IMPACT FXBG | JESUS Said - Luke 23:46

Mar 30, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: The Holiness of God and Our Need for Atonement

God's holiness is perfect and absolute, requiring a perfect sacrifice for sin. In the Old Testament, the presence of God was so sacred and separate from humanity that a massive, thick curtain was erected in the temple to keep people out of the Most Holy Place. Only the high priest could enter, and only once a year, with blood, to atone for the people's sins. This system highlighted the immense separation caused by sin and the profound reverence required to approach a holy God. It was a temporary measure, pointing forward to a final, ultimate solution. [01:00:58]

“The LORD said to Moses, ‘Tell Aaron your brother not to come at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat that is on the ark, so that he may not die. For I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat.’” (Leviticus 16:2 ESV)

Reflection: When you consider the holiness of God as described in the Old Testament, what thoughts or feelings arise about your own ability to approach Him? How does this ancient system of atonement help you appreciate what Jesus accomplished?

Day 2: The Finality and Authority of Christ’s Sacrifice

Jesus’s death was not an accident or a tragedy forced upon Him; it was a sovereign, intentional act of love. He declared, “It is finished,” signifying that the work of salvation was fully accomplished. He then willingly gave up His spirit, demonstrating His ultimate authority over life and death. His sacrifice was the final, perfect payment for sin, making all previous sacrificial systems obsolete. This was not just another death; it was the death that conquered death itself. [52:52]

“For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” (John 10:17-18 ESV)

Reflection: In what area of your life are you currently struggling to trust in Jesus’s finished work and His authority, perhaps trying to earn something He has already fully provided?

Day 3: The Torn Curtain and Our New Access to God

The moment Jesus committed His spirit to the Father, the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. This was a powerful, supernatural act of God, signifying that the separation between God and humanity was abolished. The way into God’s presence was now open for everyone through the blood of Jesus. No longer is access restricted to a high priest once a year; we can now approach God’s throne of grace with confidence at any time. [01:11:04]

“And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.” (Mark 15:38 ESV)

Reflection: What does it mean for you personally to have direct, confident access to God through Jesus? How might this truth change the way you approach Him in prayer today?

Day 4: A Confident Invitation to Draw Near

Because the curtain has been torn, we are invited to draw near to God with a true heart and full assurance of faith. Our hearts have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus, and we are washed clean. This is not an invitation based on our own goodness or performance but on the perfect work of Christ. We can come out of isolation and into intimate relationship with God, free from guilt, shame, and condemnation. [01:18:15]

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh… let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.” (Hebrews 10:19-22 ESV)

Reflection: Is there anything—a sin, a doubt, or a feeling of unworthiness—that is currently holding you back from drawing near to God with full assurance? What would it look like to bring that specifically to Him today?

Day 5: Living in Community as the Tearn Curtain

The torn curtain not only grants us vertical access to God but also creates horizontal community with His people. We are called to live in biblical community, to stir one another up to love and good works, and to not neglect meeting together. God’s presence now dwells within His church, and we experience His nearness as we gather and encourage one another. Our connection to each other is a vital expression of the new access we have in Christ. [01:21:54]

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV)

Reflection: How is God inviting you to more deeply engage with His people this week, moving from isolation into the encouragement and love of biblical community?

Sermon Summary

Impact Church marks Palm Sunday as the opening of Holy Week and invites intentional engagement with the city through Do Good Friday and a special Easter Sunday gathering. Do Good Friday will bring neighborhood outreach—egg hunts, face painting, snacks, and relationship-building—aimed at connecting people who rarely get community events. Easter Sunday will meet at Falmouth Elementary for a morning service with breakfast, baptisms, a kids’ Easter glow party, and focused proclamation of the resurrection. A recent statistic highlights opportunity: inviting someone to Easter receives an affirmative response about 80% of the time across North America, framing evangelistic urgency for personal invitations.

Luke 23 receives close attention, especially the final words of Jesus recorded there: “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” Jesus prays rather than rebukes, modeling a relationship-centered atonement and demonstrating intentional surrender and trust in the Father even in death. The passage pairs that prayer with the dramatic tearing of the temple curtain, signaling more than a cosmic sign; the torn curtain removes the barrier that once separated the people from God’s immediate presence.

The sermon argues that the curtain’s ripping fulfills temple symbolism: the holy place and the holy of holies once separated people from the ark and the mercy seat, enforced by yearly atonement rituals and the high priest’s fearful entry. The curtain—described as enormous in size and thickness—divided sinners from God’s holiness. Jesus’ death removes that separation so that access to God no longer depends on animal sacrifices, human intermediaries, or ritual ropes; the blood of Jesus opens a new and living way, assures confident entry into the holy places, and invites continual drawing near.

