Towards the end of the service, the santuary grew dark and a narrator appeared on the stage. Within moments, two men with torches came into the santuary. These were the men who removed Jesus' body from the cross. These were the men who were going to prepare Jesus' body for burial. Seconds later, you could see more laterns and hear women crying and before you knew it, there was a crowd of people coming down the aisle with a gurney holding Jesus' body. His body was covered in cloth. Women were weeping and they took the body into the tomb. Moments later, they exited the tomb and moved a large boulder infront of the opening. With that, the crowd left the santuary, women still weeping, and the room sat dark. Then, a few Roman Soliders appeared. One stood in front of the tomb, guarding it. The other two starting down the aisles asking people to leave. We all waited until our aisle had been dismissed and we sat there in silence, looking at the tomb. It brought chills to my arms. I tried to imagine myself actually being there. Actually being one of the women weeping while walking with Jesus' body. I couldn't imagine. This portrayal of Jesus' burial that had played out in front of us was amazing.
The entire sermon was based on how Jesus gave his life for our sins. He was sinless and sacrificed himself for us. Before we were even born, even thought of, he made the ultimate sacrifice for our sins so that we may be with him in paradise. How remarkable. How amazing is our God? It's an enormous concept to take in. How could one person do that for all of us. How could one person go through all that pain, and yet, never open his mouth.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. Isaiah 53:6-7
Can you even imagine? Jesus' death was an intentional, atoning sacrifice for people with a hopeless sin problem.
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13
To know that I am privaleged enough to have a God who sacrifced his only son for me, for my sins, for my transgressions, for my iniquities. Why am I deserving of that? What have I done to deserve that type of sacrifice for me? It makes you stop and take pause and think about everything in your life that God has given, changed, taken away, provided, blessed, and so on.
The Pastor pointed out the part of the crucifixtion story where two theives were crucified on either side of Jesus.
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 23:39-43
Which criminal are you? Are you the one who wants to see the power of Jesus, who wants to insult and mock our Lord? Or rather, are you the one who even in your most sinful moments, asks God for mercy. Do you take the time to say to the Lord, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom"? Can you fanthom the sacrifice made for you and for me?
It was now about the sixth hour, and darkenss 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. Luke 23:44-46
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