The Sun Darkened
Stand and lift up your bible and repeat after me.
This is my Bible.
I am what it says I am.
I can do what it says I can do.
I am going to learn how to be what it says I can be.
Today I will learn more of the word of God.
The indestructible, never ending, living word Of God.
I will never be the same.
I will never be the same.
In Jesus Name.
Open your bibles with me to Luke 23:44
When you are there please say, “Amen”
“It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. 45. for the sun had stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When He had said this, he breathed His last breath.
Have you had darkness in your life?
Have you felt like you had almost taken your last breath? Because things were in such turmoil that you felt like dying.
Three different types of people were standing there watching what had just happened when Jesus took His last breath at that time.
The centurion who saw what had happened and realized who Jesus really was the first type.
The large group of people who had gathered, beat their chests and then just walked away was the second type.
The third group was all of those who knew Him. They stood at a distance and were watching all that had just happened. They were the third type.
You might be like I was. I was the third type. That is what this message is about today.
In the book of Matthew, it is explained in further detail about what had happened when Jesus died in Matthew 27:51-54.
“At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs and after Jesus’s resurrection, they went to the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and then exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”
Can you imagine what that felt like? Maybe when your darkness changed to light and whatever you were going through in your darkness became clear that you were going to be okay? AMEN?
We all go through trying times that teach each of us about life.
All of those people that were raised to life were considered dead and would never be worth anything more than what they had been in life.
Some of us have been in a bad direction in life that it is kind of like a darkness that continues to just follow us along like the in the Charlie Brown cartoons over the years.
This one little boy would just have a dust cloud follow him wherever he went. His name is, “Pig Pen” The kids would frown at him and just tease him and hold their noses. Charlie Brown never teased him. He just accepted him as he was. No one ever said, “Hey, Pig Pen, what is your real name? Can I help you in any way? Do you want to get cleaned up?”
No. They just accepted him as he was and he did not seem to ever want to change.
I hated change in my life. How about you!
I tried my best to do things my way all the time.
It got to a point where I felt like I was in darkness. I was successful in many ways, but something was missing.
I observed and saw things but like those people that were in the third group, but I only watched.
The darkness takes over in our lives and we just meander along and don’t take the necessary steps forward out of the darkness.
That is what walking a life filled darkness and no growth in one’s life is all about.
But I know of a difference about seeing the light even in the darkness that may come along in life.
That is what Jesus calls us to. To enjoy in a life with Him being first.
How do I do this? How do I reach for the light when I am so overwhelmed in the darkness in my life?
Stop what you are doing and close your eyes.
Breath in and then breath out.
Breath in and then breath out.
Open your eyes when you are ready and remember this.
Every breath we take. Every inhale and exhale is because Jesus Christ died for our sins and also most importantly, He died and rose again to give us life.
Those people that we just read about. They were made alive again.
They were an example of how important each breath that we take is to the Lord who loves us way beyond what we imagine.
There is a great plan for you. The best way to find out about it is to slow down and listen to Him through prayer.
“Soon silence will have passed into legend. Man has turned his back on silence. Day after day he invents machines and devices that increase noise and distract humanity from the essence of life, contemplation, mediation.”
Jean Arp
Prayer is not just about what you say in prayer. It is about what you hear in your quiet time. It about what you see and hear in supplication.
Supplication is pleading humbly and then listening patiently.
It is about silence.
What we may need to do is remember that that we need to be reminded how much our time is valuable in our walk with the Lord.
Here’s a story about time. Many it will help you understand.
A young man learns what's most important in life from the guy next door.
It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, girls, career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.
Over the phone, his mother told him, “Mr. Parker died last night. The funeral is Wednesday.” Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.!
“Jack, did you hear me? “
“Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It's been so long since I thought of him. I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago,” Jack said.
“Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were doing. He'd reminisce about the many days you spent over 'his side of the fence' as he put it,” Mom told him.
“I loved that old house he lived in,” Jack said.
“You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Parker stepped in to make sure you had a man's influence in your life,” she said
“He's the one who taught me carpentry,” he said. “I wouldn't be in this business if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important...Mom, I'll be there for the funeral,” Jack said.
As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Parker's funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.
The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time.
Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap through space and time. The house was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture....Jack stopped suddenly.
“What's wrong, Jack?” his Mom asked.
“The box is gone,” he said
“What box?” Mom asked.
“There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he'd ever tell me was 'the thing I value most,'' Jack said.
It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the family had taken it.
“Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him,” Jack said. “I better get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom.”
It had been about two weeks since he died. Returning home from work one day Jack discovered a note in his mailbox. “Signature required on a package. No one at home. Please stop by the main post office within the next three days,” the note read.
Early the next day Jack retrieved the package. The small box was old and looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting was difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention. “Mr. Harold Parker” it read. Jack took the box out to his car and ripped open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack's hands shook as he read the note inside.
“Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It's the thing I valued most in my life.” A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, as tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch.
Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing, he unlatched the cover. Inside he found these words engraved:
“Jack, Thanks for your time!” -Harold. The thing he valued most was...my time
Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared his appointments for the next two days.
“Why?” Janet, his assistant asked.
“I need some time to spend with my son and my wife,” he said.
“Oh, by the way, Janet, thanks for your time!”
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away,'
Author unknown
You and I have choices in life. God or not. His love or not.
Getting out from the darkness or not.
If you want to get into more of the light, join with me in prayer.
Let us pray.
