You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.
Our passion is to experience and express grace.
Join us.
Amen.
Thank you all so much.
I love that song, He has beaten death at death's own game.
Isn't that the story of the Easter week and of the gospel message?
As I set up here for just a minute, I'm excited about Easter.
I'm really thankful for Cole's words.
I hope you're able to celebrate with us at some of these special events this week.
And also invite your friends to be a part of that.
You'll see even as you go look at the events, there are ways you can serve to help us be prepared to welcome people.
We do need your help with that, with food and other ways that you welcome people.
But it's because we're celebrating good news, right?
That's why we would do this.
That's why you'd come to a service on a Thursday night.
Because there's good news that is worth celebrating and it's worth sharing, isn't it?
Both of those things we get the privilege of doing this week.
Amen?
Let's do that together.
Easter Sunday is coming.
But in our study in Luke, it's still Friday.
From the praises of Palm Sunday that we've been enjoying this morning, now we've come to the crucifixion itself on Friday morning.
Last week we saw Jesus as the forgiving Savior, even as He was nailed to the cross, having mercy on those around Him.
He promises eternal life with Him to the dying thief, doesn't He?
And now it's noon.
It doesn't look or feel like it here outside Jerusalem.
And we're going to hear the rest of the story of the death of Jesus.
Luke chapter 23.
We'll pick up the reading at verse 44.
This is God's holy Word.
It was now about the sixth hour, noon, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun's light failed.
And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.
Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said,
Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.
And having said this, He breathed His last.
Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying,
Certainly this man was innocent.
And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts.
And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things.
Now there was a man named Joseph from the Jewish town of Arimathea.
He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, who had not consented to their decision and action.
And he was looking for the kingdom of God.
This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone where no one had ever yet been laid.
It was the day of preparation and the Sabbath was beginning.
The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid.
Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments.
On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
Let's pray.
Father, very somber words for sure as we hear of the death of our Savior.
Would you have it to be that we would understand not merely what happened, but why and why each and every one of us needs his death and needs to trust the Savior.
Father, speak to us by your Spirit through your Word.
We need it.
We come sinful and needy and weak and ask that you would speak and that you would heal and that you would give life.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Jesus really died.
When we read that a few moments ago.
But I just want to acknowledge up front how utterly remarkable that reality is.
Jesus really died.
The Lord of life expires.
The promised Messiah King who healed others who were dying.
Who walked through crowds prepared to kill Him.
Hangs on the cross and breathes His last.
The heart of the perfect Son of God that beats with love, beats no more.
I considered stopping this sermon right there and having us ponder that puzzle.
We've heard this so many times that perhaps reading over it in one verse is old hat and we think,
yeah, sure, that's what happens next.
Can you even wrap your mind around that reality this morning?
It's hard, isn't it?
It's hard to imagine Jesus really died.
But Jesus has been telling us all along that His death is absolutely essential.
That it's vital that it must happen, right?
It's vital to who He is and why He has come.
In fact, Paul tells us that when he starts saying,
here are the things that are most important, what do they start with?
That Christ Jesus died and that He was buried.
Two things we just read about.
What's most important for us to know in all the world are those truths.
Luke makes sure that we don't miss either of them.
That's a big part of this passage.
That as usual, he is documenting with eyewitnesses.
This time a wide range of eyewitnesses.
Roman centurions.
Jewish women.
Crowds from outside Jerusalem.
A Jewish religious leader.
Greatly respected.
They all see and can affirm what happens here.
It's important to Luke to establish that Jesus really died.
Because Jesus really died.
Perhaps that seems normal to us.
But it wouldn't have earned His followers any points, would it?
To talk about their leader who had died.
Certainly would seem easier to promote a powerful, conquering Messiah.
Because all the people around were looking for one, weren't they?
They were longing for that.
As I was reminded recently, Islam teaches that part of Jesus' good name and being a great person is that He never actually died.
But rather that Allah brought Jesus to Himself.
That's the way to make someone you respect important, right?
Unless that's not the way it happened.
Luke wants the historical truth, remember?
No matter how hard it is.
Luke's eyewitnesses walk with Jesus all week.
And all weekend.
And follow Him every step of the way to the cross.
Until His side is pierced.
His blood and water pour out.
He's taken, wrapped up, buried in a tomb.
