Luke 23:44-56 "The Dying Savior"

You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

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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.

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.

Luke 23 · chapter mention

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.

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.

Amos 8 · chapter mention

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,

Hebrews 10 · chapter mention

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.

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,

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.

I will.

I will.

I will.

I will.

I will.

I will.

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.

Thank you.