The Darkness: When Hope Seems Lost

Theme: The darkest hour before the dawn

A little boy was afraid of the dark. One night his mother told him to go out to the back porch and bring her the broom. The little boy turned to his mother and said, "Mama, I don't want to go out there. It's dark." The mother smiled reassuringly at her son. "You don't have to be afraid of the dark," she explained. "Jesus is out there. He'll look after you and protect you." The little boy looked at his mother real hard and asked, "Are you sure he's out there?" "Yes, I'm sure. He is everywhere, and he is always ready to help you when you need him," she said. The little boy thought about that for a minute and then went to the back door and cracked it a little. Peering out into the darkness, he called, "Jesus? If you're out there, would you please hand me the broom?"

Interesting thoughts about darkness

“It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt, It lies behind stars and under hills, And empty holes it fills, It comes first and follows after, Ends life, kills laughter.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

“We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.” ― Plato

You can appreciate the light until you have experienced darkness.

Unknown

Have you ever experienced a moment so dark that it seemed like hope had completely disappeared?

My sister in law once upon a time was scuba diving in caves. Her flashlight quit working. I can’t imagine. She made it to live another day.

There are dark times in this world. No mistaking it. You lose a loved one, a dream promotion, transfer, or dream job does not formulate , a fearful health diagnosis is delivered, or the news of betrayal?

These moments often come without warning, leaving us reeling, searching for light.

But the question is—what keeps you going when things become dark? On the cross, Jesus entered into the ultimate darkness. Yet in that moment, God was still at work. What looked like defeat was actually the ultimate victory lap for our Savior.

Turn in your Bibles this morning into Luke 23:44-49.

Luke 23:44-49

Luke 23:44–49 NKJV

44 Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 45 Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. 46 And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ ” Having said this, He breathed His last. 47 So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!” 48 And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned. 49 But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

Prayer

Message

Matthew 27:45-56, Mark 15:33-41.

The crucifixion of our dear Savior is recorded in all four gospels. This particular detail about Jesus last words are recorded in the synoptic gospels, Matthew, Mark, & Luke that we read of today.

The Jewish clock began at 6 am and ended at 6 pm, dawn until dusk. The Bible states that as our Lord and Savior was died on the cross between noon and three o c’clock pm in the afternoon, before He gave up His spirit, that the earth went dark. During those three hours, God changed the course of the created order. Who has ever heard of the sun not shining at straight up noon until three o’clock pm?

Oh dearly beloved, as the sun guided by God did not shine, His Son shined on to victory over the affairs of this world to dispel the darkness of sin.

If you have not surmised by this point, a major theme in the Bible and that is dispelled at this major juncture of our faith is the theme of darkness. Dearly beloved, Jesus dispels darkness in our lives. Amen. The cross dispels the darkness of this life by your choosing to accepting Jesus in faith as having died for the sins of the world, and believing in His saving grace.

Darkness is a theme addressed in the beginning, middle, and at the end of the Word of God.

The book of beginnings begins with addressing Darkness.

Genesis 1:2–5 NKJV

2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.

The very first words God said recorded in His Word is “let there be light, and there was light.” And God saw the light , that it was good.” We can surmise by that darkness is an important theme, yes, but reality, an important element in our lives to overcome. It was the first matter addressed in the creation account.

Darkness is defined in those first verses of the book of beginnings. Life is formless and void without the Lord. Our lives can not gain traction, we can not find our way, life has no meaning or purpose, life is fruitless, life does not have significance, must I go on? It is as if we live and we die and our life in totality is one great big void.

Darkness

Lexham Theological Wordbook σκοτία

Skotia

John 12:35 “35 Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.”

1 John 1:5 “5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.”

Am I speaking to anyone this morning? Do you find yourself in a dark place? Do you find yourself in a time of hopelessness? Do you find a lack for answers in this stage of life you find yourself?

Listen, if you will look toward the light of Jesus Christ, He will offer what only He can offer- direction, peace, comfort, rest, vitality, answers, joy, and His redeeming grace is what comes from the light of our dear Savior. You ask why He would go through with such a love act of sacrifice as the cross? He wanted to dispel the darkness that has plagued us all at one point or another.

John 1:4–5 NKJV

4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shined in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Dearly beloved, just as John was not speaking here of simply physical life, even though Jesus does bring us into creation. The Greek word Bios is the Greek word used if we are speaking of physical life or simply the physical/biological duration of life.

John did not use the word Psyche meaning the inner soul of the emotional life.

John used the word Zoe meaning that Jesus brings us a life with spiritual vitality, eternal life, and a life as God intended it to be.

Revelation 21:23–25 NKJV

23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. 25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there).

Oh dear church, let’s see how our hope is gained in Christ Jesus in the midst of a dark world.

The Curtain Torn – A new way to God (v. 45)

Luke 23:45 “45 Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.”

As the sun darkened, the Son shined in victory. Notice that the veil of the temple was torn in two.

Oh dearly beloved, John the Revelator could relate to the concept of the veil. For you see the veil represented separation.

Revelation 21:1 NKJV

1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.

The sea here is metaphorically used for evil, darkness, the unknown, separation.

Exodus 26:31–35 “31 “You shall make a veil woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen. It shall be woven with an artistic design of cherubim. 32 You shall hang it upon the four pillars of acacia wood overlaid with gold. Their hooks shall be gold, upon four sockets of silver. 33 And you shall hang the veil from the clasps. Then you shall bring the ark of the Testimony in there, behind the veil. The veil shall be a divider for you between the holy place and the Most Holy. 34 You shall put the mercy seat upon the ark of the Testimony in the Most Holy. 35 You shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand across from the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south; and you shall put the table on the north side.”

