Resurrection Sunday

Matthew 28 (Click title for audio access)

"Only The Beginning"  •  4.24.11  •  Calvary Christian Fellowship, Resurrection Sunday

Intro.

- I would like to begin this morning with some poignant words from the Apostle Paul, who addressed himself to a group of believers who questioned the veracity of the resurrection.

•  "...If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world."                 Paul, in I Corinthians 15:16-19

- That is what is at stake. What a bleak statement to make! Useless faith. Still guilty!? All who have died believing in Christ are lost!? Of course, I have left out the most important verse for effect.

•  I Corinthians 15:20 (NLT)  :  "But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died."

- What a glorious note to hit! In fact, Christ has been raised from the dead! Today, all over the world, in churches large and small, the celebration of Christ's resurrection has come to the forefront.

- We join the chorus in a very natural way, as we are finishing our study of the book of Matthew today and this final chapter gives us the story of that first resurrection Sunday.

- I want to put this final chapter into an outline that will help us really solidify the grandeur of this chapter before us.

I.  The Content Of Our Faith (v.1-10)

II.  The Conflict Of Unbelief (v.11-15)

III. The Commission Of Christ (v.16-20)

Text

I.  The Content Of Our Faith (v.1-10)

•  Matthew 28:1-4  :  "Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, 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. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men."  :  For as many as hated Jesus, Matthew gives us a little glimpse into the heart of those that really did love Him.

- These ladies had come early, to see the tomb, to finish the embalming process that they had begun earlier and that Sabbath regulations kept them from.

- Their zeal and devotion is admirable, even if their faith is missing. On the way to the tomb, the other gospel accounts tell us that they wondered how they were going to move the stone.

- Resurrection was not in their minds, even though Jesus spoke clearly about it, repeating that information 5 times in Matthew! The stone was their difficulty, but not for long.

- On their way, another earthquake, this one caused by the angel's descent from heaven, rocked the region. He did not move the stone for the Lord's sake.

- It's not as if Jesus got up and then was stuck behind the door! That would have been incredibly anti-climactic! "What, we didn't plan for this!?"

- The angel rolled away the stone well after Christ had risen. He did this, not for the benefit of Jesus, but for the benefit of these women. When he was done, he took a seat.

- Lightning face and fancy duds. This angel was so striking and intimidating to look upon. There has never been an angel that didn't strike fear into the hearts of men.

- The Roman guards, at the very least 4, but potentially many more, themselves burly and intimidating men, seized at the sight of him. The language seems to indicate that they fainted!

- They fell over, but the ladies stood there, filled with questions in their minds. Before they could speak, the angel answered the questions of their hearts.

•  Matthew 28:5-8  :  "But the angel answered and said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.' So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word."  :  The angel has the privilege of announcing that Jesus has risen from the dead to these little ladies that love Jesus!

- Much has been made of God's graciousness to speak to marginalized people. The shepherds heard of His birth from angelic lips. Now, these women get to hear the news first.

- Many commentators have suggested reasons why. One had the audacity to quote that God has chosen to reveal things to the "foolish things" of the world!

- One lady commentator fired back, "At least these women were man enough to be there!"

- Frankly, these women got to hear the news for one reason: They were there! I'm never surprised that people hear the Lord's voice when they show up in the place that He speaks!

- The angel anticipated their questions about the location of the Lord. Listen to these words and let them ring in your heart.

- "He is not here. He is risen as He said!" What wonderful words then and what wonderful words now. Jesus Christ has defeated death, rising just as He said He would, on the third day.

- His body had been in the tomb since late Friday afternoon. Now, early Sunday morning, just before the dawn of a new day, Jesus ushers in a new beginning for all who would believe upon Him.

- The angel even invites these women to become the first of millions of visitors to Christ's empty tomb! But the angel let's them know that that had been where Jesus had laid.

- "Come and see." then, "Go and tell! You are looking at the prospect of an empty tomb today. You are looking in as well. What do you see? Go now and tell!

- These women went with fear and great joy. Fear because that angel WAS intimidating! Joy, because Jesus was alive!

•  Matthew 28:9,10  :  "And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, 'Rejoice!' So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, 'Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.'"  : These women went to do what the angel said and as they went, Jesus met them. It's as if He could not wait! Let me show them myself!

- I would remark that this has been the experience of His people ever since: They get orders from heaven and when they move in obedience, they see Jesus! He meets them!

- Of course, we meet and see Him figuratively. These women actually saw and heard Jesus. They heard Him say "Rejoice!" Be glad. Celebrate. Enjoy!

