‘Holy Saturday’ & Our Partial Gospel

The Saturday in between the death of Jesus and the Resurrection exposes that what we commonly understand as ‘The Gospel’ is only part of it.

To be more pointed: is the resurrection of Jesus REALLY necessary for what we share as the good news?

The way I was taught to understand the Gospel involved a few simple points.

1. We are all sinful and this separated from God
2. Jesus died to pay the price for our sins.
3. If we trust in him, we can be forgiven [and go to heaven when we die]

It seems to me that we can preach this message on Friday and Saturday.

Do we really need Sunday?

Of course, most Christians know well enough that the resurrection is very important and that the New Testament says a lot about it. Again, in my experience, the importance is commonly expressed in that it ‘proves’ that Jesus was really who he said he was. This is true, but it’s also truly inadequate.

In fact, the Bible is telling a much richer and deeper story, that includes all of the points above but also a lot more!

“And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” 1 Corinthians 15:17

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9

Obviously, Jesus’ resurrection is non-negotiable. But why?

There are actually several reasons. Let me briefly share a few and perhaps we’ll spend more time exploring each in due time. If I could summarize what I perceive to be the overarching problem, it would be:

We have accepted too small of a story.

First, Humans were created to live in God’s presence, eat from the tree of life and not experience death. Death is not a normal part of life as God intended. It’s a primary consequence of sin. In 1 Corinthians 15:26, Paul states that ‘death is the last enemy.’ The solution to death is not ‘our souls going to heaven’ but rather bodily resurrection on the new earth. Jesus’ real death and real resurrection are the ‘first fruits’ that demonstrate to us that we too will one day live and embodied eternal life.

“For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.  But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.” 1 Corinthians 15:22-24 

Next, Jesus is the promised King who will reign forever. God promised David that he would never cease to have a descendant on the throne. (2 Samuel 7:16). Peter’s Pentecost message in Acts 2 declares Jesus’ resurrection and ascension to the Father’s right hand to be fulfillment of God’s promises.

“ God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it.  Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.” Acts 2:32-33

This text moves us to the third thing and that’s the Holy Spirit poured out by the Father and the resurrected and ascended Son – Jesus. Power through the Holy Spirit is absolutely vital, because God’s purpose isn’t only for us to be forgiven but also to be empowered to live the way that we were created to. To fulfill God’s purpose to be his image in this world – and the world to come.

I could go on about Jesus completing his sacrifice by presenting his blood in the heavenly sanctuary, Jesus as the great high priest who makes necessary intercession for us, Jesus’ victory over Satan and so much more, but for this Saturday, I hope you can see how Jesus’ death isn’t all we need for all that God intends for us and our world.

The good news that we will celebrate tomorrow morning, which is of course an available reality for us everyday now, is that Jesus is Risen, Jesus is reigning, all that we need is available to us who trust in him.

Whether we understand it or not.

But we should understand more and more of it. Jesus’ death for us is vital. But there’s more to the Story.

Friday is good.

And Sunday is necessary.