Friday is over. Jesus beaten, bruised, pierced, and crucified body has been kindly placed in a fresh tomb. From Friday afternoon to Sunday morning Jesus body lays cold and dead among those who have died before. Unlike the other dead, Jesus still has his final act to present. Early that Sunday morning as the sun began to peak over the hills, as the women approached the tomb; Jesus conquered death breaking free from the grave. Hallelujah! Jesus is alive!

The words for the skit used in the sermon are taken from the song by KJ-52 "I'm Guilty." Credit to Kyle Idleman and his book "Not a Fan" for the story of the man and the Blizzard.

On Sunday April 1 our Choir performed the Easter Cantata in place of the sermon. Because of copyright laws there is no recording this week.

Today we come to the end of the words of Jesus from the Cross. For the past few weeks we have journeyed together and experienced, as best we can, what the cross was like for Jesus, why He said what He said, and the impact those words have for us today. This morning we look into John and Luke who record for us the final two statements Jesus made just prior to taking his final breath.

Jesus mission on earth is very near its completion. He has just cried out “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani” … “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me,” point us to Psalm 22. After six hours on the cross Jesus throat has run dry. He cries out “I am Thirsty.” Jesus was fully aware that in just a matter of moments his thirst would be eternally quenched. Jus as Jesus thirst was quenched your can be too through a life changing relationship with Jesus Christ.

Psalm 22, which Our Lord quotes in these words from the cross, speaks of desolation and isoltation, but if we focus only on the first half of the Psalm, we lose the context of Christ's statement. Christ spoke in an age when the Scriptures were identified by their opening lines: we begin with "Our Father..." and we know the rest of the prayer. Our Lord said "Eloi, Eloi..." and the faithful would recall the whole Psalm. The second and longer part of the Psalm speaks of faith, redemption, grace and fulfillment. May we each in our times of loneliness draw strength from the knowledge of that redemption and grace as I think Christ did during that moment.

We often wonder what thoughts Mary and Joseph had as they saw their baby for the first time. How different those thoughts must have been from the ones Mary experienced that day as she saw her first born hanging from the cross.

For the three men hanging on the cross their lives on earth about over. Death is being welcomed to end the suffering they are experiencing. One of the men joins with the guards and passers by in mocking Jesus. But the other rebukes his friend. For that kindness and faith he finds relief as Jesus speaks for the second time from the cross.

During His final hours nailed to the cross, with a crown of thorns pressed onto his head, blood streaming down his face, beaten to the edge of life, Jesus spoke seven times. Today we begin a new series of sermons seeking to unpack and understand those seven sayings. We begin with his first utterance ... "“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”