- We often think about Jesus being solemn and heartbroken, and as a man, He was a man acquainted with sorrows and grief. But here He is, in quite another state now, calling for rejoicing!

- Hear those words from Him. Rejoice, He has finished the work and God has approved of Him! Rejoice, for there is new life that isn't defined by death any longer!

- Rejoice, because Jesus is alive and His life means that we have an advocate with the Father and a Helper in His Spirit! Rejoice!

- They didn't just hear Jesus. These women came and touched Him as well! They held Him by the feet. I imagine them lunging forward and grabbing Jesus to keep Him from getting away!

- "Not again Lord! We're not letting you go this time!"

- They seized Him and worshiped Him, right there at the place of the tombs! Jesus turned that place of death into a worship center!

- As the angel had commissioned them, now Jesus tells them to go and tell the disciples. He does not do it Himself. He wants them involved.

- This will not be a secret movement. He wants them to speak of His Resurrection, to testify of what they had seen.

- Let me close this section with this statement: If you are a Christian, you are so because you believe in a resurrected Christ, who bodily left a tomb empty after having been dead for 3 days!

- Many have asked me in the past if I thought there was a greater importance in the crucifixion or in the resurrection. There is no argument: They cannot be removed from the other!

- His death was necessary to redeem sinful man, propitiate/satisfy God's wrath against sin and to fulfill the pictures and shadows o the Old Testament.

- His resurrection means that God accepted it! If Jesus had stayed dead, He would then be considered equal with Muhammed, Krishna and every other religious icon.

- His resurrection proves that the Father received His sacrifice on our behalf!

II.  The Conflict Of Unbelief (v.11-15)

•  Matthew 28:11-15  :  "Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, 'Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.' So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day."  :  After the Lord, the believers and the Angel left, the guards stood there in stunned silence! How are we going to explain this?

- Think about this one: These are professional soldiers with professional pride. They had been assigned an easy task. Guard a tomb for just over 48 hours!

- These are the Green Berets. The Expendables. The Navy Seals. The Canadian Mounties!

- One cannot imagine the embarrassment of having to speak about this! To fail in such a duty would equal much more than embarrassment. It would mean death!

- They went and told the priests of what had happened. They gave a full report of Christ's exit and the angel's power!

- These were noble eye witnesses to the resurrection. They above all men could be trusted to give truthful testimony.

- It's telling that they went to the Chief Priests first. Obviously, they had commissioned this group, but when this happened, they did not go to Pilate or to their cohort. Why? I have a theory.

- Where would you go to find an explanation of this event? Where would you go for support? Who do you think would most like to know about the resurrection of a potential Jewish Messiah!?

- The priests can almost not believe this. Had it come from any other source they would have denied the possibility, but these were soldiers!

- They again have first hand information regarding the divinity of Christ. They had heard His words regarding resurrection. They knew this would happen!

- In all madness, they take in this amazing news and decide to cover it up with a ridiculous story: "Tell them that the disciples stole the body while you slept!"

- "How did we know that it was the disciples if we were sleeping?" Because...you woke up! "But we didn't stop them!?" "They had...fishing poles." You see where this was going!

- These men could not speak the truth nor could they tell this lie, so they gave them sufficient funds to retire early! Even in Matthew's day, this story circulated, some thirty years after the fact!

- The point here is that the unbelieving world is hearing the loud witness of the entire Church today. They are hearing a report of a risen Christ, from people who have experienced Him.

- What will they do with this information? Will they bow their knees to this Christ? Or, like the religious ones, will they seek some other explanation?

- WIll they cover their distaste with the usual jokes and the marginalizing of their relations that do believe with all of their hearts?

- The conflict in the heart of the unbelieving is not the lack of information, but the lack of desire to fully surrender to a God who will not accept them except in Christ! This is the truth of life.

- What does God propose to do about it? Let's get to our final section.

III. The Commission Of Christ (v.16-20)

•  Matthew 28:16,17  :  "Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted."  :  Jesus had made an appointment with these 11 men. He brought them back home, back to the scene of so many miracles and so many memories.

- It's also where Jesus had called these men, several right off of the sea shore!

- Jesus is going to give them their acting instructions, their commencement speech.

- The disciples saw Jesus. They laid their eyes upon Him and they worshiped Him. Some immediately made that transition and went headlong toward the Lord.

- They had enough evidence, the issue was settled! Jesus was worthy of their worship! He had raised from the dead and He was Lord! No more questions!

