Luke 23:50-56 KJV
(50) And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just:
(51) (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.
(52) This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.
(53) And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.
(54) And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.
(55) And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.
(56) And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.

How often what we do changes with those around us. Which came first Easter meaning the sacrifice of the Paschal (Passover) Lamb, or the pagan ritual of the goddess of fertility or new birth. I choose not to talk about Passover beyond the mention of Judas, though Good Friday/Passover yesterday. Passover celebration reflection of the time when Jews painted the doorpost with the Lamb’s blood a seal so the death angel would pass by. A representation of the seal of the Holy Spirit on the life of the believer and His protection. Anyone in the house where the blood was on the door post would not be visited by the death angel. All the first born of Egyptians were killed. With that being the last plague on Egypt, Pharaoh let the people go.

Easter means Paschal Lamb/Passover Lamb. Christians use this celebration time as a reminder of the crucifixion of the Lamb of God and the resurrection being two days later. God provision of sacrifice. No more killing of the first born. Jews did not believe in killing the first born that was something God did to enable his people their freedom. Yet pagans sacrificed their children to Ashtaroth by fire, also a goddess of fertility. Easter became a global holiday. Not immediately, but later in years and it was called Easter. There were many people in Israel that came to the passover. In fact there were two Passovers, one for those doing business or could not make it, so they attended the later one. The first one was all the festivities of the Jewish people.

The meshing of cultures changes the meaning for different people. The tradition of Easter came more into being when painted eggs of another culture and its tradition was meshed with Christianity. Yet Christians already celebrated the Passover Lamb.

The women in the passage we are going to be talking about are now going through not only grieving process of the lost of Christ, but the preparation mode of getting ready to prepare his body in the fashion and custom of the Jewish people. Yet because it was the Sabbath evening they would not be able to do anything till Sunday. Our Sunday services comes from the tradition of when Christ arose. Yet the time between death and life remains as a time of preparation.

As holidays change with global powers, one has to ask is the tradition of faith effecting culture or is culture effecting the globe. Is global customs effecting our view of who Christ is? Or is atheist rising up and saying what the big deal, we will celebrate life with you, but leave out Jesus. That is a scary thought, but that is what is occurring. After some culture use it for an extra holiday, or vacation, never giving heed personally to why these traditions are kept. The woman followed their traditions for burial.

Jesus never seemed to be about traditions as much as defining traditions of how they applied in the Roman Judeo world He lived in. Defined by healing on the Sabbath and his disciples picking corn which was consider work to the Jews on the Sabbath. All kinds of work had to be done before the Sabbath day. The woman of tradition prepared the spices need and the meal before the Sabbath. Giving very little time to mourn the event that just occurred, but no doubt on the Sabbath mourning still occurred. His disciples a loss for a way to bury their Lord. Yet a man step up to the plate name Joseph of Arimathaea. He begged for the body of Jesus from Pilot. He was a religious leader. He was given permission to bury the body, and he took the body of Jesus and laid him in the tomb. The woman seen where the body was laid began to prepare for their part in the burial process. Yet the day between must have been hard for the women as the waited.

The men gathered in the upper room because of the Passover preparations. The time between a time of mediation, a time of worship, a time of grief, a time of waiting to finish the burial process. No one was prepared for the resurrection. No one was prepared for what was to come, and yet the woman of Bethany knew the power of the resurrection was possible. As we conclude this devotion. Part of the process of receiving Christ as Lord and Savior is the time between hearing, knowing and receiving the Gospel message. Often there a time period of preparation between point hearing, and receiving. Will you receive the Paschal Lamb, Jesus as your atonement for sin. Will you receive the paschal Lamb as Your protector from death angel for eternity?

Dear Heavenly Father prepare our hearts to receive the Passover Lamb alive, and as our protector from eternal death. In Jesus precious name, Amen.