Advent Day 11: Luke 23:44-49

Read Luke 23:44-49.

Ponder Luke 23:44-49

• Where do you see the imagery of light and darkness in today’s passage? 

• Darkness can symbolize a lot of things in Scripture: God’s judgment, sin and sorrow to name a few. Why do you think it’s important that the day grew dark leading up to Jesus’ death on the cross? 

• Mull over verse 45. What is symbolic about the curtain that separated the Holy of Holies (where only the high priest could go) from the rest of the temple being torn? 

• How has Jesus made it possible for all people to know God? 

• Take a moment to reflect on the darkness of Jesus’ death, when it must have seemed like sin and death had won. When has it felt like sin and death are winning in your life? How have you seen Jesus shine light into those situations? 

Meditate on Luke 23:44-49

As we continue to meditate on various images of light and darkness throughout Scripture, it may seem strange to read about Jesus’ death in an Advent reading plan. While Christmas is a season of light and joy, we can’t forget that the cross was always Jesus’ destination. To overcome the darkness of death and sin for good, Jesus had to endure the cross.  

The beauty and joy of his birth in Bethlehem was the earthly starting point of a march that led to the pain, suffering and horror of Golgotha. 

In this season of light and hope, sit for a moment in the sorrow of Luke 23:44-49 today. The hope of Christmas is made reality in the joy of Easter, but before Jesus could rise from the grave and defeat sin and death, he had to really, truly die. 

Light and darkness are one of the key metaphors of salvation, and we see that so clearly in the account of Jesus’ death. As his life ebbed away, the day grew darker and darker. As he suffered the wages of sin on our behalf to make a way for us to live eternally, sorrow descended on the earth in the form of thickening gloom. Hope must have seemed impossible in that darkness, but as we know and as Isaiah promised, “the people who live in the land of darkness will see a great light.” 

Jesus’ sacrificial death defeated sin once and for all. As believers, our great enemy, death, no longer has a hold on us. Jesus had to endure the dark, ugly reality of our sinfulness and all its consequences to set us free from sin. The reason we can celebrate the Christmas season with light, hope and joy is because of what Jesus endured and overcame on that dark Friday in Jerusalem. 

Arise, shine, your light has come. And he has done all that is necessary to save you from your sin for all eternity.