“From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” – which means, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?”
It was His darkest moment. Never before had His Father turned His face from His beloved Son. Jesus felt the lonliness. He felt our loneliness. He took our shame. In those moments on the cross the shame and sin and the blackness of all souls past, present, and future were heaped upon Him and our Holy God could not look on.
“Jesus said, “It is finished.” Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” With that, He bowed His and gave up His Spirit.”
Death did not overtake Him. He ran toward death’s roar and with the words “It is finished,” Jesus punched His fist into the face of death. His arms were an outstretched cry of victory; open wide to receive the world God so loved.
“At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split.”
A torn six inches deep curtain; torn from top to bottom. God tore it. Only He could have. With Jesus’ death we have gained access to approach God’s throne of mercy and grace with great boldness.
“When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened they were terrified and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”
Yes surely He is. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
Joseph of Arimethea asks for His body and Jesus is laid in a rich man’s tomb. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes. The two men take Jesus’ body, and wrap it with the spices in strips of linen. Jesus is placed in the tomb according to Jewish customs.
It was the day of Preparation. Passover would be observed in a few short hours. The Lamb of God was slain at the time the lambs were prepared for Passover meal.
“The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and Nicodemus. They saw the tomb and how His body was laid in it. They went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.”
“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 deceived said, “After three day 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 that 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.”
All is silent now. Creation waits. His disciples are reeling. They are confused and scared. He’s dead. Death had punched each one in the gut and their breath had been knocked out of them. Fear shrouded His promises in each of them and they went into hiding.
But we have the luxury of reading these things from our side of His Story. “SUNDAY’S A COMIN!”