The Best Day

Luke 24:1-53

Last week, the title of our message was “The Darkest Day.”  We started toward the end of Luke 22.  There we saw the familiar sequence of events.  Jesus and the disciples went to the Mount of Olives to pray.    Under great anguish and stress at what Jesus knew would happen, He went off to pray just a short way from the disciples.  While Jesus prayed, the disciples had fallen asleep.  Jesus returns, wakes them, and exhorts them to pray.  While they are still speaking, Judas arrives with a crowd.  They seize Jesus and lead Him away to the house of the high priest.

Peter follows, and while standing in the courtyard, Peter denies that he knows Jesus.  Jesus had foretold this, and when Peter remembers Jesus’ words and realizes he has disowned Jesus, he goes out and weeps bitterly.

Before the council of elders, Jesus acknowledges He is the Son of God.  With this confession, the assembly takes Jesus to Pilate the governor of Judea.

When they have stated their case, Pilate finds no basis with which to charge Jesus of a crime, certainly not one deserving of death.  Through the questioning, Pilate realizes Jesus is a resident of Galilee, so he sends Jesus to Herod since Galilee is under Herod’s jurisdiction.  Jesus gives no answer to Herod’s many questions and is sent back to Pilate.  Pilate offers the chief priest and rulers of the people to punish Jesus and release Him.  They refuse this offer and instead ask Pilate to release Barabbas, a murderer.

Pilate still tries to release Jesus, but the people are near rioting at this point, shouting “Crucify Him!  Crucify Him!”  Luke 23:25 says an interesting thing.  It does not say that Pilate condemned Jesus to death, rather Luke says that Pilate surrendered Jesus to the will of the people.

Jesus is taken and crucified between two criminals.  Hanging there on the cross, many insult Him and taunt Him to save Himself if He is in fact the Son of God.  At midday, darkness comes over the whole land.  The darkness lasts until three.  Luke says that the sun stopped shining (23:45).  At the death of the creator of the universe, would it not be fitting that the sun itself would mark the severity of this event.  At three, Jesus cries out, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” And He died.

Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Council who had not consented to the decision of the others nor their actions, goes to Pilate and asks for Jesus’ body.  Maybe it is because I am an old(er) man, this scene touches me with grief more and more as the years go by.  Here is Jesus, a young man, just 33 years old, in the physical prime of his life, struck down, crucified, dead.  And here is Joseph, and Nicodemus with Him, both surely older men and perhaps quite old, taking Jesus’ body, wrapping it and placing it in a tomb.  All four Gospels speak of this significant event following Jesus’ death.

Likewise, the women who had followed Jesus, follow Joseph to the burial of Jesus at the tomb. Seeing how His body was laid in it, the women then went home and prepared spices and perfumes, but they rested Friday night and Saturday in honor of the Sabbath.

That brings us to Luke chapter 24.  We will follow the course of Luke 24 to the end which is also the end of the book of Luke.  Before we step into today’s passage and the best day, let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, thank You that You were willing to sacrifice Yourself to deliver us.  Please grant us understanding as we look into the account of Your resurrection.  May Your Spirit fill each one listening and may we rejoice in the good news.

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you, while He was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' " Then they remembered His words. – Luke 24:1-8

In Jerusalem, the tombs are most often in caves.  The tombs needed a stone over the entrance to keep critters or even thieves and vandals out.  In the case of Jesus’ burial, the tomb had been sealed and a guard placed.  And so, it was strange to find the tomb open.  Matthew explains that an angel had come and rolled away the stone.

Now, it was very early on Sunday, at first light.  Going inside, they find it empty which is even more surprising.  They are not left to wonder for long.  The angels’ opening question is filled with excitement and hope.  The One whom they are seeking is among the living.

Then, the angels remind the women of what Jesus had said.  In Luke 9, after Peter says that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, Jesus tells the disciples ...

