1 00:00:01,160 --> 00:00:04,040 It's wonderful to be here with all of you today. 2 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:07,920 Appreciate the presence of all that have come to be with us. 3 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:10,800 We have a wonderful crowd for which we're thankful. 4 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:13,800 And as always, I'm honored to be your speaker. 5 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:19,360 We're continuing where we left off last time in John chapter 6 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:23,720 19, and we're now down to verse 23 and 24. 7 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:27,520 Last time we talked on the subject, I simply called the 8 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:31,360 King on a cross, and now we're going to talk about the events 9 00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:37,000 while Jesus died in the last several hours of his life as 10 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:42,440 Jesus hung there for our sins. Before this happened. 11 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:46,360 You remember in our last lesson where we ended up, Pilate had 12 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:49,400 just put the inscription over the head of Jesus in the three 13 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:53,160 languages of the ancient world, in Hebrew and Greek and in 14 00:00:53,160 --> 00:00:57,680 Latin, the words this is Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the 15 00:00:57,680 --> 00:01:00,840 Jews. Everybody could have understood 16 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:03,320 and everybody would have understood those words. 17 00:01:04,239 --> 00:01:06,960 But when many of the Jews, the Bible says passed by, they 18 00:01:06,960 --> 00:01:10,080 looked up and they said to Pilate, don't say he's the king 19 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:13,800 of the Jews. Say he said he was the king of 20 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:16,600 the Jews. And then Pilate said, and this 21 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:20,400 is where we left off last time. What I have written, I have 22 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:23,080 written. And now in this great narrative 23 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:28,200 of the greatest story ever told, we come to verse 23 in John 19. 24 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:34,200 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his 25 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:40,320 garments, and made four parts, and each soldier apart, and also 26 00:01:40,320 --> 00:01:43,680 the tunic. Now the tunic was without seem 27 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:48,560 woven from top in one piece. They said therefore among 28 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:51,920 themselves, let us not tear it, but cast lots for it. 29 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:55,440 Who shall it be? And the Scriptures might be 30 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:58,560 fulfilled, which says they divided my garments among them, 31 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:00,720 and for my clothing they cast lots. 32 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:03,920 Therefore the soldiers did these things. 33 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:07,000 First of all, have you ever stopped to consider the 34 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:09,680 significance of the clothing? And why does it matter? 35 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:13,680 Why would the soldiers be concerned about the clothing of 36 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:16,240 Jesus? Is it just a passage that 37 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:20,120 fulfills prophecy that we read in the Old Testament about 38 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:23,760 casting lots for his garments? It was actually quite common. 39 00:02:23,920 --> 00:02:28,120 This is some history here. The victim that was to be 40 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:32,280 crucified was stripped of his clothing before crucifixion. 41 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:36,840 It was a custom of the soldiers performing the execution should 42 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:40,920 have the victims arraignment as extra pay in addition to their 43 00:02:40,920 --> 00:02:44,640 wages as soldiers. According to the present verse, 44 00:02:44,640 --> 00:02:48,000 there were four soldiers corresponding to the four parts 45 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:52,680 of the body to be nailed, 2 hands and two feet, so 1 soldier 46 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:57,040 for each one of those acts. This would call for four 47 00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:00,400 divisions to be made of the garments so each soldier could 48 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:04,920 have a share, but the coat was woven in one piece in such a way 49 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:07,920 that it could not be divided without ruining it. 50 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:12,480 All right, that is history. What was the significance, 51 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:16,400 though, about a garment or about an outer cloak that was woven 52 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:18,880 without seeing? We go to the Old Testament, we 53 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:21,880 see some Old Testament significance, and then we see, 54 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:25,600 and I love this, we see in the death of Jesus and in this event 55 00:03:25,920 --> 00:03:29,440 we see the New Testament fulfillment of that and why 56 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:31,600 that's significant for all of us today. 57 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:35,680 Notice first of all the Old Testament significance. 58 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:41,240 First of all, the Levitical high priest was commanded to wear a 59 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:46,240 seamless robe or tunic of fine linen on the Day of Atonement as 60 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:49,760 described in Exodus chapter 28 and verse 39. 61 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:53,880 That passage says you shall skillfully weave the tunic of 62 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:57,280 fine linen, Fred. You shall make the turban of 63 00:03:57,280 --> 00:04:02,080 fine linen and you shall make the sash of of woven work. 64 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:06,880 In Leviticus chapter 21 and verse 4, it says this was done 65 00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:10,680 in order to not be defiled. So we go back to the Old 66 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:12,640 Testament. We go back to the old law of 67 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:15,280 Moses. And the high priest once a year 68 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:18,959 on the Day of Atonement, would take the blood sacrifice of 69 00:04:18,959 --> 00:04:22,640 animals for the people through the veil, the Holy of Holies, 70 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:25,720 and he would be wearing the garment of his priesthood. 