The Sun is Darkened (Luke 23:44-49)

Summer Worship Series, Sunday August 16, 2020

Under the Sun Series, Week 10, The Sun is Darkened

Readings for this Week:

First Lesson: Isaiah 53:1-9: Centuries before Jesus lived and died, God’s prophet Isaiah foretold how he would be pierced for our sins and crushed for our iniquities, punished that we might have peace.

Second Lesson:  2 Corinthians 5:14-21. A great exchange was made on the cross. Jesus became sin for us so that we might have the righteousness of God through him..

Gospel and Sermon Text:  Luke 23:44-49.  From noon (the sixth hour) until 3:00PM (the ninth hour), the world was dark as Jesus hung on the cross.

Sermon:  The Sun is Darkened: Luke 23:44-49.

At exactly the time when we would expect the sun to be at its brightest and highest and hottest, there was darkness from noon until three in the afternoon on the day when Jesus died on the cross. On the day we call Good Friday, the sun was darkened.

Normally, darkness hides the truth. You can’t see in the darkness. On that Good Friday, the darkness of the sun shows us the truth. It shows us the battle of sin and the judgment that sin deserves. It shows us the sacrifice and shows us our Savior. This is Jesus who once said, “I have come into the world as a light, so that everyone who believes in me would not remain in darkness.” (John 12:46).

We can marvel once again that God gave miraculous signs to mark that amazing occasion, and we commit ourselves to living in the light of his love until he calls us to his side in heaven.

Pastor Nathan Kassulke