WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.660 Good evening, our final reading tonight is from Luke chapter 23 verses 44 through 49. 00:00:08.300 --> 00:00:12.000 Luke 23 verses 44 through 49. 00:00:13.660 --> 00:00:23.539 Now it was about the sixth hour and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour when the sunlight failed. 00:00:24.859 --> 00:00:28.140 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 00:00:28.140 --> 00:00:35.320 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. 00:00:36.799 --> 00:00:39.380 And having said this, he breathed his last. 00:00:40.780 --> 00:00:47.600 Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, Certainly this man was innocent. 00:00:48.740 --> 00:00:57.460 And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home, beating their breasts. 00:00:58.140 --> 00:01:06.200 And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance, watching these things. 00:01:07.560 --> 00:01:09.060 Please pray with me. 00:01:09.060 --> 00:01:25.320 Lord, we ask tonight, as we consider for a few minutes, Lord, this account of the end of your life, of your death. 00:01:25.319 --> 00:01:30.779 Lord, help us now to stop. 00:01:33.159 --> 00:01:41.000 To put aside the distractions of our homes, our living rooms, our heads, our phones. 00:01:43.000 --> 00:01:49.759 Lord, help us to put aside those things so that we might sit for a few minutes before you and before your word. 00:01:49.760 --> 00:01:56.620 Lord, help us to meditate on these passages for a few minutes. 00:01:57.280 --> 00:01:59.380 And by your spirit, will you help us. 00:02:00.080 --> 00:02:12.780 Help us to comprehend just a little bit more the great sobriety and the awesome wonder of what Good Friday is about. 00:02:12.780 --> 00:02:16.000 We pray this in Jesus' name. 00:02:16.900 --> 00:02:17.199 Amen. 00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:25.180 Friends, think of the scriptures that we've been reading this evening. 00:02:26.219 --> 00:02:30.420 We've come to the final movement of the symphony of Jesus' life. 00:02:31.180 --> 00:02:34.379 This is where he's been heading to his whole life. 00:02:34.379 --> 00:02:38.939 We call it today, Good Friday. 00:02:40.519 --> 00:02:44.819 But it would not have felt good to those on that day. 00:02:46.599 --> 00:02:51.000 Think about what Jesus had walked through, even in the week before. 00:02:51.659 --> 00:02:59.560 He had been opposed, betrayed, arrested, disowned, scorned, and beaten. 00:02:59.560 --> 00:03:08.500 He was hung on the humiliating and shameful cross between two common criminals. 00:03:12.599 --> 00:03:16.900 We come to this final section, starting in verse 44. 00:03:18.199 --> 00:03:22.099 And we see that darkness has descended on the world. 00:03:22.099 --> 00:03:32.459 Now, darkness in biblical imagery, the minds of a first century Jew and a biblical scholar would say, 00:03:32.699 --> 00:03:35.299 darkness is not a good thing. 00:03:36.159 --> 00:03:39.319 Usually, when God shows up, darkness flees. 00:03:40.780 --> 00:03:46.120 Or when darkness comes, it is a sign of God coming in his wrath. 00:03:46.120 --> 00:03:53.400 Sometimes, darkness is used as a symbol for spiritual blindness or moral corruption. 00:03:56.460 --> 00:03:58.340 Darkness is not a good thing. 00:03:59.800 --> 00:04:03.120 And on this day, darkness had fallen on the world. 00:04:03.659 --> 00:04:06.300 The world itself had become unnaturally dark. 00:04:06.500 --> 00:04:10.000 From noon, which is what the sixth hour is. 00:04:10.080 --> 00:04:11.740 Sixth hour after sunrise. 00:04:11.740 --> 00:04:13.300 Sunrise. 00:04:13.960 --> 00:04:17.259 So, noon until about three o'clock, the world turned dark. 00:04:17.980 --> 00:04:19.680 And we might think this is an eclipse. 00:04:19.860 --> 00:04:21.400 And yet, it's a Passover weekend. 