Posted on

Low in the Grave He Lay

We focus on the anguish Jesus endured from Gethsemane to Golgotha for us, and rightly so, but what must that somber Sabbath been like for His very confused and scared loved ones while “Low in the Grave He Lay” who didn’t know that soon He would rise (Luke 23:54-56)?

I. John 19:38-41.  Expectations were dashed.  He had just entered Jerusalem triumphantly, hailed by the crowd as the awaited Messiah in David’s line (Matthew 21:7-11).  But now it was over.  Death was so final.  Just prepare some spices before dark and rest … because it is the Sabbath.

Low in the grave He lay–Jesus, my Savior! Waiting the coming day–Jesus my Lord!

II. Matthew 26:62-66.  Enemies were vigilant.  They had just watched Him enter Jerusalem triumphantly and heard Him hailed as the awaited Messiah in David’s line.  Still they had managed to kill Him.  Now, how to secure the tomb lest His followers steal His body and claim that He’s alive?

Vainly they watch His bed–Jesus, my Savior! Vainly they seal the dead–Jesus my Lord!

III. Luke 24:1-14.  Excitement was building … but they didn’t know it!  Gloom to the tomb characterized the women’s trip early on the first day of the week.  Their only concern was who would move the stone for them as the soldiers weren’t likely to help.  But then, what’s this?  Where is He?

Death cannot keep his prey–Jesus, my Savior! He tore the bars away–Jesus my Lord!

He is risen!  How can that be?  The verses sung slowly and pianissimo (pp) give way to a chorus sung quickly and fortissimo (ff) as realization comes that Jesus has indeed overcome death.

Up from the grave He arose With a mighty triumph o’er His foes; He arose a Victor from the dark domain, And He lives forever with His saints to reign: He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Posted on

Go to Dark Gethsemane

Often we look for a sanitized version of the gospel.  Jesus is serenely praying in the garden, looking just tired or sad in Pilate’s hall, or calmly awaiting death on the cross.  The hymn, “Go to Dark Gethsemane,” challenges us to step into those scenes and learn from Jesus’ example in submission, suffering, and death for our lives as living sacrifices here (Matthew 26:36–27:50).

I.  Hebrews 5:7-9.  If you go to Gethsemane, you will experience the Savior’s sorrow unto death.  We must linger here to know too how to submit and obey.

Go to dark Gethsemane, Ye that feel the tempter’s pow’r; Your Redeemer’s conflict see; Watch with Him one bitter hour; Turn not from His griefs away; Learn of Jesus Christ to pray.

II.  Philippians 3:8-11.  If you spend time witnessing the sham trials our Lord endured and the terrible suffering that came to him before Calvary, you’ll learn the value of suffering as well.

Follow to the judgment hall; View the Lord of life arraigned; O the wormwood and the gall! O the pangs His soul sustained! Shun not suff’ring, shame, or loss; Learn of Him to bear the cross.

III. Colossians 3:1-4.  If you climb the hill of Golgotha, hear the crowds and the Christ cry out, see the darkness and the agony of the silent Lamb bearing your sin, you may learn to die.

Calv’ry’s mournful mountain climb; There, adoring at His feet, Mark that miracle of time, God’s own sacrifice complete: “It is finished!” hear the cry; Learn of Jesus Christ to die.

The sadness we see early on the first day of the week is that of the women going to the tomb after a somber Sabbath.  It is there that Jesus shows how to rise to walk in new life.

Early hasten to the tomb Where they laid His breathless clay; All is solitude and gloom; Who hath taken Him away? Christ is ris’n! He meets our eyes: Savior, teach us so to rise.

Posted on

Night, with Ebon Pinion

Loneliness was the first thing God found in His creation that was not good (Genesis 2:18).  Today, it continues to be one of mankind’s biggest struggles and leads us to many sins, addictions, and negative coping mechanisms.  Being fully man, how did Jesus handle loneliness?  A glimpse into Gethsemane reveals the answer.

I.  John 17:5-12.  Just before Gethsemane, Jesus points to the fellowship He shares with His Father that He also hopes for us (John 10:30; John 11:42).  Yet, as He gets to the garden, His circle shrinks from eleven (Judas had left) to three to just Him, whose heart was sorrowful to the point of death (Matthew 26:36-38).  They had all insisted that they would stand by Him before He went (Mark 14:27-31), but after they all deserted Him (Mark 14:50).  As He bore the guilt of all our sins on the cross, even the Father would forsake Him (Matthew 27:46).

II.  Luke 22:39-46.  Jesus was fully God, yes, but to be our sacrifice on the cross, He had to face all temptations and struggles as fully man (Hebrews 2:14; Hebrews 4:15).  Having conquered the devil’s snares in the desert at the beginning of His ministry (Luke 4:13), the opportune time came for Satan to try again while all earthly support had been stripped from Jesus–Gethsemane.  Jesus leaned on the fellowship He shared with His Father in prayer, but the answer was a cup of anguish placed before Him that His Father would not remove.

III.  Hebrews 10:5-10.  So, in this body prepared for Him and all alone except for the Father, whose will it was to crush Him for our transgressions (Isaiah 53:10-12), Jesus wrestled in the flesh with remaining a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2) that did His Father’s will or living for His own will.  It is the same choice that is before us as we promised with our confession of ‘Jesus as Lord’ and our baptism to trust and obey.  Yet, is this what we do when life strips us of all earthly comforts and places a cup before us we don’t want to drink?

Do we, along with Jesus who made it possible for us to do so, say, “Not my will, but yours, be done”?