It was Sabbath, and the nightmare continued. The day before, Jesus had been put on trial and crucified. This day, the disciples were hiding behind locked doors in shock. Their Master was dead. They had thought that He was invincible. They had witnessed Him healing all types of diseases, even bringing Lazarus back from the dead. They had watched in amazement as Jesus strolled on water as if it were a street in Jerusalem and quiet a raging storm with a few calm words. Surely, someone with that much power could have rescued Himself from mere men, but Jesus had not. He had not said or done anything to defend Himself at the trial or when He was whipped and beaten bloody. He had not stopped the soldiers from stripping off His clothes and nailing Him to a shameful cross. He had accepted everything that had been done to Him as if it were necessary. Why? Why had He let it happen? Why hadn’t He stopped it? The answers did not matter now. He was dead.
Earlier in the week they had been sure that everything was about to change for the better. They had walked proudly beside Jesus as He rode the donkey into Jerusalem accompanied by the triumphant shouts of the crowd. They had known that the future was bright. Yes, life had changed, but not for the better. Jesus was gone, and their own future appeared grim. Without their beloved Teacher, they were at a loss as to what they should do next. Chances were that the soldiers were going to come for them tomorrow, and they would be up on a cross just like their Master within the week.
As the disciples hid in shocked misery behind locked doors, they never realized . . . they did not understand . . . that everything was about to change once more. The next day would turn their world upside down once again. The next day, their present misery would become joy. The Next Day.
What day are you on in your life? Are you in the middle of troubles and uncertain whether anything will ever change for the better? Or are you living with the assurance of joy? It seems that in this world, we are either in one day or the other. Either we are enduring trials, or we are experiencing the relief of having the trials past. The difference between us and the disciples is that they saw no light in their future while we can have hope and security even in the worst of trials. In fact, James, Jesus’ brother, tells us that trials are a cause for joy. James 1:2-4 says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Why did James think that we needed to be steadfast and complete? Because he knew that when Jesus exited the tomb on “the next day,” everything, EVERYTHING changed for the better. Now, there is hope for every single person. Jesus has paid the price by submitting to death for our sins. Now, we can eagerly look forward to the rewards that His resurrection promises us. James knew that we were being prepared to live with Jesus eternally, so he counted trials as situations to learn from rather than as hammers to beat us down.
Years after that weekend of horror and joy, Peter could reflect upon that time in his life and state that the trials that he participated in were worth it. He now comprehended the reasons behind Jesus’ death. In 1 Peter 2:24-25, Peter said, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” Peter knew that something amazing had been accomplished during the nightmare of the crucifixion so that he could live in “the next day” even as he experienced the trials of his present life.
Today, we are living in troubling times. Every day, we hear of some violence or corruption or act of hatred happening around the world and in our own communities. Just a couple of weeks before I wrote this essay, a Hobby Lobby in the small safe city where I was living had been on lockdown because an angry man chased a terrified hotel maid down with his car and was waving a gun around threatening her, and, yes, drugs were involved in that situation. We are living in times of terror and trial which seem to worsen as the days pass. There seems to be no hope of finding any way to resolve the threats that face us—whether they are violence and murder, diseases that shut our lives down, greed and corruption that pollute our food and environment with dangerous chemicals, or angry people who refuse to let us live in peace and quiet. Unfortunately, the troubles in this world are only going to increase the longer time goes on. How are you going to face these problems? How will you choose to live your life? Do you want to live behind locked doors trying to stay safe until the next disaster comes crashing in, or do you want to live with inner peace regardless of the circumstances around you because you have the certainty that God has promised you “the next day,” the day of resurrection? Do you want to live in anxiety and fear, or do you want to live in anticipation?
Yes, we are living in troubling times, but my message is for you to remember that we are living in the day before everything changes. Jesus has promised us hope, and we can forget about those words of hope in the middle of trouble, just as the disciples forgot about Jesus’ pledge to meet them in Galilee after His crucifixion, or we can cling to Jesus’ promises. Do you remember the words that I’m talking about? “And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” (Mark 16:6-7). The disciples had either forgotten that Jesus had told them about meeting with them after the cross, or they had just not believed Him. They needed to be reminded of Jesus’ instructions by angels. Are you like that? Do you forget that Jesus has promised us that there is going to be a morning after the trials, a next day when everything will be different? When you see a new threat on social media or the news, do you get angry and anxious, or do you see another sign that “the next day” is closer than ever before and eagerly look forward to the arrival of that joyous day?
If the disciples had remembered and believed Jesus’ words for them, they would have been saved from a lot of doubt and fear and grief, but they disregarded Jesus’ teachings and hid behind locked doors counting down the hours to their own deaths instead of anticipating the new life that Jesus was soon to bring to the world “the next day.” Stop acting like those oblivious disciples. Make a choice to remember Jesus’ promises and live in the hope and reassurance that Jesus is with you even in the worst of trials. He has promised to be with us always, even to the very end. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Mat 28:19-20). Angels have promised us that Jesus will come again. “And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven” (Act 1:10-11).
It’s the day before the day when everything changes. Don’t spend that time in fear behind locked doors hiding away from your troubles or escaping into entertainment so that you do not have to think about reality. Spend your time happily anticipating that “the next day” is coming, a day of rejoicing because our Savior lives and is coming to take us home with Him.