Hebrews 10 clarifies the practical response to this reality: draw near with a true heart, hold fast to hope without wavering, stir one another to love and good works, and do not neglect meeting together. Baptism and communal life serve as visible responses to the inward work of the blood. The weeks ahead receive four practical invitations: invite others to Easter, trust life and spirit into God’s hands, read Scripture and pray through Holy Week, and participate in community and baptism as tangible signs of the new access granted by the cross.

Key Takeaways

1. The cross restores access to God Jesus’ death tore the barrier that ritual once enforced, turning a once-forbidden inner sanctuary into an open invitation. Access no longer depends on repetitive sacrifices but on the decisive work of Christ, who removed separation and reconciled sinners to God. This reorientation calls for confidence in entering God’s presence, not by performance but by a trusted, present relationship. [44:45]
2. Entrust the spirit into God’s hands The final words recorded in Luke show surrender that trusts God’s hands with ultimate destiny rather than clinging to control. Committing the spirit expresses faith that God remains sovereign even in death and that divine authority governs both giving up life and raising it again. This trust redefines courage: relinquishing control becomes the path to security in God. [45:01]
3. The torn curtain invites community The removal of the curtain makes God’s presence accessible through gathered people, not just a building or ritual. Community becomes the arena where the holy now dwells and where believers encounter God through shared worship, mutual stirring to love, and practical service. Loneliness and isolation lose their finality when access to God flows through faithful, embodied relationships. [74:47]
4. Draw near with full assurance Hebrews frames the new way as confident drawing near—heartwide repentance, faith grounded in the blood, and public expressions like baptism. Assurance does not rest on emotions but on the promised faithfulness of God and the living way opened by Christ’s resurrection. Daily practices of Scripture and prayer cultivate the felt reality of closeness and sustain hope when trials come. [83:37]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[15:16] - Palm Sunday and Holy Week
[16:09] - Preparing for Good Friday & Easter
[16:45] - Do Good Friday: Neighborhood Outreach
[18:55] - Easter Sunday Details & Baptisms
[21:28] - Invite Statistic and Evangelistic Push
[23:47] - Prayer for Invited Guests
[32:14] - Proclamation: Jesus Is Alive
[43:19] - Reading Luke 23
[43:49] - Darkness at Noon (Luke 23)
[44:45] - Curtain Torn: Meaning Explained
[45:01] - “Into Your Hands I Commit”
[67:47] - Temple Curtain Visualized
[74:47] - Hebrews: Draw Near by the Blood
[83:37] - Practical Next Steps and Invitation
[87:33] - Communion, Response, and Sending

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Luke 23:44-46 (ESV)
It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun's light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.

Hebrews 10:19-25 (ESV)
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Observation questions

What three things happened in Luke 23:44-46 as Jesus died?
According to Hebrews 10:19-20, what gives us the confidence to enter the holy places and what is this new way called?
What four specific actions are we instructed to do in Hebrews 10:22-25?
The sermon described the temple curtain as being 60 feet tall, 20 feet wide, and as thick as a man’s hand. [01:08:19] What was the purpose of this curtain?

Interpretation questions

Jesus’ final words were a prayer of surrender, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit,” rather than a rebuke to those around him. [47:08] What does this tell us about the nature of the relationship His death was meant to accomplish?
The tearing of the curtain signaled the removal of the barrier that separated people from God’s presence. [01:10:40] How does this change our understanding of approaching God, compared to the Old Testament system with the high priest and the rope tied to his ankle? [01:06:24]
Hebrews 10:24-25 links drawing near to God with stirring one another up and not neglecting to meet together. Why is community so essential to the new way of living that Jesus’ death opened for us?
The sermon stated that “when we put things in God’s hands, we are losing control, but we are gaining security.” [49:06] What is the difference between losing control and gaining security in this context?

Application questions

The final prayer of Jesus was an act of entrusting His spirit to the Father. [49:21] What is one specific area of your life—a worry, a relationship, or a future plan—that you are struggling to commit fully into God’s hands this week?
The curtain was torn so that we can draw near to God with a true heart. [01:18:15] What does drawing near with a “true heart” look like practically, especially if you feel distant or your prayers feel routine?
One practical invitation from the sermon was to read the Bible and pray every day this Holy Week. [01:25:18] What is one tangible step you can take to create space for this, and who can you tell about this commitment to help you follow through?
The removal of the curtain means God’s presence is now accessible through His gathered people. [01:21:54] How can your community group or a relationship with another believer become a place where you more intentionally encounter God’s presence this week?
We are told to hold fast to our hope without wavering, especially when things get hard. [01:20:55] What is one specific promise from God’s Word that you can hold onto this week when you feel your hope starting to waver?
An invitation was given to participate in baptism as a visible response to the inward work of the blood. [01:19:55] If you have not been baptized, what is holding you back from taking this step of obedience? If you have, how can your baptism story encourage someone else who is considering it?
The torn curtain is an invitation to bring the good news of access to God to those who feel isolated. [01:26:44] Who is one person in your life feeling lonely or separated from community that you can personally invite to Easter or into a conversation about Jesus this week?

