Night Before Easter — Living in the “Until”

April 20, 2014

Mark 16:1-6

It’s Sunday—The first day of the week. Today we celebrate the glorious resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

But, for a few moments, let’s reflect back to a few days before Christ’s resurrection to that awful Wednesday when Christ was betrayed, arrested, beaten, humiliated, and crucified on a rugged cross for our sins.

It was dark day… painful… ugly… sorrowful. There was no rejoicing, except among the Pharisees who plotted Jesus’ death.

Before you can really appreciate the celebration of Easter, you must consider the night before Easter.

Think about His disciples. Put yourself in their place—To see the Man you believed in and followed for 31⁄2 years is now dead! Every hope they held has suddenly bled down the side of a hill.

How do you believe in a Savior who is now dead and buried? Confused? Devastated? Bewildered? What do you do?

YOU WAIT! Wait until when? You wait, until Sunday. As S.M. Lockridge used to preach in his famous sermon—SUNDAY’S A’COMIN’!

On Wednesday—Christ was crucified and was buried. His disciples were hiding in fear. But wait—SUNDAY’S A’COMIN’!

On Thursday—It looked like Satan has won. But wait—SUNDAY’S A’ COMIN’!

On Friday, it looked hopeless, but wait — SUNDAY’S A’COMIN’!

On Saturday—it’s dark and quiet—It’s the night before Easter.

The night was so different from all the rest And a silence covers the Earth;
The stars have no glimmer, the moon tries to hide, For in death lies the man of their birth.

Think of Mary, the mother of Jesus. How did she feel on that night?

In a room filled with sorrow, a mother now cries For Jesus, her Son now is gone;

Her Child sent from heaven was taken away, Heart broken she feels all alone.

Think of those children He took up in His arms, but now He is dead.

At the feet of his mother a little boy cries Saying “momma I don’t understand;”

I remember the look of love in His eyes, That I saw, by the touch of His hand.

It’s Saturday, but Sunday’s a’comin’…

The King of all ages, the Giver of life,
For a moment lies silent and still;
But a power sent from heaven comes breaking the night, And death must bow to His will.

It’s Sunday morning!

And a stone moves, the Earth shakes and birds start singing, The sun shines, the Earth warms for new life it’s bringing; A little boy stops crying, and a mother is smiling,

For death could not hold their King

” Praise God—He’s Alive today! And He promised to come again and receive us unto Himself (John 14:1-3; Acts 1:11).

There is another “Sunday” a’comin’!”

In a sense, we are living in “Saturday” today—We are living between

Christ’s first coming and His second coming.
Philippians 1:6— “…he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it UNTIL the day of Jesus Christ.”

” We are living in the “UNTIL.”

In Isaiah 62, the prophet is living on “Saturday” waiting “until” God fulfills His promise concerning Jerusalem. Isaiah 62:1—For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, UNTIL the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.

The context is the Jews returning from captivity to Jerusalem—a city in ruins—Temple is destroyed and the walls are broken down. God promised to restore Jerusalem, but that restoration has not been fulfilled… yet.