The temple layout itself was a visual and a theological emphasis that reflected the distance between God’s holiness and humanity. And when the veil was torn, Jesus tore through every layer of separation.

You remember that Aaron and the Levites gathered just outside the holy of holies. Then outside that area was the Jewish Men, then the Jewish women, and then the Gentiles in the outer court.

The Holy of Holies (Most Holy Place)

Only the High Priest could enter, once a year, on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement).

This was separated by the inner veil/curtain—this is what was torn in Luke 23:45.

Symbolized God's immediate presence—unapproachable under the Old Covenant.

Exodus 27:21 “21 In the tabernacle of meeting, outside the veil which is before the Testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening until morning before the Lord. It shall be a statute forever to their generations on behalf of the children of Israel.”

Exodus 30:6 “6 And you shall put it before the veil that is before the ark of the Testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the Testimony, where I will meet with you.”

Oh dearly beloved, blood would be placed on the mercy seat that covered the law or testimony inside the Holy of holies.

Jesus’ blood overcame dispelled the darkness, overcame the evil everyone of us have succumbed to by the breaking of the law and His merciful act introduces us to the light of the world. Amen.

Oh dearly beloved, in this world you and I experience separation everyday. There is segregation, there are obstacles we face at every turn.

You were not raised on the right side of the tracks. You do not have sufficient education. You are not a member, I can’t afford that whatever “that” is. You aren’t healthy enough to participate and the list goes on and on. This world has classes, a cast system, and degrees, but in Christ Jesus there is no separation. Oh dearly beloved, there is salvation and sanctification in Jesus Christ. You are holy because God is holy. You are eternal as God is eternal. You will know love and peace because God is love and peace. That’s if you know Him. Do you know Jesus?

John 16:33 “33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.””

The Cry of Victory – “Father, into Your hands…” (v. 46)

Luke 23:46 “46 And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ ” Having said this, He breathed His last.”

This was not a cry of defeat—but of trust and triumph in His Heavenly Father.

We read in Matthew’s account:

Matthew 27:46 “46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?””

Oh dear church, lest it not be said that Jesus experienced death like we will. He experienced death much worse than we ever will if you know Him as Lord and Savior. He experienced the full wrath of God for all the sins of the world in His death. He experienced the darkness, the spiritual darkness, the void that He had never experienced of total separation from the Father.

Moses experienced that act of separation from Holy God in the wilderness.

Exodus 33:22–23 “22 So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by. 23 Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen.””

Holy God and His ultimate perfection, purity, holiness and righteousness can not look upon sinful man. Those three hours that the world went dark, God turned His head on the sins of man carried to the cross by His Son, His one and only Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Amen.

Jesus chose to give up His spirit—He was not a victim, but the willing Savior.

He quoted Psalm 31:5, a prayer of trust that Jewish children were taught to say before bed—like a spiritual “bedtime prayer.”

Psalm 31:5 “5 Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.”

Ill. A child jumping into their father’s arms doesn’t fear the fall—they trust the catch. Jesus, even in suffering, trusted His Father’s hands. What looked like the end was really the beginning.

John 10:17–18 “17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.””

The Centurion’s Confession – Recognition of the truth (v. 47)

Application: Even in life’s darkest moments, God is working behind the scenes.

Luke 23:47 “47 So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!””

A Roman centurion, trained in violence, suddenly recognized Jesus’ innocence.

Listen to a more detailed account in Matthew of this scene:

Matthew 27:51–54 NKJV

51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

The centurion represents the outsider who becomes the insider—a Gentile who sees what others missed.

Illustration: Like a soldier who has seen many deaths but realizes that this one is different—so stunning it changes his worldview. The centurion models what many of us discover as we are in darkness: Christ stands out when everything else that we tried failed.

Sometimes it takes a dark moment to see the light clearly. Who are you in the story? A bystander, a skeptic, or one who sees and confesses Christ?

Even in the darkest hour of human history, God was at work, but He was at work specifically for your life’s good.

God was opening the way to meet with you face to face and enjoy intimacy with you.

How did He do it? By offering you victory by trusting in His Son, Jesus.

Verse 48 is interesting to me.

Look with me:

Luke 23:48 “48 And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned.”

In Jewish and broader ancient Near Eastern culture, beating one’s breast was an outward sign of:

Deep sorrow

Grief

Repentance or guilt

Emotional anguish or mourning

It was particularly used in funerals, or when someone experienced overwhelming loss or tragedy. You also see it used by the penitent tax collector in Luke 18:13, who “beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’”

I see it as you have two choices. We can live in that mindset of “beating our breasts” and living a life of anguish, guilt, sorrowfulness or we can embrace the cross, embrace the victory, know the joy that stands before you as you embrace Jesus and accept His forgiveness. What will it be?

Here is my invitation. God still moves in the supernatural. He moves in the supernatural in our lives. He speaks to us through His Holy Spirit. What is saying to you right now?

Are you in a dark place?

Have you lost hope?

Remember the curtain is torn-Christ is near.

The cry of Christ is a cry to trust.

Remember in these closing words:

Receive Christ’ gift of grace offered on the cross and find hope, joy, and peace immeasurable.

Let’s pray.