- Some have no problem today worshipping the Lord today. Their faith is unshakeable and powerful. Others will relate to this next phrase: Some doubted!

- We are aware of Thomas and his doubts. He said, "Unless I see His hands and feet, I won't believe." It seems that at this moment, it was not just Thomas!

- You have to love that the Bible does not keep that information from us. It tells us that some doubted, the word meaning "to waver."

- Maybe Matthew meant to refer to Peter's fishing trip that John 20 documents!

- They were wavering, but what is important is not their mental struggle. What's important is that they came to meet with Jesus and brought their doubts with them!

- Maybe you think that you need to have every theological duck in a row before you fully surrender to Jesus Christ. I tell you today, that the disciples came and brought their doubts with them!

- Jesus is not afraid of your doubts or your wavering heart! Come and let Him settle your issues. Bring them honestly and He will answer them honestly.

- Don't let your doubts derail the faith that you already possess! I guarantee you that they might have come with doubts, but they left with confidence!

•  Matthew 28:18-20  :  "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' Amen."  :  The first thing that Jesus tells the boys is that He now has all authority. He has all the power! Jesus Christ is been given sovereign authority, which means He can do anything at any time for anyone!

- He has it to dispense! The power of heaven and earth belongs to these disciples, and yes, to these disciples here today. The resurrection brings that reality to our hearts now.

- Now, He tells them: Go! Make progress. Get moving. Take a direction. Because the power He has is yours to tap into, go! Go with it. Go with the power that is available to you as believers!

- The word is not "Wait for them to come to you." it is "Go out to them!" Take it to them!

- Because He is giving you the power, go and use His authority to make disciples of all the nations. The resurrection is the calling card for international healing!

- Christianity is to be indiscriminate. It's not for the Jews or the Arabs. It's not for middle class America! It's for every nation, every people group, on the face of this earth!

- Notice, they were to make disciples, not converts! The word "disciples" could be "one who is taught." They are to be, as one commentator calls it, "believing learners," constantly growing in faith.

- This discipleship, this road begins with evangelism, which is teaching about salvation.

- People must be taught that there is a God who loves them, but is offended by their sin. Jesus is the remedy, in that He has paid for sin and provided righteousness! Discipleship begins here!

- The disciples were to teach and facilitate their entry into the body of Christ with baptism.

- Baptism Is meant to be a demonstration of belief in and union with Christ! Baptism visibly demonstrated that a person believed in the death and resurrection of Christ!

- They are to be baptized in "the name." Jesus tells them that this triune understanding of God must accompany their baptism. He is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Three persons, one entity!

- God is the One who loves the world and sent Jesus. Jesus loves the Father and came for His purpose and His brothers. The Spirit loves the Son and teaches us all about Him.

- Jesus wants His disciples to have this complete picture of the Godhead!

- Once they are baptised, the Lord tells them that they are to "hold discourses" or studies on all things that He had commanded them.

- They were to share the doctrine that Jesus had shared with them. They were to consistently, constantly be in a position where His Word was coming from their lips.

- The true disciple is the one who hungers to hear, to listen and obey God's word. There is no other type of discipleship. You are either in a constant state of learning and growing or you are not!

- We finish this book with an understanding that really encapsulates the wonder of the resurrection: Because He lives, He will ever be present with us into every age!

- Jesus, even Jesus. The One who has risen. The One with Sovereign Power and Authority. Jesus will be with us until it's all come together, culminating in His second coming!

- We finish the book of Matthew, all saying one word together. It's the last word: AMEN!

Conclusion

- The content of our faith is wrapped up in a resurrected Christ. The conflict that exists is a people group that exists to deny Him. The commission is God's answer and compassion.

- Go get them, wherever they are. Go in His power and authority. Go knowing His presence is ever with you, even until He comes again!

Good Friday 2011

Matthew 27:47-66 (Click title for audio access)

"Words From A Cross, pt. 2"  •  4.22.11  •  Calvary Christian Fellowship, Good Friday Service

Intro.

- We have been stationed on a hill, just outside of Jerusalem, called "Golgotha," which in our language is "Skull Hill."

- In between two thieves is a man who has been wrongfully accused, brutally assaulted by those who hated Him, and viciously beaten by Romans dedicated to the art of pain.

- He has been nailed to a Roman cross for roughly 5 hours. In that time, He has forgiven His tormentors, welcomed a sinner into His Kingdom and made a family out of two disciples.

