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By Jim Stern
Matthew 27:65-66
After Jesus’ crucifixion, the Jewish leaders feared that His disciples would try to steal His body. They asked Pilate to secure the burial site. Pilate made the Jews do it. So they sealed Jesus’ tomb and placed a guard in front to stop any nefarious plans by His followers.
A seal and a guard to stop Jesus.
Idiotic plans.
But idiotic plans that show how much the Jewish leaders did not understand who Jesus was OR that God Himself was at work. How could a seal and a guard stop what our Father was doing to bring His Son back from death to abolish the curse of sin and the reign of Satan?
Small minds with finite perspectives.
So, a great earthquake happens that tears the seal like tissue paper and angel of the Lord moves the stone. “And for fear of him (the angel) the guards trembled and became like dead men” (Matthew 28:4). The Holy Spirit restores Jesus to life.
And God wins.
Pointing out the stupidity of the Jews in hindsight is easy. Seeing their shortsighted, limited understanding of the magnitude of what was happening is low hanging fodder.
Until I consider my own brilliant capacity to make idiotic plans.
Let’s establish a couple of differences. One, there is a BIG difference between believing in Jesus and not believing in Jesus. But, two, there is also a BIG difference in believing that God our Father is at work on the battlefield of our lives and to allow Him to go first in all things to accomplish supernaturnal plans. Christians believe in Jesus. But MANY of us struggle to believe that the God who raised Him from the dead is at work in our lives every single day.
So, we go about with our version of seals and guards. In our version of idiotic planning, we are not intentionally trying to stop God from working but we are getting in His way. Consider these verses from the Apostle Paul,
“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10).
Or this one from the author of Hebrews,
“Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:20-21).
God our Father has been, is, and will be at work in our lives. But His work is supernatural. And His work is His work. His will is His will. The discipline of resting in His love and letting Him go first, to learn how to be quiet and wait, is not easy.
Americans are not a waiting people. We are a rush in, get it done, charge the mountain, fire the guns, put the pedal down, and go, go, go kind of people. Waiting is a loser’s mentality.
Yet, the prophet Isaiah declares in Isaiah 40:30-31,
Though youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,
Yet those who wait for the Lord
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.
In our non-waiting sprinting we can mimic the Jews’ seal and guard as we lose sight of the supernatural capacity of God at work in our lives.
The resurrection of Jesus is more than a declaration that Jesus is alive and sin/Satan are defeated, it is THE demonstration that God our Father is supernaturally at work in the world. It is THE statement that He has a plan that He is carrying out and is inviting everyone to join.
So Father forgive me for the many times I have, and will, make idiotic plans. For the many times I will not wait, not look to You, not believe in Your faithfulness. Forgive me for demanding my way. Forgive me for not valuing perseverance, for shaking my fist at You. Thank You for Your patience. Thank You for not giving me what I want when You know there is something more. Thank You for grace, mercy, and forgiveness. And, today, THANK YOU FOR JESUS! Thank you Jesus for your life and your sacrifice. Thank You for Your wisdom to know Your Father’s plan and Your obedience to carry it out. Thank You for paying our price. Thank You for showing us the way. It is a great day to be alive. A great day to be a son/daughter of the Father and a great day to be a brother/sister of Jesus and a great day to be FILLED with the Holy Spirit!
Come Lord Jesus come…
