March 31, 2026
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in our Lenten readings from “The Life of Jesus”? Here’s today’s reading:
Lent 2026 – Day 26 in the Book: “The Life of Jesus“
The Week Jesus Dies
Read Sections 5.55 through 5.57 (pages 181-183)
This book is an account of Jesus’ life and teachings told in chronological order from the four Gospels to create one continuous story.
*If you do not have a copy of the book please contact the church at (401)667-0775 and we can get you a copy.
What a sight to see the faces of the Pharisees, the high preists, the gurads, and the people that shouted to kill Jesus as He died and they saw the veil torn, felt earthquakes rock the ground beneath them and the sky went dark! The realization that this was no ordinary death, no ordinary crucifixtion, this was no ordinary man! No surprise that they would panic and insist the tomb be sealed and guarded as they witness these things and start to put the pieces together of what just had happened. The Son of God and Man was dead but the truth of what He had been telling them was all coming to pass and He would rise again, death could not hold Him and the grave could not keep Him!
God still is providing evidence that something divine is happening here. Darkness in the middle of the day, an earthquake that comes out of nowhere, the thick curtain that protected the Holy of holies torn in two, and dead men walking. Isn’t it interesting that the unbelieving, gentile Romans get it. But God’s people, clueless. Now some of them got it and came forward. I wonder if Joseph had the big stone rolled over the grave to make sure no one stole the body, or if Jesus was to be raised, let there be no doubt! The ones who don’t get it, well they send guards to guard it well. But that in itself becomes evidence of Jesus actually being raised, because how could the disciples dup those guards? Yes, the evidence is all around.
Lent 2026 day 26
Lent Day 26
Lent day 26 “Father I put my life in your hands”
Then the temple curtain was torn, and there was darkness and the earth shook. If that didn’t get their attention, some realized He was who He said He was. The high priests were still concerned that someone would steal Jesus body to make it appear that he did rise, so they ordered his tomb be guarded. Even after witnessing what happened, they still didn’t believe. How sad to think they had the King of Kings right there in front of them but, because of their self righteousness and pride, they couldn’t see it.
Psalm 99; Lamentations 1; The Life of Jesus 5.52-5.57
Something that jumped out at me this time around was the faith of Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea. These two men, like many others at the time, were followers of Jesus but only in secret. They were not outspoken about their faith because of their fear of the religious leaders who would at the very least cast them out from the synagogues or at the worst persecute and kill them.
But at the end of this section we see a shift. These men that had once feared death have now seen their savior die. And upon seeing that they’ve now understood what Jesus meant when he said:
“The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised on the third day. If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, this is the one who will save it. For what good does it do a person if he gains the whole world, but loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and the glory of the Father and the holy angels.”
Luke 9:22-26 NASB2020
After Jesus’s death, these two men take responsibility for preparing Him for burial, which I imagine would have shown them taking a stand for their faith in Jesus which the religious leaders would not have been all too happy about. They were no longer ashamed of their savior.
Lent 2026 – Day 26
Cindy’s right, the Messiah lived among them, and they could not see Him. Abraham said to the rich man, about warning his brothers, “They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them.”
As that may not be enough, perhaps a message of warning from the dead could change them? Abraham countered, “If they hear not…neither will they repent, though one rose from the dead.”
Well, that’s exactly what happened! Incredible!
Lent 2026 – Day 26
The horrific physical death of Jesus was unbearable. But worse was his spiritual death. Separated from his father. First and last time ever to happened. For us! Always happy to read the temple curtain torn from top. 90ft tall. God tore the curtain from heaven. Abolishing the old covenant. The religious leaders were more concerned about Jesus resurrecting than the apostles. Asking for more than the tomb to be sealed. But for guards to be placed.
Day 26