Here’s my sermon “Death’s Death” preached at Cross of Christ Fellowship on Good Friday 2023. Audio here.
Luke 23:44-46 “Death’s Death”
Intro: DARKNESS, ISOLATION, DEATH.
-Is there a way to find hope in the face of darkness, isolation, and death?
-The way to find hope is in the death of Jesus. His death brought about the death of death and gives us hope.
-This is why the day that Jesus died is now called GOOD Friday.
Tonight, let’s consider the death of Jesus together.
DEATH OF JESUS (44-46)
Context: Jesus betrayed, arrested, condemned, and crucified on a Roman cross.
-He been mocked, and now the moment of his death is drawing near.
1 Darkness of the hour (44-45a)
44 It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 while the sun’s light failed.
-A DARKNESS COVERED THE LAND FOR 3 HOURS (12-3 PM). -Supernaturally, God brought about a darkness over the land while Jesus was dying on cross.
-NOT a coincidence, but a supernatural sign from God.
-DARKNESS OF SIN: Our sin is real and evil.
-Darkness out there; Darkness within
-AT CROSS, Jesus was facing darkness of sin and defeating it.
-It was a DARK moment: the sinless Son of God dying.
-It was even darker theologically: all of our sins were placed on Jesus.
-Jesus was experiencing God’s wrath: propitiation
-Jesus here was giving his life as a ransom for his people (Matt 20:28).
–HOPE: Jesus faced the darkness of sin and death for His people.
-Jesus is the ‘light of the world’ (John 8:12); light that overcomes darkness (John 1:5)
2 Dividing of the Curtain (45b) And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. -Important detail you may not understand at first…
-Significance. explained: temple place of worship.
-The curtain is what separated God’s people from holy of holies.
-ISOLATION FROM GOD: Our sin has cut us off from a relationship with God.
-We are unholy and cannot be close to Him.
-CURTAIN TORN IN TWO=The way to God has been opened!
-Jesus brings us back to God. Eph 2:12-13.
–HOPE: Jesus gives us hope in the face of isolation from God—we can be close to God again!
-Knowledge of God is the greatest joy and our greatest need.
3 Death of Jesus (46)
46 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.
FINAL MOMENTS of Jesus’ life.
-Prayer of Jesus “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!”
-Jesus prayed and drew near to His Father: entrusted himself to God the Father
-Jesus shows courage and hope in the face of death
-Death of Jesus “breathed his last” -Culminating moment of Jesus’ ministry
-Historical reality [see 49]
-Predicted and foretold by Jesus: a death to defeat death.
HOPE: The death of Jesus gives us hope in the face of death.
-Jesus’ death brought about the death of death: 2 Tim 1:10.
-Death’s death: Isaiah 25:7-8
CONCLUSION:
There is a way to hope in the face of darkness, isolation, and death, and that is found in the death of Jesus.
-If you come him in faith, you will be saved from your sins and reconciled to God and have hope of eternal life.
-And it gets even better: Jesus did not stay dead!