The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. – Luke 9:22

In John 2, after chasing the money changers and those selling animals for sacrifice out of the temple courts, Jesus is questioned by the people, “What sign can He show them to prove His authority to do this?”  Jesus replies …

Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”

They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and You are going to raise it in three days?”

But the temple he had spoken of was His body. – John 2:19-21

When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.  Luke 24:9-12

We often mention that it was significant that Jesus’ resurrection was revealed to the women first, and how that was uncharacteristic of that time period, that a major announcement would come first to the women.  I think another aspect of that reality that Jesus’ resurrection was revealed first to the women is that the women were the ones who were still seeking after Jesus even at first light after the Sabbath.  Jesus reveals Himself to those who seek Him.  “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7, Luke 11:9) 

The others including the Eleven could not understand, and they didn’t believe them.  Sometimes, we get frustrated if others don’t understand the good news.  But, it is not only a thing of explaining and reasoning, there has to be a movement of the Spirit of God to open hearts and minds to the truth.  We should not underestimate the need for prayer in evangelism.

Peter goes on a quick run to the tomb.  He sees the situation, empty and the strips of linen lying there empty, the body gone.  This also was not enough for Peter.  He is still wondering.  Obviously, something happened.  The body is gone, but he does not see the possibility of resurrection … yet.

Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing Him. He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?" They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked Him, "Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?" "What things?" He asked. "About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed Him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified Him; but we had hoped that He was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn't find His body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said He was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus." He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself. – Luke 24:13-27

This account is found only in the book of Luke.  It is such a blessing that we have it recorded.  You know the scene.  Two disciples, not of the original twelve, are walking along for a couple of hours, to a village near to Jerusalem.  They are walking and talking about what has happened.  As they are walking, Jesus overtakes them walking in the same direction.  I take it as an evidence of Jesus’ humility and sense of humor that He doesn’t reveal Himself directly.

Why does Jesus come to these two disciples?  We don’t have a definite reason.  However, they are actively trying to make sense out of the situation.  They are talking about what has happened to Jesus.  Is this not the point when Jesus reveals Himself to His people?

Jesus asks what they are discussing.  At first, they can’t even bring themselves to answer, or don’t know where to start.  Finally, Cleopas comes back with a question for Jesus.  Even if you just arrived in Jerusalem, how can you not know what has happened?

Jesus allows them to tell what has happened with a simple question of His own.  “What things?” He asks.  That’s a good reminder for us in conversation.  Sometimes we want to show what we know or feel like we have to answer every question that comes our way.  Often, there is wisdom in asking another question so that you can understand where the questioner is coming from.  In Jesus’ case, He knows where everyone is coming from.  Jesus allows the disciples to speak and to know for themselves where they are coming from.

What is it all about?  It’s all about Jesus, but they don’t confess Him as Messiah, but rather as a prophet.  Jesus’ death has taken their hope that He was the One who would redeem Israel.  But now, there is news that Jesus could be alive.  The tomb is empty, but the men who went to the tomb had not seen Jesus … yet.

Now Jesus speaks; He speaks boldly.  Didn’t things have to happen this way.  Why didn’t they believe what the prophets of the Old Testament had said?  Didn’t they explain that the Messiah had to suffer and then enter glory?  He doesn’t rebuke them and walk away.  Jesus proceeds to explain beginning at the beginning (the books of Moses) and go through all the prophets.  Luke says that Jesus explained what was said concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.  There is a lot to be said.  I expect Jesus is talking for an hour or more.

The Scriptures, Jesus explains, were written well before Jesus was born.  Malachi, the last book in the Old Testament, and the last book written chronologically, was written more than 400 years before Jesus was born.  Genesis was written down more than a thousand years before that.  Isaiah 46:10 gives the very words of God, “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand.’ ”

How can we tackle what Jesus would have mentioned in that time?  Last week, Brian mentioned Genesis 3:15, where God Himself foretells that the seed or offspring of Eve will crush the serpent’s head, while the serpent will strike His heel.  From this verse just 9 verses from the fall and only a short time after they ate the fruit, we see that a deliverer would come, and that deliverer would be a human being.  As Genesis continues, God focuses what family line the Savior would come from.