Hundreds of these witnesses that are in the city this day will, in coming months,
give their lives for the truth of Jesus' death and resurrection.
That's how sure they are of what they saw.
They themselves will die for their belief in that truth.
Jesus really dies.
Luke wants us to know that.
But he also wants us to see a couple of other occurrences around Jesus' death that show us the significance of it.
Why did He die?
Why not another way?
What did Jesus' death accomplish?
First, notice that Jesus in His death took our judgment.
We saw last week how Jesus kept speaking of repentance and forgiveness at the cross.
But now, here Luke highlights the just penalty that our sin deserves.
Verse 44, it was now about the sixth hour and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour while the sun's light failed.
Noon to three o'clock.
Darkness.
Not just a cloudy day.
The sun's light goes out.
That's amazing.
That's what the sun does, isn't it?
The sun's light fails.
I'm not sure exactly how God worked this out.
But it's clear that creation is groaning as Jesus hangs on the cross.
In particular, this darkness is a picture of God's judgment.
We could read about it in many prophets.
Joel, Zephaniah.
But this morning, I want to look briefly at Amos chapter 8 where God is speaking of His judgment on His people.
On the day of the Lord, His coming judgment.
And I'll just read a couple of the verses that describe it.
On that day, declares the Lord God,
I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.
I'll turn your feasts into mourning.
All your songs into lamentation.
I'll bring sackcloth on every waist and baldness on every head.
I will make it like the mourning for an only son.
And the end of it like a bitter day.
A day of mourning.
Like mourning for an only son.
Interesting that God would cast it in those terms, isn't it?
The darkness that comes.
A picture of the judgment of God.
Not merely on those who are killing His son.
But on sin.
See, it's the sin of God's creatures.
Our rebellion against Him in our thoughts, words, attitudes, actions.
That incites His just wrath, isn't it?
Forgiveness that we've been talking about is needed at the cross
because a holy God has been repeatedly and willfully turned against.
People, you and me included, have decided to pursue our own ways.
To find life and fulfillment and things and people other than God.
And the Bible tells us the wages of that sin is death.
That's what our sin deserves.
The wrath and curse of God forever.
God tells us Himself He will not and cannot overlook sin and clear guilty people.
He's too righteous.
Too good of a judge to declare guilty people innocent, isn't He?
He won't do it.
So sin must be punished.
And the darkness moves in.
You can feel that sin must be punished.
This day will not be the only day,
but one particular glimpse of God's judgment breaking into human history.
See, when God's just judgment on your sin shows up,
it's not a small thing.
I've had people say to me things like,
yeah, I deserve to lose that job.
Or to lose that relationship.
Or even to lose that game.
Because I really messed up.
God was getting me back.
Giving me what I deserved.
Friends,
do we not see the true awfulness of our sin?
The game?
If God was getting you back,
making you pay for your sin,
it would have been far, far worse than that, yes?
Sin deserves death.
When it gets its just reward,
that's the only thing.
Death and death forever.
I want to show you a picture of what happened on that cross
that I can still remember my RUF campus minister showing me in college.
It seems like a good time of year for eggs, right?
Kids, you may be looking forward to some eggs,
but this morning, it's not looking so good for the egg.
I've got an egg and a hammer for this illustration.
It's not looking great for the egg, is it?
But see, the egg represents us.
Okay?
And no matter how hard we try
and all the good things we do
to try to make ourselves look clean
and shiny on the outside,
we go to church and we do good things,
and it's all still an eggshell.
That's all we can do on our own
because of our sin.
Leaves us a little bit fragile, doesn't it?
The hammer in this picture represents God's wrath
because of our sin,
we deserve to be crushed by God.
That's what should happen to our sin, right?
We should be crushed by God forever.
And in God's wrath comes,
His just judgment comes on sin and sinners.
And you see what happens
when God's just judgment comes on our sin is...
Actually, that's not exactly how the story goes, is it?
The one we read this morning,
actually in God's story,
something else happens, doesn't it?
And it's not that the egg gets any better.
It's not that the hammer goes away.
But something else steps in.
This paint can here will represent Jesus.
Jesus comes and on the cross,
what does Jesus do?
Jesus steps in,
into the place where those cursed sinners
are supposed to be.
And He stands there on the cross
where the sinners were.
And God says that He decided,
instead of His wrath coming on our sin,
He decided to crush Jesus, right?
