DAY 14 – COUNTING TO ASCENSION

BACKTRACKING, LESSON 10:  THE SABBATH OF PASSOVER

 

What Mary knew

Reading for today:
Luke 1:26-56
Luke 2:21-53
John 19:25-27

Jesus’ followers were Jews. They honored the Sabbath. Sabbath lasted from dusk on Friday until dusk on Saturday. The Sabbath followng Jesus’ crucifixion was a very special Sabbath. It was the Sabbath of the annual commemoration of Passover.

The Jewish faithful were celebrating the redemption of their ancestors from Egypt – the exodus of a people who had become slaves – who had been held in slavery for most of their 400 years in Egypt. Moses and Pharoah had a running dialogue, with plague after plague thrust upon the Egyptian people, with Moses repeatedly imploring, “Let my people go!”

The final plague occurred during the night (beginning about midnight) after the children of Israel consumed that very first Passover feast. The Angel of Death touched the firstborn of every living thing in Egypt with death – from the mightiest to the lowliest. All who did not have the blood of the lamb sprinkled over the doorpost of their abode lost their firstborn. And in the grief of his personal loss, Pharoah finally said, “Go!”

During the Israelites’ forty years of wandering in the desert God instituted laws that would instruct them in how to live their lives, and how to honor Him. Honoring the Sabbath Day, just as God had hallowed it by resting that day in His creation, was an imperative. It was part of the Old Covenant, and until the institution of the New Covenant they lived by that Covenant. Jesus had just made a New Covenant the night he celebrated the Passover with his disciples, but it was not yet shared….

My explanation is just to affirm the timeline they were restricted by.  On Saturday night after the Sabbath ended it was too late to go out to the site of Jesus’ burial – but early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, those who longed to honor Him could wait no longer.

My thoughts thrust me this morning to Mary, Mother of Jesus. As a little girl she heard the stories of the Messiah who was to come. He was to be born of a virgin. I imagine that every devoted Jewish girl wondered who that lucky girl would be – probably fancying He would be born into a lavish home, his mother one of prestigious birth. He would be the conquering King after all – so how could he be born to anyone outside a powerful, wealthy family?

God had another plan. It was she who was chosen – and as events leading to his birth and earliest days unfolded, she treasured all of those memories up in her heart. From the announcement of the angel Gabriel that she would be the one who birthed God’s Son; to Elizabeth’s greeting of, “Who am I that the mother of my Lord should greet me…;” to the shepherd’s telling of the angels’ hillside proclamation; to Simeon’s prophecy over the child at Jesus’ dedication in the temple when Jesus was 40 days old – and Simeon’s declaration that now that He had seen God’s salvation, he could die in peace.

Then, to have Wise Men from the East come and bow before the child in a humble cottage in Bethlehem, and gift him such expensive gifts….there was a lot to ‘treasure up.’

No doubt the necessary flight into Egypt was not quite in her vision of what she thought would be intended for this one who would someday be King…. However, having angels come and direct their comings and goings for Jesus’ protection…. More things to treasure up.

And then, to be his mother – to watch him grow, see his respect, witness firsthand his absolute perfection. He was sinless. No tantrums. No unfair treatment of siblings. Ever the peacemaker. I have great kids, and am incredibly blessed – but He was absolutely perfect in every way, in every situation, in every decision.

Oh, he gave his parents one bit of grief when he stayed in Jerusalem when he was twelve, having stimulating discussions with the religious leaders at the temple when his parents assumed he was somewhere with the group from Nazareth as they made their way back to their own town up north after being in Jerusalem for – not coincidentally – the Feast of the Passover! A trek they made annually.

That’s the only glimpse we actually get of Jesus as a child – at twelve – and he was ‘about His Father’s business.’ Other than that, all we are told is that Jesus grew and became strong…grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

 

Mary had not forgotten any of that. We aren’t privy to what else Jesus had shared with her, but we do know that His own siblings didn’t believe in Him until after the resurrection. In fact, from the cross, Jesus made sure Mary would be cared for by ‘gifting her to John’ and ‘John to her.’

Mary was in town for the Feast of The Passover again this year. But this time, she stood near the cross – watched her child who had prophecies proclaimed over Him before, during and after His birth, bleeding. Watched the soldiers take his beautifully woven seamless garment and cast lots for which one would own it, heard Jesus’ final words, wept…. Watched Jesus die….

We do not know precisely what Mary knew. We do not know how much Jesus had told his mother – but there is no indication that he had forewarned her…but Simeon had. He had told her, …a sword shall pierce your own soul, too. And now it had come true.

Mary had experienced the pain of misunderstanding when she first became pregnant outside wedlock. She lived with that taint on her life. People around her didn’t believe she was chosen – or that this first of her many children was God incarnate. What Mary did know and hold closely was what God had revealed to her – through the Angel Gabriel; through corroboration of her soon-to-be husband, Joseph; through Elizabeth, her cousin; through shepherds; and Simeon; and the prophetess Anna; and what she saw of Jesus as he grew.

 

(Mary was also there at the wedding in Cana, and knew enough to know her son could save the day….)

The reality of what Mary experienced versus what she might have assumed would happen reminds me clearly that God’s call on my own life may not go as my script would design…. But I know the One who died and who came back holds me safely in His hands. The cross is where Justice and Mercy collide. Sin demanded payment. Justice was served. But Justice came clothed in love – bathed in the mercy of the Redeemer’s blood.

It is Jesus’ shed blood that saves. There is no other way.

It is important in this world of political correctness that has gone all wrong with its assumptions to also note that God’s sacrifice of Himself on the Cross to redeem us from Sin does not save everyone – only those who accept it… and who fall humbly at the foot of that cross, and allow that blood to flow over them in cleansing power.

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. It’s that simple….

Thank you, Lord, for all you have done for us so we can be free to live for You!

The rub is – on that Passover Sabbath in 33 A D when Mary had so much to ponder, the Jewish people were celebrating Passover  – their ancestors’ release from Egyptian captivity – while anticipating another ‘freeing from captivity’ when their Messiah would finally come….

He did. He had just died on the cross on Friday afternoon, the Lamb of God who took away the Sins of the world. Most of them missed out on that reality. They’re still waiting. But we know He came. On Resurrection morning, He arose. Mary’s suffering soul pierced with grief soon experienced JOY!

When He comes again, present grief will also turn to joy! That is a great reminder on days when the pain of loss is pervasive.