SPEAKER_00 0:04

Welcome back to The Living, a space created to help you encounter God in your everyday life, be with Him, and find life right where you are. Today is Saturday, March twenty-eighth, nearing the end of our Linton journey. We've walked with Jesus through the garden, through betrayal, through the trial, and now we stand today at the cross. Don't rush past this moment. Today, let's become still, reminding ourselves, I am here, and so is God. Go ahead and take a slow breath in, and exhale gently. Let your body settle in, quiet the noise, maybe even ask the Lord, Jesus, will you help me be present to this moment? Today's scripture comes from Luke twenty-three verses forty-four through forty-nine. Jesus on the cross. As always, we'll work through four movements today as we pray through the text. We'll first read, then reflect, take a moment to respond, and then simply rest in this moment. Luke twenty three verses forty four through forty nine. On this first reading, I simply invite you to listen to the reading. It was now about noon and 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 and said, Surely this was a righteous man. When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things. In this second reading, I encourage you to take a moment to reflect. Allow Holy Spirit to highlight a word or a phrase for you. It was now about noon, and 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 and said, Surely this was a righteous man. When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things. What stands out to you? As I read this passage again, it's an invitation to respond. You may not have many words today. You might just pray, Jesus, thank you. 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 and said, Surely, this was a righteous man. When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things. Today I simply invite you to rest. Surely, this was a righteous man. Even here, even in suffering, even in darkness, he's fully trusting the Father. This is not defeat, this is surrender. And in that surrender, something changes. The curtain is torn. Access is opened. What once was distant is now near. The cross is not the end of the story, but it is the moment that everything changes. This is what we celebrate. That through Jesus there is access to the Father. Let's pray. Father, today, as we stand at the cross, teach us to trust you the way Jesus trusted you, both in moments of light and in moments of darkness. Into your hands we place our whole lives. Thank you, Lord, for the work of the cross that tore the curtain into, so that we could have access freely to you based on the work of Christ. We pray these things in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Today, go in his presence, rest in his love. This is the living. We'll continue tomorrow.