That the hammer of God's wrath
really did come down on Jesus.
Nobody's sleeping anymore, is there?
That Jesus was crushed
in our place.
That He took the wrath of God
that was meant for us
and He protected us.
That we're safe because
He covered us and protected us.
See, Jesus didn't deserve to die at all,
did He?
Even the soldier in charge
of putting Him on the cross
could see that.
Certainly, this man was innocent.
Righteous.
That's five times now,
in case you're counting,
in one day that someone has seen this
about Jesus.
So if Jesus didn't have any sin,
God can't call an innocent person
guilty, can He?
Just like He can't call
a guilty person innocent,
God can't call an innocent person guilty.
So if Jesus didn't have any sin,
then whose sin is He dying for?
When we read of His death on the cross,
it has to be sin.
That's what gets death.
He's dying for your sin.
My sin.
The sin of His people.
Did you notice that that day of judgment
judgment was supposed to be God's judgment
coming on His people?
But it actually,
as darkness falls and someone dies,
it's actually coming on Jesus.
Isn't it?
The hammer of God's wrath
falls on Jesus
so that everyone who trusts Him,
who runs to Him for refuge,
no matter how weak His shell is,
no matter how dirty her past is,
it doesn't really matter if the shell's white
or dark or muddy,
everyone who runs and finds refuge in Jesus
is safe.
If Jesus didn't really die,
then this hammer is still coming down on us.
But because He did,
Jesus took our judgment,
which was what?
Guilty.
Deserving death.
And we get His judgment.
Innocent.
Life.
Forever.
Isn't that amazing?
That He would die,
that He would be crushed in your place?
He's the only place to run
from what you deserve.
And instead of getting justice,
to get grace never-ending.
If you can imagine it,
the second picture Luke gives us
makes it even better than that.
He also shows us how Jesus in His death
welcomed us home.
See, home is where God is.
Mankind was created to live with God.
That's what makes us at home.
To have this relationship with Him
that's so special,
but sin messed that up, didn't it?
It didn't merely earn death,
although it did that,
but it separated us from God.
Remember what happened to Adam and Eve
in the very first sin?
What do they have to do?
They've been walking with God
in the garden,
and now they're sent away.
Out of His presence.
Away from Him.
Out of the garden.
Out of their home with Him.
And so when God comes in the Bible
to live with His people,
sometimes it's in the tabernacle,
or then it's in the temple.
It's not like it used to be.
There's not walking and talking
with God in the garden.
There's a barrier, isn't there,
between God and people.
In the Jerusalem temple,
it's this really thick curtain
before the Holy of Holies,
the place where God lives.
And it requires many sacrifices
to get one man into that place
one day a year,
and that's all.
No one else.
But in this dramatic moment
of darkness descending on Jerusalem,
the Son of God breathing His last breaths,
God reaches down, as it were,
to that curtain.
Verse 45,
and the curtain of the temple
was torn in two.
The curtain that hung there from the top
ripped all the way down to the bottom
and laid aside.
No longer is God's presence
with His people
mediated through that curtain
and those sacrifices.
No, now through the death of Jesus,
God welcomes His people home
where they're meant to be.
Do you see in that the restoration
of that relationship,
of the fellowship,
of the creational purpose
for which God always intended it,
were to live in paradise
with Him
in His presence?
I'm not making this up
from a little detail in Luke.
Hebrews chapter 10 says this,
we have confidence
to enter the holy places
by the blood of Jesus,
by the new and living way
that He opened for us
through the curtain
that is through His flesh.
You see His body
and His blood
mentioned there?
What Jesus has done
is given us
now unlimited access
to God,
to a holy God
for unholy people.
All of God's people
now have access
into His presence.
In fact,
even Jesus,
who we're told elsewhere,
has just called out,
my God, my God,
why have you forsaken me?
As He bears sins
on the cross,
says,
verse 46,
Father.
The intimacy
of the Trinity
has been separated
as never before.
Why have you forsaken me?
And yet,
in the darkest moment,
even there,
the Father
is there.
And so now,
all His children,
by faith in Jesus,
can come home
to their Father
anytime,
in the deepest darkness
of their lives.
Not through their great efforts,
not by bringing enough money
to church with them,
not through their great sacrifices,
but through the single
sacrifice of Jesus,
we come home.
