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At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 35 When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.” 36 One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said. 37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. 38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”
REFERENCES: ROMANS 6:23, 8:31-39; 2 CORINTHIANS 5:21
Meeting the person of your dreams, the best day ever. Getting married, the best day ever. Having a child, the best day ever. Easter is the best day ever, in history, for all of humanity. No other day comes close. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the event our faith hinges on. It is the day we are reminded that our God is alive and active. But, how could such a good day be preceded by such a bad one? How could light pierce the darkness? How could joy overcome sorrow? There were signposts in that ninth hour of darkness telling those first followers that it would turn out alright, more than alright, it would turn out for their good. When you are standing in your own ninth hour, it can be hard to fathom the good that is yet to come, but take courage. Jesus overcame his darkest moment so in him we can overcome as well. Jesus’ life is not for his own sake but so that you can live a resurrected life of your own, in relationship with him. Because he died, we can live. Because he rose, we are now more than conquerors!
Two supernatural signs showed that Jesus was forsaken so that we might be forgiven:
Once Jesus made his ultimate sacrifice, the temple veil, a curtain which separated the ancient people from the Holy of Holies, was split down the middle. What once was a barrier for sinners to enter God’s presence, now shouted come in! Jesus became the eternal high priest and we gained open access to the inner sanctuary.
The symbol of stoic authority was the centurion, a commanding officer of the Roman army, who imposed the brutal will of the Roman empire. But even this hardened stoic at the foot of the cross was moved to awed belief at the sight of Jesus’ sinless, selfless, sacrificial death. He couldn’t help but confess, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”
Jesus became guilty so that we could be innocent once and for all. He didn’t die on the cross 2000 years ago so we would live in shame. The price has been paid. Jesus is the solution to the problem of sin. Because of his sacrificial act, we are now the righteousness of God. We will not let the shame of sin stop us from reaping the benefits of the best day ever.
Don’t wait until next Easter. Establish a daily tradition of remembrance as a reminder of the cross. Check out this week’s blog post to reflect on why this day has now become the best day ever!
If someone in your Crew needs care, we want to come alongside you. Our Care Response Team is designed to equip you to walk with people in different seasons of their life.Our team is committed to celebrating life’s best moments with you and offering support through its hardest ones.We would love to come around you for the following life events:
+ Marriages
+ Births
+ Deaths
+ Hospitalizations/Illness
Please submit a request at vouschurch.com/requestcare
Saying yes to Jesus marks a brand new beginning. Baptism is your next step. It's how you go public with your faith and celebrate the new life God has given you. The past is behind you, and a fresh future is ahead. This is your moment. We are having baptisms this Sunday, July 27th, across all of our locations, and on the beach.
To sign up for baptisms, please click here.
This back-to-school season, we have the opportunity to show up for our city in a meaningful way. On Saturday, August 2, we’re hosting a Back to School Bash at the Samuel K. Johnson Youth Center, located inside Charles Hadley Park. It’s a chance to serve local families by distributing backpacks filled with school supplies and making sure every student feels seen, supported, and ready to start the year with confidence.
Donate - Fill backpacks for families in need for the school year. You can purchase supplies locally and bring to a VOUS Location or donate online.
Serve - Help host our annual Back To School Bash for families in our community — distribute backpacks, check-in guests, and serve our city during a morning of fun and games.
When: Saturday, August 2nd
Where: Samuel K. Johnson Youth Center
Address: 4900 NW 12th Ave, Miami, FL 33127
Team Rally: 10:20AM
Starting Sunday, August 3rd, we will be moving to brand new service times at all of our locations!
VOUS SoMi
10:00AM / 12:00PM / 6PM
VOUS City
10:00AM / 12:00PM / 6PM
VOUS Miami Gardens
8:30AM / 10:00AM / 12:00PM
VOUS Design District
8:30AM / 10:00AM / 12:00PM
The countdown is on! If you're ready to take your next step in ministry, leadership, or higher education, now is the time to apply. VOUS College application deadline is July 31st for both our degree-seeking and leadership programs. Don’t miss your chance to be part of a life-changing semester. Start your journey at vouscollege.com/apply.
VOUS SoMi
8:45AM / 10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS City
10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS Miami Gardens
8:45AM / 10:30AM / 12:30PM
VOUS Design District
10:30AM / 12:30PM
Church Online
10:30AM / 12:30PM / 5PM Español
Growth Track
After every service or join online at vouschurch.com/growthtrack
