Hello and welcome to Friday’s foundations podcast. It has been great to be sharing with you this week. Next Monday, my friend and colleague Tom Finnemore will be taking the podcast on as we finish the gospel of Luke together. Do think about listening in; I am sure they will be fantastic and if things that have stood out to you this week – share and talk about this resource in your communities. There might be one or two people who haven’t heard about them yet – it could really help them get a rhythm of reading the Bible and prayer.

REFLECTION:

So far this week we have looked at the disciple Peter and how Jesus shaped his identity as one of the pillars of the early church. We had two days considering Jesus’ innocence through the unjust trials of Jesus. And yesterday, we heard a simple reflection about a core component of the Christian faith, selfless love, as we heard again the story of Jesus’ crucifixion.

Today we get to hear the story of Jesus’ death and burial.

Let me read the first 5 verses out from our podcast today… and we can hear the whole reading together towards the end of the podcast.

The Death of Jesus

It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away.

I’d like us to think about Jesus’ last words… I’ve been doing some research into famous last words to illustrate this reflection. Often the results are highly disputed as a romanticised version of what people wanted to remember these individuals for… nevertheless, they sometimes (not always) tell us something of the person.

Beethoven, for example said, “Friends applaud, the comedy is finished.” …

This is a translated Italian phrase that was typically used after a specific kind of 18th century improvised comedy he was notably last involved in before passing away.

Mary Antoinette famously said, “Pardon me sir…” as she accidentally stood on the foot of her executioner.

Apparently, Winston Churchill declared “he was bored of it all” before he passed away.

Jesus, however, in the Gospel of Luke says these words in v45 “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”

They are a beautiful expression of trust as he commends himself to the Father in the words of a Psalm (Ps. 31:5). Jesus clearly knew the scriptures and when the pressure is on he finds comfort in these divine words. You might have heard this story told by the other gospel writers before… Matthew and Mark emphasize the terrible nature of the death Jesus died for sinners with the words, ‘My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’ (Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34). Luke is not saying this, but he is not denying that reality either. Crucifixion was a gruesome way to die. Luke lets us into that imagery, yet at the same time paints a picture that Jesus was at one with the Father; he was doing the will of the Father.

If there was something to take away from the last few days of looking at Luke 22 and 23 together, for me, I think it will be this. Despite the difficult circumstances… God’s gracious care is sufficient… there is never a time when we are beyond God’s care… Jesus’ prayers through Luke 22 and 23 show us that we can trust God’s goodness even in our darkest moments. When he needs strength to drink the cup of wrath, Jesus prays to the Father for help. On the cross, still confident in God’s mercy, Jesus asks the Father to forgive the soldiers who are crucifying him. Even at this moment we are reflecting upon today,