the final hours of Jesus’ life like The Passion of the Christ.

We watched the movie as a church this evening. It is the first time that I have watched since it was released in 2004. And for good reason. I just couldn’t watch it again but I made myself tonight.

While I know that it is a movie, I could not distance myself emotionally from what was depicted. And I guess I should not be able to. There is something so disturbingly horrifying to what Jesus endured. While the movie attempts to capture the physical realities, and I think the movie does a good job of pulling you into the emotional turmoil, it is the spiritual weight of what was happening that left me staggering yet again.

There is simply or human no way of touching this. And yet, this is what I find myself, as a believer in the one who was crucified, sensing most poignantly. The freedom I feel because of my faith in Jesus is rooted in the sacrifice of the Son of God. The hope that I have that my soul has been redeemed has been purchased by the shed blood of the Lamb of God. The peace that I have experienced in times of difficulty has been released unto me because of the promises of the Prince of Peace.

The reality of Easter is that in and through the death of Jesus life awaits for those who place their trust in Him. If we are to recapture the power of the Gospel, if we are to see the body of Christ infused with zeal, if we are to return, as a people, to our first love, we must not run from the sacrifice of the King of Kings. As a matter of fact, we must run to it. We must embrace our own death to this world. First, spiritually by faith. But second, actually through our own deaths when we breathe our last breath and step into eternity. Death by crucifixion is the price Jesus paid to provide for us the way of salvation. Death, as a result of sin, is the price we pay to bring about the consummation of our faith.

I remember listening to a message given my Dr. John Piper about missions. As I listened, a phrase struck me to the quick. He was describing the excitement and enthusiasm of the missionaries he was with even as they prayed for those who were in harms way. Dr. Piper described the experience and admonished his listens to consider what it meant to go into the mission field. He was trying to provide a context for the kind of focus and passion we are to have when we consider our journey of faith and calling to go into the world to make disciples. Listen to what he said.

Golgotha is not a suburb of Jerusalem. “Let us go with him outside the gat and suffer with him and bear reproach” (Hebrews 13:13).[Source]

How many times have I been dismissive of Jesus’ sacrifice and of the call to follow him, even to the cross? I say “dismissive” because whenever my resolve wanes, whenever my focus is blurred, whenever my fear causes me to falter, I have forgotten what it cost for me to be adopted into the family of God. It takes intentionality to keep the reality of Jesus’ death in proper perspective. Many, including me, forget how persistent a fight it is to keep the faith.

As I watched the movie tonight I was reminded of how much I have yet to learn. How much I have yet to surrender. And, maybe worse of all, how little I have really given up for the cause of Christ. I pray my surrender would only deepen as we approach another Resurrection Sunday.

Lent Day #40 | Holy Saturday

I have been wracking my brain all day, trying to decide what to say. I have decide not to say anything. As we prepare to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus the Christ, I ask you to consider what the disciples felt as they had to live through the Saturday after the crucifixion of Jesus. What would you have felt?

This is a day of mourning. Of apprehension. We should never take for granted the resurrection. The disciples did not know for sure if it would take place. We have the benefit of history and scholarship to buttress our faith. Let us not be cavalier about Jesus death.

God bless you on this Holy Saturday.

Lent Day #39 | Good Friday

I have often wondered if the first disciples of Jesus felt it was appropriate to call the Friday Jesus died “good.” It is difficult to fathom how anything that took place that Friday afternoon could have been considered good. Trumped charges led to a bogus trial and led which to the execution of an innocent man. The circumstances of that day are anything but good.

This evening, during our services, we had a time of confession and repentance. It was a time where we could reflect and submit to God those sins holding us back from fully surrendering to God. It was a powerful moment. At the end of the service, I could see the slips of paper that had been laid upon the cross of Jesus. As I stood there looking at them, the following thought passed through my mind.

If these represent one confessed sin (among the many possibilities) of one fellowship of believers, how must have the cross looked to God when the sins of the world, for all time, were laid upon Jesus?

