El Shaddai Part IV

Significant Events On The Cross

Intro: Imagine this scene if you will, on a hill called “Golgotha.”

English Standard Version (Chapter 27)

The Death of Jesus 45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 47 And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” 48 And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”55 There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

PRAY!!

1. Terrifying Darkness.

1a. God’s anger and judgement on Israel for rejecting the Messiah.

1b. symbolized the darkest day in human history.

2. “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

This meaning cannot be ventured into lightly.

2a. The Great Separation. Jesus had become sin for many.

Jesus sensed that He was bearing the curse of God, the curse of separation from a Holy God, the curse of the judgement and condemnation of God against sin.

2b. It was a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.

Ps 22:1 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

The answer to why God turned away from Jesus is found in psalm 22:3

Ps 22:3 “Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.”

2 Cor 5:21 “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Christ bore sin for man; therefore He had to bear the penalty due man-the penalty of separation from a perfectly Holy God.

1 Pet 2:24 “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”

3. “It is finished.” Jn 19:30

Nothing needs to be added to Christ’s finished work, and nothing can be added to Christ’s finished work.

Francis Schaeffer

118   When Christ cried out on Calvary, “It is finished!” He meant what He said. All that men have to do now is just accept the work of Jesus Christ.

D. L. Moody

The Way to God (1884)

Dwight L. Moody

3a. Tetelestai- is a greek word of victorious purpose. He was in essence shouting Victory! Christ had completed His work, mission and task.

It’s also important to remember that Jesus willingly gave up His spirit, He was in charge of the moment He would die, and the bible tells it was at 3pm “the ninth hour.” This was the very hour the priests would have been offering the passover lamb, while the priests in the temple where sacrificing a symbolical lamb for the people, the true Lamb of God was being sacrificed for ALL peoples sins

Heb 13:12 “So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.”

4. Veil Torn.

The veil was a huge curtain that separated the Holy place from Holy of Holies, its where the Ark of the covenant was, It was only entered once a year by the High Priest on the day of atonement. It was 60’ high by 30’ wide and as thick as a mans palm, It was huge and very symbolic, it literally was the divider between God and man.

4a. At the moment of Jesus death, the veil was torn from the top to the bottom.

It’s significant that it was torn from the Top to bottom. This symbolizes that it was torn from God Himself.

4b. It symbolizes direct access to God.

Heb 9:11-12 “But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.”

Because of Christ, we may enter the presence of God, anytime anywhere.

5. Terrifying Earthquake.

5a. Even nature responded to enormity of the moment, The Messiahs death.

5b. The earthquake opened tombs.

In one of the wildest scenes in all the Bible

6. In verses 51-53 The tombs opened and the bodies of dead saints came to life, and after Jesus resurrection went into Jerusalem and where seen by many!

6a. The resurrection of these saints symbolizes Jesus’s conquest over death.

1 Cor 15:54-55 “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?””

6b. It symbolized the resurrection of believers.

The saved in Christ shall rise, and be recognized and know one another.

2 Cor 4:14 “knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.”

What a beautiful day that will be! We will see our loved ones and friends again in Heaven!

7. The confession of the centurion and his soldiers “Truly this was the Son of God.”

7a. The power of the cross was undeniable to Jesus’s executioners who were at the foot of the cross.

Its important to remember that these were same soldiers who mocked Jesus, drove the nails in his hands and feet, and casts lots for His clothes. They looked upon Jesus as a joke.

John 19:24 “so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” So the soldiers did these things,”

They aren't jeering and mocking anymore at this point. The weight of what they’ve done and witnessed has slammed them in the face.

7b Truly believing in Jesus Christ as Gods Son is what it takes to be saved.

Rom 10:9-10 “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”

8. Many Women were there, His disciples except John, were not.

Some were far, but some stood at the very foot of the cross.

John 19:25 “but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.”

CALL UP WORSHIP TEAM!

In Closing: This was 1 of three, of the biggest days in recorded history, along with Jesus birth and the other being His resurrection.

PRAY!!