God gives promises to Abraham saying that “through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed Me.” (Genesis 22:18, 26:4)

Abraham’s grandson, Jacob, prophesies in Genesis 49 about his son Judah, that “the scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.” (v. 10)

King David is from the tribe of Judah.  God gives the promise to David that it would from his offspring that, “One of your own descendants I will place on your throne.” (Psalm 132:11)   The prophecy about David’s line is reinforced multiple places, including Isaiah 9:6-7, Jeremiah 23:5-6, 33:14-15, and Ezekiel 37:25

In Deuteronomy, Moses foretells one of the roles that would be fulfilled, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.” (18:15)  Jesus confirmed these verses spoke about Him in John 5 when He chastised the Pharisees for thinking that by studying the Scriptures they would have eternal life.  Rather, the Scriptures, including the books written by Moses, testify about Jesus. Moses wrote about Jesus.

The later prophets continually talk about another role of this coming ruler.  In Isaiah, in chapter 40, it is written,

See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and He rules with a mighty arm. See, His reward is with Him, and His recompense accompanies Him. He tends His flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart; He gently leads those that have young. – Isaiah 40:10-11

Ezekiel, Micah 4:4, and Zechariah 13:7 contain prophecies about the shepherd.  In John 10, Jesus explains He is the Good Shepherd.

Then, there are the prophecies about Jesus’ birth that we know well from Christmas. Isaiah may hold the most prophecies about Jesus, beginning with the familiar words from chapter 7, ”Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.” (7:14) And Micah gives us the place of Jesus’ birth, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for Me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” (Micah 5:2-4)

Zechariah tells how this ruler will arrive, “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zechariah 9:9) which is how Jesus arrived in Jerusalem the week before His crucifixion.

Even the way that Jesus suffered and died was foretold.  “I offered My back to those who beat Me, My cheeks to those who pulled out My beard; I did not hide My face from mocking and spitting.” (Isaiah 50:6) “See, My servant will act wisely; He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. Just as there were many who were appalled at Him--His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and His form marred beyond human likeness.” (Isaiah 52:13-14)

Daniel wrote simply, “The Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing.”  (9:26)

But what of the resurrection, what does the Old Testament say about that?

Well, in Psalm 16, David prophesied in the place of Jesus with the words, “You will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay. (v. 9-10)  Jesus rested in the grave only one full day.  He was laid in the tomb on Friday and rose on Sunday.  We’ve talked before about how Hebrew counting includes the first partial day or year as being the first.  Jesus rose on the third day, but it had been part of Friday, all of Saturday, and part of Sunday, the third day.  Peter referred to this in Acts chapter 2.

Jesus was asked for a sign by the Pharisees and teachers of the law in Matthew 12 (verses 39-42 and Luke 11:29-32).  He answered that the only sign that would be given to them was the sign of Jonah.  As Jonah was in the belly of the whale for 3 days, so would the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth.  Jonah is an Old Testament example of the coming Messiah.  Jonah’s prayer includes vivid imagery of death with similarities more like what happened to Jesus than to himself.  “From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry. ... To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, LORD my God, brought my life up from the pit.” (Jonah 2:2, 6) Jesus also made clear speaking in Matthew 12 that He is greater than Jonah and greater in wisdom than Solomon.  That also helps us think about the many roles Jesus fills, His excellence, the supremacy of Christ.

There is another prophecy of the Old Testament that connects with the resurrection.  Hosea is quoted in Matthew after the visit of the wise men.  If you remember, an angel told Joseph to take Jesus and Mary and flee Herod’s wrath by going to Egypt.  Matthew 2:15 says, “And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘Out of Egypt I called My son.’ ” which is Hosea 11:1.

