GodReflection: Come and See—God Saved the Best for Now

“Come and see,” said Philip (John 1:46). “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now” (John 2: 10).

When John brings us to the dusk of crucifixion day hope is no where in sight. I suspect the two disciples on their way to Emmaus three days later expressed what all of his followers felt that dark dusk, we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel (Luke 24:21).

Instead, two men who were secret disciples, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, requested permission from Governor Pilate to take the dead body from the cross and prepare it to be buried forever in a newly excavated garden tomb.

They transported the body and a seventy-pound sack of burial spices provided by Nicodemus to bury hope. It had come to an end. The light of their world had gone out.

Just a few days before, crowds of joyous people celebrated Jesus entry into Jerusalem. On that day hope ruled. Jesus was to be their Golden King David. Hope was on the verge of reality.

But now, here we are. John calls us to come and see hope buried.

Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there (19:40-42).

Why do I need to see hope buried?

I need to identify with the desperation of those early disciples. I need to see as I hit life’s brick walls I’m not the first on the planet to see no way forward.

I think back to times in my life when hope died for a season. Fortunately, like those who witnessed the light die at the crucifixion, my own experience with darkness was temporary. It was created because like them I could not see the hidden acts of the creator behind the scene of my darkness.

Perhaps there are times in all of our lives when the light of hope dies for a period. A risen Lord wasn’t in sight of reality for the two secret disciples. They buried their Messiah for real. At this point in the Gospel we can only kneel with the two hopeless disciples who dutifully and lovingly bury hope.

We now know hope would once again breathe in and out the breath of life. We live with resurrection reality. We have the knowledge of what happened three days later when hope was resurrected.

Think back to a time you witnessed hope buried. Can you identify with the two disciples? How does life on this side of resurrection help when you see hope die?

Stay tuned.

Dr. Gary J. Sorrells

A GodReflection: Come and See Hope Buried  

Gary@Godreflection.org    www.GodReflection.org

www.MakeYourVisionGoViral.com