Just imagine with me… What would it have been like the night before the resurrection of Jesus Christ?
Tomorrow is Easter, the day that we celebrate the risen Lord, Jesus Christ. But here it is the night before, the night before the celebrations, and few of us have any idea of the sense of total despair the followers of Jesus must have been experiencing on this night – the night before.
For three and a half years his disciples had followed Him around, listening to His stories, His parables, and His prayers. They had witnessed miracle after miracle which should have confirmed to them His claims to be the Messiah. Yet, just two days ago they witnessed the supposed Son of God, the “resurrection and the life” (that’s what he told Mary and Martha, you know, on the day He raised Lazarus from the dead), betrayed, beaten, falsely convicted, and tortuously crucified.
Then, after his tormentors had done all they could do, Jesus died. It was pretty obvious to all who were present.
It grew dark and the earth shook violently, as to add insult to injury, for even creation sensed the tragedy of it all.
They saw Him buried.
Some ran…some huddled as they hid…would they be next?
What of the “Kingdom” the Jesus had spoken of?
What good were the words “he that believeth on me shall not die, but have everlasting life” if the one saying it could be unjustly convicted, abandoned by heaven, and left to die in the most disgraceful and painful way? How could HE make such a promise if HE could die?
It was the night before, just like tonight, yet there was no anticipation of worship services or egg hunts – only the expectation of another sunrise without the Son.
They were afraid…broken…discouraged…faithless…confused…angry…directionless…without hope…
They were totally unprepared for what was about to happen, because the last thing they were thinking of was that this was…
the night before.
The Recovering Legalist 