“It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ When he had said this, he breathed his last. The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, ‘Surely this was a righteous man.’ When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.” (Luke 23:44-49)
From this passage we can see that Friday was a terrible day for the followers of Jesus. Friday was a day of devastation. On Friday, Jesus was tried and beaten and hung on the cross. The disciples were in shock. This man, who did so many miraculous things…the man who three of them saw transfigured…the man who raised Lazarus from the dead…was now dead.
I wonder as they watched the events unfold if they were thinking that at any moment Jesus would put a stop to it all. Their whole world had to be crushed! Three years down the drain. There would be no sitting on the right and left of Jesus. There would be no more crowds treating Jesus like a rock star. It was over. No one survives what happened to Jesus.
Have you had your world crushed before—maybe you have faced something devastating and life seemed to be at its end. Whether it's death, divorce, cancer, abuse, betrayal, job loss, addiction, rejection—whatever it is—it is our Friday and it leaves us lost and devastated.
There is hope though! Sunday is coming! But before we get there, we still have to walk through Saturday. For the disciples, Saturday was a day of despair. They were hiding behind closed doors out of fear. Saturday for them was not a day of hope but of hopelessness. Their Savior was in the tomb and so were their dreams and hopes for the promised Messiah. It was a day of darkness and despair. Are you passing through a season of darkness and despair? If you are, please know, that Saturday will always be followed by Sunday!
For the followers of Jesus on that first Resurrection Sunday and for us today, Sunday represents a day of deliverance. “The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen…” (Matthew 28:5-6)
“Weeping may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5)
Move from the last day of death to the first day of life. It’s Sunday! It’s Sunday! Praise God for Sunday!!!