Sunset to Son Rise...the Wayfarer 3/26/16

Sunset to Son Rise

Luke 23:47-56

King James Version (KJV)

⁴⁷ Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.

⁴⁸ And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.

⁴⁹ And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.

⁵⁰ And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just:

⁵¹ (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.

⁵² This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.

⁵³ And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.

⁵⁴ And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.

⁵⁵ And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.

⁵⁶ And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.

As Jesus’ body was taken from the cross to be laid in a sepulcher donated by Joseph of Aramathae, grief and sadness gripped the hearts of some. Fear gripped the hearts of many. Guilt gripped the hearts of those comprehending what had just been done, and to whom it had been done.

A major change had come upon the world of all who had come into contact with this, “Jesus of Nazareth”, great loss was recognized by the Centurion in charge of the execution as well as the rubbernecking mockers who finally realized the importance of the day’s occurrence.

As many simply returned to their homes to ponder the event, disciples fled to locked and barred safety from the expected continuance of this persecution that led to the death of their Master, accused of sedition and heresy simply for espousing the love of God and the means of attaining His kingdom along with the treasure of eternal life held only within that kingdom.

The women who had followed wept, grieved, then stoically prepared to perform the last service possible to their Master, knowing that last service was to be delayed until the Sabbath was ended.

What thoughts filled the minds of those who had devoted so much time to following Jesus?

None may ever know for certain, as this is not recorded, but may, perhaps, be ascertained by the actions taken by them that have been recorded.

The sunset brought a darkness that filled the earth, and their hearts with a greater darkness of despair and a necessity to remain behind to carry on in life, accomplishing the daily tasks and minutiae that made up that life and to move on despite the loss that had occurred.

The women faced that loss loyally, preparing to offer their ministrations in full knowledge of the powers arrayed against their Master that would without doubt be used against all who followed him, while fear and confusion gripped the hearts of those whose loyalty during life regressed to self-preservation after His death.

It was only fitting that that loyalty would be rewarded in the sequence it was given.

The first to seek the body after the Son rose, were the ladies, still performing the service demanded of them, still showing the love held for Him despite what they assumed to be the loss of His love for them.

The first to experience the joy of the knowledge of His resurrection were these same ladies, who staunchly refused to be stymied or stopped from performing what they felt was only their just and expected service, even if that service was to be the last given.

It was these ladies who would first carry the news of that resurrection, the gospel of Christ to the disciples, who in turn needed further proof prior to meeting their own obligation to bring that gospel to a world in denial of all that had occurred, all that had been given, all that had forever changed before that sunrise when the Son himself rose defeating death itself, defeating sin itself, defeating and denying any victory to be claimed by Satan, or his followers.

Only after being reminded that Christ himself had prophesied his own death burial and resurrection, proclaimed the very reason that these things had to occur, and only after having been given the evidence of seeing the risen Son with their own eyes did the disciples begin to carry that gospel beyond the locked and barred doors of their own fear.

The darkness of that sunset, the day of the burial, continues to beset a world that never acknowledged the Son Rise that brought an end to the despair, an end to the fear, an end to the necessity of the finality of physical death.

That darkness that was overcome the day of the Son Rise, cannot ever again threaten, dampen the spirits, nor in any way create fear in the heart of those who have truly experienced that Son Rise through the complete acceptance of the grace given when Christ Jesus overcame the grave and death, not for Himself, but for us… for each having the faith to see and choose His light over that darkness.

The light offered, and freely given is the atonement of sin, forgiveness of all fault and even forgiveness of humanity and the imperfection that exists within that humanity.

That light offers perfection, joy and unity with God that is only possible through what was done that dark day before sunset, and what transpired when the Son Rose despite the darkness that cannot deny His light.

The simple message preached from the Jordan River, all the way to that cross, and brought even more stridently as it resounds from an empty tomb was and is:

“Repent! For the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

Any choosing to hear and heed that message WILL experience the Son Rise that has occurred.

Romans 10: 13 King James Version (KJV)

¹³ For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Amen and Amen

CMc