The Miracles of the Cross
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Passage- Matthew 27:51-56
Attention-
Introduction
There were two contrasting plans on display at the cross
The plan of the Jews
-To continue in a religious system
-To fight God’s plan
The plan that was laid down by the Lord before the foundation of the world
A plan of…
-Redemption
-Reconciliation
-Sanctification
-Glorification
The cross was an indispensable part of both plans
We summarize the cross and the activities surrounding it as the Gospel
The truth that Jesus died, was buried, and that he rose again the third day…these activities that surround the cross are summarized in one descriptor…the Gospel
What is the main driving point (CPS)?
Friends, the Gospel (the death and resurrection of Jesus) must be an indispensable part of our life!
This is a truth for those in need of forgiveness and those of us who have asked for that forgiveness.
We have promoted this morning as “The Cross” because if you were to pick one visual for the Gospel it would be the Cross
The cross of Jesus Christ is of utmost importance to the life of every human being
The acceptance or rejection of Jesus’ death on the cross impacts every human heart
It impacts every human heart in this life and the life to come
Transition
In this passage there are three struggles that display supremacy that the Gospel ought to have in our lives
The first struggle is represented by…
I. The veil
I. The veil
Explain
This could be easily ignored in our reading…and I think that sometimes it is
This one miracle that happens after Jesus’ death has a extraordinary impact on us
So what is going on here?
We need to understand this with some OT background
The Tabernacle and then later the Temple were the center of Jewish life.
This is where they came to worship…to offer sacrifices for sin and receive forgiveness
Inside the Tabernacle and then later the Temple was what was called the Holy of Holies
Hebrews 9:1-9 describes for us how the Holy of Holies was separated by this particular veil
Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
What we need to understand is that God, at some moment must judge sin!
We often hear that God won’t let you into heaven without accepting the Gospel because He cannot be around sin…that is not true
There are multiple times in the scriptures that God interacts with His sinful creation…Read the book of Job and especially where Satan comes before Him and tell me that God can’t be around sin
The truth is that God in His perfect holiness and perfect justice cannot allow sin to go unpunished…it would be more accurate to say that God cannot tolerate sin
So in order for God to begin the process of restoration He set up the OT sacrificial system
Here the Priests would accept sacrifices on the behalf of the people.
It had to be done there because within the Holy of Holies was where God dwelt with man.
Once a year the High Priest would enter into the Holy of Holies to offer the blood sacrifice for all of Israel.
There would be a sacrifice of a bull and that blood would be sprinkled on the Ark of the Covenant
This was all done so that their sins would be covered by the blood
The Bible tells us that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin
Hebrews 9:22
And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
I think that what is being displayed here is a struggle for authority
The Jews wanted to be the religious authority but Jesus displays his authority
The Jews rejected Jesus because they thought they were in control and Jesus came to regain control of what was rightfully His…the authority to judge and atone for sin
The veil represents the divide between mankind and God that is based on His authority to judge sin
Relevance
We read this passion account and think of the Jews as murderous monsters, and they were, but we need to see what was driving them…
I believe they were murderous monsters because they had lost focus on who was in charge…they wanted to be their own authority
You and I look at this situation and think…How ridiculous that
And I am right there with you but in reality….
We are no different…….We want to be our authority
We want to deal with our sin problems on our terms…in our own way
It doesn’t work that way because we do not have the authority to judge sin
We seek independence to try to produce freedom
Why does this matter?
But rejection of authority does not lead to freedom but to enslavement
We can reject authority all we want but that does not free us from the consequences
If I get a speeding ticket…I can cry independence but I am still responsible to pay the ticket or face further consequences.
I can cry freedom all I want but when I ignore the reality long enough it doesn’t nullify the arrest warrant
Friends, God is the authority, not us
God is the judge of sin, not us
This is the first step in allowing the Gospel to empower us
The realization that God is the one in control and that we are respond to our actions the way God does, that starts by admitting our sin
Transition
We need to understand that God is the authority and that we are not…but it goes further than that
The second representation of struggle that we see in this passage is ...
II. The earthquake and rocks splitting
II. The earthquake and rocks splitting
Explain
Of these three miracles that we read about I feel this is the most overlooked.
What is the big deal here?
I think that in this miracle we see the struggle for power
Jews wanted to put their power on display but Jesus displayed the continuance of, not only his authority, but also His power
These verses show the power that the Jews had.
In reality they did have substantial power
They could control people, they could control some circumstances
But the problem is that they lost sight of where that power came from
They started to trust in their own power
The previous two chapters are a display of the power that the Jewish leaders had
In light of those two chapters we have two small phrases in a verse that are easily overlooked that demonstrate the power of God
“The earth did quake, and the rocks rent”
There is a lot of encouraging truth in these two little phrases
The power of the Jewish leaders rested in the manipulation of others and the manipulation of truth
Aside from using what was already given to them they were able to accomplish nothing
On the other hand…when Jesus died on the cross the earth shook and the rocks split
A rock is one of the hardest things God created…not easily penetrated
What would it take for you to split a rock? Maybe you tried as a child
A hammer, a chisel, you at least need another rock…
You need something besides the rock
When God wants to display his power over his creation he needs nothing to assist him
The rocks just split…no hammer, no chisel, no rocks smashing into other rocks…just God’s will
Now, what would it take you to shake the entire earth?
Lets put it into perspective…without the aid of anything…what would be the likelihood you could go outside and shake this building to the point the rest of us could feel it?