Sermon Clips

36s

#TrustGodsHands

“See, here's what we know. When we put things in God's hands, we are losing control, but we are gaining security. Do hear that? When we put things in God's hands, we are losing control of that thing, but we are gaining massive security because we know in whose hands they are in. And so this is what Jesus is doing. Jesus is saying, God, I'm putting my I'm entrusting. I'm putting my soul, not just my life. I'm putting my soul, my eternal destiny, my eternal life into your hands.”

43s

#NoCondemnation

“He gets rid of the separation because now there is therefore no condemnation, no separation for those who are in Christ Jesus. He paid the debt. He paid the penalty. He took the death we deserved. And now, anyone that trusts in Jesus is not in fear of the holiness of God. They are invited into the holiness of God. This is the best news we could ever receive. That now everything we think separates us from knowing God has been wiped out. It's gone.”

35s

#CurtainTakenDown

“Not a single lamb, not a single dove, not a single ram, not a single animal that they sacrificed to sprinkle on the ark of the covenant was good enough for the priest to say, let's take the curtain down. So what's the first thing that happens when Jesus says, father, into your hands, I commit my spirit. He says, it is finished. Now, I am done. I am committing my spirit into your hands. What's the first thing God does? He gets rid of the curtain.”

63s

#BarrierOfSin

“So why make such a big deal of it? Why do this? Again, to keep us out, To keep us separated. Because there's no way we we are not spotless. It we are the ones that bring the sin to the table of salvation. That's what we show up to the potluck with. And here we are in danger of God's holiness because of our sin. So they put up a barrier, a curtain. This curtain separated us. Me and my sin, God and his holiness separated. Every year they come in to make forgiveness for their sins, still separated. Sacrifice after sacrifice, but none of them were good enough.”

46s

#JesusOnlySacrifice

“And guys, if we're being honest, this is the story of the cross. This is the story of why Jesus died, is that our sin isolated us, separated us from God. But we weren't made for that. We weren't built for that. Alone time? Sure. Isolation? No. Separation? No. And there was only one solution to get us back to God, and it was for a perfect, sinless, spotless life to be offered as a sacrifice. And the only one capable of doing that is Jesus.”

39s

#ResurrectionHope

“He is the same savior today that has all the authority. And listen, those who are in Christ, the bible tells us, Jesus is going to use that authority to know when your life is laid down, and one day to resurrect your life. One day, not only will you be will your spirit be with God in heaven, but you will bodily resurrect and be given a new body. So this is amazing. This is this is really good news because we don't have a savior that we're guessing on. No guessing games with Jesus. He said it, he did it, and we can believe it.”

39s

#LeaveItAllFollowJesus

“Some people say, I don't know. I Brandon, I like Jesus, but I don't like the way he meddles in people's lives. Like, he's kinda meddling in my life, and I don't know. There's just some things that I need control over. And I'm going, you didn't hear it. You didn't hear it. No one takes it from me. I lay it down of my own accord. I have the authority to lay my life down, and I have the authority to pick it back up. Come on. I'm leaving it all to follow him. That's what I'm doing. And church, I wanna encourage you. Leave it all to follow him.”

36s

#TrustedByGodsHands

“And so isn't it interesting that there were I mean, think about what Jesus had just been through. There were lots of hands having their way with Jesus. The hands that put the crown of thorns on his brow, the hands that whipped him before going to the cross, the hands that shoved him on the ground while he was trying to carry the cross, the hands that drove the nails into his his wrists and his feet. Lots of hands had their way with Jesus, but there were only one set of hands that Jesus fully trusted, and those were the hands of God.”

Ask a question about this sermon

Impact Church FXBG This sermon · AI assistant

What is the significance of the torn curtain?

What does committing one’s spirit into God mean?

What practical next steps follow Christ’s torn curtain?

IMPACT FXBG | JESUS Said - Luke 23:46

Devotional

Day 1: The Holiness of God and Our Need for Atonement

Day 2: The Finality and Authority of Christ’s Sacrifice

Day 3: The Torn Curtain and Our New Access to God

Day 4: A Confident Invitation to Draw Near

Day 5: Living in Community as the Tearn Curtain

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

IMPACT FXBG | JESUS Said - Luke 23:46

Share