Welcome Him as Your Savior

September 2, 1945 Japan formally surrendered to Allied forces upon the USS Missouri while docked in Tokyo Bay surrounded by more than 250 Allied warships.

Because there are so many small islands that make up the Philippines, news did not reach all the soldiers. 4 months later 20 Japanese soldiers surrendered to a lone American soldier because they had read of the surrender in a newspaper.

This is only one example of how news of good things sometimes gets delayed.

Easter is another example. The celebration on Sunday follows a day of silence on Saturday. Was Saturday silent to create suspense? I believe Saturday had to happen because Jesus had prophesied that he would be in the tomb at least parts of 3 days.

But was Saturday silent because God was waiting to speak, or because He had already spoken?

The events in the Garden on Sunday morning involved a stone being rolled away so that witnesses could see AND messengers could announce that Jesus had already left!

But I believe that even BEFORE Saturday, the Triune God had already announced that the righteous demands of holiness had already been propitiated.

The Scripture account is that darkness covered the earth from noon until 3 PM. Around 3 (the 9th hour) Jesus breathed his last and surrendered to death. Between 3:00 and sundown (the beginning of Sabbath) Matthew records some miraculous events.

Before Jesus was even in the tomb, indicators were seen that Jesus was already the victor over sin and death.

Matthew 27:51–54 ESV:2016

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!”

Jesus’ Death Tore the Veil (v.51)

Which Veil?

1. Herod’s temple had huge doors separating the Temple from the Courtyard.

2. Jewish historian Josephus described these doors and a huge veil in front of them like this: “this house, as it was divided into two parts, the inner part was lower than the appearance of the outer, and had golden doors of fifty-five cubits altitude, and sixteen in breadth; (212) but before these doors there was a veil of equal largeness with the doors. It was a Babylonian curtain, embroidered with blue, and fine linen, and scarlet, and purple, and of a contexture that was truly wonderful”[i]

· 87’ Tall x 25’ wide

· This is a veil that could be seen from public view

3. The second veil would have only been seen by priest who tended the furnishings of the holy place. But Matthew did not have to physically see the divided veil to speak of this event. If anything had happened to this veil that was the center of Jewish worship in the center of a Temple that took decades to build, I’m sure news would spread quickly.

4. I believe mention of the definite article “the” veil, indicates that it was this most precious veil that was only passed 1x a year on the Day of Atonement.

5. Rending of this veil was indication that access to God had been secured. The mediation was in place so that man no longer had to fear approaching the throne of God.

6. God destroying this veil from top to bottom opens up the meaning of

Hebrews 4:16 ESV:2016

16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Transition: This discussion about the two veils assumes Matthew is talking about the brick and mortar Temple.

Which Temple? (Mt. 26:61)

1. Jesus spoke of his own body at the new Temple of God. As the Tabernacle and later the Temple represented access to God and God’s presence among His people, Jesus clearly knew His body to be that symbol.

2. He spoke of His body being destroyed and rebuilt in 3 days.

3. As Jesus was pierced in John 19:34, blood and water came out separately.

4. Adrian Rogers, commenting on this verse says, “Men of medicine tell us that sometimes under great duress this can happen. It was a sign that our Savior died not primarily from the nails, but from a broken heart.”[ii]

Application

1. We didn’t have to wait until the Resurrection to gain access to God, but the empty tomb proves that God is accessible.

2. When we realize that God’s heart can be broken, Does my heart break for the things that breaks His?

Transition: Interesting that Matthew uses the same verb for what happened to the veil, to describe what happened to stones.

Jesus’ Death Split Rocks (vv.51b-53)

These 2½ verses create more questions than answers

1. First, its extreme brevity and lack of parallels raise many unanswered questions: What kind of bodies do these “holy people” have? Do they die again? How many people saw them? How public were these appearances? Second, a quick reading of the text gives the impression that though the holy people were raised when Jesus died, they did not leave the tombs and appear to the citizens of the “holy city” till after Jesus’ resurrection (v. 53). What were they doing in between?[iii]

2. Since the other gospel writers do not mention this occurrence, it is difficult to be definitive or build doctrine on these 2 sentences.

3. But I do not doubt that it happened! The Holy Spirit prompted Matthew to include these sentences and as Matthew’s gospel began to be shared among the churches, eyewitnesses were still alive who could have challenged the truthfulness. But there is no challenge in the ancient writings.

4. Some read these verses to mean that the dead were raised on Friday, but didn’t come out of the tombs until Sunday.

5. Some read that the tombs were opened on Friday, but the people weren’t raised until Sunday.

6. Some understand that the people were raised and went home on Friday. Since Saturday was Sabbath nobody was moving around, but after Sunday they were seen in Jerusalem where they gave witness.

7. I tend to think the tombs were opened on Friday, but those who were raised did so on Sunday.

8. Regardless of the details, we believe that Lazarus had been raised in Bethany less than 2 weeks prior, so there is at least one witness of Christ’s resurrection abilities who would have gone into Jerusalem and appeared to many.

vv.50-53 is considered as 1 event, with 2 foci

1. We tend to categorize and divide into individual steps, where sometimes a story involves a broader scope.

Is it safe to assume that most of us ate yesterday? In that meal 2 big things happened: food was prepared and food was consumed.