00:04:21.519 --> 00:04:24.199 And Passover always happens at a full moon. 00:04:25.160 --> 00:04:28.860 So, whether it was another natural phenomenon. 00:04:28.860 --> 00:04:33.920 Or whether it was simply God supernaturally bringing darkness. 00:04:33.920 --> 00:04:47.140 Either way, God brought darkness physically to the land of Palestine as Jesus hung on the cross. 00:04:48.879 --> 00:04:52.200 It would have been striking to all in Jerusalem. 00:04:53.520 --> 00:04:54.780 Probably frightening. 00:04:54.779 --> 00:05:02.399 They would have remembered that when God descended on Mount Sinai to give the law to Moses. 00:05:02.919 --> 00:05:08.159 He descended with clouds and with darkness and thunder and lightning. 00:05:09.319 --> 00:05:12.979 Or perhaps they would remember the words from the prophet Amos. 00:05:13.879 --> 00:05:16.719 As he speaks of a day of judgment that is to come. 00:05:16.719 --> 00:05:18.879 And on that day, declares the Lord God. 00:05:19.000 --> 00:05:21.299 I will make the sun go down at noon. 00:05:21.479 --> 00:05:24.439 And darken the earth in broad daylight. 00:05:24.779 --> 00:05:30.779 Darkness has fallen on the world. 00:05:31.819 --> 00:05:36.479 And we wonder, what has warranted this? 00:05:37.919 --> 00:05:39.899 Why would darkness come? 00:05:41.119 --> 00:05:43.219 And yet, Luke has prepared us for this. 00:05:43.219 --> 00:05:49.759 The story of the gospel of Luke has prepared us to see this for three times in the last five chapters. 00:05:50.719 --> 00:05:53.259 Verse 19, 47. 00:05:53.259 --> 00:05:55.060 Chapter 19, verse 47. 00:05:55.259 --> 00:05:56.620 Chapter 20, verse 19. 00:05:57.060 --> 00:05:59.120 Chapter 22, verse 2. 00:05:59.719 --> 00:06:05.920 We see that the chief priests and the rulers of the land were seeking to kill Jesus. 00:06:06.120 --> 00:06:07.579 To destroy him. 00:06:08.459 --> 00:06:10.339 In fact, Jesus himself said, 00:06:10.740 --> 00:06:13.339 This is now the dark hour when he was arrested. 00:06:13.480 --> 00:06:15.139 In chapter 2, verses 53. 00:06:15.300 --> 00:06:15.539 It said, 00:06:15.540 --> 00:06:18.640 This is your hour and the power of darkness. 00:06:25.700 --> 00:06:31.240 We've seen the worst of humanity coming out in this story. 00:06:31.740 --> 00:06:33.080 Judas betrays him. 00:06:33.180 --> 00:06:34.160 Peter denies him. 00:06:34.280 --> 00:06:35.140 Mocked by soldiers. 00:06:35.340 --> 00:06:36.200 Scorned by Herod. 00:06:36.199 --> 00:06:37.779 Unjustly given over. 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:40.620 To the mob's will. 00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:43.620 By a weak-kneed pilot. 00:06:44.060 --> 00:06:45.759 Beaten, crucified, and taunted. 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:52.019 The darkness of humanity is on full display in this story. 00:06:52.019 --> 00:07:04.500 My friends, we must not sit back and think in judgment that those people were terrible people who have done wrong. 00:07:05.159 --> 00:07:09.979 Or proudly think that we would have done better if we were in the same place. 00:07:09.980 --> 00:07:19.819 For in our own hearts, we find that there's darkness welling up in us as well. 00:07:20.319 --> 00:07:23.160 Stressful times can bring out the best in us. 00:07:23.700 --> 00:07:27.620 Sometimes stressful times and crisis bring out generosity and kindness. 00:07:28.060 --> 00:07:28.980 Even heroism. 00:07:29.759 --> 00:07:33.939 But often as well, stressful times bring out the worst in us as well. 00:07:33.939 --> 00:07:42.480 The dark impulses of our hearts that we manage mostly in normal times come out so strongly. 00:07:43.459 --> 00:07:50.579 I read this week in the New York Times of an 86-year-old woman with dementia who was in an emergency room in New York City. 00:07:53.800 --> 00:07:58.100 Because she was separated from her family and alone, she became disoriented. 