Luke 23 | Light from the Darkness
The Crucifixion of our Lord. It’s the darkest moment in all of human history.
It's also the turning point of all of human history!
Everything before Christ’s death points towards it. Everything after His resurrection is possible because of it.
Before: the law brought judgment.
After: Christ brings grace!
Before: there is no one righteous.
After: righteousness for all in Christ!
Before: separation from God.
After: adoption by God!
Before: darkness and death.
After: light and life!
At Christmas, we celebrate the miracle of Christ’s incarnation. It’s a time characterized by joy and peace because of the love that God demonstrated by sending us His Son.
But the joy of Christmas is only possible because of the sorrow of the cross.
If it weren’t for that tragic event, we would not have joy for the Lord’s coming, but doom! We would not have peace and hope, but never-ending pain and death!
But that is not our end. Not for all who believe that Jesus came as a Savior. Our Savior.
A savior isn’t a savior unless He saves His people from something. And Jesus has saved us from the wrath of God Himself. All the way back at the beginning, in Genesis 3, when Adam and Eve sinned, they brought God’s judgment on the world. Every person that has ever existed since then is under that same judgment.
Until Christ.
Now, because of Him, because of His perfect life, because of His unjust death, we are offered life! And with that life comes joy. The joy we celebrate at Christmas.
The darkest moment in all of human history was at the cross. But we know the darkness did not win. The light of resurrection is coming. And that is joyful news, indeed!
“And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.’” Luke 2:10-11
“But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law…through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith…” Romans 3:21-25