See,
Jesus doesn't just
protect us
from God's wrath
and then leave us
living life
fragile
and alone
and isolated
and with no more protection.
No.
He dies
to welcome us
into God's family,
to bring us home
to our Father
so that we always
live in His presence
even now.
There's a door
in this hallway
beside the sanctuary
that says
private
on it.
I want to tell you
a secret about that.
Most of you have never
been through that door.
On the other side
of that door
is the pastor's study.
It's where
on many mornings,
especially Thursday mornings,
I'm studying
and writing sermons
and no one else
can come in.
The staff jokes
that they're
not allowed
into the inner sanctum
then.
The doors are closed.
No one gets in.
Okay?
But last year,
almost every Thursday morning
around 9.30
as the ladies
were gathering
in their small groups
for Bible study
and I was sitting
in my chair,
I would hear
some little feet
running down
the hallway
towards that door
and I would jump up
out of my sermon
writing chair
and I would run
over to the door
and my five-year-old
daughter, Lily,
would come running in
and jump up
into my arms
and give me a big hug.
It's a great way
to start your Thursday.
I was always glad
to take a break
for that.
I'm going to ask you
a question I think
you'll know the answer to.
Why for her,
when even the other
pastors were locked out?
Why for her?
Because she's my child,
right?
She has access.
Anytime she wants,
she can run
into my arms
and be at home.
That's what Jesus
is making us
on the cross.
Children
who can run
into the arms
of their father.
See, many people
see in this passage
a great example
of how to die.
Running into the arms
of our father
at death.
And that's certainly here.
Jesus, in his final hours,
thinks of others.
Quotes Scripture.
Trusts God's strength.
Follows God's plan.
And even in his last breath,
entrusts himself
to his father's
faithful care.
Care.
It's a great,
great picture for us
of how to die.
Pastor Jimmy Agan says,
even at the moment
of death,
Jesus would rather
entrust himself
to his father's
steadfast love
than attempt
to deliver himself.
It's good stuff.
I need to start
living that way now.
And it is true
that the death
of Jesus
changes death
for us.
Colin Smith writes,
Christ's death
changes death
for all his people.
When you die,
you will not carry
your sin and guilt
into your death
because he carried it
into his death
for you.
If you are in Christ,
you will never know
what it is like
to die
a sin-bearing death.
Amen?
Yes.
As we consider
facing death
one day,
the confidence
and humility
and trust
of Jesus
can be ours
because we learn
from him
and because he
bore our sins
and took our punishment.
That's good news.
But y'all,
Jesus didn't die
primarily
to give us
an example
of how to die.
but rather
to give us
an empowerment
for how to live
right now
today
where he has
placed us.
He died
to tear the curtain
so that we could
run home
into the arms
of our heavenly
father
now.
Yeah,
a lot of times
we live like
that curtain
is still there,
don't we?
I only really
talk to God
on Sunday.
Only the pastor
can really pray
especially about
important things.
I better not
try something
big and tough
for God,
something risky.
I don't want
to risk failing.
He might turn
his back on me.
You know,
when I'm struggling
with sin,
I better keep
my distance
from God
for a while.
No,
no,
because of
Jesus,
the relationship
with God
is yours
now.
Not just
one day,
someday
in heaven.
Let me finish
the Hebrews passage
where he tells us
how to live
because of the
torn curtain.
Since we have
confidence to
enter the holy
places by the
blood of Jesus,
by the new
and living way
that he opened
for us through
the curtain,
that is through
his flesh,
since we have
a great priest
over the house
of God,
all of those
things we have
now.
let us
now draw
near with
a true
heart,
in full
assurance of
faith,
with our
hearts sprinkled
clean from
an evil
conscience,
and our
bodies washed
with pure
water.
Let us
hold fast
the confession
of our hope
without wavering,
for he who
promised
is faithful.
Brothers
and sisters,
let us
draw near
often.
Let us
hold fast
always
because he
is
faithful.
You're his
child.
He is your
father who
loves you
and you can
run into his
arms anytime
now.
Lily runs
into my
office partly
because as
a child,
her eye
line,
her line
of sight
is too
low to
read the
word private
on the
door.
She hasn't
noticed it
yet.
If she
ever grows
up and
becomes an
adult who's
taller,
who can read
that sign
and stops
coming into
my office,
I'll tear
that sign
down.
I assure
you I
will.
I will.