00:07:58.500 --> 00:08:01.959 She started wandering around the emergency room looking for help. 00:08:01.959 --> 00:08:17.699 She invaded the six-foot safety bubble of another patient who in anger, in a flash, in selfishness, pushed the woman out of her six-foot bubble. 00:08:18.500 --> 00:08:25.579 The woman stumbled, fell back, hit her head, and died within three hours of the incident. 00:08:27.740 --> 00:08:28.879 It's a tragedy. 00:08:28.879 --> 00:08:44.600 But would we recognize and acknowledge that in our own fear, in the emergency room, maybe we would do the same thing? 00:08:45.740 --> 00:08:49.659 What have you seen in your own hearts in these last days? 00:08:50.220 --> 00:08:52.320 I went to the grocery store this week. 00:08:52.320 --> 00:08:57.180 I don't ever want to go to the grocery store again after this trip. 00:08:57.879 --> 00:08:59.800 My experience was terrible. 00:09:02.800 --> 00:09:06.300 The grocery store had clearly lined out how we ought to go. 00:09:06.420 --> 00:09:07.879 There were arrows on the floor. 00:09:08.460 --> 00:09:09.280 Go this way. 00:09:09.480 --> 00:09:10.740 Don't go that way. 00:09:11.140 --> 00:09:16.400 Go through so that we can all social distance and protect one another and take care of one another. 00:09:16.399 --> 00:09:23.579 I found myself increasingly frustrated and angry in my heart. 00:09:25.879 --> 00:09:32.039 As I found myself again and again being crisscrossed by people not following the directions. 00:09:32.039 --> 00:09:38.759 I found myself judgmental against those who weren't wearing face masks. 00:09:39.679 --> 00:09:44.980 Not acknowledging that I myself wouldn't have had one if a friend hadn't made one the day before for me. 00:09:45.980 --> 00:09:51.240 I find myself self-righteous about how I was following the rules and why weren't they? 00:09:51.639 --> 00:09:55.839 Till I found myself in the produce department going the wrong way down to one of the aisles. 00:09:55.840 --> 00:10:04.139 And I realized how easily the darkness wells up in my own heart. 00:10:05.940 --> 00:10:11.759 Anger, frustration, judgment, self-righteousness, pride. 00:10:13.980 --> 00:10:18.820 Friends, how often are we jealous of others whose success we covet? 00:10:19.580 --> 00:10:25.540 How often in a moment of fear do we fail our ideals and our deepest values? 00:10:25.840 --> 00:10:31.340 How often do we in a moment of selfishness hurt or abandon those that we love? 00:10:32.180 --> 00:10:37.660 How often do we grab control so that our plans will succeed? 00:10:39.019 --> 00:10:43.420 Regardless of how that tramples over others in our lives. 00:10:45.820 --> 00:10:49.639 Friends, the darkness is not just outside. 00:10:51.180 --> 00:10:52.540 It is inside. 00:10:52.539 --> 00:11:02.679 The darkness that descended on Good Friday is merely a picture of the darkness of our world. 00:11:04.759 --> 00:11:09.019 So on Good Friday, Jesus descended because Jesus was there. 00:11:09.539 --> 00:11:11.459 Having walked his road of suffering. 00:11:12.179 --> 00:11:15.699 Having walked his own path of darkness up to this point. 00:11:15.700 --> 00:11:21.640 And it really leaves us with a question then. 00:11:21.700 --> 00:11:22.800 What did Jesus do? 00:11:25.100 --> 00:11:27.520 Look with me if you have a Bible open. 00:11:27.680 --> 00:11:28.560 I'll read it again. 00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:31.060 Verse 46. 00:11:31.060 --> 00:11:34.540 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, 00:11:35.340 --> 00:11:39.900 Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. 00:11:40.820 --> 00:11:43.500 And having said this, he breathed his last. 00:11:43.500 --> 00:11:47.000 What did Jesus do when the darkness descended? 00:11:47.360 --> 00:11:50.539 What did Jesus do as he hung helpless on the cross? 00:11:50.840 --> 00:11:56.299 What did Jesus do when he saw the darkness seemingly overcoming all? 00:11:59.799 --> 00:12:02.220 He entrusted himself to his Father. 