71 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:29,760 That was an outer garment that was woven without seeing. 72 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:32,520 All right. What did that signify or what's 73 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:36,160 the big deal about that? The seamlessness likely 74 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:41,440 symbolized the unity and holiness of the high priest role 75 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:45,200 and his connection to God. Get that part about the 76 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:48,800 connection to God and His connection to God. 77 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:54,880 Thirdly, as we sum up, then the seamless tunic was a key part of 78 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:59,360 the high priest attire, signifying his authority and the 79 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:04,680 sanctity of his office, and also a symbol of total purity. 80 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:10,640 Don't you see the point? Jesus is our great High Priest, 81 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:15,320 Jesus on this great day of atonement, and it's the last one 82 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:18,560 that ever had to be. Not just once a year, not with 83 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:21,600 the blood of animals, once a year for the atonement of their 84 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:25,480 sins, rolling their sins for just another year until the high 85 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:29,400 priest had to do it next year. The Bible says Jesus was 86 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:32,920 stricken once and for all on this great final day of 87 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:36,200 atonement where He took the blood, His blood before the 88 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:40,360 presence of God and offered it for the sins of all mankind. 89 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:42,600 What was he wearing when He did that? 90 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:46,560 Our great high priest, He was wearing the garment of his 91 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:51,840 priesthood, a symbol of his connection to God and a symbol 92 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:56,240 of total purity, New Testament fulfillment. 93 00:05:56,360 --> 00:06:01,480 OK, so the soldiers, they didn't tear the garment, but instead 94 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:03,280 they cast lots for it. Why? 95 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:07,920 Psalm 22 and 18 fulfills Old Testament prophecy. 96 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:13,360 They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they 97 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:17,760 cast lots. Now last time we showed when 98 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:22,800 Jesus was dying and he was pretty busy, don't you think He 99 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:24,920 was bearing the sins of the world? 100 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:29,720 It would be a time when Jesus would do so without the presence 101 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:35,080 of God. The face of God was turned and 102 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:38,000 all we know for sure about that statement, although there's much 103 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:40,360 speculation about God can't look on sand. 104 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:43,560 All that. All I know for sure is it was 105 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:47,720 something Jesus had to do alone. It was something that Jesus had 106 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:50,200 to do without the aid of his Father. 107 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:55,320 And so whether it's literal or symbolic, the face of God was 108 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:58,240 turned. Don't you think the Lord was 109 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:00,040 pretty busy? I think he was pretty busy 110 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:02,480 bearing the sins of the world and doing it all alone. 111 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:06,200 And like that song we just sung, I'm so thankful and so grateful, 112 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:09,240 as I paraphrase, that he didn't call down the angels to put a 113 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:10,840 stop to the whole mess. And he could have done it. 114 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:14,240 I'm grateful that he did not do that. 115 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:18,960 And yet, as Chris, Chris taught recently about those thieves 116 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:24,320 that hung on the side of Jesus, one on each side, Jesus still, 117 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:27,840 as we talked about last time, took the time to take into his 118 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:32,280 arms a dying thief and care for a dying thief, somebody he did 119 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:34,400 not even know. You know what happens next. 120 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:41,280 He cares for somebody he did know and love, and that was his 121 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:47,320 mother. I wanted to research this a 122 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:50,400 little bit so I didn't talk out of school. 123 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:55,520 It's something that I have always thought, and so I wanted 124 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:58,160 to find out some research scientifically that was done, 125 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:01,440 whatever that means. We live in a Google age. 126 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:06,240 I googled it, but I want to make sure that I wasn't just talking 127 00:08:06,240 --> 00:08:07,760 out of school. So I'm going to say something 128 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:09,960 here and I'm going to clarify my statement. 