Dying, Jesus brings the dead to life. In his final great act of loving-kindness prior to his resurrection, Jesus accepts the cross, taking on himself the burden of the sins of the world. God loves so deeply he was willing to die a criminals death to satisfy the justice a sinful humanity could never satisfy. Our salvation comes through faith in his blood, the evidence of a God who loves. Lectionary texts for this evening are Isaiah 52.13-53.12; Psalm 22; Hebrews 4.14-16, 5.7-9; John 18-19.