Jesus is dead.  He was buried by two men,  Joseph of  Arimathea and Nicodemus.  Both men knew Jesus and sought to understand what Jesus taught.  They came forward, when none of  Jesus’     other disciplines did, to place the body of Jesus in a tomb.  They were honoring Jesus by showing up and laying him to rest.   Our presence this morning, as disciples of Jesus, is also honoring the passing of Jesus as he is laid to rest.     And what does the death of Jesus  signify to us some two thousand years later ?   One significant though I ‘d like to offer is this.  T hat Jesus’ death was for our sake,  and, the thought that his death was for you, and for me, and every human being, then there emerges  in our heats  a sense of hope  and that  no matter how much we follow  the devices and desires of our own  hearts  and do the things we know we should not do ,  that GOD WILL FORGIVE US, because God gave his only son as a scarified for us to die on a cross,  so that all who believe in him may have life everlasting.   Yes we have hope,  and we have love, through our Faith in our Lord Jesus.   Jesus is dead.  AND BY HIS DEATH WE ARE REDEEMED.  

Holy Saturday and Easter Eve are triumphs of faith, hope, and love.   Faith, Hope, and Love are  corner stones  of Christianity.   Today we wait in expectation. We are full of hope. Our knowledge of the love of God, that is made known to us through the sacrifice of Jesus for our sake and through the endless small sacrifices that Christians make on a daily basis sustains us through the darkness and gives us courage. On Easter Sunday, we fully celebrate the realization of God's power and love in Jesus' resurrection. As St. Paul proclaimed, "Thanks be to God who gives us the victory ! " ( 1 Cor.15:57).

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