On Good Friday our Lord was crucified, just as He and the Scriptures foretold. We call it Good Friday, because had Jesus not been sacrificed we could not be saved, so it was a good day for us, but being wrongfully accused and killed by jealous men does not usually make for a “good day.” Then on the third day, Easter, Jesus rose from the dead, concurring, Satan, death and sin forever, just as He promised He would do.
The Easter weekend is arguably the most important period in a Christian’s life, because it is the culmination of promises made by God to his people throughout history. It is the victory of good over evil, forever. Yet for all of its importance, only Friday and Sunday are celebrated or written about in the Bible. Saturday is left out of the story completely. Is this because Saturday was not important; nothing big happened so why write about it? No, I believe Saturday is as important to understanding the mercy and salvation available from God as the death or resurrection. Saturday teaches us patience; to wait for God’s timing and not ours.
What the people did in Jerusalem on that first Saturday before Easter explains much about their relationship with God.
- Pontus Pilate probably ordered reinforcements in case of an uprising. He was worried about his job and position, not about whether Jesus was the son of God.
- The chief priest, who unjustly gave Jesus a death sentence, was worried all day. He spent his time convincing people to trust him, and that the earthquake that tore the veil was a coincidence.
- The Disciples prayed, worried, cried, and wondered where life would lead them now. Some of the eleven trusted that Sunday would bring fulfillment of the Scriptures, others doubted.
- Mary, the mother of Jesus, waited and prayed. I do not believe she doubted for one moment what Sunday would bring.
The value of Saturday is in having faith that God will always do as He has promised, and knowing that trusting His word makes living through a Saturday fulfilling, and worthwhile. Waiting doesn’t have to be stressful, it should be joyful.
We will all experience Fridays in life; fear, pain, loss, confusion. Then eventually Sunday will arrive bringing understanding, joy, love, and peace. I believe it is guaranteed that these two days will repeat themselves again and again until we join Jesus.
What’s left to be decided is how we choose to live on Saturday, while we wait for Sunday to arrive.