When the Darkness Broke
The death of Jesus had a devastating effect on the disciples. They were fearful and demoralized. They were discouraged, disappointed, and disillusioned. The future held no promise or purpose. All of their dreams were dashed. Jesus had warned them repeatedly about what was going to happen, but when He was taken from the garden of Gethsemane, their dreams were crushed. One by one they withdrew and shrunk under fear and grief, and darkness crowded out the light of life. It seemed that all hope was gone and the air was taken from their lungs. They had lost their song and any reason for continuing. The voices of their critics seemed to echo in their minds and they began questioning everything they had seen and had been told. Was Jesus really the Messiah and Savior of the world?
Have you ever had a dark day?
Everything went wrong. Maybe, you lost someone you loved and nothing was the same. You felt like you were faced with all of the principalities and powers of Satan.
Peter followed the mob that carried Jesus to be tried and ultimately crucified.
He was standing there as they spat upon the LORD and struck Him with the palms of their hands. He cringed at the sight and then a servant girl said to him, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.” Peter denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.” Standing by the fire that night, the darkness seemed to close in around Peter. Another girl said, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.” But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!” Peter’s soul was being impacted by the darkness that was encroaching upon the scene. One last time some who stood by said, “Surely you are one of them, for your speech betrays you.” Then Peter began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!” Immediately the rooster crowed and the darkness grew and Peter ran out and wept bitterly.
Have you ever had a dark day?
Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons had followed Jesus from Galilee. It was the most terrible thing they had ever seen. He was taken outside the city and He was covered with His own blood. They watched with horror as they took their LORD up to the place called Golgotha, a hill that looked like a Skull. They watched as they laid Him on the cross and drove those nails into His hands and feet. With every hammer blow the darkness and agony seemed to grow. They took His garments and divided them and began casting lots to see who would be able to claim them. They nailed the accusation that had been written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Those standing around began blaspheming Him and wagging their heads and challenging everything He had said and done.
The darkness seemed to grow.
Those crucified beside Him began reviling Him with the same words.
Then for three hours, beginning at noon, darkness came over the whole earth as the sun refused to shine.
At three o’clock, Jesus shouted in Aramaic, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”—that is, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?”
Then the unspeakable happened, the King of Glory took His last breath, and gave up His spirit.
He was gone… At that moment, the veil in the Holy of Holies was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth shook violently, rocks were split apart, and graves were opened. All of a sudden everything on earth, in the universe and in heaven seemed to change. Jesus the Light of the world had died.
All you have to do for darkness to come is remove the light.
It is hard to imagine the depth of the darkness when Jesus had been taken from the world. Darkness was everywhere.
Mary Magdalene knew about darkness.
She had known the darkness of corruption and wickedness. Magdala was a little town on the Sea of Galilee that was known for its corruption and wickedness. One rabbi said: “Magdala lost its life because it was so evil.” When Jesus met Mary, she was possessed with seven demons. Jesus had cast the demons out and brought light to Mary’s darkness. On the dark edge of sanity, Jesus reached out and brought her back to life. He rescued her from the darkness that had griped her soul. Jesus came into Mary’s darkness to bring her light.
She had been with her LORD through Friday’s darkness. Patiently, agonizingly, she had stood with the other women and his mother at the cross watching Him die. As he died, they felt, and watched a deep darkness descend upon them.
Some of you know the awful pain and heaviness that descends when grief overwhelms your soul.
This was more than that because the LORD of all glory had died. All of creation responded to the moment. The angels in heaven looked upon that moment.
Mark 16:1 TPT On the first day of the week, as the Sabbath was ending, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Jacob, and Salome made their way to the tomb.
Mark 16:2 TPT It was very early in the morning as the first streaks of light were beginning to be seen in the sky. They had purchased aromatic embalming spices so that they might anoint His body.
As they were going they asked one another, “Who can roll away the heavy stone for us from the tomb?”
All of a sudden there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the LORD descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. When the women arrived, they saw the stone had been rolled away and they were greatly perplexed. Rushing into the tomb they found the body of the LORD Jesus was gone. As they turned to leave, two men in shining bright garments said, “Why would you look for the living One in the tomb? He is not here, for He has risen.” They rushed to tell the eleven disciples what they saw, and Peter jumped and ran to the tomb to see for himself. Stooping down, he looked inside and discovered that the tomb was empty. In shock, he went away to his home wondering what had happened.
That same day two of His disciples were traveling to Emmaus which is seven miles from Jerusalem. As they were walking, Jesus Himself drew near and went with them, but their eyes were still darkened with unbelief. They told Him about what the women had said, and that some of them had gone to the tomb and saw that it was empty, but fear, doubt and uncertainty blinded their eyes. Toward evening as the darkness of night approached, they pleaded with Him to stay with them. Joining them for supper, He took bread, blessed it and broke it, then He gave it to them. All of a sudden their eyes were opened and they realized it was Jesus! Then suddenly in a flash, Jesus vanished from before their eyes. They rushed from the house and ran to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples.
It was the evening of the first day of the week and all eleven of the disciples were gathered together. The doors were locked for fear of the Jews. The two of them told the others, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” Then they told them what happened on the road to Emmaus and how He broke bread with them.
While they were discussing all of this, Jesus suddenly appeared standing there among them.
They were startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a spirit.
Luke 24:38 NIV84 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?
Luke 24:39-40 NIV84 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet.
As He was speaking to them, He opened their understanding so that they might comprehend the Scriptures about His suffering, death and resurrection, ( Luke 24:45-46).
John 20:21-22 TPT Jesus repeated his greeting, “Peace to you!” And he told them, “Just as the Father has sent me, I’m now sending you.” Then, taking a deep breath, he blew on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
He came into the room to declared His power over death and present undeniable evidence that He had truly conquered death and the darkness. Then He moved them to a higher level. They had been overwhelmed with weakness and trouble. Their faith had been challenged. Now, Jesus was changing them and mobilizing them for mission. They were to become the light of the world a city that is set on a hill that cannot be hidden. He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
Jesus Christ has arisen to break the darkness.
Has darkness, doom and despair gathered in your life? Are you suffocated beneath the weight of what has happened? There is hope for you today. Jesus is the light of the world and He can dispel your darkness. He will do it right now. He is Risen! Jesus is alive.
