First Day, Never the Same Again

On the first day of the week… Matt 28:1, Mark 16:2, Luke 21:1, John 20:1

You never quite know what to expect in life when it comes to traditions. Andrew and Carolyn Clark assumed they would continue to follow the tradition of the Clark family and only have boys. It had been 130 years since a girl was born into the Clark family line. Carolyn had heard this tale when she started dating Andrew but didn’t believe the story. “I asked his parents to confirm that information, and they’re like, ‘Oh yeah, no, we haven’t had a girl in our direct line.’”

Audrey Clark changed tradition on March 17, becoming the first girl born into the family since 1885. Audrey’s birth was also special since Carolyn and Andrew experienced a miscarriage in January 2021. Carolyn said, “Our parents have just been spoiling her before she was even here-you know-buying all the bows and tutu’s and outfits. She’s got enough clothes that she doesn’t have to wear the same outfit twice.”

Traditions hold special meanings for family and faith. The Passover celebration had been central to every Jewish family since the very first one. The traditions surrounding one of the holiest of holidays had been passed down from one generation to the next. Families gathered to celebrate the Israelites’ escape from slavery in Egypt. The days were marked with food, fellowship, special prayer services, and worship.

Jesus understood the rich traditions of the Passover but he celebrated his last one with his disciples by breathing new meaning into the meal and changing tradition. Jesus took the bread and wine as usual, but the words were charged with new life. “As they were eating, he took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly I tell you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” (Mark 14:22-25 CSB)

The events that unfolded after the Passover meal rocked the disciple’s world and took a toll upon each of them. They were no longer the bold and confident followers of Jesus that were with him in that upper room celebrating together. Eleven once loyal and brave followers had all scattered out of fear. They were hiding from the religious leaders and even denied they knew Jesus.

Unbelievably even the strong, arrogant, but always outspoken Peter was found cowering when he was confronted by a servant girl. The maidservant accused Peter of being one of Jesus’ followers when “he started to curse and swear, I don’t know this man you’re talking about!” (Mark 14:71 CSB) Jill Weber writes, “I sometimes wonder if it was this moment that was actually the making of Peter—the moment that shaped him into the kind of leader that Jesus would entrust with building His church. Peter is confronted with the state of his own soul. Self-reliance and arrogance are exposed and dismantled, and from the rubble, humility begins to grow.”

The Saturday following the crucifixion is shrouded in mystery. Though we are given very few details, what we do know is powerful.  We know there was life after death when Jesus told the criminal on the cross, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43). We know love beat loudly as Mary Magdalene and the other women who followed Jesus were busy making preparation. Luke tells us “The women who had come with him from Galilee followed along and observed the tomb and how his body was placed. Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.” (Luke 23:55-56)

We know that fear and doubt marked Saturday as the eleven remaining disciples were hiding but Jesus restored the broken and defeated on Resurrection morning. John writes “When it was evening on that first day of the week, the disciples were gathered together with the doors locked because they feared the Jews. Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” (John 20:19)

We know that when the people gathered to worship in the temple as usual on Saturday they stood staring at the sanctuary curtain that “was split down the middle.” (Luke 23:45) I can only speculate, but did the high priest order some of the other priests to grab the torn curtain and hold it together during the worship service?  Instead of facing the truth, the priests and worshippers pretended not to see the tear and continue to hide the truth. However, no longer would God be separated from the people by a piece of cloth or a lie. Theologian N.T. Wright writes, “Matthew explains the tearing of the veil with an earthquake; Mark leaves it as a mystery, though he presumably means us to understand, in the light of the previous four chapters, that from now on the Temple is as good as finished. Its purpose has been taken over by the event which has just occurred. From now on, access into the presence of the living God is open to all through the death of his son.”

We may not know all the details of Saturday but we do know that “on the first day of the week” the world was changed forever when a group of women found an open grave. We know that a confused group of disciples was changed into mighty proclaimers of the Gospel.  We know that we no longer live in fear of death but with the hope of eternity. “When Jesus pushed back His own gravestone on resurrection morning, hope was born in the world—hope that this Jesus turns even the gravest despair into supernatural joy.”—Tyler Staton

He is Risen!