129 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:13,120 So afterwards nobody has to question me and say I love all 130 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:14,640 my kids the same. Yeah, yeah, I know you do. 131 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:19,400 I love my kids all equally too. Mothers love their children, 132 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:23,400 boys and girls, the same. But the study that I actually 133 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:27,360 looked at is there's a higher level of protection between a 134 00:08:27,360 --> 00:08:32,840 mother and a son than there is necessarily say she loved more 135 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:35,799 than a mother and a daughter. There's a level of perfection 136 00:08:36,039 --> 00:08:38,400 protection, a higher level of protection. 137 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:43,280 Same is true with a father and a daughter. 138 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:46,200 There's a level of protection that is higher. 139 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:47,640 These are studies that were done. 140 00:08:48,680 --> 00:08:49,640 See what I got to thinking about. 141 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:51,240 I got to thinking about when I played football as a 142 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:54,120 quarterback. Now, I was a little quarterback. 143 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:57,280 I was 5 foot nine, 170 lbs. I was a little quarterback. 144 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:01,120 So when I took hits, I really took hits from big guys. 145 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:04,280 When I went used to go to these quarterback receiver camps, 146 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:06,880 coaches would say, you know what, when a quarterback goes 147 00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:10,160 back to pass, all the eyes in the stadium are on the 148 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:14,040 quarterback. Well, he has the ball and the 149 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:16,160 rush is coming in. He's about to get blasted, 150 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:18,880 right? And everybody's staring at the 151 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:21,840 quarterback while he's got the ball until it leaves his hand, 152 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:25,280 and every eye in the stadium turns to the receiver or where 153 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:27,280 the ball is going. Except two eyes. 154 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:33,720 Yeah, that's mama's eyes. Make sure they're her little boy 155 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:42,480 gets up and OK, There's a level of protection that's increased 156 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:46,000 between a mother and a son, and that's normal. 157 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:50,600 She feels the blows too. Now with that being said, I want 158 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:54,840 you to picture Jesus's mother, Mary at the foot of the cross, 159 00:09:56,640 --> 00:10:01,320 who her son had nails driven into his hands and into his 160 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:04,800 feet. A crown of thorns that was 161 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:09,800 pressed down, pressed down on his head, the blood running down 162 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:12,560 his neck and mingling with the blood on his back from the 163 00:10:12,560 --> 00:10:17,000 scourging, the ribbons of his flesh laid bare. 164 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:21,080 He's in agony and pain. And there was his mother. 165 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:30,760 She felt the blows too. And the Son, Jesus knew that 166 00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:33,360 because guess what, there else there is. 167 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:37,560 There's times when us, we as sons get, we're sometimes in our 168 00:10:37,560 --> 00:10:39,360 life, we go through periods of where we're little rotten. 169 00:10:39,360 --> 00:10:41,600 But I'm going to tell you something. 170 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:45,640 There's one thing that's true, and that is a son will protect 171 00:10:45,640 --> 00:10:48,400 his mother. Absolutely. 172 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:53,680 And Jesus looks down from the cross and sees his mother. 173 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:59,440 The level of protection kicks in and the Bible says beginning in 174 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:04,280 verse 26, when Jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciple 175 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:07,720 whom he loves standing by, he said to his mother, will and 176 00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:10,360 behold your son. Then he said to the disciple, 177 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:13,560 Behold, your mother. That was John, by the way. 178 00:11:13,920 --> 00:11:18,960 And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home. 179 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:23,640 OK, Jesus took care of a dying thief. 180 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:26,520 He didn't know. Jesus took care while he was 181 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:28,760 dying for the sins of the world. He took care of one that he 182 00:11:28,760 --> 00:11:30,360 didn't know and love, and that was his mother. 183 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:34,040 But now we go to Matthew's account in this narrative in 184 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:36,800 Matthew 27 and 45. Notice please. 185 00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:40,760 Now from the 6th hour until the 9th hour, there was darkness 186 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:46,040 over all the land. Notice Jesus was crucified. 187 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:48,840 The Bible says the third hour of the day, or 9:00 AM. 188 00:11:49,680 --> 00:11:53,480 Three hours later, beginning at noon all the way to 3:00 PM, 189 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:57,880 before Jesus gave up the Spirit and before Jesus died, OK, there 190 00:11:57,880 --> 00:12:01,960 was darkness over all the land. And I've heard people try to 191 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:04,960 explain this and say there was an eclipse. 192 00:12:06,280 --> 00:12:13,720 No, there wasn't. This was not an eclipse during 193 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:16,720 the time of day when there should have been the greatest 194 00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:21,200 amount of sunlight and the brightest of all, noon to three, 195 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:25,120 there was darkness over all the land. 196 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:29,920 You know, concerning this idea that it couldn't be an eclipse. 