In Hosea 6, there is another prophecy.  This prophecy, like others in the Old Testament, has a parallel meaning because it is included in a message to the people of Israel.  It applies to Israel, but it has its complete fulfillment in Jesus. “Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up.  After two days will He revive us: in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight.”  (Hosea 6:1-2, Isaiah 49:3)

(Matthew 27:51 – Jesus was torn, and the temple curtain was torn.  Hebrews 10:20 – A new and living way was opened through the curtain, that is His body.  Isaiah 53:4, 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 – Jesus is the firstfruits of the resurrection.  1 Corinthians 12:27 – We are all part of the body of Christ.  Romans 6:5 – We are united with Him in His resurrection.)

Isaac, too, is a foreshadowing or figurative example of the resurrection.  The story is told in Genesis 22.  God speaks to Abraham to go to Mount Moriah to sacrifice his son Isaac there.  Then, Abraham sets out on the journey, and there is even a reference to the third day in that story.  “On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.” (Genesis 22:4) It was on that day, the third day of the journey, that Isaac’s life was spared.

Hebrews 11 spells it out for us,

By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, ‘It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.’ Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death. – Hebrews 11:17-19

In Isaac, we have both the picture of a man being offered as a sacrifice, and that same one being returned to life.  Jesus, God’s one and only Son, was offered as a sacrifice.  He gave His life, and He was raised from the dead.  Jesus is the perfect fulfillment.  Jesus is deliverer.  Jesus is Savior and Lord.

As the disciples walked along the Emmaus road, Jesus expounded far better than I can what had happened.

As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if He were going farther. But they urged Him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So He went in to stay with them. When He was at the table with them, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him, and He disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon." Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when He broke the bread. – Luke 24:28-35

With Jesus’ exposition of the prophecy from the Old Testament, Cleopas and his fellow disciple are not feeling as downcast as they had been before the met Jesus.  When Jesus breaks bread, they recognize Him.  It says that twice.  How many significant things happened when Jesus breaks bread: feeding of the 5000, the feeding of the 4000, the Last Supper. Jesus is the bread.  He said, “Take eat, this is My body.”  In John 6, Jesus told those of the 5000 He fed who followed Him back to Capernaum,

“The bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” The people replied, “Always give us this bread.” Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty.”  -- John 6:33-35

The news that they have seen Jesus is too good to keep to themselves.  They must return to Jerusalem at once and share what they have seen.  I’m certain that the return trip to Jerusalem was a lot faster than their trip out to Emmaus.

While they were still talking about this, Jesus Himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at My hands and My feet. It is I Myself! Touch Me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have." When He had said this, He showed them His hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, He asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?" They gave Him a piece of broiled fish, and He took it and ate it in their presence. He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." Then He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, "This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what My Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." – Luke 24:36-49

Jesus gives them many proofs to confirm that He is not a ghost which some of them suspected despite all that they had heard and seen.  He shows His wounds from the cross.  He offers them to touch Him and feel His physical body.  He also eats with them which is not the kind of thing ghosts do.

He then reminds them all that he had told Cleopas and his friend.  Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me.  Then, we see another critical point.  Jesus opened their minds so that they could understand the Scriptures.  They needed it, and so do we.  Apart from the Spirit, we cannot understand the things of God.

Jesus sets the vision also foretold in the Old Testament (Isaiah 55:5) that the message will be preached in His Name to all the nations and that the disciples gathered in Jerusalem are the witnesses.  The implication is these witnesses will be the first to testify about Jesus to Jerusalem and beyond.

The closing verses of Luke 24 take us into a summary of the Acts chapter 1.

When He had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them, He left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God. – Luke 24:49-53

This was a different departure than Jesus’ prior disappearances following the resurrection.  He blesses them indicating a departure, a separation.  The disciples saw Him ascend.  It was clear that this was a different occurrence.