I was stunned by the reality of how our sinfulness had affected the purest life to have ever walked upon the earth. The unstained, undefiled, unadulterated beauty and perfection of Jesus was ravaged by our sin. He hung on a cross, suffering because if I had to do it I would go to hell. It was the innocence of Jesus that revealed the diabolical nature of our sin. We will never fully understand what the cross of Calvary means. We can experience its benefits. We can know we have been changed, redeemed, and set upon a new path. We just do not have the capacity to process all God did for us in Christ.

good-friday-2014

Today is Good Friday, not because it was good for Jesus, but because it was good for us!

Remember the sorrow this day represents, but look forward, for Sunday is yet to come. The following video is such a wonderful reminder of this simple reality.

(If you can’t see the video click HERE)

Lent Day #38 | Maundy Thursday

Today is Maundy Thursday. It is the Thursday before Easter. The word “maundy” is an old word with two meanings (both of which are not in use anymore). The first meaning is “commandment,” and the second, not as closely related to the reason it is used during Holy Week, is “to beg.” Both of these are interesting when we consider them in the context of Easter and Jesus crucifixion and resurrection.

Jesus washed the disciples feet

The Last Supper occurred on Thursday night. It was during the evening meal that Jesus gave to the disciples one of his final instructions. Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (John 13:34, ESV). This commandment was given as Jesus was modeling for the disciples the kinds of acts of service they were to perform for one another. Jesus had undressed and wrapped himself with a towel. He then proceeded to wash the disciples’ feet. This simple act has profound implications for us today. What is our attitude when asked to serve? Are we more interested in being served? How difficult is it for us to humble ourselves and do what we do not think we should have to do?

The reality and power of Jesus’ service to us is compounded by the fact that he offered his service before we asked for his help. While we will beg for God’s forgiveness, God has already extended his grace and forgiveness. We come on our knees and God meets us with the ring, shoes, robe and feast of son-ship (Luke 15:11-32). There is no greater demonstration of God’s love toward us than Jesus washing of the disciples’ feet. The one in whom all things “have there being” stooped to wash the dirty feet of twelve dubious disciples.

Some Resources for Good Friday

Here are few resources to get you thinking about Good Friday, Jesus and what all this means for you!

Raised for Us and Our Salvation: Too often in our churches the resurrection of Christ is a doctrine of secondary importance. It is neglected and forgotten until Easter comes around each year. The same disregard for the resurrection is seen in how we share the gospel. Christians can tend to share the gospel as if Jesus died on the cross and that is the end of the story. We make a zip line from the crucifixion to “repent and believe,” contrary to the example Peter sets for us in Acts 2:22-24 and 4:26. As central as the cross is to our salvation (and it is absolutely central!), what was accomplished at the cross is truly incomplete if the tomb is not found empty on Sunday morning.
Why Good Friday is Good: It was on this day that sinful humanity killed the perfect Son of God, and did it in the most deplorable and humiliating public fashion available at the time. So wretched and seemingly hopeless was humanity’s condition that when faced with One who was one of us, but so not like us; when faced with the One who could and would redeem us and lead us to God, we lashed out with murderous intent and nailed him to a Roman cross. No, by any measure available, this did not seem to be humanity’s finest hour. But it was God’s greatest hour.
The Father’s Cup (Good Friday): This is a wonderful and powerful retelling of the events Good Friday.
The Day Jesus Died: The day that Jesus died—the day we remember as Good Friday—goes down in the history of the world as a day of great suffering, when Jesus Christ endured the weight of sin and shame on our behalf. As we remember what it cost him to reconcile us to himself on this day, it is worth walking through what Jesus endured that day.
The Good (the Bad and the Ugly) Friday: “Why do we call it Good Friday if it’s the day when Jesus was murdered?” If you haven’t fielded that question from a child or a newcomer to the Christian faith, you’ve probably wondered yourself. The common answer is “It’s good for us, because the cross is how Jesus saved us.”
What Happened on Friday of Holy Week?: The witness of the four gospels are harmonized so that can read for yourself what was taking place during the Friday of the first holy week. It is well worth the time to read it.

Enjoy.

Happy Easter!