00:12:02.399 --> 00:12:03.980 And in doing so, he was quoting. 00:12:04.500 --> 00:12:07.820 He was quoting from Psalm 31, verse 5. 00:12:07.820 --> 00:12:09.820 A psalm of David. 00:12:09.820 --> 00:12:13.180 A psalm of trust in dark times. 00:12:13.620 --> 00:12:19.780 A psalm where the psalmist talks about being unjustly attacked and fearing for his life. 00:12:21.460 --> 00:12:24.320 Who states again and again and again. 00:12:25.820 --> 00:12:29.340 But I will trust in your unfailing love, my God. 00:12:29.340 --> 00:12:37.180 And interestingly, the one word that he changed, Jesus did, from the psalm of the Old Testament, 00:12:37.340 --> 00:12:39.300 was he added the word Father. 00:12:40.980 --> 00:12:46.860 David called out, God, into your hands I entrust my spirit. 00:12:47.280 --> 00:12:48.940 But Jesus says, Father. 00:12:48.940 --> 00:12:56.580 He calls upon that unique word that Jesus introduced into our vocabulary. 00:12:57.020 --> 00:13:00.240 To see God not merely as a sovereign creator. 00:13:00.560 --> 00:13:02.500 Not even as a ruling king. 00:13:02.740 --> 00:13:07.580 Not only as those things, but as a Father. 00:13:07.580 --> 00:13:17.080 And Jesus, as a son, recalling the intimacy and closeness and love of their relationship. 00:13:17.360 --> 00:13:22.540 Recalling how he knows the Father's power and the Father's love. 00:13:25.120 --> 00:13:31.420 Takes his life and says, Father, this is in your hands. 00:13:31.419 --> 00:13:39.059 Jesus knows that when the darkness descends, that he can trust his Father. 00:13:39.199 --> 00:13:42.479 And so he quotes this verse for himself. 00:13:43.459 --> 00:13:48.419 And friends, we need to remember that Jesus was not a victim in this. 00:13:49.120 --> 00:13:50.500 Jesus was not helpless. 00:13:52.559 --> 00:13:57.000 When we see this verse, it says that having said this, he breathed his last. 00:13:57.079 --> 00:13:59.500 And we remember what the Apostle John wrote. 00:13:59.500 --> 00:14:02.500 That Jesus said that he will lay down his life. 00:14:02.799 --> 00:14:04.899 And that he will take it up again. 00:14:08.320 --> 00:14:11.039 Jesus was the one who said, now is the time. 00:14:11.580 --> 00:14:12.759 Now I will surrender. 00:14:13.200 --> 00:14:14.340 Now I will die. 00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:17.559 He was not a victim. 00:14:18.100 --> 00:14:19.500 Not a powerless pawn. 00:14:19.860 --> 00:14:22.899 But one who had submitted himself to the Father's plan. 00:14:24.059 --> 00:14:27.080 You see, because this was the plan from the very beginning. 00:14:27.080 --> 00:14:29.639 That Jesus would go to his death. 00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:34.060 That Jesus would give himself up. 00:14:34.460 --> 00:14:38.040 Put himself in the hands of his Father. 00:14:40.220 --> 00:14:43.240 To go to the worst imaginable end. 00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:52.420 And he goes with hope that he will be redeemed. 00:14:52.419 --> 00:14:56.839 I want to quote to you from Psalm 31. 00:14:57.979 --> 00:15:00.419 The context, verses 3 through 5. 00:15:00.579 --> 00:15:01.500 So you can hear. 00:15:01.959 --> 00:15:05.539 Because I believe that this would have been what was ringing in Jesus' ears. 00:15:05.539 --> 00:15:08.319 As he cried those words out on the cross. 00:15:09.699 --> 00:15:10.639 Psalm 31. 00:15:11.399 --> 00:15:12.179 He says, 00:15:12.179 --> 00:15:34.919 Friends, so often in the darkness. 00:15:34.919 --> 00:15:37.839 We turn from God. 00:15:39.399 --> 00:15:40.559 In our confusion. 00:15:40.879 --> 00:15:41.439 In our anger. 00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:42.500 In our sorrow. 00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:47.019 We only want God to fix the darkness. 00:15:47.579 --> 00:15:50.279 We want to avoid the darkness altogether. 