197 00:12:32,160 --> 00:12:34,000 This happened at the time of the Passover. 198 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:37,640 The Passover falls in the middle of the month. 199 00:12:38,440 --> 00:12:41,160 The month always begins with a new moon. 200 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:45,360 In fact, Mr. Mcgarvey and brought us said that the moon 201 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:49,640 would have been full. So at this particular time the 202 00:12:49,640 --> 00:12:51,920 moon would have been full. It could not have been an 203 00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:54,160 eclipse. I like what one man said though. 204 00:12:54,320 --> 00:13:02,240 For three hours, from noon to three O clock, the heavens wept. 205 00:13:03,920 --> 00:13:08,520 I love that. For three hours, when Jesus was 206 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:17,000 on the cross in support of Jesus, the heavens wept and 207 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:20,000 there was darkness over all the land. 208 00:13:20,920 --> 00:13:26,960 Then what happens at the 9th hour or 3:00 and about the 9th 209 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:30,880 hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice saying, Eli, Eli, la 210 00:13:30,880 --> 00:13:34,120 Master Bakhtani. That is to say, my God, my God, 211 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:38,320 why have you forsaken me? These are very familiar 212 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:41,440 messianic words that come from the Old Testament. 213 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:45,960 They come from Psalm 22. They're spoken, Please get this 214 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:50,680 in Aramaic. Why is that significant? 215 00:13:50,760 --> 00:13:55,040 It was the common language of the day, meaning if anyone 216 00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:58,360 overheard the words of Jesus when he spoke those Aramaic 217 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:02,840 words, they should have known exactly what he meant and what 218 00:14:02,840 --> 00:14:07,640 he said. Even though later some say, oh, 219 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:11,200 he's calling for Elijah, he should have known exactly what 220 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:13,400 he meant. This is referring to, by the 221 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:17,080 way, to Psalm 22 and verse one. Please get this. 222 00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:21,600 The Psalm that Jesus quotes from is more than a cry. 223 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:24,360 It's not just a cry of a forsaken son. 224 00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:27,560 Let's notice the Old Testament passage and the context. 225 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:31,640 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 226 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:37,720 Why are you so far from helping me and from the words of my 227 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:44,440 groaning, This is more than a cry of a desperate forsaken son 228 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:48,680 in careful look at the context of the passage. 229 00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:50,600 And here I go again. You know me about context. 230 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:55,120 We go to the context of this Psalm, 22nd Psalm. 231 00:14:55,960 --> 00:14:59,600 And while it does obviously reflect A passionate expression 232 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:03,360 of grief, that's true. Though it does express anguish, 233 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:06,840 that's true. It is also an affirmation of 234 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:11,320 trust and an anticipated deliverance. 235 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:14,440 Why Psalm 22, beginning in verse 20. 236 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:21,080 Save me from the lion's mouth and from the horns of of the 237 00:15:21,080 --> 00:15:25,800 wild oxen. You have answered me. 238 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:30,240 I will declare Your name to my brethren in the midst of the 239 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:32,360 assembly. I will praise you. 240 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:37,640 So in other words, from a prophetic perspective, the 241 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:39,480 Lord's Prayer here. And by the way, if you want to 242 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:41,360 know what the Lord's Prayer is, it's got to be a prayer. 243 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:44,960 Jesus prayed, not an example that he gave for other people to 244 00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:47,760 do so. And so this is one of the Lord's 245 00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:51,200 Prayer, just like in John 17, that was the Lord's Prayer when 246 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:53,600 he actually prayed, this was a prayer too. 247 00:15:54,560 --> 00:15:57,200 And his prayer is not one of hopelessness. 248 00:15:57,200 --> 00:16:00,080 Please get that. It's a request for mercy and a 249 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:04,880 request for deliverance. In other words, Jesus is 250 00:16:04,880 --> 00:16:08,880 basically saying this, having bore the sins of the world, 251 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:13,800 having hung on the cross for six hours, having shed his blood, 252 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:17,480 having gone through the shame of the cross, having gone through 253 00:16:17,480 --> 00:16:20,880 the pain of the cross, having gone through everything he went 254 00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:26,160 through, having fulfilled every single prophecy. 255 00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:32,080 The Lord in these words is saying, can it be done now? 256 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:35,600 Is it not time for your deliverance? 257 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:38,640 Is it not time for it to be over? 258 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:44,720 Have I not suffered long enough? And do you know, as soon as the 259 00:16:44,720 --> 00:16:49,720 Lord said that, as soon as he said that, it's almost like 260 00:16:49,720 --> 00:16:54,760 metaphorically, the God's face turns back and took Jesus's 261 00:16:54,760 --> 00:16:59,880 spirit into his hands and lovingly cradled him in his 262 00:16:59,880 --> 00:17:05,319 death. But some of them just said 263 00:17:05,319 --> 00:17:08,160 always calling for Elijah. You know, I kind of thought 264 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:11,560 about this other passage. Remember when the Bible says 265 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:15,119 that God spoke in the Gospels from heaven and some said it 266 00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:18,440 thundered? In other words, they didn't get 267 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:21,240 it. I think that's really the 268 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:24,040 picture of a lot of people sometimes. 