Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

Then Jesus shouted, "Father, I entrust my spirit
into your hands!" And with those words he breathed
his last.    Luke 23:46 NLT

Behold the Savior of mankind nailed to the shameful
tree! How vast the love that Him inclined to bleed and
die for thee!

'Tis done! the precious ransom's paid! "Receive my
soul!" He cries; see where He bows His sacred head!
He bows His head and dies!
Behold the Savior of Mankind
Samuel Wesley (1662-1735)

Saved from the fire

On February 9, 1709, a fire ripped through a rectory
in the village of Epworth, England. The Wesley family
lost nearly everything. Miraculously, their six-year-old
boy named John (who would later found the Methodist
church) was saved from the fire, as was a piece of
paper bearing this hymn, written by the rector,
Samuel Wesley.

Samuel Wesley, father of John and Charles (and
seventeen other children), was scholarly and stern.
His major academic project was a study of the book
of Job. And he faced a great deal of suffering himself.
Nine of his children died at birth or in infancy. He was
frequently in debt (even spending three months in
debtors' prison). Of course, there was also that
devastating fire.

This hymn, however, shows us a slightly different side
of Samuel Wesley. The theme of suffering is strong,
but there's an attitude of love, of devotion. Apparently
he taught his famous sons more than just discipline,
but also a deep appreciation for what Christ
accomplished through His suffering.

Our Holy Week readings are adapted from The One
Year® Book of Hymns by Mark Norton and Robert
Brown, Tyndale House Publishers (1995). Today's is
taken from the entry for March 22.


BURIAL ARRANGEMENTS

Holy Saturday

Scripture:

Read Luke 23:50-56.
TEXT: This man went to Pilate and asked for
the body of Jesus (Luke 23:52).

As Jesus was dying He entrusted His spirit into
His Father's hands. But what would become of
His lifeless body? The faithful believers and
women stood at a distance to see what the
soldiers would do. But unknown to them, God
the Father was already making arrangements.
He had chosen a man, Joseph, to be Jesus'
earthly father, to find a shelter and a manger at
His birth. Now He provides another Joseph to
arrange for Jesus' proper burial.

Luke describes Joseph as a prominent member
of the Jewish high court; he had not consented
to its decision to destroy Jesus. Joseph trusted
God's promise to send His Son, and he had
secretly come to believe Jesus was that Messiah.
Now he boldly secures Pilate's permission to take
charge of Jesus' lifeless body.

He takes Jesus' body down, wraps it in linen, and
lays it in a tomb as yet untouched by death's decay
and corruption. Then Joseph rolls a large stone-a
flat, circular, upright slab-down in a groove in front
of the entrance to the tomb. Since the Sabbath is
beginning, only the women follow Joseph to the tomb.
They carefully note its location; they see how Jesus'
body was laid in it. In the few minutes left before the
Sabbath, the women will buy spices and myrrh in
preparation for the work they will do when the
Sabbath is over. Early Sunday morning they will
 return to anoint His body for a proper burial.

THE PRAYER:

Almighty God, You raised up Joseph to care for Your
Son's dead body. Thank You that You take note of all
my needs-especially my need for forgiveness through
Jesus my Savior. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)