Preparing for Easter Family Devotion (Day 25) - No More Separation

From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.

About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" 

When some of those standing there heard this, they said, "He's calling Elijah."

Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink.

The rest said, "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save him."

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split.

The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.

They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!"  Matthew 27:45-54

 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
    Why are you so far from saving me,
    so far from my cries of anguish?
My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
    by night, but I find no rest...
But I am a worm and not a man,
    scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
All who see me mock me;
    they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
“He trusts in the Lord,” they say,
    “let the Lord rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
    since he delights in him.”...
Do not be far from me,
    for trouble is near
    and there is no one to help...
My mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
    and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
    you lay me in the dust of death.
Dogs surround me,
    a pack of villains encircles me;
    they pierce my hands and my feet.
All my bones are on display;
    people stare and gloat over me.
They divide my clothes among them
    and cast lots for my garment...
For he has not despised or scorned
    the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
    but has listened to his cry for help...
All the ends of the earth
    will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
    will bow down before him,
for dominion belongs to the Lord
    and he rules over the nations...
They will proclaim his righteousness,
    declaring to a people yet unborn:
    He has done it!          Psalm 22

Questions:

- What did Jesus say to God? What did He mean? (Read Psalm 22...Jesus was not only crying out in agony at the separation from Father God but He was also quoting directly from Psalm 22, written thousands of years before His crucifixion. This Psalm speaks directly about the death and triumph of Jesus and may have been quoted by Jesus to give His followers hope and remind them that His death was part of a greater plan of salvation for the earth)

- What unusual things happened when Jesus died?

- What did it mean that the curtain of the temple was torn from top to bottom?

- What did the centurion believe after seeing Jesus die?

Thoughts: 

The most painful part of the crucifixion was not the nails in Jesus' hands or feet, or the beatings...it was the separation He felt from God. At that moment and for how long, we do not know, Jesus experienced all the guilt and punishment for all the world's sins. He essentially entered Hell because that is what Hell is - total separation from God and punishment for our sins, forever. Praise God that He did it for us! We can be with God forever, and not separate from Him. The torn curtain signified that. The curtain was what separated the people from the Holiest of Holy places in the Temple, from the place where God was present. With Jesus' death, that curtain, that separation, was destroyed. We can now enter into God's presence through Jesus Christ. And when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, God's presence enters us through the Holy Spirit. What a wonderful Savior we serve!

Prayer: 

Jesus, how we can ever begin to thank You for what You did for us. May we cry out daily to You, longing to be in Your presence, to spend eternity in Your house, in Heaven, with You. Thank You for making the way for us. We love You so much Jesus!

Song: Better is One Day

How lovely is Your dwelling place

Oh Lord Almighty,

For my soul longs and even faints for You

Oh, here my heart is satisfied (is satisfied)

Within Your presence

I sing beneath the shadow of Your wings

Better is one day in Your courts

Better is one day in Your house

Better is one day in Your courts

Than thousands elsewhere

Better is one day in Your courts

Better is one day in Your house

Better is one day in Your courts

Than thousands elsewhere

(Than thousands elsewhere)

One thing I ask and I would seek,

To see Your beauty

To find You in the place Your glory dwells

(One thing I ask)

One thing I ask and I would seek,

To see Your beauty

To find You in the place Your glory dwells

Here is a really good video with words and pictures of the earthquake, the curtain being torn in two, etc.: Better is one day

For Further Study: 

There are many children throughout the world who are very bold in their faith in Christ, especially in nations where it is hard to be a Christian. Sharing their stories can encourage a bolder faith in your children. A wonderful resource is Kids of Courage

* Some of the content of this blog is based on the book Family Celebrations at Easter by Ann Hibbard.*