Well, if you have a way to get to the scriptures, we're going to be in Luke chapter 23,

Luke chapter 23. Title of my message is for whom the bell tolls. With deep respects to both

Ernest Hemingway and Metallica for my title today. That hits different generations differently

for whom the bell tolls. Luke 23, there's just one statement we're going to look at. Jesus speaking,

so the words are in red, assuredly, Jesus said to him, I say to you, today you will be with me

in paradise. And Father, we thank you for these words that were given to someone specifically

in that moment in a very unique situation. But these words have power and life and light

to hit us today, to help us today, to give us hope today. So thank you, God, for this Easter

weekend. Thank you for what we're doing today on Good Friday. Thank you for the fact that if we

take some time and watch the moon rise tonight, the full moon in the sky is going to be a reminder

to us that this day is connected to the day you die. We don't know exactly when Christmas should be.

We just picked the day at some point in history to mark that you came, but when we come to Good Friday,

we can know this day of the year, this full moon at this fixed point connects us to the day that

your son died for us. God, that is heavy. And so I pray, God, that not only in this moment,

would you explode new truths in our heart like fireworks? God continuing on throughout the night,

the stillness of the night, the early morning, if we get up to see the moon still hang in the air,

the sunrise as we walk into holy Saturday, the silence of it. And then God, I just really do believe

and anticipate God, awakenings and power and glory to thunder on into our celebration of the

resurrection of your son from the dead. But God, let us not be in such a hurry to get to the

resurrection that we don't take the time properly, solemnly, to let the fact of the death of God

register in our minds and hearts and lives. There's so much going on in the world, so much going on

in the news, so much going on for us to fret about, but let these be the lead stories in our hearts.

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