What’s It All About? Severe Mercy
This week we are continuing to read of what happened that lead to the establishment and spreading of the church of Jesus the Christ. The biblical author Luke captured the truths of Jesus’ earthly ministry in the Gospel of Luke (third book of the New Testament) through His trial, crucifixion, death, and resurrection. Luke wrote the Book of Acts (the Acts of the Apostles, fifth book of the New Testament) about 30 years later – a faithful telling of the spread of the good news of Jesus through the Holy Spirit-filled followers of Jesus who became the leaders of the early church.
Our church will be studying the Book of Acts this Fall and so we are reading now to remind our hearts of Jesus’ sacrificial substitution on our behalf, to satisfy a debt no one could pay, except our Savior Jesus. Severe mercy.
Today … from the Book of Luke chapter 23, starting at verse 44. What’s it all about? Jesus’ death on the cross and His burial.
Luke 23.44-56 Jesus’ Death and Burial
44 It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 while the sun's light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. 47 Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!” 48 And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. 49 And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things.
50 Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid. 54 It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. 55 The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments.
On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
What’s it all about? Severe and profound mercy. The sun’s light failed at mid-day. The curtain that had restricted God’s people from approaching Him was torn in two. Jesus committed His perfect spirit into His Father’s hands. Jesus’ innocence declared by even a Roman officer. Jesus’ dead body prepared and buried in a tomb.
It’s about the cross … and what happened next … and what continues today. Love poured out, sins forgiven, new life imparted, Good News shared.
With hope, Colleen
All Scripture is from English Standard Version (ESV) unless stated otherwise.
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