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Holy Week / Lent Devotions

THE SHATTERING SATURDAY BETWEEN GOOD FRIDAY AND EASTER!

Duke Jeyaraj brings out devotional thoughts from the events of the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter

During Passion Week Saturday – the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter – the Bible records three events took place:

1. The SEALING – The tomb Jesus was buried in was sealed and a guard posted to gaurd the tomb following a bizarre request of Jewish Leaders (Matt.27:62-66). When they went to Roman Governor Pilate with a request to seal Jesus’ tomb, the Jewish Leaders called Jesus a “deceiver” (Matt. 27:63).

Everyone in this world has to call Jesus by some name: some may call him “deceiver”, some call him a mere “do-gooder”, and still others call him “divine”. When we study the claims of Jesus and the proofs he offered for these claims (sinless life, prophecies fulfilled, etc) we have no option but to call him “divine”. He is the ONLY way to God, he said (John 14:6). And he was God himself in flesh and bone (John 1). What is your title for Jesus?

2. The SLEEPING – I use the word “sleeping” to refer to rest here. The women who witnessed Jesus’ death “rested on the Sabbath” in obedience to the Commandment (Luke 23:56).

As New Testament Christians we do not have to follow the ritualistic aspects Mosiac Law of Sabbath (Heb. 8:13). But, nevertheless, we must take rest following the example of Jesus who told his followers, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile” (Mark 6:31). If we don’t rest enough, there is always the danger of a burnout. While we must all get enough sleep, the Bible tells us that we must not “love” sleep (or shall be say, over-sleep) (Prov. 20:13). Do you over-sleep during the Corona Virus lockdown?

3. The SHOPPING – The Sabbath is celebrated “evening to evening” (Lev. 23:32). The Sabbath of those times were observed from 6 PM Friday to 6 PM on Saturday. Post 6 PM on Passion Week Saturday, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome went shopping! They bought spices so that they can carry it to Jesus’ grave the following day early morning (Mark 16:1). They did not want to go to Jesus’ presence empty-handed. They wanted to give something to Jesus. They perhaps followed God’s instructions in the Old Testament: None shall appear before me empty-handed (Ex. 23:15).

Do you prepare in advance when it comes to giving God? Or do you simply fish out the whatever pittance in your pocket and give it to God and His servants? Let’s learn from these women! Why not plan in advance to give God? Scheduling a monthly Bank transfer to a ministry you feel lead to support, over and above what you give to your local church, is one way of preparing to give! What will you give God today? Will you give him your time, talent, and treasure?

(Duke Jeyaraj is the founder of Grabbing the Google Generation from Gehenna Mission, a ministry to presentday people. This ministry is supported by Indians who read Duke’s writings and hear his messages.

If you are stirred, we welcome you to send an offering to Duke Jeyaraj’s ministry using this link using payment apps, or net-banking or several other easy-to-use modes: https://razorpay.me/@g4mission

By dukewords

Duke Jeyaraj was born to missionary parents in Vellore, South India and was saved at the age of 11 and committed for ministry and received the Holy Spirit Baptism at the age of 13. God opened the door for him to preach first as a school boy at the age of 16. He is a trained Agricultural Engineer [B. Tech from SHIATS, Allahabad, India], who did not pursue a career in the line of his education but nevertheless enjoys growing cacti in the balcony of his rented Chennai flat, during his spare time! He could have been a sports commentator but prefers to wrap Bible Truth around sports magic moments and other interesting-to-Google Genners contemporary events. God’s call upon him made him utterly restless and he obeyed that call to by founding the Grabbing the Google Generation from Gehenna Mission (G4 Mission) in 2006 to finally find serenity after having served as a International Bank Customer Service Executive/Youth Pastor/Bible College Teacher/Missionary/Youth Mag Editor. G4 Mission is not a church but an inter-denominational ministry to present-day people, a ministry which Duke works full time for, as an itinerant presenter/preacher/writer-at-residence since 2008 along with his wife, putting to use the formal theological training he received from Southern Asia Bible College in Bangalore-India [M. Div - a Gold Medal performance in 2001 & Doctor of Ministry - with project on Making Disciples of Modern Young Working Professionals Among India's Google Generation, World-wide]. Several Christian publications have carried Duke's articles over the years and at present Aim Magazine (the voice of  the Evangelical Fellowship of India an umbrella body of over 65,000 Indian churches/organisations), regularly carries Duke's writings. Duke's Bible-teaching book on Sex, Love, Marriage, Porn and more called, Straight Talk, is presently available on Amazon and Google Books.  Duke has preached by invitation beyond his national borders (we are talking about nations such as Bangladesh, Singapore, Germany, Nepal and the United Arab Emirates). Duke is called a 'Reverend' by a leading denomination (even as his ministry remains indepedent and inter-church).  Duke is called ‘dad’ by Dale (now a St. Stephen's Delhi student) and Datasha (now in Class 9) and ‘hubby’ by Evangelin (the daughter of a missionary couple to Odisha who is a hospital admin grad currently studying M. A. in Biblical Studies with SAIACS Bangalore) and calls Chennai, India, his current home after living in Hyderabad till June 2021. In case your curiosity is triggered by hearing all this, you may checkout www.dukewords.com [if you are the reading plain text type], www.soundcloud.com/shoutaloud [if you are part of the audio-listening tribe] and www.youtube.com/visitduke [if you group yourself with the video-steaming generation])

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