Daily Devotional For Saturday, April 4, 2026
Good morning Southside. For today’s devotional I thought we should focus on the time table of Easter. On this day 2,026 years ago Jesus’ dead cold body lay in a tomb in Jerusalem. I imagine the religious leaders were celebrating along with the demons of hell. The Great Lion of Judah, the Savior of the world, was dead. When Jesus hung on the cross, Mark 15:31 says, “In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were mocking Him among themselves and saying, ‘He saved others; He cannot save Himself’” (NASB).
Notice here their mocking is also a confessional. They do not deny that Jesus saved people. They readily admit that. Jesus' death is an example of how spiritually we too must die in order to live. I think of Jesus’ words in John 12:24, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (NASB).
Look at the results of what fruit Jesus’ death brought. The billions of people who came to salvation through His death through the centuries is amazing to me. What was a symbol of death – the cross – today is a symbol of life. When was the last time you thought of an electric chair – a symbol of death as a symbol of life? People, both male and female, wear crosses today even if they are saved. I think they do so either consciously or unconsciously do so for what it represents – life in Christ.
When we think of this day, many just go through it without any thought to its importance and implications. Jesus was hung on a cross for our sins and hang-ups. He intentionally chose to die so that we could live. Jesus did not fear death nor attempt to avoid it. Death is universal and it is a universal fear. People wonder, “Is there something on the other side? Do we live on past our physical death?” It is a plague that has a 100% success rate.
Between 1346-1353 AD, something called the “Black Death” or “Black Plague” went through Europe killing up to 50 million people, about 50% of the population. It was called the “Black Plague” because when infected, victims had large black spots across their body. Once you got one, it meant certain death. Doctors and scientists at the time were not aware that it was transmitted by rats and fleas. They thought it was something in the air from the smog and pollution in cities.
So, those attempting to cure it came up with a plan. They took victims outside to a bed of roses. Patients would form a circle and hold hands. They would take deep breaths to smell and inhale the scent of roses. If a patient was too weak to go outside, doctors would push rose petals in the pockets of their patients’ clothing or they would burn the petals and then have the patient sniff the ashes up into their noses. Why? It was their belief that this would flush out the toxic smog and pollution in their patients’ bodies.
But this medical procedure was the cause of a popular nursery rhyme that was sung or chanted or said by the person pushing the death cart of dead victims to the local cemetery, “Ring around the roses, a pocket full of posies, Ashes, ashes, we all fall down!” Isn’t it interesting that the origin of this nursery rhyme is true for everyone today: “We all fall down!”
No one escaped physical death. We all fall down. We all die. Even though we all know we all will die, we attempt to prolong life as much as possible. We live in a world that has been overwhelmed by fatalistic attitudes. Even in Scripture, the wise Solomon had a fatalistic attitude when he wrote Ecclesiastes 3:1-9. He basically says, “We all fall down (die).” Death is no respecter of persons. It takes the most wealthy and the poorest. It takes the youngest and the oldest. It takes the educated and the uneducated. It takes everyone regardless of nationality, gender, race or religion or no religion. We all fall down! We all die.
Reflection Assignment: When it comes to life and your attitude, would those closest to you describe you as positive, upbeat, always praising God and others or would they say you are a downer, negative, critical and a dark cloud to be around? What would the Lord say about you? Do you live as if you’ve been hit spiritually with the “Black Plague?” When it comes to death, do you fear it or do you have faith that God has you covered?
Scripture To Meditate On: Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” (NASB).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Lord, I know that death is inevitable. I am sorry when I walk around as if I have been hit with a spiritual black plague. You say at the end of Nehemiah 8:10 that “the joy of the Lord is my strength.” I am reminded through Psalm 71:23 that I should continuously be shouting for joy for all You do for me. I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly