The Vigil of the Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord
Posted on April 19, 2025 by under
Scripture: St. Matthew 27:57-66 (NKJV)
27:57 Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. 58 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. 59 When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed. 61 And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.
62 On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, 63 saying, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.”
65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.
Devotion
The long day of Good Friday is now over for our Lord Jesus. All the suffering and pain that He endured to atone for our sins, all that we deserved which He took upon Himself, is now over. Our Lord rested in the grave. He was buried in a new tomb; the tomb of a rich man named Joseph of Arimathea. His dead body was cared for with much respect. He was wrapped in fine linen and spices. He was laid to rest. His work was over. His work of redemption has been finished. He has fully atoned for the sins of the whole world. Now on that Sabbath He takes His rest from redeeming mankind.
The chief priests and Pharisees feared that He may rise again after three days. That would truly confirm that He was the Messiah sent to redeem mankind from sin. These unbelievers do not want any part of that, and do everything in their power to stop it. They sealed the tomb and set a guard. All these preparations do is further confirm that the Lord Jesus had indeed risen from the dead on the third day, just as He had preached before His crucifixion and death. Our Lord rested this day in the tomb, but He rose again and showed that He has defeated death and the grave forever!
Collect: O God, Who didst enlighten this most holy night with the glory of the Lord’s Resurrection: Preserve in all Thy people the spirit of adoption which Thou hast given, so that renewed in body and soul they may perform unto Thee a pure service; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Festival of Philip Melanchthon, Confessor
O God, Who didst give Philip Melanchthon as a teacher unto Thy Church, grant zeal unto Thy people for the study of Thy holy Word; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
