March 15th, 2026 Daily Devotion
A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW
COVERING THE BASES
Matthew 27:62-66 “The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while He was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, His disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that He has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.”
A baseball team stations players strategically on the infield and outfield of the ball field. The goal by doing this is to do all possible to prevent their opponent from scoring any runs. From this baseball practice has come a saying, “covering all the bases.” Covering all the bases means that you have done everything in your power to ensure the outcome of something.
That is what the Pharisees did when they went to Pilate to get him to “. . . give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day.” As today’s devotional verse says, they were concerned, no, they were afraid that Jesus’ disciples would steal His body from the tomb. They had remembered that Jesus had prophesied that after He died and was buried, He would come back to life in three days.
The unbelievers of this world will go to extremes to try to prevent God’s word from doing its work. In this case, they wanted to prevent Jesus’ resurrection. The foolishness of these Jewish leaders is beyond imagination, but then you know this is true because of what happened on Easter morning. Nothing could prevent Jesus’ resurrection. St. Paul writes, “. . . if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But He did not raise Him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.” (1 Corinthians 15:14-29)
The Pharisees thought they had covered the bases. How foolish! Armed guards could not keep Jesus in the tomb!
Prayer: “The strife is o’er, the battle done . . .” Dear Jesus, only three days separated you from the cross and Your resurrection. Praise and thanks be to God! Amen.
The strife is o’er, the battle done;
How is the victor’s triumph won;
Now be the song of praise begun. Alleluia!
The pow’rs of death have done their worst,
But Christ their legions hath dispersed.
Let shouts of holy joy outburst. Alleluia!
The three sad days have quickly sped,
He rises glorious from the dead.
All glory to our risen Head! Alleluia!
He broke the age-bound chains of hell;
The bars from heav’n’s high portals fell.
Let hymns of praise His triumph tell. Alleluia!
Lord, by the tripes which wounded Thee,
From death’s dread sting Thy servants free
That we may live and sing to Thee. Alleluia!
The Strife Is O're, the Battle Done // LSB 464
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