God shook the earth….
Friends, the Cross represents God’s earthshaking power
I do not believe that this earthquake was a local quake produced by shifting plates under the earths surface
When we take into account the timing and the other miracles this is definitely a supernatural earthquake and I would then assume that it was not just Jerusalem that shook but the entire earth
Relevance
We look at the Jewish leaders and think….what makes you think you can out power God
Again, we are not much different, we often rely on our power
We find ourselves in difficult circumstances and forget who has the power to effect the situation and rely on our insufficient abilities
Everything about the Gospel is relational…that is what initiated God’s working to reconcile us to Himself
The relationship we have with him was damaged when Adam brought sin into this world
All of Scripture…especially what we read in the Passion account…is all about restoring that lost relationship
The problem is that the Jewish leaders tried and tried to get rid of Jesus and the Gospel they couldn’t
Similarly we try and try to fix our relationship with God under our own power with all the wrong things…
Just like needing something outside ourselves to split a rock we have nothing within us to mend the relational divide between us and the Creator
We don’t have the power to right that relationship…but God does
And God use His power to turn what the Jewish leaders though was the defeat of Jesus into victory over sin and death
Why does this matter?
We have no power to right our relationship with God
Paul writes in Ephesians 2:4 “But God, who is….”
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
We don’t have the power…BUT GOD!!!
If we would just realize our subordination to God…our incompetence and humble ourselves and allow the power of God to restore what was lost
First of all in our relationship with him but also every other relationship in our lives
Friends, we don’t have the power…but God does
Transition
We don’t have the authority, but God does
We don’t have the power but God does
But there is a third miracle that represents a struggle here in this passage and the third picture is...
III. The graves opening
III. The graves opening
Explain
The Jews were instruments of death whereas Jesus is the provider of eternal life
We usually look at the cross as the instrument of death, and it was, but ultimately the Jews were the instruments of death here.
They thought that a death would end it all…but they were wrong
They thought that the death of Jesus would solve all their problems…and it did, but not the way they wanted
This has been a solution for Jewish leadership for some time
If you study the lives of the kings that followed Solomon…many of them were assassinated
The Bible is clear in
Matthew 5:10-12
Matthew 23:34-37
Luke 13:34
John 15:18-21…and others that the Jewish leaders killed those who brought a message that challenged their position
This plot was no different
The purpose for their plan to kill Jesus was to preserve their authority and power
John 11:45-53
Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done. Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.
The purpose of their plan was focused on maintaining the status quo
On the flip side, the purpose and plan of God was just the opposite
It was not to put someone to death but to willingly be put to death
Philippians 2:5-8
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Why?!?!?!?!?!
It was the only way
A man had to die for man’s sins
But God needed to offer an eternal sacrifice for an eternal offense
And as we have already seen, there is no remission for sin without the shedding of blood
It really was the only way to redeem mankind
And on that day Jesus Christ selflessly gave himself a sacrifice for mankind
1 Timothy 2:6
Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
Jesus gave his life but gave his life for mankind who when left to their own desires are in opposition to him
Left to our own selves we are his enemies
Just like the Jewish leaders, left to ourselves we reject him and try to find our own way
For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Bridge to today
We live in a culture of death
As much as we spend on our health we are a culture obsessed with death
Look at the movies and literature that is being produced…even the TV shows
Watch the news
I believe our fascination with health and others fascination with death is based on this one truth
Relevance
Aside from Jesus’ death on the cross on our behalf we are left with the reality of death, physical death and inner death
The reality is that the consequence for our sin is physical death as well as inner death
Within us is nothing that seeks after God…as much as we need him to complete us we have nothing within us to seek after him
There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
Why does this matter?
Jesus is the answer to the life and death situation we find ourselves in
On the cross Jesus took our sin upon him so that we could receive His righteousness
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Maybe you are here this morning and have the same question as a man in the book of Acts when confronted with these truths
And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
The simple truth is that all you need to do is believe in the person and work of Jesus
That he walked this earth and died for your sins
And that he is the son of God
The same man, the Apostle Paul, who told this man that you simply need to believe also wrote
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
It is that faith or beliefe that saves you
He also wrote
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Not maybe or hopefully…but SHALL be
Conclusion
This single truth…the one that is represented by the Cross
This is why we celebrate the risen Savior Jesus Christ
If you are here this morning and have never come to the cross we will give you an opportunity in just a moment.
Review of the Principles and the Sermon Proposition
The cross of Jesus Christ, which represents the gospel must be an indispensable part of your life
Wether saved or not we need to continue to come to the cross knowing that
Jesus is the authority
Jesus has the power
Jesus is the giver of life
Until we have faced these realities we do not know just how important and powerful the message of the cross is
Challenge to act now (your part)…immanence
I know this has been a bit long this morning, but don’t tune out yet…don’t hinder the Spirit of God from working in your heart
I am going to close in prayer
After that we will sing a closing song, if the Holy Spirit has worked in your heart wont you respond
Walk the aisle
Talk to us afterwards
Final Statement
If you are here struggling this morning, stop…turn to Jesus who too on those struggles at the Cross
Pray
“Oh, God, I know that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus was my substitute when He died on the Cross. I believe His shed blood, death, burial, and resurrection were for me. I now receive Him as my Savior. I thank You for the forgiveness of my sins, the gift of salvation and everlasting life. Amen
Closing Hymn