The reaction of the disciples indicates what they thought about Jesus at that moment.  They worshiped Him.  He is God, not merely man.  Yes, Jesus is a man, fully man.  And, He is fully God and worthy of worship.

I’m a little surprised at the emotion.  It was not sadness, but joy that the disciples felt.  Finally now, they see the big picture.  They are glad for what Jesus has done, and they are excited for what He is going to do still.

They only have to wait ten short days until the spirit of God arrives with power on Pentecost, and the disciples set out to proclaim Christ with all boldness.

The Worst Day

Luke 22:39-23:56

Jesus spoke to those who arrested Him, “But this is your hour—when darkness reigns.” (Luke 22:53b)  There have been many a dark day in the history of our world.  Adam and Eve didn’t know what spiritual darkness was until they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  The birth of darkness began to crest over the horizon of the Middle East.  This is where the world’s first murder occurred.  Cain killed his brother.  The blood of injustice screamed in the ears of the Lord.  “What have you done?” God asked Cain.  “Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.” (Genesis 4:10).  Later, during Noah’s days, “The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.” (Genesis 6:5)  We read in Exodus how the people of Israel were enslaved for 400 years, being mistreated.  The nations around Israel practiced human sacrifice, even sacrificing their own children.  They turned their backs on the one true God and worshipped false idols.  Even some of the kings of Israel embraced these ways of the nations.  We read in the Scripture about nations going to war with nations.  It wasn’t just the soldiers who were dying.  Unborn babies were being ripped from their mother’s womb.  At this point in history, it seems as if darkness was the norm.  When someone like Hezekiah and David walked righteously, it was a light that was too bright for the world to look at.  The same was true for the prophets that were killed.  If you think cancel culture today is bad, it’s nothing compared to what was happening in the Old Testament days.  If they didn’t like what a prophet said, then they canceled their life.  The apostles were martyred because of what they said they witnessed.  The church has been horribly persecuted.  Since the day of Jesus’ resurrection, evil has fed upon evil.  Unjust wars have been fought.  Even God’s name had been used as a banner for cleansing wars between religions.  Slavery became commonplace among many cultures.  Our country was divided because of it.  Hollywood tends to glorify the Civil War, but it robbed children of their dads and robbed husbands from their wives.  The death toll has been calculated as upwards of 750,000.  Darkness began to emanate from more intellectual sources.  Evolution was fully embraced.  Racism existed before the time of Charles Darwin, but evolution provided scientific justification.  Mao Zedong, Joseph Stalin, Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler embraced evolution.  It drove them in their quest for social purity.  Millions upon millions of people have been killed because of them (2) (3).  In America, I believe darkness became more civilized, respectable and invisible.  In the privacy of a procedure room, approximately 63 million babies have been aborted in America since 1973. (4)  The sexual revolution came and so did pornography.  This has been a very hidden type of darkness even to this very day.  In our news, in recent years, we have seen riots, racism, injustice, mass killings, and the list goes on and on.  I’ve talked with people who aren’t Christians and haven’t read the Bible, and even they say that our nation is getting darker and darker.  Our society is becoming more desperate.  Evil has been happening in various forms since the time that the fruit of trees looked delicious. 

 

Darkness doesn’t mean that God has no plan.  It doesn’t mean that it will stay dark forever.  The depressing feeling of darkness will not remain forever.  The One who is light entered into our darkness.  So, our story starts with Jesus praying.  He was getting ready for the weight of darkness to be placed on Him.

 

Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and His disciples followed Him. On reaching the place, He said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him. And being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

When He rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, He found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. “Why are you sleeping?” He asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” – Luke 22:39-46

 

Jesus knew what kind of darkness He had to face.  He was about to pay for everyone’s sins.  All the evils of the history of this world were about to be placed upon Him.  The disciples didn’t have a clue what kind of dark hour they were about to enter.  While there had been much darkness since the beginning of our world, the world had no clue as to what kind of darkness would happen in the next figurative hour.