269 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:28,160 Well, the word of God can be totally clear on a matter and 270 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:30,880 yet in their mind it just thundered. 271 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:35,760 It was very clear in Aramaic the words of Jesus, and yet some 272 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:40,600 misunderstood or misinterpreted and said he's calling for Elijah 273 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:44,720 in verse 48 as we drop down in Matthew 27. 274 00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:49,640 Then immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it 275 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:52,800 with sour wine and put it on a Reed and offered it for him to 276 00:17:52,800 --> 00:17:55,560 drink. OK, why did they do that? 277 00:17:56,600 --> 00:17:59,640 Well, first of all, I didn't know this till I studied it this 278 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:02,640 week. But I didn't know that it was 279 00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:06,240 very common when a criminal was hanging on the cross, for 280 00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:11,360 example, because for the purpose of this, when a person would be 281 00:18:11,360 --> 00:18:14,960 on the cross, they would be on the cross for so long, sometimes 282 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:18,800 hours, sometimes days, they would suffer extreme and 283 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:22,160 excruciating thirst. So it was very common for 284 00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:26,800 someone to come with sour wine or vinegar and give them that to 285 00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:32,520 drink as an act of kindness and even an act of mercy. 286 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:38,480 That Barnes said it this way. Wine vinegar is the preferred 287 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:42,960 drink of common soldiers because it quenches the first better 288 00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:44,440 than water. I didn't know that. 289 00:18:44,440 --> 00:18:46,960 So hey, learned a little something. 290 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:50,240 Didn't know that. But in the case of Jesus, it 291 00:18:50,240 --> 00:18:53,880 wasn't for mercy and it was not because they felt sorry for him. 292 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:57,640 It was because of mockery, according to Luke's account. 293 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:01,560 They did it in mockery. They took a custom that was done 294 00:19:01,560 --> 00:19:04,360 in kindness and they used it in mockery. 295 00:19:04,760 --> 00:19:07,000 It's kind of like when Judas betrayed Jesus. 296 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:11,680 He took a common way of connecting to someone by way of 297 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:15,440 love, and that is giving them a kiss, and he used that in 298 00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:20,240 mockery and in and in treachery and as a traitor. 299 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:24,480 Luke's account says this. The soldiers also mocked him 300 00:19:24,480 --> 00:19:27,400 coming and offering him sour wine and saying if you are the 301 00:19:27,400 --> 00:19:31,800 king of the Jews, save yourself. So it was done to Jesus in 302 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:35,360 mockery. Now, when you look at John's 303 00:19:35,360 --> 00:19:37,400 gospel, it says they put it on a Reed. 304 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:40,440 They put a sponge on a Reed, they dipped it and they put it 305 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:43,160 to his mouth. Now maybe you're thinking, wait 306 00:19:43,160 --> 00:19:46,600 a minute, didn't I read somewhere where it says they put 307 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:49,240 it to his mouth and he would not drink it? 308 00:19:50,120 --> 00:19:53,040 Here the implication is in this passage, at the end of his 309 00:19:53,040 --> 00:19:56,240 crucifixion, he did drink it. He did take it. 310 00:19:56,320 --> 00:19:59,440 What are we talking about? We're talking about also earlier 311 00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:03,280 on in this very narrative in Matthew chapter 27 and 34. 312 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:09,600 Notice they gave him sour wine mingled with gall to drink, but 313 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:11,640 when he had tasted it, he would not drink. 314 00:20:11,640 --> 00:20:14,080 That's earlier on in the narrative, so at the beginning 315 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:17,960 of the crucifixion. They gave him a drink that was 316 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:22,800 mingled with a mind altering sedative called gall, and he 317 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:26,040 would not drink it. Do you see the whole thing 318 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:30,200 there? Jesus took it all. 319 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:39,520 Jesus bore it all with no help, with no gall, with no sedative, 320 00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:44,320 with nothing to ease his mind or ear, ease his physical pain. 321 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:51,680 He took it all. But then later on over here, 322 00:20:51,680 --> 00:20:56,040 there was a benign drink, you might call it, you might talk, 323 00:20:56,040 --> 00:21:00,400 talk about a drink here with nothing in it but just a sour 324 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:01,960 wine. And he did drink it. 325 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:03,880 Why was that? I think he drank it. 326 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:10,120 Luke 23, by the way, if you've ever been, I mean, so parched 327 00:21:10,720 --> 00:21:13,360 and so thirsty and your throat is so dry. 328 00:21:13,360 --> 00:21:16,360 I know about that from from radiation and what it did in my 329 00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:18,040 throat, man, I know what that's like. 330 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:20,280 That's why I got to have water nearby. 