This Sunday (April 29) we reach the central truth of the Gospel: Jesus died.
We started with the foundational truth that Jesus Christ is Lord. He could accomplish His work only because of who He was. As the eternally divine Son of God in a fully human body Jesus was the perfect, all sufficient sacrifice for sins.
“For Christ has entered… into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf… He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself… having been offered once to bear the sins of many.” Hebrews 9:24,27-28
We are rightfully appalled at the physical suffering Jesus endured, powerfully depicted in the film the Passion of the Christ. Scourging and crucifixion are among the most gruesome, painful and humiliating ways a person can die. But the physical pain Jesus experienced pales in comparison to the spiritual sacrifice He made on our behalf.
That suffering was depicted for three hours by total darkness covering the land. The light of the world was plunged into utter darkness. When the sun would usually have been at its height (noon was considered the sixth hour in those days), suddenly its light was entirely extinguished. Read this helpful article for an explanation of the darkness and the strong historical attestation of the event.
Read Mark 15 in preparation for Sunday. Consider the cost of our salvation. To open the way for us into heaven, Jesus had to endure the agony of hell. He plunged into the darkness to bring us into the light. He died so we could live.
“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8