00:15:50.819 --> 00:15:53.319 We want him to make as if there was no darkness. 00:15:53.479 --> 00:15:55.059 And we end up blaming him. 00:15:55.459 --> 00:15:57.819 And we move away in darkness and fear. 00:15:57.820 --> 00:16:02.260 But Jesus knew that God's ways are different. 00:16:02.720 --> 00:16:06.900 And in fact that he must go through the darkness for us. 00:16:07.920 --> 00:16:10.900 So he entrusted himself to his Father. 00:16:14.940 --> 00:16:18.800 Friends, the darkness that Jesus entered into was not because of his sin. 00:16:19.340 --> 00:16:21.560 Or because he had done anything wrong. 00:16:21.980 --> 00:16:24.120 But it was because of the sin of the world. 00:16:24.120 --> 00:16:28.320 And because of the judgment of God that that sin incurred. 00:16:28.899 --> 00:16:32.299 God's hatred of evil is so great. 00:16:32.720 --> 00:16:34.539 His hatred of death. 00:16:35.159 --> 00:16:44.879 His hatred of the ways in which sin corrupts and destroys and distorts the world. 00:16:45.379 --> 00:16:49.480 That God will not withhold his judgment. 00:16:49.480 --> 00:16:56.320 But in love, Jesus came to take that judgment for us. 00:16:57.560 --> 00:16:59.560 He who knew no darkness. 00:17:00.060 --> 00:17:02.480 Went into darkness for us. 00:17:03.120 --> 00:17:04.799 He stood in our place. 00:17:05.059 --> 00:17:08.220 As under the darkness of our own sin and judgment. 00:17:08.620 --> 00:17:10.519 He willingly said to the Father. 00:17:10.920 --> 00:17:12.779 Pour your wrath out on me. 00:17:13.019 --> 00:17:14.120 Instead of them. 00:17:14.119 --> 00:17:22.519 Because only by going through the darkness would Jesus be able to save us from it. 00:17:25.099 --> 00:17:26.859 So every evil thought. 00:17:27.699 --> 00:17:29.459 Every selfish deed. 00:17:30.439 --> 00:17:32.739 All of the fallenness of our world. 00:17:32.899 --> 00:17:33.839 Every epidemic. 00:17:34.879 --> 00:17:36.359 Every cancer. 00:17:37.659 --> 00:17:39.559 Every piece of selfishness. 00:17:39.559 --> 00:17:41.159 And fear. 00:17:41.960 --> 00:17:42.579 And hatred. 00:17:44.039 --> 00:17:46.200 He bore all of this. 00:17:46.639 --> 00:17:48.039 As he hung on the cross. 00:17:49.240 --> 00:17:50.879 And God recognized that. 00:17:51.500 --> 00:17:52.899 By bringing the darkness. 00:17:53.899 --> 00:17:57.980 But he brought the darkness so that Jesus might go through it for us. 00:17:57.980 --> 00:18:01.099 So that we might be saved from it. 00:18:01.099 --> 00:18:07.179 For remember that this Jesus has been proclaimed through the whole book of Luke. 00:18:07.939 --> 00:18:09.819 As one who's come to save. 00:18:10.639 --> 00:18:11.779 To the angels. 00:18:12.799 --> 00:18:13.859 To the shepherds. 00:18:13.899 --> 00:18:14.699 Remember it said. 00:18:15.219 --> 00:18:18.240 For unto you is born this day in the city of Bethlehem. 00:18:18.319 --> 00:18:19.179 A savior. 00:18:19.839 --> 00:18:21.179 Who is Christ the Lord. 00:18:21.539 --> 00:18:22.980 Or as he began his ministry. 00:18:23.359 --> 00:18:24.059 He said. 00:18:24.419 --> 00:18:25.319 Quoting from Isaiah. 00:18:25.319 --> 00:18:28.000 I have come to proclaim good news to the poor. 00:18:28.500 --> 00:18:29.319 Liberty to the captives. 00:18:29.319 --> 00:18:31.919 Recovery of sight to the blind. 00:18:32.539 --> 00:18:34.639 To set at liberty those who are oppressed. 00:18:35.159 --> 00:18:37.899 And to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. 00:18:40.919 --> 00:18:42.839 Jesus said he came not for the healthy. 00:18:42.960 --> 00:18:43.740 But for the sick. 00:18:43.839 --> 00:18:44.759 Not for the righteous. 00:18:45.519 --> 00:18:47.859 But to call sinners to repentance. 00:18:49.159 --> 00:18:51.919 That he came to seek and save the lost. 00:18:52.539 --> 00:18:55.079 So that he might bring them back to God. 00:18:55.079 --> 00:18:55.119 God. 00:18:56.299 --> 00:18:58.419 And so Luke records. 