Christ on the Cross Tears Open the Barrier to Eternity

Matthew 27:45-56

7 April 2023 Good Friday

Scene 1. We don’t fully grasp how dramatic the whole crucifixion scene was!

Dramatic Supernatural Activity can be quite terrifying.

Take a look at the events that happened as Jesus hung on that cross.

In Verse 45 we see a darkness that wasn’t a solar eclipse.

It was the feast of Passover and this feast is always celebrated during a full moon; a time when solar eclipses can’t happen.

This darkness wasn’t just a passing cloud or a sandstorm.

It lasted for a full three hours from the sixth hour to the ninth.

9am to 12.00 noon by our watches.

During this time of darkness Jesus was silent.

In Verse 51 we read that the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

This curtain separated the inner sanctuary of the temple, the place known as the holy of holies from the rest of the temple.

This is the place where God was thought to dwell.

It was a place where only one person was permitted to enter and then only once a year.

This was on the Day of Atonement when the high priest would offer a sacrifice for the whole nation.

The Jews were so concerned that if anything was done wrong; the high priest might be struck down by God and they dared not enter this area in case they too were killed.

So they would tie a rope to the leg of the high priest and if he didn’t come out they could pull him out using the rope.

This curtain wasn’t just a light piece of cloth; it was more like a tapestry.

And it tore in two.

Not from the bottom up.

But from the top down.

This was accompanied by a huge earthquake.

Now it wasn’t the earthquake, which tore the curtain.

To tear the curtain that much would have meant the temple walls had fallen outwards.

And we know the temple wasn’t destroyed until 70AD, 40 years after the crucifixion of Jesus.

We read in Verse 52 that tombs broke open and many holy people came out.

Now I don’t know about you but I have only ever felt two earthquakes, one was only a sound and the second a jolt.

I haven’t ever seen the sky go dark except at the time of an eclipse and that only ever lasts for a short period of time.

I have never seen a massive tapestry torn in two from top to bottom without any human intervention.

And I have never seen dead people come out of a tomb.

For all of these events to happen together, whilst a man who claimed to be the messiah is being crucified in front of you would make most people wonder what was going on

Note the response of a hardened soldier in verse 54.

When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the son of God!”

Scene 2. Now we need to ask the question, why did these events happen? Why did the gospel writers bother to record these events? (Mark 15, Luke 23).

The darkness shows us that the sins of the world were being poured out upon Jesus.

My sins, your sins!

Sin that the Father could not look upon.

It was a demonstration of the agony of the Lord’s human soul; as in judgement his heavenly Father had to turn away.

There were three days of darkness in Egypt before Passover (Ex. 10:21–23); and there were three hours of darkness before the Lamb of God died for the sins of the world.

Jesus cry of “my God my God why have you forsaken me” doesn’t mean that God had abandoned Jesus.

What it does mean is that God was carrying out judgement upon sin.

And as the sin was poured out on his son God could not look upon that.

It was a judgement we deserve, because we are the ones who have sinned not Jesus.

The earthquake reminds us of what happened at Mount Sinai when God gave the Law to Moses (Ex. 19:16ff).

The earthquake at Calvary signified that the demands of the Law had been met and the curse of the Law forever abolished (Heb. 12:18–24).

The dead rising to life are a symbol that in the cross Jesus has defeated death and all who trust in him will be raised to new life.

But the darkness, the earthquake, the raising of some saints back to life are all indicators of something far bigger.

Something so significant that it has changed the course of our divine destiny.

What is this change?

Scene 3. The answer is shown to us in the tearing of the temple curtain. V 51

It represents the breaking down of the barrier between God and mankind.

A barrier that existed because of sin.

This curtain separated the holy place from the holy of holies in the temple (Heb. 9:2-3).

It signified a forbidden zone.

An area so special that it could only be entered by one person after very special preparation.

It was an area, which demonstrated the absolute holiness of God and the complete sinfulness of humanity.

It was out of bounds and the curtain represented the barrier between people and God.

The fact that this curtain was ripped from top to bottom shows us that it was God who broke down this barrier.

It was not torn from the bottom by men ripping it.

Scene 4. This dramatic supernatural activity signified an incredible change in our divine destiny.

God was showing that the way of access into His presence was now available for everyone. (Heb. 4:14-16; 10:19-22).

Just as that curtain separated God from the people so it signified our personal individual separation from God, and now it has been broken in two, there is no more barrier

It was a highly significant act of symbolism, which is picked up on in the book of Hebrews in Chapters 4, 8, 9 & 10.

In Hebrews chapter 10 verses 19 & 20 we are told that the Holy of Holies, the forbidden dwelling place of God is now open to us.

We can literally pass through that curtain and walk straight into the presence of God because of the blood of Jesus shed on that cross.

Sin has been dealt with.

Death has been defeated.

We can live looking forward to the day when there will be no more dying, no more pain.

The day when we can live forever in God’s presence.

Right now we have the opportunity to personally be friends with God, because Jesus has broken down the barrier bringing about an incredible change in our divine destiny.

Scene 5. This change will actually have an impact on your life?

Will you be like the people who stood there mocking Jesus, totally ignorant of the dramatic events unfolding in front of them because they were blinded by their own sin?

Jesus Christ on that cross has torn open the barrier that separates us from eternity with God.

Will you accept it because if you don’t take up the offer you will miss out and spend eternity without God.

And that is hell!