331 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:24,840 OK, I know what that's like. It it gets to the point where 332 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:28,840 it's impossible to speak. And if Jesus hanging on the 333 00:21:28,840 --> 00:21:33,040 cross was parched to that point, he needed something in order to 334 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:36,120 say what in Luke's account. Father, into your hands I 335 00:21:36,120 --> 00:21:41,360 commend my spirit. Or to yell out it is finished, 336 00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:44,360 not only between him and God, but for everybody there to hear 337 00:21:44,360 --> 00:21:47,880 it. It is finished. 338 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:54,960 Some translations say it is accomplished, letting everybody 339 00:21:54,960 --> 00:22:00,680 know that what he did was God's accomplished plan and not just 340 00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:04,680 their hatred in crucifying Him. So what did He do? 341 00:22:05,120 --> 00:22:10,720 He took the vinegar to sour wine and that's why, by the way, to 342 00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:14,240 fulfill one final prophecy. Jesus knew all those prophecies 343 00:22:14,240 --> 00:22:16,600 were already fulfilled. He knew there was 1. 344 00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:21,560 So he said I thirst. And when He did that, they 345 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:23,480 brought the sour wine. You know why He did that? 346 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:26,720 He was totally in control and He knew that was one more prophecy 347 00:22:26,920 --> 00:22:29,440 that had to be fulfilled and then that was it. 348 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:34,680 Then we go to Matthew 27 again and we drop down to verse 50 and 349 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:38,760 Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and he yielded up 350 00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:42,960 his spirit. Here's the implication that 351 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:48,480 Jesus in his final voluntary act, turns his spirit over to 352 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:51,720 God. Do you know it's always phrased, 353 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:54,600 He yielded up his spirit. I think the King James says he 354 00:22:54,600 --> 00:23:00,600 gave up the ghost. He yielded up His Spirit. 355 00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:04,040 You know, this fits what the Bible talks about concerning 356 00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:09,480 that John 10 and 18, Jesus said no one takes it from me, but I 357 00:23:09,480 --> 00:23:13,120 lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down and 358 00:23:13,120 --> 00:23:16,680 I have power to take it again. This command I have received 359 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:19,600 from my Father. Now I got to make a clarifying 360 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:23,880 point here. It's unclear as to whether John 361 00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:27,760 chapter 10 and verse 18, Jesus is talking about the entire 362 00:23:27,760 --> 00:23:30,960 Passion event going to the cross. 363 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:33,960 Like for example, when they came to take him in the Garden of 364 00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:37,360 Gethsemane and they bound him, He didn't go dragging, kicking 365 00:23:37,360 --> 00:23:38,880 and screaming. He led. 366 00:23:38,920 --> 00:23:43,600 He was led, He went willingly. So whether or not Jesus is 367 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:47,600 talking about that in the entire process or if he's talking about 368 00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:50,920 the very last breath that he takes is unclear. 369 00:23:51,040 --> 00:23:55,560 What we do know for sure is this, Jesus is letting everybody 370 00:23:55,560 --> 00:23:58,720 know I'm in control, My Father's in control. 371 00:23:59,920 --> 00:24:03,680 I'm no man's victim and the enemies that are before me. 372 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:08,360 God is just using the enemies, the wrath of men to praise Him 373 00:24:08,360 --> 00:24:10,600 and carry out His will. And that's really the point. 374 00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:12,160 That's all we really know for sure. 375 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:20,360 OK, Now going to John's account for the cause of death, in 2011, 376 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:25,000 I wrote a sermon that you've all heard called The Burial of Jesus 377 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:30,640 Christ, 2011. And the reason that I wrote that 378 00:24:30,640 --> 00:24:32,240 sermon, I remember I stood right here. 379 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:35,080 It was the first sermon I preached after cancer 380 00:24:35,120 --> 00:24:36,640 treatments. Never forget that. 381 00:24:38,520 --> 00:24:41,200 And I remember that I made the statement that the reason I 382 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:44,720 wrote that sermon is I was driving down the road and I was 383 00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:47,920 listening to the radio and there was a religious program on there 384 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:50,800 and there's a preacher fielding questions from people that would 385 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:52,480 call in. And one guy calls in. 386 00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:54,920 He says, what was the actual cause of death of Jesus on the 387 00:24:54,920 --> 00:24:55,800 cross? And the guy spoke up 388 00:24:55,800 --> 00:25:00,240 immediately, the preacher. Oh, it was suffocation and I'm 389 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:01,520 yelling at the radio. No, it wasn't. 390 00:25:03,120 --> 00:25:06,760 No, it wasn't. And we know that that's not why. 391 00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:09,960 And the reason that that preacher said that is because 392 00:25:09,960 --> 00:25:14,040 customarily the cause of death to crucifixion was suffocation. 393 00:25:14,040 --> 00:25:18,000 And you all know that You're hanging there like your 394 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:20,920 diaphragm drops. Go to a pull up bar and hang. 395 00:25:20,920 --> 00:25:22,840 You can't breathe, so when you pull yourself up, you get a 396 00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:24,240 breath. That's what happened. 397 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:27,680 So people would do that for hours, even days, up and down, 398 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:29,560 up and down. Finally, they're not able to do 399 00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:31,080 that. They would succumb to that and 400 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:33,440 they would die of suffocation. They would actually out of their 401 00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:36,720 weakness, they would die, right, but not Jesus. 