Pastor Stephen Dedman

So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭27‬:‭66‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Question
Where in your life does it feel like the story is over, when God may just be preparing a resurrection?

Context
Holy Saturday sits in a strange place between heartbreak and hope. Jesus has been crucified. His body has been laid in a borrowed tomb. The stone is sealed, and guards are posted. From every human perspective, the story looks finished.

The disciples are scattered. Fear fills the air. Heaven seems silent. And yet God is still at work. What looked like the end was actually the beginning of the greatest victory the world would ever see.

Application
We all experience “Holy Saturday” moments times when prayers feel unanswered, when hope seems buried, and when God feels quiet. It’s the space between what we believed He would do and what we currently see.

But just because God is silent doesn’t mean He is absent. The same God who was working in the tomb is working in your waiting. The stone may be sealed. The situation may look final. But God is never finished where He has made a promise.

Truth For The Day
Silence is not the absence of God, it is often the setup for His power.

Pray
Lord, in the quiet moments when I don’t understand what You are doing, help me trust that You are still working. Give me faith in the waiting and hope in the silence. Remind me that what looks like the end is never the end with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭53‬:‭5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Question
Are you living in the freedom Jesus paid for, or are you still holding on to what He already carried to the cross?

Context
Good Friday is the darkest day in history and the most powerful. Jesus, the sinless Son of God, stood condemned. Betrayed, beaten, mocked, and nailed to a cross, He suffered not for His own wrongdoing, but for ours.

Isaiah had prophesied this moment centuries before: a suffering Savior who would carry the weight of humanity’s sin. On the cross, every lash, every thorn, every nail had a purpose. Jesus wasn’t a victim, He was a willing sacrifice. When He cried out, “It is finished,” He wasn’t expressing defeat. He was declaring victory.

Application
Jesus took what we deserved so we could receive what we never earned which is peace with God, forgiveness, and new life. Good Friday reminds us that salvation is not achieved; it is received. It’s easy to move past the cross quickly but today invites us to pause and reflect. Take time to consider the cost of your sin. Reflect on the love that held Jesus to the cross. Respond with gratitude, repentance, and surrender. The cross is not just something to believe in, it’s something to live under.

Truth For The Day
The cross reveals both the depth of our sin and the greater depth of God’s love.

Pray
Lord, thank You for the cross. Thank You for taking my place, for bearing my sin, and for making a way where there was no way. Help me never to take lightly what cost You everything. Teach me to live in the freedom You purchased and to walk in gratitude each day. May my life reflect the sacrifice You made for me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”
‭‭John‬ ‭13‬:‭14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Question
Are you willing to lower youself to love others the way Jesus did, even when it’s uncomfortable or undeserved?

Context
Thursday of Passion Week brings us into the upper room. It’s the final evening before the cross. Jesus gathers with His disciples for what is called the Last Supper. But before the bread is broken and the cup is shared, something unexpected happens: the King of Kings kneels.

In a culture where foot washing was reserved for the lowest servant, Jesus takes the towel and basin and washes the disciples’ feet, including Judas, who would betray Him, and Peter, who would soon deny Him.

Application
John’s Gospel doesn’t just show us what Jesus did, it shows us who He is. Even knowing the cross was hours away, Jesus chose humility, service, and love.

We often want influence, recognition, or authority, but Jesus calls us to a towel, not a throne. Serving others isn’t weakness, it’s Christlikeness. Who can you serve today without receiving recognition?

Truth For The Day
True greatness in the Kingdom of God is revealed through humble service.

Pray
Lord, thank You for showing me what true love looks like. You didn’t just speak about humility, you lived it. Help me to lay down my pride and take up the posture of a servant. Give me eyes to see the needs around me and a heart willing to meet them. Teach me to love like You freely, humbly, and sacrificially. In Jesus’ name, Amen.