 

While He was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss Him, but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.

But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And He touched the man’s ear and healed him.

Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for Him, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on Me. But this is your hour—when darkness reigns.” – Luke 22:47-53

 

Even though our world has had a history of darkness, there was something especially dark about that day.  There would be a moment in which it would seem that darkness had won.  It would appear that evil had triumphed.  But it would only be for a moment.  In Geneses 3:15, God would condemn the serpent, “He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel.”  An offspring of Eve would be struck, but only for a moment.  There would be someone coming who would crush the head of the serpent. 

 

Then seizing Him, they led Him away and took Him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. But when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with Him.”

But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know Him,” he said.

A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.”

“Man, I am not!” Peter replied.

About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with Him, for he is a Galilean.”

Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown Me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly. – Luke 22:54-62

 

Darkness is a magnet for more darkness.  It was a dark hour in which Peter’s Lord is taken away to be tried and crucified.  In a moment of weakness, he gave into fear.  That happens to us.  When we go through dark times, we do dark things.  But Jesus even paid for our sinful, faithless responses that we had to the dark times.  This past week, if we didn’t do what God has told us to do, we need to remember that He paid for that act of disobedience as well.  Sunlight is a good thing.  But when you first wake up in the morning, you don’t want to go to the light.  You might not want to fling the curtains open and face the sun rising out of the east.  It’s more comfortable to sit in the darkness for a little while.  But, the more you sit in the darkness, the more you will avoid going to something that is good for you.  Peter was in deep darkness at this point.  He made a promise to Jesus, “‘Even if all fall away on account of You, I never will.’” (Matthew 26:33)  Then he ended up denying Him anyway.

 

The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating Him. They blindfolded Him and demanded, “Prophesy! Who hit You?” And they said many other insulting things to Him.

At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them. “If You are the Christ,” they said, “tell us.”

Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe Me, and if I asked you, you would not answer. But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.”

They all asked, “Are You then the Son of God?”

He replied, “You are right in saying I am.”

Then they said, “Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from His own lips.”

Then the whole assembly rose and led Him off to Pilate. And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king.”

So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

“Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied.

Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”

But they insisted, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.”

On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.

When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see Him. From what he had heard about Him, he hoped to see Him perform some miracle. He plied Him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing Him. Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked Him. Dressing Him in an elegant robe, they sent Him back to Pilate. That day Herod and Pilate became friends—before this they had been enemies. – Luke 22:63–23:12

 

Jesus doesn’t answer all of our questions.  He doesn’t have to.  Herod had many questions but Jesus gave no answer.  I’ve talked with countless people who have questions about God.  Some have questions because they’re seeking the truth.  Other have questions because they want to find fault with God.  The second kind of person is never satisfied with any answer.  Jesus told Nicodemus, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19)

 

Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined Him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against Him. Neither has Herod, for he sent Him back to us; as you can see, He has done nothing to deserve death. Therefore, I will punish Him and then release Him.”

With one voice they cried out, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!” (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)

Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. But they kept shouting, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in Him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have Him punished and then release Him.”

But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that He be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demand. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will. – Luke 23:13-25

 

Paul said that Jesus became sin for us and that we became the righteousness of God in him (2 Corinthians 5:21).  An exchange happened.  Jesus was exchanged for Barabbas.  An innocent man was sent to be punished.  A guilty man was set free.  In a person’s moment of decision to accept God’s forgiveness, I will share a scenario something like this:  “Imagine that you’re standing before a judge, and he declares you guilty of murder.  All the evidence is against you.  But he tells you something shocking, ‘Someone you don’t know or care anything about came to us earlier.  The law allows for someone to die in place of a murderer.  You didn’t ask for him to die for you but he already did.  You have a choice.  You can reject his offer, then you will receive the death penalty.  Or you can accept what he did for you, sign this document, and walk out of here a free man today.’”  As I continue with the person I’m sharing with, “Because of your sin you deserve God’s judgment.  You’re going to face the death penalty.  But, Jesus, someone you didn’t know or even care about died in your place.  He didn’t ask for your permission.  He did it anyway.  Can you think of any good reason why you wouldn’t want to receive the payment He made for you?  Can you think of any good reason why you wouldn’t want to walk away from here a free man today?”