402 00:25:36,720 --> 00:25:40,200 I'm going to get to the actual cause in a moment, but going 403 00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:44,800 back to John 19, right after the Bible says that Jesus bowed his 404 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:49,000 head, which was a posture, a roof of pillow in the head. 405 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:52,040 That's what the word means. He gave up his spirit. 406 00:25:52,200 --> 00:26:01,400 OK, John 19 then in verse 31. Notice therefore, because it was 407 00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:05,440 the preparation day, that the body should not remain in the 408 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:09,320 cross on the Sabbath, for that Sabbath was a high day. 409 00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:13,120 The Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that 410 00:26:13,120 --> 00:26:14,960 they might be taken away. All right. 411 00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:19,800 The day of preparation is the word Parischua, and it means the 412 00:26:19,800 --> 00:26:23,440 day before the Sabbath. That's what it means. 413 00:26:24,200 --> 00:26:27,160 And because it was the day of preparation or the day before 414 00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:30,120 the Sabbath, they don't want them hanging on the cross. 415 00:26:30,280 --> 00:26:32,280 But it wasn't just an ordinary Sabbath. 416 00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:36,320 It was called a high day or a high Sabbath, which is a 417 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:39,920 Passover Sabbath. The religious leaders don't want 418 00:26:39,920 --> 00:26:44,600 these bodies hanging there in eyesight just outside the city, 419 00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:47,640 looking at the north side of the temple, and all of a sudden here 420 00:26:47,640 --> 00:26:52,680 they are hanging on the cross on this Passover Sabbath. 421 00:26:53,120 --> 00:26:56,120 Why did they say that? They were referring back to the 422 00:26:56,120 --> 00:26:58,200 Old Testament, to the book of Deuteronomy. 423 00:26:59,080 --> 00:27:04,160 In Deuteronomy chapter 21, beginning in verse 22, if a man 424 00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:08,520 has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, 425 00:27:08,880 --> 00:27:13,360 and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain overnight 426 00:27:13,360 --> 00:27:16,800 on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day. 427 00:27:17,080 --> 00:27:20,320 So that you do not defile the land which the Lord your God is 428 00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:24,840 giving you as an inheritance. For he who is hanged is a cursed 429 00:27:24,880 --> 00:27:34,600 of God. Now so because of that, the Jews 430 00:27:34,600 --> 00:27:37,840 asked Pilate that their legs might be broken. 431 00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:43,520 They broke the legs to expedite death. 432 00:27:45,880 --> 00:27:49,960 They came to the first thief and they broke his legs. 433 00:27:51,000 --> 00:27:54,840 They went to the second thief and they broke his legs. 434 00:27:56,240 --> 00:28:00,120 But when they came to Jesus, they didn't break His legs. 435 00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:02,840 In fact, in verse 33 it says this. 436 00:28:03,040 --> 00:28:06,640 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, 437 00:28:07,080 --> 00:28:11,680 they did not break his legs. This fulfilled prophecy. 438 00:28:11,800 --> 00:28:16,520 Psalm 34 and verse 20. He guards all his bones and not 439 00:28:16,520 --> 00:28:22,760 one of them is broken. Verse 34, John 19 But one of the 440 00:28:22,760 --> 00:28:27,040 soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and 441 00:28:27,040 --> 00:28:29,320 water came out. So picture this please. 442 00:28:29,720 --> 00:28:33,000 What they would do is the soldiers would take a large 443 00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:35,800 wooden mallet. I kind of pictured like a wooden 444 00:28:35,800 --> 00:28:38,960 sledgehammer, large wooden mallet, and they would go and 445 00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:42,120 they would break the legs. The word break actually means to 446 00:28:42,120 --> 00:28:44,520 disintegrate. Terrible thing, I know, very 447 00:28:44,520 --> 00:28:46,520 graphic. But they would beat the bones 448 00:28:46,520 --> 00:28:51,000 until they were disintegrated in expediting death. 449 00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:57,320 But then they came to Jesus and they didn't break his legs 450 00:28:58,240 --> 00:29:02,320 because he was already dead. So in their mind there was no 451 00:29:02,320 --> 00:29:04,760 need to expedite death. He was already dead. 452 00:29:04,760 --> 00:29:08,000 But why did they take the spear and thrust the spear in his 453 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:13,840 side, and from it flowed blood and water? 454 00:29:14,600 --> 00:29:21,800 That was prophecy fulfilled. Now the piercing of the side was 455 00:29:21,800 --> 00:29:25,720 also very common. They would customarily break the 456 00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:29,960 legs, and then they would take a spear and they would thrust it 457 00:29:29,960 --> 00:29:32,520 into the side, and they called that the Deathstroke. 458 00:29:33,960 --> 00:29:38,520 Now somebody might ask, well, if they were going to take the 459 00:29:38,520 --> 00:29:41,720 Deathstroke or the spear and thrust it into the side of the 460 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:45,000 victim to expedite death, why would they break the legs? 461 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:49,560 A Roman historian wrote this because death by crucifixion 462 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:52,520 took so long, so many hours, even days. 463 00:29:53,200 --> 00:29:56,400 Excruciating pain. If all they did was took the 464 00:29:56,400 --> 00:29:59,920 spear and thrust it into the side of the victim as a 465 00:29:59,920 --> 00:30:02,200 Deathstroke, it would have been an act of mercy. 466 00:30:02,200 --> 00:30:06,520 And once again, nothing about crucifixion was merciful at all. 467 00:30:06,720 --> 00:30:10,360 So this Roman historian said they would break the legs to 468 00:30:10,360 --> 00:30:13,120 give the person all the pain all at once. 469 00:30:14,920 --> 00:30:18,480 And then came the Deathstroke, piercing the side. 470 00:30:19,920 --> 00:30:22,400 Amazing though. Look at God's handiwork here. 471 00:30:23,760 --> 00:30:26,880 They didn't break Jesus legs because he was already dead, but 472 00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:28,480 they did come with a death stroke. 473 00:30:28,480 --> 00:30:30,720 Even though he was they knew he was already dead. 474 00:30:31,880 --> 00:30:38,000 Why did they do that? John 19 and 37 and again another 475 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:42,000 scripture says they shall look on him whom they had pierced. 