1. Darkness falls on the whole land for three hours.

2. Jesus gives 7 final words on the cross.
1st
“Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34a
2nd
“And Jesus replied, ‘I assure you, today you will be with Me in paradise.” Luke 23:43
3rd
“…‘Dear woman, here is your son.’ And He said to this disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’" John 19:26

1. Jesus cries out that He is forsaken.
4th
“…Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ which means ‘My God, My God, why have You abandoned Me?’” Matthew 27:46
“My God, My God, why have You abandoned Me? Why are You so far away when I groan for help?” Psalm 22:1

2. Jesus cries out that He is thirsty.
5th
“…and to fulfill Scripture He said, ‘I am thirsty.’” John 19:28b
“My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay. My tongue sticks to the roof of My mouth. You have laid Me in the dust and left Me for dead.” Psalm 22:15

3. They offer Jesus sour wine on a sponge.

1. Jesus cries out after the sour wine is placed against His lips.
6th
“When Jesus had tasted it, He said, ‘It is finished!’” John 19:30a

2. Jesus gives his last cry and breathes His last.
7th
“Then Jesus shouted, ‘Father, I entrust my spirit into Your hands!’ And with those words He breathed His last.” Luke 23:46

3. When Jesus finished His work on the cross, the Holy of Holies is now open to all!

4. Jesus’ death closes the Old Covenant and opens the New Covenant. The tearing of His body tears the curtain and opens all of us to salvation through Jesus.

1. Immediately at His death, there is an earthquake, tombs open, godly men and women are raised from the dead. These men and women appear to many people.

2. Jesus’ death impacts all who are there, including the Roman officer.

3. The Jewish leaders don’t want the bodies hanging on their crosses on the Sabbath of Passover week.

4. They request their legs be broken to hasten their deaths.

5. Jesus is pierced in His side with a spear to insure His death.

6. The crowd goes home sorrowful, while John and many women watch from a distance.

“This all happened on Friday, the day of preparation, the day before the Sabbath. As evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea in Judea, a good and righteous man, who had become a follower of Jesus, took a risk and went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. (Joseph was an honored member of the high council, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.) He did not agree with the decision and actions of the other religious leaders. Pilate couldn’t believe that Jesus was already dead, so he called for the Roman officer and asked if He had died yet. The officer confirmed that Jesus was dead, so Pilate told Joseph he could have the body. Joseph bought a long sheet of linen cloth. Then he took Jesus’ body down from the cross, wrapped it in the cloth. With him came Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night. He brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes. Following the Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus’ body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth. The place of crucifixion was near a garden where there was his new tomb, had never been used, that had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone in front of the entrance and left. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph were sitting across from the tomb and watching where Jesus’ body was laid. Then they went home and prepared spices and ointments to anoint His body. But by the time they were finished the Sabbath had begun, so they rested as required by the law. The next day, on the Sabbath, the leading priests and Pharisees went to see Pilate. They told him, ‘Sir, we remember what that deceiver once said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise from the dead.’ So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent His disciples from coming and stealing His body and then telling everyone He was raised from the dead! If that happens, we’ll be worse off than we were at first.’ Pilate replied, ‘Take guards and secure it the best you can.’ So they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it.”
Matthew 27:57-66; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42

1. Where would you have been in those hours with Jesus? Would you have been brave enough to stand at the cross? Would you have been brave enough to risk your reputation, your friends, your associates, your possessions, your life…as the women at the cross, as John, as Joseph, or Nicodemus??

2. I can only imagine that Jesus was thinking of why He was doing all this…and had each of us on His mind? “I am doing this for you”….don’t miss the opportunity of experiencing all He has for you!!

3
Jesus faces His darkest hours and darkness covers the land.
Time: Approximately Noon
Matthew 27:45; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44-45

2
Jesus cries out to the Father and is thirsty.
Time: Approximately 1:00 p.m.
Matthew 27:46-49; Mark 15:34-36; John 19:28

1
Jesus cries out, “It is finished” and commits His Spirit.
Time: Approximately 2:00 p.m.
Matthew 27:50-53; Mark 15:37-39; Luke 23:46-49; John 19:29-30

Jesus dies on the cross.
Time: Approximately 3:00 p.m.
Matthew 27:54-56; Mark 15:37; Luke 23:46-49; John 19:31-37

Burial of Jesus.
Matthew 27:57-61; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42

0…and waiting…
End of Week 5….Resurrection Is Coming!