Good Friday
7:00 PM Service of Darkness (Tenebrae)
Scripture
Matthew 27:45-56 (Amplified Bible)
 
Now from the sixth hour (noon) there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour (3:00 p.m.).  About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud [agonized] voice, "Eli, Eli, Lama Sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"  
When some of the bystanders there heard it, they began saying, "This man is calling for Elijah."  Immediately one of them ran, and took a sponge, soaked it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink. But the rest said, "Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him [from death].  And Jesus cried out again with a loud [agonized] voice, and gave up His spirit [voluntarily, sovereignly dismissing and releasing His spirit from His body in submission to His Father's plan].  
And [at once] the veil [of the Holy of Holies] of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; the earth shook and the rocks were split apart.  The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints (the God's people) who had fallen asleep [in death] were raised [to life], and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection, they entered the holy city (Jerusalem) and appeared to many people.  
Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, they were terribly frightened and filled with awe, and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!
 
There were also many women there looking on from a distance, who had accompanied Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him.  Among them was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and (Salome) the mother of Zebedee's sons (James and John).

Meditation
Christ is the fulfillment of the law.  Marianne Barnes
 
Inside the city wall, the Passover lamb was to be male, one year old, without spot and blemish, and not a bone was to be broken, was selected for sacrifice.
 
Outside the city wall, Jesus, the Lamb of God, was male, he was without sin, and not a bone was broken, freely gave himself to be our sin sacrifice.
 
As the day became dark as night, the past, present, future sins of mankind were being laid upon the body of Jesus, the sacrificial Lamb of God.
 
As the sins of mankind increased, the darkness over the land was a response of judgement due to the pure Holiness of God the Creator.
 
The union of fellowship between God the Father and Jesus the Son, was being pushed farther, farther and farther apart.
 
Salvation was also at work this day; the thief on the cross was going to be in paradise. The centurion and the guards' lives were changed as they recognized that Jesus was truly the Son of God.
 
At the appointed time, Jesus gave up his earthly life. Christ's sacrifice was permanent, it did not cover sins, but removed sin altogether. As far as the East is from the West.
 
At the same time the veil in Holy of Holies was torn from top to the bottom (from God to man). Christ's death removed any and all barriers, instantly placing mankind into a right relationship with God.
Reflection
In a Single Moment of Time................Everything Changed.
 

Prayer
Thank you Father God, for your grace and mercy, that we live on this side of the cross.  Amen
 
Some thoughts were inspired by different commentaries.
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