“By this time it was about noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. Then Jesus shouted, ‘Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!’ And with those words he breathed his last.”
Luke 23:44-46
Imagine being a follower of Jesus, and not knowing what happens next. The whole world goes dark, the curtain of the temple is torn in two, and your leader and friend has breathed his last. The power of Jesus is clear, but what happens next is not clear at all. So what now?
I want you to carry that feeling today. What next? The power and joy of the resurrection is felt more deeply when you carry this feeling of “what next?” Jesus dies for all of us: is that it?
When you consider more deeply the moments the disciples have had with Jesus, the miracles they’ve experienced, the questions they’ve asked, the miles they’ve traveled, this moment is more profound. All these people have seen the power of Jesus firsthand, and now he’s gone. What now?
Think of a moment in your life (maybe it’s now) where you have known the power of God and seen it, but have been left in great darkness. Consider that feeling and understand that resurrection is coming. Hope is coming. Even though Jesus’ followers didn’t know it and couldn’t see it, it was coming. It was on it’s way, and it was going to be more than they imagined. You may not know it, you may not see it, but the darkness lifts and resurrection comes.
Pray that Jesus would be with you in hard times, and thank him that resurrection is always coming.
For the Kids:
Go into a dark room and turn off all the lights. Ask the kids what they can see (maybe they can see a few things but not everything).
Ask them how it feels to be in the dark.
Read Luke 23:44-46.
Can you imagine what it would be like if the whole earth went dark? What would you do in this darkness? (Let the kids share)
When Jesus died, his friends were all in darkness. They were sad about their friend, but also unsure about what to do next. Ask if they know what happens next (Jesus rises again).
Sometimes we go through hard times, but God is always going to redeem them for our good. So if we are going through something hard, we know that God is going to make it good again.
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Romans 8:28
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