阅读经文 

耶稣出生时，夜晚有大光。（参路 2:8-14）耶稣受死时，正午却是一片黑暗。甚至太阳也掩面不看神儿子所经历的可怕的受难。耶稣的苦难不仅是肉体上的，更是灵里的。尽管耶稣先是忍受了鞭打和折磨，后是十字架上的极度痛苦，这些都是难以形容的痛苦，但祂最大的痛苦是感到与天父隔绝，尝到地狱般的折磨。

耶稣为我们忍受了咒诅。我们的过犯完全背负在祂身上。我们的罪恶和丑陋使祂蒙羞受苦。我们罪孽的重担，是祂为我们担当。因为祂为了我们成了代罪的人，（参林后 5:21）律法要求判处祂死刑，因为罪的工价乃是死。（参罗 6:23）

在那一天的黑暗中，圣殿的幔子裂为两半，耶稣的身体破碎，为我们开辟了通往神的“又新又活的路”。（参来 10:20）藉着祂的死，我们与神重新建立了连接。

在十字架上，耶稣为我们打开了通往天堂的大门！

When Jesus was born, there was a bright light at night (Luke 2:8-14). When Jesus died, there was darkness at noon. Even the sun hid its face from the terrible suffering of the Son of God. Jesus' suffering was not only physical but, more deeply, spiritual. Even though his pain was indescribable, from the flogging and torture he endured to the excruciating agony of crucifixion, Jesus' greatest suffering was that he was separated from the Father and subjected to the torments of hell.

Jesus became a curse for us. Our transgressions lay fully on him. The ugliness of our sin covered him with shame and pain. The crushing weight of our iniquities was cast on him. Because he was made to be sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21), the law demanded his death, for the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).

In the darkness of that day, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, and Jesus opened for us "a new and living way" to God (Hebrews 10:20). Through his death we are reconnected with God.

On the cross, Jesus opened for us the door to heaven!