Last night, as we said these words in church, the voice of Jesus was so apparent to me.  How could those who placed Him on the cross not have known that this indeed was their promised Messiah?  The words had been spoken for centuries in the synagogue as young men and old would recite the Psalms.

How could they not have seen?  How could they miss Him?  To us it may seem incomprehensible that all the prophesies about -Him His coming – His humble birth – His horrific death – all of it written before He came and yet they didn’t see.  It made me wonder, how would we receive Jesus if He came to us today?

We’re eager for His return.  We pray for it daily.  We long for it when our world is collapsing around us.  We know He’s coming again and our patience wears thin.  Yet will we recognize Him as our Savior – our God?  This silent Saturday as we think about the events of the past week in the life of Christ, let’s take time to prepare for that.  He is coming again.  We can count on it.

We could feel hopeless and helpless as His disciples did.  Their teacher, their brother and friend had suffered death and they were alone.  Where was the hope?  Where was the message?  How could they change the world without Him?  So many questions, doubts. fears.  All they could feel was grief – a pain so deep that it was as if they had been crucified with Him.

Tears spilled from their hearts and eyes  – the loss – fear of the unknown – the sadness – was all being managed by the One who died upon that cross.  He carried out the work of redemption that only God in the flesh could do.  He died in our place.

Tears will turn to joy as we hear of Jesus’ resurrection tomorrow. This is the way we will recognize Him – as the risen Son of God, who came to take away the sins of the world.  No more will we fear death.  No more will we fear life, because He walks with us each day.  Fear and death have been swallowed up in victory!