- At noon, the world went dark and Jesus Christ went from being an Apostle and Priest, to the High Priest. He called out with these words, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?"

- In that moment and for the next 2 hours, Jesus the Son, transacted a dealing with the Father that would change fulfill history, as well as alter the course of our lives.

- Tonight, we will look at the final three statements that Jesus made from the cross, in what is the last hour of His life. We'll begin where we left off.

Text

•  Matthew 27:47-49  :  "Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, 'This Man is calling for Elijah!' Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink. The rest said, 'Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.'"  : Those who stood there. Why continue to stand there?

- They stood there because they were fascinated by Him, enough so to stay and watch, and hateful of Him, hoping for new ways to mock the Lord.

- When they spoke of Jesus calling for Elijah, they were referring to Jesus' call for "Eli" which is Hebrew for "God." "Elia" is Hebrew for Elijah, which would be phonetically close.

- They were using the prophecy of Elijah's coming before the Messiah as a way to mock Him now. They knew that He had called out to God, but they chose to use the occasion for their purpose.

- "Let's see if Elijah will come," they taunted and mocked. "Let's see if the forerunner comes to His aid!" They laughed and congratulated each other.

- Turn with me to John 19. It was during this time that Jesus called out with the 5th statement uttered from the cross. John lets us in on the details.

•  John 19:28  :  "After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, 'I thirst!'"  : Jesus knew what time it was. He knew exactly what was to take place in order for you and I to be redeemed.

- The transaction has taken place. All things were accomplished, completed or fulfilled, save one scripture. Jesus spoke these words: "I thirst."

- The scripture that Jesus fulfilled is found in Psalm 69:21 which says that the Messiah would be given vinegar to drink. That is what Matthew here terms sour wine, which they offered to Him.

- The act of crucifixion would leave Him or any man in an extreme state of dehydration.

- His thirst would have been naturally occuring, but supernaturally directed.

•  John 19:29  :  "Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth." : This corresponds with what Matthew calls the sponge. Do notice that John says that they put it on hyssop.

- Hyssop was a reed like stick with a bushy end. Where else is hyssop found in scripture? You'll remember that the book of Exodus that the people were to dip hyssop into the lamb's blood.

- Then they were to take the hyssop and apply the blood to their doorposts. Now, this vinegar is delivered via the vehicle of hyssop. God is meticulous in His work.

• Matthew 27:50a  :  "And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice,"  :  Matthew does not let us know what He said, but records what happened. We will note again that Jesus was able to speak with a loud, authoritative voice, minutes before His death.

- It's notable because Jesus, though silent before His accusers, was not lacking in the power to speak. Matthew doesn't record His actual words, but they are powerful.

- Jesus yelled out one profound word which we discover in John 19:30.

• John 19:30a  :   "So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, 'It is finished!'..."  :  What we read as three words in English is actually one word in the Greek language. It's the word "tetelestai." This was a very common word, but widespread in it's application.

- There were three ways that the Greeks used this word. It was used by a servant to report to his master when a job was performed.

- It was used in the temple when a sacrifice was examined and found to be without blemish. It was therefore deemed perfect for sacrfice.

- This word was used by artists who had come to the end of the creative process. It was the "finito" of it's time.

- Most importantly, this word was used in the marketplace when a debt was paid finally and in full! Archeologists have found receipts with this word stamped upon it. "Tetelestai!"

- Whoever was standing there and whatever station they held in society, they knew this powerful word. They might not have understood it's significance but we cannot ignore it.

- Jesus declares in one word that He had finished the redeeming work that His Father gave Him to do.  His vicarious penal substitutionary sacrifice was perfect before God

- His death on the cross pays our sin debt in full, forever and finally! I say "finally" because of the way that this is written in the original language.

- According to one commentator, this word is conveyed in what is called the "perfect tense." It
would be understood in this way: "It has been and will always be accomplished!

 - Both John and Matthew omit the final phrase that Christ uttered, but it happened at this moment. He has declared that His work is finished, now we hear His final words from the cross.

•  Matthew 27:50b  :  "...and yielded up His spirit."

- Matthew tells us that Jesus yielded up His spirit. John says that He gave up His spirit. It's Luke who tells us how He performed this.

•  Luke 23:46  :  "And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, 'Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ Having said this, He breathed His last."  :  When the Lord spoke this out, He did what nobody else on earth has ever been able to do. He chose the very moment that He would die.

- He knew that He was His Father's. He knew that He had done what was set out for Him and now He goes peacefully into the hands that sent Him.

