Dead and Buried

Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last. (Luke 23:46)

They crucified Him.

The run up to it was so unfair. Pilate couldn’t find anything wrong with Him. Herod didn’t see anything worthy of making a bid to charge him. It came down to a baying crowd looking for Pilate to crucify Him to the point of preferring the release of a murderer who really was a violent threat to the Roman rule.

With two criminals deserving of their fate, they nailed and hung Him on a cross. One of the criminals scorned Him. Spectators mocked him. Soldiers ridiculed him. All those that cared could only look from afar as He suffered, bled and died.

Even in His final words as He hung there on the wooden frame, He uttered words of compassion, forgiveness, submission and even the offering of paradise to the other criminal who asked to be remembered. Even on the cross, there was room for redemption.

For all of that, He finally breathed His last. The light went out.

A religious ruler from Arimathea had hoped that this was the Messiah. Even at what looked like the end, he wanted this crucified man to be given an honourable burial. In this brand new tomb, they buried Him.

The light of life, the hope of a new everlasting Kingdom, the bright shining promise of peace, wholeness and restoration – was dead and buried.

Sometimes even the best of us and the greatest of our desires can appear to be mocked and scorned, derided and dismissed, torn to pieces and give up the last embers of life. It appears all hope is lost. It looks like it’s dead and buried.

But …

(Photo by Christopher Burns on Unsplash)

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

C. L. J. Dryden