The Saturday before Easter Sunday is often called “Silent Saturday” because it was a time of grief and silence. The disciples were heartbroken and scattered on Saturday; the women were planning to embalm Jesus’ body…no one seemed to realize what was about to happen.
I don’t know if you had the same thoughts as me this Sunday but I kept wondering, “If it happened just as He said, why did no one remember?!” After seeing Jesus and knowing Jesus and hearing so much of His predictions, why wasn’t anyone running to the tomb to see their friend…alive?
The only answer that truly makes sense in my heart is that these women were crushed with grief. Like Pastor Jason said, “who could blame them?”
They had just witnessed the most horrific death of the greatest man they had ever known. They knew He was the Son of God, but how could they reconcile in their mind the brutality of what just happened? The only thing left for the human heart to do at that point is grieve.
It was this point where grief overcame logic. Jesus had told them He would rise from the dead, but from the seat of their hearts, they knew their beloved friend was put on a cross to die.
The familiar words “like a lamb to the slaughter” rang in my mind as I remembered how Jesus hung on the cross next to two thieves. The truth is, He was misunderstood from all angles, even from his family and closest friends.
In Luke 23:39 we see what the one thief yelled at Him, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
Oh how that must have hurt, because no one there seemed to acknowledge who He really was. On top of it all, the pain He felt in His physical body must have compounded the emotional hurt.
Then the other thief decided to boldly speak the truth; “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” (Luke 23:40-41)
And even in the midst of such pain and grief and heartache, Jesus compassionately looks at that repentant thief and blesses him with the ultimate blessing: “Today, you will be with me in paradise.” (V.43)
Friend, I don’t know how misunderstood you feel. But it seems as though we often walk through this life greatly misunderstood.
I was just looking through the comments on a video of a Christian doctor who prays before she walks into a room with her patients, and you would not believe the hate just from that one post…
“Aren’t all Christians judgmental?”
“I wouldn’t want to have a Christian as a doctor..no thanks.”
“Please don’t pray over me before my treatment, that makes me uncomfortable.”
So many hurtful words, and I thought about how often we as believers feel deeply misunderstood. All we truly want is to show the love of Jesus to others, but often times sin and humanity get in the way, and people start to lose faith because their eyes are focused on the sinners and not the Savior.
What a comfort it was this Sunday to hear that Jesus will never let us down…that He is truly Who He says He is and that His promises will never fail.
If you feel misunderstood at times, you are in good company. Right up until the moment where Jesus gave up His spirit, He felt the same. People were openly mocking Him about being the Son of God and the King of the Jews. Right up until the end, He knew the sting of rejection.
Do you feel that sting right now? Are you trying to reconcile in your mind how to love people that so clearly misunderstand who you are?
Friend, let us look to Jesus. Let’s remember that in Him, we have all that we need because He cleanses our sins and makes them white as snow. (Isaiah 1:18) At times, we will feel like that silent lamb led to the slaughter because people will persecute us with their words.
But in the end, let us remember the One who gave it all. The Great High Priest who sympathizes so deeply with our emotions. And the call to be “different” in a world that will rarely understand.
“He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, He did not open His mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7)
I don’t know if you had the same thoughts as me this Sunday but I kept wondering, “If it happened just as He said, why did no one remember?!” After seeing Jesus and knowing Jesus and hearing so much of His predictions, why wasn’t anyone running to the tomb to see their friend…alive?
The only answer that truly makes sense in my heart is that these women were crushed with grief. Like Pastor Jason said, “who could blame them?”
They had just witnessed the most horrific death of the greatest man they had ever known. They knew He was the Son of God, but how could they reconcile in their mind the brutality of what just happened? The only thing left for the human heart to do at that point is grieve.
It was this point where grief overcame logic. Jesus had told them He would rise from the dead, but from the seat of their hearts, they knew their beloved friend was put on a cross to die.
The familiar words “like a lamb to the slaughter” rang in my mind as I remembered how Jesus hung on the cross next to two thieves. The truth is, He was misunderstood from all angles, even from his family and closest friends.
In Luke 23:39 we see what the one thief yelled at Him, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
Oh how that must have hurt, because no one there seemed to acknowledge who He really was. On top of it all, the pain He felt in His physical body must have compounded the emotional hurt.
Then the other thief decided to boldly speak the truth; “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” (Luke 23:40-41)
And even in the midst of such pain and grief and heartache, Jesus compassionately looks at that repentant thief and blesses him with the ultimate blessing: “Today, you will be with me in paradise.” (V.43)
Friend, I don’t know how misunderstood you feel. But it seems as though we often walk through this life greatly misunderstood.
I was just looking through the comments on a video of a Christian doctor who prays before she walks into a room with her patients, and you would not believe the hate just from that one post…
“Aren’t all Christians judgmental?”
“I wouldn’t want to have a Christian as a doctor..no thanks.”
“Please don’t pray over me before my treatment, that makes me uncomfortable.”
So many hurtful words, and I thought about how often we as believers feel deeply misunderstood. All we truly want is to show the love of Jesus to others, but often times sin and humanity get in the way, and people start to lose faith because their eyes are focused on the sinners and not the Savior.
What a comfort it was this Sunday to hear that Jesus will never let us down…that He is truly Who He says He is and that His promises will never fail.
If you feel misunderstood at times, you are in good company. Right up until the moment where Jesus gave up His spirit, He felt the same. People were openly mocking Him about being the Son of God and the King of the Jews. Right up until the end, He knew the sting of rejection.
Do you feel that sting right now? Are you trying to reconcile in your mind how to love people that so clearly misunderstand who you are?
Friend, let us look to Jesus. Let’s remember that in Him, we have all that we need because He cleanses our sins and makes them white as snow. (Isaiah 1:18) At times, we will feel like that silent lamb led to the slaughter because people will persecute us with their words.
But in the end, let us remember the One who gave it all. The Great High Priest who sympathizes so deeply with our emotions. And the call to be “different” in a world that will rarely understand.
“He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, He did not open His mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7)
Erika Pizzo
Erika is the author of the blog erikapizzo.com where she encourages women to care for their mind, body, and spirit as they grow closer to Jesus. She also hosts the podcast “Temple Care” where she provides weekly messages of encouragement. Erika lives with her husband, daughter, son, and their fluffy poodle in sunny Southern California. Her two favorite things are a visit to the beach with a chai latte in hand.