- The Lord had complete authority over the length of His life.  Jesus was not a victim of death.

- His death was entirely sacrificial. I would go so far as to say that if Jesus had not yielded His spirit, that He would still be standing on that cross today!

- Nobody took His life and death could not claim Him because He was perfect, yet He tasted death and in so doing, conquered death for our sakes.

•  Matthew 27:51-54  :  "Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, 'Truly this was the Son of God!'"  : This veil separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple. The veil itself was a very large and ornate curtain.

- In Herod's Temple, it was over 60 ft long and 30 ft wide. There is a variance when it comes to exactly how thick it was. I have heard anywhere between 10 and 18 inches thick!

- According to several sources, the veil was so heavy that it took 300 priests to manipulate it!

- This veil hid the Holy Of Holies from sight. It formed an imposing physical barrier reminiscent of the spiritual barrier between God and Man. When Jesus died, God said no more!

- He tore it from top to bottom. Only God could tear this barrier, the veil which had been represented in Christ's flesh. He opened the Holy Of Holies and said "Open House!"

- From there, an incredible set of circumstances opened up. Nothing can quite explain what happened here, except that Christ's death brought the world to attention.

- I'm of the opinion that the earth celebrated the signal of redemption!

- The earth, the rocks and graves all responded to our Lord's death! Matthew takes us into the near future, as saints who had died were awakened and walked again in Jerusalem post resurrection!

- The centurions looked around and saw all that had happened and came to the conclusion that Jesus was the Son of God! It had to be! This was normal barnyard logic!

- At the end of the day, these soldiers, no doubt ones who had mocked Jesus as the King just hours earlier, now confessed that Jesus was who He said He was!

•  Matthew 27:55-61  :  "And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons. Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed. And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb."  :  After the Lord's death, these women came and ministered to the Lord's body.

- Usually, the crucifed dead were thrown into the valley of Hinnom and burned along with the trash or allowed to be eaten by the wild animals.

- Nobody had really thought of what to do with the Lord's body, except for these ladies and a secret disciple, Joseph of Arimathea.

- He was a rich man and likely a member of the Sanhedrin had been waiting around and now had gone to Pilate to ask for the care of the Lord's body.

- He had become a disciple and we know very little of him. Depending on his faith, he might have been giving Jesus a loaner for the weekend!

- His tomb, like many of that day, had been cut out of the side of a rock. It was large enough for a few bodies to be laid, which is not unusual. Most tombs accomodated an entire family.

- The family would place the bodies in these tombs until the decaying process left only enough remains that could be placed in what is called an "ossuary."

- That little box would be placed in the tomb along with any new relatives that would arrive.

- Most of these tombs would have a stone groove carved out before the entrance. A heavy circular stone, called the "Golal," could then be pushed into place by several strong men.

- This tomb had been unused and was now the resting place of the Lord's body.

•  Matthew 27:62-66  :  "On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, 'Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise.’ Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.' Pilate said to them, 'You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.' So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard."  :  Matthew gives us the record of what happened on Saturday. The Day of Preparation was the day when you would gather and prepare food for the Sabbath.

- It was on this day when the religious ones traveled to see Pilate. Remember how they had scolded the Lord for breaking the Sabbath? Well, here they are with a Gentile procurator!

- One can only imagine Pilate's face when they came to see him. "Oh not these guys again!"

- The religious leaders knew the substance of what Jesus had said, even though they had twisted His words to suit their own meaning and purpose.

- They want to make sure that nothing would happen with the tomb. Pilate told them to use the guard that the Romans had given them for such things.

- They made sure that nobody could mess with the tomb, sealing the stone and setting the guard. Nobody on earth could disturb the Lord's body. Not His disciples or the zealots. Nobody.

- The stone was a large stone which could have weighed a ton. The guards were generally arranged in fours. They were manly men.

- It's as if God is saying, "Let's make this as hard as possible!"

Conclusion

- A few words as we close tonight. First, we must consider the theological. Jesus Christ died on this cross to fulfill scripture, to satisfy wrath and to pay a redemption price for you and I.

- He said "It is finished." Is it? Or are you still trying to finish it? Do not blaspheme the love of God or the righteousness of Christ by trying to add your religion to Him.

- You are either paid for and loved completely or you are not! There are no other options.

- Second, we consider the personal. For years, the church has ended their good Friday service with this statement: "It's Friday, but Sunday's coming!"

- I believe that this is a perfect encouragement for us tonight.

