We Live In Interesting Times
The Pastor’s Ruminations during the Coronavirus, COVID19

April 11, 2020

Today is Holy Saturday during Holy Week. It tends to be overlook in evangelical churches. It is the day that Jesus Christ laid dead in the tomb. Liturgical churches use colours to express the events and seasons of the church calendar. The colour for Holy Saturday is black. It is fitting.

Tomorrow is Resurrection Sunday. This is what needs to be remembered on Holy Saturday: In order for Jesus Christ to rise from the dead on Sunday morning, He had to be . . . DEAD. In order for His sacrifice to accomplish what His Father intended, He had to be . . . DEAD.

Humanly, numerous murder charges could have been leveled on Good Friday. There is homicide, for Jesus Christ is a man. There is fratricide, for His own people killed Him. There is regicide, for He is a King. There is deicide, for Jesus Christ is God.

Divinely, Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world. On Holy Saturday a Man laid in the tomb Who was God Himself. He had to be human in order for His sacrifice to be effective in cleansing human sin. In order for His human sacrifice to be acceptable to God, it had to be perfect. In order to be perfect, the Man in the tomb also had to be God.

This is a mystery beyond our understanding. We accept by faith the fact that the God / Man died as a sacrifice for our sins.

No wonder it is called “Holy Saturday.”

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It is very difficult for me for us not to be together tomorrow. Susan has commented to me several times that it just isn’t right! I will miss the bells. I will miss the choir. I will miss singing together. I’ll miss the Scripture readings. I’ll miss opening the Scripture with you. These are reasons I have spent times in the Psalms of Lament these days. I lament what we are missing. This will be my first Resurrection Sunday in 32 years we have not celebrated with the Hallelujah Chorus. It has been more than 50 years that the Calvary Memorial Church has done that together on Resurrection Sunday. The sadness makes me glad for the time when we will be together again. I hope being apart increases your yearning to be together!

Tomorrow morning we will sing together as we celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus. We will sing Christ the Lord is Risen Today. If you have a church hymnal, it is #194 therein. Below are the words for you to print if necessary.

1 "Christ the Lord is ris'n today," Alleluia!
sons of men and angels say; Alleluia!
raise your joys and triumphs high; Alleluia!
sing ye heav'ns and earth reply. Alleluia!

2 Love’s redeeming work is done; Alleluia!
fought the fight, the battle won; Alleluia!
death in vain forbids him rise; Alleluia!
Christ hath opened paradise. Alleluia!

3 Lives again our glorious King; Alleluia!
where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once he died, our souls to save; Alleluia!
where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!

4 Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like him, like him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

John Wesley wrote more verses that are not in our hymnal. We will not sing them together tomorrow, but I include some for your personal consideration.

Vain the stone, the watch, the seal; Alleluia!
Christ hath burst the gates of hell; Alleluia!
death in vain forbids him rise; Alleluia!
Christ hath opened paradise. Alleluia!

Hail the Lord of earth and heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail the Resurrection, thou, Alleluia!

King of glory, soul of bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
Thee to know, thy power to prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing, and thus to love, Alleluia!

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If you know of needs within our fellowship that need attention, please call us. We have money for appropriate help, food is available, and we have several people “on call” to run errands as needed.

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I invite you to meditate on Psalm 22 as you prepare for church tomorrow. The service will be available after 9AM here.