Some food may have been consumed during preparation. Some preparation may have happened during consumption. Did you cut up all your pieces before the first bite or did you cut, eat, cut eat?

It bothers some of the people in my family how I eat. I tend to finish all of one item, then go on to another. My mom, who is with us this morning, has told the family that she trained me to eat a bite of one thing, then a bite of another, and so forth around the plate. But somewhere I developed a different habit.

2. We read something like vv.52-53 and we want to get the specific details. The brevity of this account reveals that just like food was prepared and food was consumed was all part of one meal, that Jesus death (including veil and rock splitting) and Jesus’ resurrection (including a few others being raised) should be read as 1 event with 2 parts.

Application

1. The facts that Jesus came to earthy humbly, lived lovingly and sinlessly, died substitutionally, and was raised victoriously are all part of the Gospel.

2. None of these should be ignored in our Gospel presentations, but we shouldn’t get lost in the details. If the gospel (the Christ event) is easy enough for a child to receive it, we should not make it more complicated than it is.

Transition: The power of God not only opened graves, But the Holy Spirit also caused

Jesus’ Death Opened Eyes (v.54)

“and all that had happened” (NIV)

1. An evaluation of (not just the previous hours or days, but) the entire Christ Event.

· All that He was & and all that He did.

2. Matthew’s gospel begins in 1:1 stating that Jesus was the Christ, who had descended from David and Abraham. He was the Messiah of the Jews.

3. If Matthew portrays Jesus as leader of a kingdom, Mark (the Gospel highlighting Jesus’ servanthood) 15:39 records this same man drawing the same conclusion.

4. This verse confirms that even a Gentile could recognize that Jesus was the one from God.

5. D. A. Carson writes, “This confession tells us something more: Jesus as the promised Messiah and unique Son of God is seen most clearly in his passion and death; but again the Jewish religious establishment, mistaking the nature of his messiahship, mocked him with the very title (vv. 41–44) by which the pagans now confessed him”.[iv]

How do you see Christ?

1. A historical martyr?

2. A fabled Rabbi?

3. An ancient miracle-worker?

4. A figure of literary legend?

5. Do you see Him as God in flesh?

6. Do you see Him as your Savior?

7. Do you know Him? Is He your Lord?

8. The same statements that religious people used to mock Jesus, is the same truth that the Holy Spirit used to open the eyes of this pagan centurion.

Transition: By opening the eyes of this one man, the transformation was also observed by the masses.

Jesus’ Death Opened the Heavens (v.45)

Matthew 27:45 ESV:2016

45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.

1. Time began counting at sunrise. So the 6th hour would be around noon and the 9th would be around 3:00.

2. If it was dark until 3:00, it seems to me that light returned at that hour.

3. Whatever eclipse or cloud cover there was for 3 hours, disappeared.

We’ve seen in recent days how a bright cool day is more pleasant than a dark warm one.

4. At the moment in v.50 that Jesus breathed His last, the work of redemption was complete. The curse that fell on the rebellion of man had been lifted.

5. There was no wrestling match that happened between Satan and Jesus in the underworld. By enduring to the fullness of death, Satan lost! His head was crushed as promised in Genesis 3.

6. The wages of sin is death, and death had occurred. Meaning the wages of sin were paid in full!

7. The double exchange had taken place. In darkness our sin was imparted to Christ; and as the light broke, His righteousness was imputed to us!

Confirming John 14 (John 14:1-3)

John 14:1–3 ESV:2016

1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

1. When darkness gave way to light, God was telling all creation that access to the eternal had been restored.

2. As clouds disbursed and light began to shine, it was a silent testament that eternal life is guaranteed.

Confirming John 10 (John 10:10)

John 10:10 ESV:2016

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

· The cursed Satan way of life ends in darkness and despair; the enlightened way of the Jesus life is brilliant and hopeful.

Calling You to a Decision

1. Are you willing to welcome Jesus as your Savior?

2. Are you willing to exchange all your attempts and efforts to gain God’s favor, for the One who has already finished the exchange?

3. Are you ready to trade religion where you try to DO for a relationship with the Savior who has DONE it all?

Conclusion:

Our final song this morning is a testimony for those who have made the decision to accept Christ as Savior, and it is an invitation for those who have not yet made that choice.

In a moment I will come to the floor and we will sing a hymn. If you would like to mark Easter 2021 as the day that you welcomed Christ as your Savior, we have advisors who can show you from God’s Word how you can KNOW that you have crossed from death to life.

As we sing, you come

[i] Flavius Josephus and William Whiston, The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1987), 707.

[ii] Adrian Rogers, “It’s All about Jesus,” in Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive (Signal Hill, CA: Rogers Family Trust, 2017), Ps 22.

[iii] D. A. Carson, “Matthew,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 8 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1984), 581.

[iv] Ibid., 583.