- In the darkest moments of our history, that which is hidden behind a veil, or buried under a rock, is soon to come forth in a most surprising way!

- That is the reality that this Passion week is meant to emboss upon our hearts. That dark moment that you might be facing is only the precursor to what God intends to do.

- God delights to do this: In Christ's darkest hour, there was a victory that was about to emerge, that would shine for millenia to come! That is His Work. That is Redemption!

Sunday Morning Service

Matthew 27:45,46 (Click title for audio access)

"Words From A Cross"  •  4.17.11  •  Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service

Intro.

- Because Matthew arranges His gospel in a topical manner, his rendering of the crucifixion narrative leaves out a few items chronologically. The other gospels fill in the gaps that are missing.

- Matthew 27:45 recounts information from the 6th hour, noon, until the 9th hour, which is 3PM.  Mark 15:25 tells us that Jesus was put on the cross at the third hour, at 9AM.

- What happened in those three criticial hours? What was said and to whom?

- Our purpose this week is to look at four of these final pre-death statements from Christ.

Text

- Turn in your bibles to Luke 23. Matthew has told us that the Lord's cross has been set into place. The crowd that is passing by are wagging their heads at Him.

- The chief priests are openly mocking Jesus, challenging His ability to save Himself and calling into question His relationship with His Father.

- Even the criminals, themselves suffering under the cruel sentence of crucifixion, are using their limited breath to revile, to insult Jesus with the same words.

- In this cacophonous moment, with all of this ringing in His ears, Jesus calls out to God with these words.

•  Luke 23:34  :  "Then Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.' And they divided His garments and cast lots."  :  In the middle of all the hostile noise of the crowd, the words of our Lord rise up like a clear bell.

- He calls out "Father." Let us understand something here. Rumors of Jesus' legitimacy had swirled around Him for most of His life.

- Here again, as Jesus was on the cross, a derisive questioning of His relationship to His Father was again put out for people to ponder.

- If there was ever a moment when the question would be most questionable, it would be now in the eyes of the crowd. Would God's Son be subjected to the cruelty and humiliation of crucifixion?

- Yet, in the midst of the question, Jesus calls out "Father." He did not lose His place as the Son. In the midst of their insults, Jesus did not forget whose He was or who He was!

- What would your first words have been? We have all been insulted, though none have been insulted to the degree that Jesus faces here. What are your words or thoughts in that moment?

- Maybe you would address your enemy and rebuff them with similar content. That's only natural. That's not what Jesus did! He did not address His enemies, but His Father!

- When you and I are treated in an ill fashion, we must take this as our example: God is your Father and He should hear from you first!

- What did Jesus go to His Father with? Was He filled with anger and vitriol? Did He call down fire and brimstone? Did He call for those angels that He had access to?

- His voice, filled with love, called out with His available power, for them to be forgiven!

- Forgiveness. The word means to "send away from." In the Leviticus 16, a goat was to be chosen to bear the sins of the camp and then released into the wilderness, sent away for good.

- Here is the offender and there goes his sin, out into the wilderness, never to return.

- Why Lord? Why would you forgive them? Why not strike them down and use your power to hurt them in the same way that you have been hurt?

- Because that is what we, fallen creatures with a sinful disposition, would do! It was not in His nature, even when pushed to the greatest extremes, to strike back.

- He asks the Father to forgive them. It's important to understand first, that Jesus chose to forgive them. It's not likely that He "felt" like doing that particularly!

- For years, I have learned one very important thing: Your feelings FOLLOW your obedience! It is rarely true the other way around!

- Secondly, notice that He called out for their forgiveness apart from their asking for it.

- They would not have asked Jesus for forgiveness, as they would not believe that their insults would have held any meaning!

- Jesus did not wait for them to ask. He forgave them in advance, teaching us something very important: Forgiveness is something that we should dispense immediately!

- Where we might have responded with venom, the Son of Man responded with kindness. He would forgive them because He knows this truth: They know not what they do!

- "Wait a minute! They knew what they were doing! They had asked for the crucifixion and set up this scenario exactly to their liking!" This is true, but that's not what Jesus is referring to.

- They could never know what their insults and actions would bring to bear upon the soul of the Lord. They could not have known the depths of what they had caused! Nobody knows that!

- When people hurt you, even intentionally, they truly have no idea of the depth of pain that they have caused. They will never know the extent of how they have harmed you.

- On this account, Jesus calls for their forgiveness. Final point on what this statement teaches us: Forgiveness is not given out with an intended change in mind!

