Friday, March 10, 2017
Luke 23:44-45 Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Then the sun was darkened.
IT HAPPENED ON GOOD FRIDAY: THE SUN STOPPED SHINING
Why did God cause this remarkable phenomenon to occur? It was His way of impressing on the citizens of Earth the significance of the events of that day. His Son, the Light of the World, was being "eclipsed" by the darkness of human sin. The One whom Malachi described as "the Sun of Righteousness." The One whose physical appearance dazzled with the high magnitude brightness of the glory of God on the Transfiguration Mount. He was being stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted for their sins.
Our godless culture views sin as a trivial matter. If there's a God in heaven and a thing called "sin," He turns a blind eye to it and ignores it. Christians, too, in weakness are subject to the temptation of viewing the sinful thoughts, actions, and words in their lives in a nonchalant way. Here in the Good Friday darkness we see sin for what it truly is, in all its damnableness. Hanging on the cross midst the shadowy gloom hangs the Son of God. The sun goes dark as if it can't bear to watch anymore, like it's rebelling against the injustice being perpetrated upon its holy Creator.
Good Friday is memorable to us because of its tragic events. Our hearts overflow with sadness as we think of the hell Jesus went through to save us. But we also remember Good Friday with fondness. We’re glad for the opportunity to meditate each Lenten season on all He suffered for us as He walked the painful road to Golgotha. We believe that He endured the cruel scorn, the agony of body and anguish of soul, the indignity of being crucified between two criminals as the worst of a bad lot ... because of His boundless love for us and His fervent desire to save us.
Yes, mournful, dismal Calvary Mountain preaches a powerful sermon on the blackness of our sin. It also proclaims a comforting sermon on the lengths to which Jesus-- God's patient, quiet, uncomplaining lamb-- was willing to go to rescue us from the dominion of darkness and bring us into His kingdom of light.
Here we have a firm foundation; Here the refuge of the lost;
Christ's the Rock of our salvation, His the name of which we boast.
Lamb of God, for sinners wounded, Sacrifice to cancel guilt!
None shall ever be confounded Who on Him their hope have built.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 153:4)