00:18:58.619 --> 00:19:01.039 That the curtain in the temple was torn. 00:19:01.539 --> 00:19:05.559 So that now the place where there had been a dividing wall. 00:19:05.619 --> 00:19:07.279 Between humanity and God. 00:19:07.839 --> 00:19:10.159 There was now access again. 00:19:10.899 --> 00:19:13.919 And that not only Jesus could call him father. 00:19:14.299 --> 00:19:17.179 But that all who are joined by faith with Christ. 00:19:17.539 --> 00:19:19.079 Could call him father. 00:19:19.079 --> 00:19:19.179 Father. 00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:22.740 Jesus died to rescue us. 00:19:23.859 --> 00:19:25.919 And to secure a hope for us. 00:19:27.299 --> 00:19:29.439 That gives us the power to walk. 00:19:30.299 --> 00:19:31.319 Through darkness. 00:19:31.819 --> 00:19:32.939 In this life. 00:19:37.460 --> 00:19:38.519 For we know friends. 00:19:38.599 --> 00:19:39.980 That this is not the end of the story. 00:19:41.179 --> 00:19:42.019 It's Friday. 00:19:43.339 --> 00:19:44.599 But Sunday is coming. 00:19:44.599 --> 00:19:48.659 Jesus did not end in death and darkness. 00:19:49.559 --> 00:19:51.639 But having been laid in a tomb. 00:19:52.699 --> 00:19:53.659 Three days later. 00:19:53.959 --> 00:19:55.959 God raised him from the dead. 00:19:57.259 --> 00:19:57.959 And the God. 00:19:58.159 --> 00:19:59.539 Into whose hands. 00:19:59.699 --> 00:20:01.299 Jesus had committed his spirit. 00:20:02.459 --> 00:20:04.480 This God raised him to new. 00:20:04.579 --> 00:20:06.099 And an indestructible life. 00:20:06.939 --> 00:20:08.000 And now. 00:20:08.419 --> 00:20:09.359 He calls all. 00:20:10.039 --> 00:20:10.659 Of us. 00:20:11.980 --> 00:20:13.759 To repent of our darkness. 00:20:13.759 --> 00:20:15.099 And to come to him. 00:20:15.160 --> 00:20:16.799 Who went through darkness for us. 00:20:17.339 --> 00:20:19.079 So that by faith in him. 00:20:19.240 --> 00:20:21.059 We might no longer walk in darkness. 00:20:22.039 --> 00:20:23.859 But live in the light. 00:20:24.819 --> 00:20:26.740 And the indestructible life. 00:20:26.839 --> 00:20:27.519 Of Christ. 00:20:27.599 --> 00:20:29.039 Who was raised by the dead. 00:20:29.660 --> 00:20:30.619 Raised from the dead. 00:20:32.680 --> 00:20:33.160 Friends. 00:20:33.279 --> 00:20:34.500 This is the good news. 00:20:34.920 --> 00:20:35.819 And the hope. 00:20:37.799 --> 00:20:39.359 So even as we walk. 00:20:39.359 --> 00:20:40.720 And face darkness. 00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:41.900 In our lives. 00:20:41.900 --> 00:20:43.900 There is great hope. 00:20:44.420 --> 00:20:44.860 Indeed. 00:20:45.460 --> 00:20:46.259 Let's pray. 00:20:52.000 --> 00:20:52.720 Jesus. 00:20:52.960 --> 00:20:54.320 We stand amazed. 00:20:56.720 --> 00:20:58.300 At your willingness. 00:20:58.620 --> 00:20:59.700 To entrust yourself. 00:21:00.100 --> 00:21:01.200 To the father. 00:21:02.180 --> 00:21:03.440 And to walk through darkness. 00:21:03.440 --> 00:21:04.120 Of death. 00:21:04.960 --> 00:21:05.880 And judgment. 00:21:06.100 --> 00:21:06.620 For us. 00:21:06.619 --> 00:21:10.039 So that we might not bear those. 00:21:11.959 --> 00:21:12.399 Ourselves. 00:21:12.559 --> 00:21:14.279 So that we might not be overcome. 00:21:14.579 --> 00:21:15.939 And swallowed up in darkness. 00:21:16.319 --> 00:21:18.500 But so that we might be saved from it. 00:21:21.099 --> 00:21:22.779 God I pray that this hope. 00:21:22.899 --> 00:21:24.479 Would take hold in our hearts today. 00:21:26.199 --> 00:21:27.179 Help us Lord. 00:21:28.519 --> 00:21:29.959 Help us to believe. 00:21:30.139 --> 00:21:30.779 And to know. 00:21:30.779 --> 00:21:33.259 The glorious truth. 00:21:34.559 --> 00:21:35.940 Jesus Christ. 00:21:36.220 --> 00:21:37.680 Died to save sinners. 00:21:38.579 --> 00:21:39.319 Like us. 00:21:40.399 --> 00:21:41.660 Jesus name we pray. 00:21:42.259 --> 00:21:42.500 Amen.