- Notice the words: They divided His garments and cast lots. Nothing changed! They kept doing what it was they did. Jesus' forgiveness affected, accomplished nothing in them.

- You might feel that that is the goal of forgiveness, to change someone's mind or actions. That is not the goal. While it did not change them, the bitterness of spirit did not harm Him!

- The bitterness could not harm the Lord because He didn't hold onto any amount of it!

- Now, look down a few verses to Luke 23:39. Matthew 27:44 tells us that both criminals insulted the Lord from their own crosses. Over a little time, something had changed.

•  Luke 23:39  :  "Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, 'If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.'"  :  It had been both criminals, but now, Luke tells us that only one continued.

- It was not uncommon for crucified people to spit or even urinate upon passing bystanders. Most who were crucified truly did hate society, for one reason or another.

- This criminal was of that sort. He was angry and Jesus was the nearest victim of his tirade.

- Save yourself and while you're at it, save us! Get us all down from here!

•  Luke 23:40,41  :  "But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, 'Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.'"  :  This other robber had changed his mind. He heard Jesus call out for forgiveness. This man was not like other condemned men. He did not fight back or give insult for insult.

- When he heard the robber speaking, he rebuked him or spoke to him in a sharp way. Listen to what he confesses in this moment.

- Regarding Jesus, this thief confesses that He is God! Jesus had proven it to him. What he had seen was enough to convince him of that.

- Note secondly, that he confesses his own guilt. We're here and it's right. We deserve it! This is the end of what our deeds deserve. Jesus though, He's innocent!

- However long this took, likely just an hour or so, this man came to some startling revelations about Jesus that the religious had thoroughly missed having watched for 3 years!

- It's incredible to consider how far a man can slide morally in the world that we live. This is no judgment, as I could just as easily be that man!

- Here is a man who finds himself at the end of his choices. With only hours to live and he correctly identifies Jesus as the Man who is God!

- You never know what will happen to such men and women. It is always wrong to despair and always right to hold out hope that Jesus will be revealed to such a one.

•  Luke 23:42  :  "Then he said to Jesus, 'Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.'" :  What a profound moment on so many levels. This man's faith is something else. First, he calls Jesus "Lord" when Jesus is seemingly being mastered.

- He calls him Lord when everyone else around him is calling Jesus cursed! He calls Him Lord when the crow is the most hostile and the most contrary!

- This man did not come to faith in Christ in a place of ease and encouragement! Let me say that real faith does not need it! Real faith cannot be stopped! Real faith will always break through!

- His faith continues in the fact that he believed that Jesus would soon come into a Kingdom that was His! Mind you, it's easy to believe in Christ's kingdom when He is healing and making bread!

- Jesus is not performing a single miracle. He is not teaching a great sermon. But this man is sure that Jesus is a King and that He is going to come into a Kingdom!

- The third part of his faith is audacious to say the least. He wants Jesus to remember him!

- He's a criminal and Jesus is the King of Righteousness! He is guilty and Jesus is innocent!

- What audacity! He believes that Jesus will actually accept him in His Kingdom!

•  Luke 23:43  :  "And Jesus said to him, 'Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.'"  :  Assuredly. The word is literally "Amen!" Without a doubt!

- You can bank on this fact: You will be with me in Paradise! It will happen that day!

- There is something incredibly profound about this moment in time for anyone. For the thief on the cross, that day would be the day of His entire salvation!

- He would not have to wait through a life, progressively being made like Jesus, only to die and see the long awaited promise fulfilled. It would happen for him in one single day!

- That day, that very day, the thief would be with Jesus in Paradise.

- Paradise sounds like a wonderful place and it was certainly so, but essentially, it was still Hades, the abode of the dead.

- The righteous dead were reserved there in Paradise, and is also known in Luke 16 as "Abraham's Bosom." They waited for the Messiah to come and lift them off to heaven.

- That day, Jesus would go to Paradise and this thief would now be granted a place in the place where the righteous dwelt. Only God could decree that for a person.

- Please turn over to John 19 and the next statement that we'll look at. The first statement dealt with the forgiveness of men. The second with a promise to a man.

- This third statment is to a woman, namely His own mother Mary.

•  John 19:25  :  "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene."  :  It's fairly clear that Mary had married a much older man in Joseph, who had died some years prior to the crucifixion.

- One has to understand the stigma of crucifixion to consider this. When a person was crucified, the family no longer spoke of that person because it was such a shameful death.