 

As they led Him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. A large number of people followed Him, including women who mourned and wailed for Him. Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ Then

         “ ‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!”

         and to the hills, “Cover us!” ’

For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with Him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified Him, along with the criminals—one on His right, the other on His left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at Him. They said, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”

The soldiers also came up and mocked Him. They offered Him wine vinegar and said, “If You are the king of the Jews, save Yourself.”

There was a written notice above Him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him: “Aren’t You the Christ? Save Yourself and us!”

But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise.” – Luke 23:26-43

 

When I get into a bad place I will look out for number one…me.  But even when Jesus was in such a dark place, He was thinking of other peoples’ interests as more important than His own.  “God is light”, as the apostle John said, “and in Him there is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5)  Even in the darkest hour, His light couldn’t be snuffed out.  He is the same today as He was when He was on the cross.  If you light a match and shine a flashlight on it, then you’ll see the shadow of the match, but the flame has no shadow.

 

It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” When He had said this, He breathed His last.

The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. But all those who knew Him, including the women who had followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea and he was waiting for the kingdom of God. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.

The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how His body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment. – Luke 23:44-56

 

I’m not a patient person.  If I was one of the disciples I would have wanted resolution.  I don’t like being in limbo.  They had to wait.  At that moment, Jesus was doing what they could not.  They could not defeat the darkness.  They could not crush the serpent’s head.  They could not take the weight of world’s sins upon their shoulders.  Max loves to read, but he sometimes doesn’t have the patience to wait until the end to see what happens.  He will sometimes read the end of the book first, then he’ll go back to the beginning.  The disciples didn’t have that luxury.  We don’t have that luxury as we go through dark times as well.  We want the pain to be over.  We want the relationship issue to be resolved.  We want our loved one to be healed.  But we have to wait.  One of the darkest times I’ve gone through was when Sarah was in the hospital for a month because of MRSA pneumonia.  I feared that we would lose her.  And we could have, even at the young age of 15 months.  We had to wait.  God, and the doctors, had to do what only they could do.  It was torture.  I remember feeling like I wish I could have taken her place.  I would have taken the sickness for her.  But that was beyond what I could do.  But this wasn’t true for Jesus.  Not only did He see the sin that we were suffering with, He also could do something about it.  Since He was God, He could take our place.  If He was just a man, He could not.

 

As we look through the history of how God has interacted with man, we see that darkness will not go on forever.  Where there is hatred, He brings love.  Where there is division, He brings peace.  Where there is depression, He brings joy.  Where there is death, He brings life.  These are the ways of God.

 

When God saw the darkness of man in the story of Noah, what was the first thing He felt?  It would be normal to think that it was anger.  It wasn’t.  It was grief.  The Bible says that, “The LORD was grieved that He had made man on the earth, and His heart was filled with pain.” (Genesis 6:6)  When we sin, we need to remember this.  If we’ve been in the darkness, it’s easier to stay in the darkness.  We don’t want to approach the light.  If we understand that God’s first reaction to our sin is pain and not anger, then it helps. As the author of Hebrews said, to “approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

 

References:

 

(1) https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-jun-30-bk-mallett30-story.html#:~:text=The%20fact%20is%20that%20Mussolini,the%20suffering%20of%20countless%20others.

(2)  https://hmh.org/about/25-facts-about-holocaust/

(3)  https://answersingenesis.org/sanctity-of-life/the-results-of-evolution/

(4)  https://www.foxnews.com/politics/abortions-since-roe-v-wade