STATION X // JESUS DIES
Luke 23:44-47
It was now about noon, & darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God & said, “Surely this was a righteous man.”
It was now about noon, & darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God & said, “Surely this was a righteous man.”
Reflection
The center of creation and the center of the temple are both brought to a halt in an instant for all of humanity to look & to linger upon the most consequential, breath-taking event that has ever been & that ever will be.
Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
The centurion sees all that has happened. He saw the blood-thirsty crowd, the soldiers spitting, beating, & mocking, the nails being driven into hands & feet, the priests looking on in approval, the crown of thorns being crushed into His head, & he saw the One receiving it all. The centurion's response is to behold & worship God.
Because the sinless Savior died,
My sinful soul is counted free;
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.
(Charitie Lees Smith, "Before the Throne of God Above")
The Lord's Supper
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
- Take the bread: remember Jesus' body which was broken for you.
- Take the juice: remember that His blood was poured out to give a new covenant for you.