- The person who was to be crucified was ostracized and considered dead before they were dead! Yet here, at the cross, Mary stood with these other ladies.

- There is no stigma that is greater than a mother's love for her children!

- Mary was standing at the cross as a Mother, but also as a believer. She was looking at her Savior, the one that she spoke of in Luke 1.

- Her husband is gone and her other children, at this point, are likely still unbelievers.

•  John 19:26,27  :  "When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, 'Woman, behold your son!' Then He said to the disciple, 'Behold your mother!' And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home."  :  Mary and John the disciple stood there by the cross.

- John comforted Mary, who no doubt felt the pain and sorrow of her son's predicament.

- Jesus saw a wonderful combination of a faithful disciple who could be trusted to care for His Mother. Jesus makes a family of these two people at the cross, centered on His word.

- The Lord's compassion never ends and His final act of humanity is to show concern and honor for His Mother.

- This brings us back to our text and the final statement that we'll look at this morning, which signals a change. To this point, Jesus has acted in the interest of humanity.

- He has asked for their forgiveness, assured the thief of a place in heaven and made a family from two non-Family individuals. Now, a change is about to occur. Let's turn back to Matthew 27.

•  Matthew 27:45  :  "Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land."  :  This would be noon to 3PM. In the first three hours on the cross, the public was allowed to look and speak at their liberty.

- Now, at noon, a supernatural darkness came over the land. There are always those who attempt to explain miracles with science. There is no other explanation than divine intervention!

- There are two things that occur to me when I consider this. Darkness in scripture is almost always associated with judgment.

- God allowed darkness to come over the people of Egypt, a darkness Moses writes, could be felt. In the Great Tribulation, there will be increasing darkness over the earth.  

- At the same time, I am reminded of what we just studied a few nights ago in Exodus, when we studied the Tabernacle proper. The Tabernacle was covered over with goat and badger skins.

- This made it weather proof and thoroughly dark. Additionally, the veil that was made for the Most Holy Place was thick enough to keep light coming from the lampstand out.

- The Most Holy Place was a dark place where God would meet with the High Priest, who would come into that place one time a year to offer sacrifice.

- But this went on and on! It never fully dealt with the sin problem. It just covered it for a while. This is precisely why something better had to come along.

- Listen to the words of Hebrews 9:11,12:  "But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption."

- I believe that what we are seeing here is that particular moment. Jesus our High Priest has gone into the Holy Of Holies and the transaction of blood applying to the Mercy seat is beginning.

•  Matthew 27:46  :  "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?'"  :  It's three o' clock outside of Jerusalem. It's the time when Passover lambs are being slaughtered, their blood flowing down the Kidron Valley that flows outside of the city.

- In the darkness, Jesus shouted out this Hebrew phrase. The words "loud voice" are the same words used for our English word "megaphone."

- It is so peculiar that Matthew includes this in it's original language. It's in Hebrew and written  phonetically in Hebrew.

- This is between Jesus and His Father. It's a privileged communique that we get to understand on this side of redemption.

- Matthew correctly identifies it as the first line of Psalm 22. I would recommend that you read that entire Psalm sometime today and see in it the details that we've been covering.

- This phrase comes from verse 1 and would serve to let the hearers know that this was a fulfillment of that moment.

- It was a common teaching method to read one part of scripture and then to leave the rest out, so as to impress upon the hearer the strength of the Word.

- It is also telling that this is the first time in scripture that Jesus refers to His Father as God! Everywhere else, there is an intimacy that is acknowledged in the term Father.

- What is happening here? The word "forsaken" gives us the clue: He is abandoned. Left alone. Turned away from.

- For the first time in all of eternity past to this very moment in time, Jesus was left alone, without fellowship with the Father.

- We cannot understand what this moment means. There is no equivalent to understand. Jesus, God incarnate, never lost contact with home, except for in this moment.

- God the Father turned away from Jesus for this period of time because Jesus had become the emblem, the representative, the substitute, for our sin.

- The Father looked away, as the Son took on all unholiness and all the wretchedness of every age in man's history.

Conclusion

- The Father looked away from Christ, who took that most severe blow, so that He would never have to look away from you that are in Him!

- Our High Priest took the full judgment and wrath of Father God upon Himself and has secured for us the same confidence that He has before the Lord.

- This is great and wonderful salvation! It allows us to be free to forgive, hopeful for the redemption of lost causes and to experience family in one another.

- All praise and honor to our Lord Jesus Christ, who has made it all possible!