Have you
grown up
too much
to remember
you're his
child?
And your
father has
sent his
son so
that you
can live
with him
and come
to him
anytime
in any
situation.
He loves
you so
much that
he tears
the curtain
down so
you can be
with him.
Colin Smith
again.
When our
sin reached
its full
horror,
at the
worst
possible
moment,
God's
love was
displayed in
all its
glory.
If you
doubt God's
love for
you,
look at
the cross.
No other
love can
match this.
Nothing else
in our
experience can
come close.
God's love
for us in
Christ is
greater than
we ever
dared
dream.
the love
of God
in Christ
is a
beautiful
thing to
remember as
we prepare
to come
to this
table.
Notice
in verse
46,
Luke tells
us,
Jesus
called out
with a
loud voice
his final
words,
Father,
into your
hands I
commit my
spirit.
Shockingly,
with almost
no air
left in
his lungs
on the
cross,
Jesus
calls out
in a
loud voice,
y'all,
that doesn't
happen.
You've never
been to a
crucifixion,
that's not
how it
ends.
Jesus
calls out
in a
loud voice
and actively
entrusts his
spirit to
his Father.
Why is Luke
highlighting this?
I think it's
because Jesus
is showing
us that no
one takes
his life
from him.
He lays
it down
of his own
accord as
he told us.
Maybe this is
part of what
made the
centurion
believe he
was the
innocent son
of God.
He was
close enough
to see
the incredible
love that
sent Jesus
to the
cross
purposefully.
He knew
where he was
going and
he went
there to
take the
judgment for
your sins
and to
welcome you
home to
your Father
and to a
table like
this one
where the
Father eats
with you.
Knowing that
that cross
was coming,
Jesus
just 24
hours earlier
sat with
his disciples
and he took
bread
and he broke
it
and gave
it to
him and
said,
take,
eat,
this is
my body
broken for
you,
do this
in remembrance
of me.
And then
he took
the cup
and said,
this cup
is the new
covenant
in my blood.
Shed for
many for the
forgiveness of
sins,
drink from
it,
all of you.
He wasn't
confused about
where he was
headed.
and he
went there
for you
and for
me
because of
his great
love for
you.
Let's pray.
Jesus,
my sins
are enough
for you
to have
needed to
die
for me
to know
my Father.
Our sins
are greater
than we
can count
and we
thank you.
Not just
for words,
but for
your body
and blood
given to
us that
we can
touch
and smell
and taste
this morning
and remember
your love
and rejoice
in it.
Would these
strengthen our
faith?
They're common
elements,
but Father,
you use them
for holy
purposes in
our hearts
and you're
here meeting
with us
by your
spirit.
We give
you praise
and thanks
in Jesus'
name.
Amen.
This table
is not
Southwood's
table
or the
Presbyterian
church's.
It's the
Lord's
table.
And He
invites all
of us
who have
come home
to the
Father
through the
death of
Jesus
in our
place,
who have
baptized
Christians
from any
church
that preaches
salvation
through Christ
alone
to come
and celebrate
with us.
Listen,
if you
don't
trust
Jesus
to be
the
solution
to
your
problem
with
sin,
then don't
come
and partake
of these
elements
this morning.
Don't come
and say
outwardly
something that
you don't
believe to be
true
inwardly.
We wouldn't
ask you to
do that
at all.
Please know
you're welcome
to come
as we do
to these
tables and
just say,
will you pray
with me?
We'd love
to do
that.
But rather
than coming
to a table
and taking
bread and
juice,
we'd love
to talk
with you
about
Jesus
himself
and how
he is
the one,
the only
one,
who can
deal with
our sin,
yours and
ours.
Listen,
if you do
trust him,
if he's
your savior,
draw near
to God
this morning
through
this bread
and juice,
come through
the body
and blood
of Jesus
and don't
just take
bread and
juice,
but meet
with God.
Draw near
to him,
hold fast
to him,
encourage your
brothers and
sisters to
trust him.
That's why
we come.
We come
because Jesus
has died for
our sins
so that we
can come
and run
into the arms
of our
father this
morning and
know him
and trust
him and
love him
more.
Our host
team will
usher you
to tables
forward,
and back
as we
celebrate
together
and draw
our strength
from his
grace.
Let's do
that now.
For more
information,
visit us
online at
southwood.org.
Thank you.