“Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave” (Matthew 28:1).

As those who mourn do, they came to the grave to perform the death customs the first day of the week.  How often do we come to the grave rather than look for the resurrected Lord?  We lament the state of the world and do not believe the promises of the Lord.  Our Lord loves us still, but why not choose the better portion?  Death is not the final answer.  The Lord of all creation has the final word.  Trust in the One who will tie all things together according to the Father’s will.

Lord, this world segregates and separates so that we do not see that You are the Lord of all.  We constantly go to graves rather than expecting life to emerge.  This world is dead in sin, but because of what You have done and are doing, there is always new life.  Guide us away from thinking only of death and think instead of the new life You give.  Lead us along the path of living in You now and always.

Lord Jesus, sinners expect nothing new, but You are making all things new.  Guide me in the grace You have given me to live into the life You intend for me to live.  Although I come with an attitude befitting a graveyard, grant me a spirit that sees new life and then lives it.  Help me learn how to trust that You are the One who will accomplish all things for the good.  Lead me in faith to know that no matter the surprises that come, You are with me always.  Amen.

“Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how.”  And they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone” (Matthew 27:65-66).

Secure from the outside, but not from the inside, the guard stood watch.  The guard was looking out and not in.  We often look out and not in.  Our Savior will transform us from the inside out.  The world’s attacks go from the outside in.  The Lord can overcome every barrier to meet those who will turn by faith and trust him as He frees all who believe from the sentence of death, and into new and true life.

Lord, You have laid the story out so that all who believe by the power of the Holy Spirit can plainly see how it is that You accomplish salvation.  The corrupt and self-serving heart is turned inward.  But You roll away the obstacle and we can walk out.  The light is shining, we just need to open the door of our heart to see.  None can ever keep you out, for through You all things exist.

Lord Jesus, in the mystery of the grave and the resurrection, You have revealed that You are the truth.  You have reached into my soul and touched me with Your grace.  Lead me to learn how to trust You above all things.  Guide me in Your grace to see the truth more clearly with each step that I take.  Guide me on this journey that I may be transformed and trust You always amidst the contrary messages of this world.  Amen.

Scripture:

Luke 14:25-33

Pastor: Good morning boys and girls! Welcome! Let’s say good morning to our friend Sammy. Ready? One, two, three: Good morning, Sammy!

Sammy: Good morning! Pastor, I’ll be over right after church.

Pastor: Why’s that, Sammy?

Sammy: I’m going to help you with your garage sale.

Pastor: Garage sale?

Sammy: Yes! You are having a garage sale.

Pastor: That’s news to me, Sammy. Boys and girls, what is a garage sale?

[Allow time for responses]

Sammy: Exactly.

Pastor: So you want me to have a garage sale? Why, Sammy?

Sammy: Jesus commanded you to have a garage sale. Plus, I’ve seen your house, Pastor. You have a lot of extra stuff.

Pastor: Sammy, a lot of us have extra stuff.

Sammy: Not me. I just have my special blankie, my teddy bear, my clothes, my shoes, my straw bed, my night light, my–

Pastor: See what I mean?

Sammy: I guess I can bring all of that stuff to the garage sale you’re having.

Pastor: You know, Sammy, Jesus isn’t mad at us for having stuff—he just doesn’t want us to be attached to our belongings.

Sammy: What do you mean?

Pastor: Jesus wants us to value him and our work for him more than we value our stuff. We don’t get to take our stuff with us to heaven, and storing up our stuff on earth isn’t the same as storing treasures in heaven.

Sammy: I can have treasures in heaven?! Are there garage sales in heaven too?

Pastor: I don’t know about that, Sammy. I do know that Jesus wants us to love God and to love and serve each other. That’s how we store up treasures in heaven.

Sammy: I think I can do that.

Pastor: I know you can do that.

Sammy: So no garage sale, then?

Pastor: Not today, Sammy. But we can pray together. Boys and girls, will you please fold your hands, bow your heads, and repeat after me? Dear Jesus, thank you for helping us store up treasures in heaven. Please let our focus be on you and serving each other. Help us to love as you love us. Amen.

Sammy: Bye, everyone!

Pastor: Bye, Sammy!

“Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first” (Matthew 27:64).

So filled with hatred and unbelief, they heard but did not believe that it would happen.  The demons believed and they trembled.  The disciples heard and did not believe.  There are those in this world who still believe the resurrection is a myth.  There are others who hear and do not believe.  Some do not hear, but want to believe.  It is not myth, but reality that death cannot contain God.  Many have come to believe.

Lord, the same struggle goes on around us with people who believe all kinds of things.  Guide those who believe so that we do not struggle in this sin-filled world, but believe.  We need Your help so that the obstacles that are placed in the way of belief may be taken down.  You have prepared all things in order that those who believe may live into a life of faith, trusting You at all times and in all places.  The cynical deny the truth, but the faithful trust.  Lead us to trust.

Lord Jesus, You gave up Your life.  It was not taken from You; You gave it up.  You were placed in a grave, but no grave can hold You.  Lead me in the faith You have given me that amidst the wrangling and the constant turmoil of this age I may live out the faith You have given me, trusting You always.  Savior and lover of my soul, guide me now and always, showing me the steps I must take.  Amen.

“Now on the next day, the day after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate, and said, “Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I am to rise again’” (Matthew 27:62-63).

Sometimes those who have no faith anticipate what the believers are unable to fathom.  In their unbelief, they wanted to cover all the bases without truly believing what Jesus said.  They did not believe He would rise, but they weren’t going to take any chances.  Even though Jesus did rise, there are still those who think it was a hoax.  This is the story of rebellious humanity, to wanting to control circumstances.

Lord, You know the control issues I have.  I want things to turn out a certain way.  I will make plans to assure that they go the way I think they should go.  Help me to learn how to listen to You and hear as You direct, doing what You are asking me to do.  You are the One who knows all things and it will be as You have already determined.  Guide me into faith so that I may live the life You have given me through faith.

Lord Jesus, You who through whom all things have their being, lead me to trust every word You have spoken.  Guide me to live knowing that You have accomplished salvation for all who believe.  Keep me from the plots, twists and turns of those who constantly try to control outcomes.  Guide me now and always to humbly walk in the truth which You have already revealed for all who believe.  Amen.

“And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away.  And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the grave” (Matthew 27:59-61).

The two women and Joseph were there preparing the body for the grace.  By their actions, they did not yet realize what would happen.  Although Jesus told them, they did not yet believe.  How many times do we not believe what the Lord tells us?  Faithful to Him, yes, but unbelieving of what He has told us.  The Lord calls upon us to learn how to live a life that trusts Him above all things.

Lord, You know that I go through the motions of the religion I have learned, often without even thinking about it.  I try to live rightly; but do I trust You above all things?  You know that I do not.  There may be good things that I think I’m doing, but is it really good when it goes against what You have said?  Help my unbelief so that I may see where I am doing what I think is good, but not believing in what You have said.

Lord Jesus, there are many things I do not understand.  I want to be faithful and Your grace covers me when I act amid things what I do not understand, but lead me so that I gain more understanding and live my faith learning how to trust all of what You have said.  Help me to not stay within my comfort zone and instead boldly to be willing to step forward into new insight and understanding.  Amen.

“When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him” (Matthew 27:57-58).

There are those, obedient to the Lord, who do what is needed.  In every fellowship, the faithful step up and do the right thing.  A part of the doing is a part of the journey of becoming.  He became a disciple of Jesus and honored Him even in death.  Not knowing what would happen, he moved ahead with honoring Jesus.  Live your faith honoring the Lord even if you do not know what the outcome will be.

Lord, I often wonder whether or not my faith is such that I could step out amid the hostility around me and do what is right.  People in power hated Jesus.  Joseph went into the middle of this and was willing to do what was right with the possibility of great cost to his safety and well-being.  We need help to see from this example that trusting the Lord above all things is always the right thing to do even if sometimes threatening. 

Lord Jesus, even in Your death there were those who honored and served You.  In life and through my daily living, without threat, there are times when I do not honor You.  Teach me how to honor You at all times so that I live with courage the kind of life You are leading me to live.  Guide me in the way to live that I would care less about what others around me are thinking and more about what is pleasing in the Father’s sight.  Amen.