476 00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:45,720 This is a direct quote from Zechariah chapter 12 and verse 477 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:50,240 10. Now notice, and immediately when 478 00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:54,920 they did that, blood and water came out. 479 00:30:54,920 --> 00:30:59,280 Now let me just notice with you, by the way, that the cause of 480 00:30:59,280 --> 00:31:10,800 death was not suffocation. Psalm 69 and 20, reproach has 481 00:31:10,800 --> 00:31:16,520 broken my heart. That's the cause of death. 482 00:31:19,320 --> 00:31:27,960 Reproach has broken my heart and I am full of heaviness. 483 00:31:28,480 --> 00:31:32,720 I look for someone to take pity, but there was none and for 484 00:31:32,720 --> 00:31:35,360 comforters, but I found none. How do we know that's talking 485 00:31:35,360 --> 00:31:39,320 about Jesus with a broken heart? Because of the very next verse 486 00:31:39,440 --> 00:31:43,080 in verse 21. They also gave me gall for my 487 00:31:43,080 --> 00:31:46,320 food sound premier and for my first they gave me vinegar to 488 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:53,160 drink. So the cause of death was a 489 00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:56,320 broken heart. Again, back in 2011 when I wrote 490 00:31:56,320 --> 00:32:00,400 that sermon, I gave this little nugget that I read too. 491 00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:04,480 A medical doctor says while it's very rare, but under extreme 492 00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:08,120 intense pressure and trauma, the heart, which is a muscle, could 493 00:32:08,120 --> 00:32:11,120 in fact rupture and therefore spill its blood into the 494 00:32:11,120 --> 00:32:15,200 pericardium with Olympic serum and create the blood that flowed 495 00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:21,120 out of the side of Jesus Christ. Wow, I can't even imagine. 496 00:32:21,120 --> 00:32:23,840 I've had some stuff. I can't even imagine being in 497 00:32:23,840 --> 00:32:29,600 that kind of anguish and agony. Notice what else? 498 00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:32,920 Going back to Matthew's account, what else happened and why is it 499 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:37,560 significant? Then behold, the veil of the 500 00:32:37,560 --> 00:32:43,440 temple was torn from top to bottom, and the earthquaked and 501 00:32:43,440 --> 00:32:47,440 the rocks were split. You know, the significance of 502 00:32:47,440 --> 00:32:49,320 these events is almost beyond description. 503 00:32:50,920 --> 00:32:53,080 Amazing. As long as the veil of the 504 00:32:53,080 --> 00:32:58,800 temple remains, OK, as long as it remains intact, it symbolizes 505 00:32:58,960 --> 00:33:01,800 A separation between God and man. 506 00:33:04,440 --> 00:33:07,360 I don't know why. You know, when the apostle Paul 507 00:33:07,360 --> 00:33:11,160 said if you're justified by the law, meaning the law of Moses, 508 00:33:11,160 --> 00:33:15,000 the old law of Moses, you are fallen from grace. 509 00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:18,960 If you're guilty of any aspect of the old law of Moses, you're 510 00:33:18,960 --> 00:33:22,880 guilty of the whole law. I don't know why anybody would 511 00:33:22,880 --> 00:33:24,800 want to resurrect an invalid law. 512 00:33:25,080 --> 00:33:28,960 Under the old law of Moses, where the veil existed, it 513 00:33:28,960 --> 00:33:33,240 existed intact, and it also represented A separation from 514 00:33:33,240 --> 00:33:34,600 man. When I say man, I'm talking 515 00:33:34,600 --> 00:33:36,600 about common men, the common priest. 516 00:33:36,760 --> 00:33:38,840 Guess who that is today? That's me and you. 517 00:33:40,600 --> 00:33:45,720 As long as the veil remains intact, man has no direct access 518 00:33:45,720 --> 00:33:49,880 to God. But when Jesus was crucified, 519 00:33:50,920 --> 00:33:54,600 the veil was rent in two. The King, James says, was rent 520 00:33:54,600 --> 00:33:57,120 in twain. It was torn from top to bottom, 521 00:33:57,280 --> 00:33:59,960 not from bottom to top, from top to bottom. 522 00:34:03,200 --> 00:34:08,960 Notice the veil both in the Tabernacle and later on in the 523 00:34:08,960 --> 00:34:13,080 temple, was the barrier between the Holy Place and the Most Holy 524 00:34:13,080 --> 00:34:16,280 Place. Only the High Priest could go 525 00:34:16,280 --> 00:34:20,600 one time a year through that veil to the presence of God with 526 00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:23,600 the blood sacrifice of an imperfect animal. 527 00:34:24,920 --> 00:34:30,600 You see the symbolism here. The perfect High Priest now dies 528 00:34:30,600 --> 00:34:34,000 on the cross. The veil is torn from top to 529 00:34:34,000 --> 00:34:36,800 bottom and now you got the common folk. 530 00:34:36,920 --> 00:34:40,360 You got the common priest, which is a picture of Christians 531 00:34:40,360 --> 00:34:44,040 today. And we have direct access to our 532 00:34:44,040 --> 00:34:46,400 God. Wow. 533 00:34:47,920 --> 00:34:52,440 Because Jesus one time came to bury the sacrifice of his own 534 00:34:52,440 --> 00:34:58,280 blood once and for all when the veil was ripped apart, exposing 535 00:34:58,280 --> 00:35:00,880 the Holy of Holies. The symbolism is clear. 536 00:35:02,080 --> 00:35:05,400 We now have access to God through the precious blood of 537 00:35:05,400 --> 00:35:07,360 Jesus. Hebrews 9, beginning in verse 538 00:35:07,360 --> 00:35:09,680 11. But Christ came as high priest 539 00:35:09,680 --> 00:35:13,160 of good things to come with a greater and more perfect 540 00:35:13,160 --> 00:35:16,560 Tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of His 541 00:35:16,560 --> 00:35:20,080 creation, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His 542 00:35:20,080 --> 00:35:22,240 own blood. He entered the Most Holy place 543 00:35:22,240 --> 00:35:25,920 once and for all, having obtained eternal redemption for 544 00:35:25,920 --> 00:35:29,360 the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer. 545 00:35:29,560 --> 00:35:33,200 Sprinkling the unclean sanctifies for the purifying of 546 00:35:33,200 --> 00:35:35,960 the flesh. How much more shall the blood of 547 00:35:35,960 --> 00:35:39,360 Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without 548 00:35:39,360 --> 00:35:42,800 spot to God, cleanse your conscience from good works to 549 00:35:42,800 --> 00:35:48,040 serve the living God. And now get this. 550 00:35:48,240 --> 00:35:52,920 I love this part. Let us therefore come boldly to 551 00:35:52,920 --> 00:35:57,280 the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to 552 00:35:57,280 --> 00:36:03,200 help in time of need. You know, Jewish tradition 553 00:36:03,200 --> 00:36:09,040 suggests that the Temple veil was composed of two exceedingly 554 00:36:09,200 --> 00:36:13,720 heavy draperies. Fowler said it this way. 555 00:36:14,760 --> 00:36:20,720 The veil was elaborately woven and was 60 feet long and 30 feet 556 00:36:20,720 --> 00:36:25,120 wide. For it to be ripped in two from 557 00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:30,160 top to bottom is nothing short, is nothing shy of an awesome 558 00:36:30,160 --> 00:36:37,040 miracle of God. And I love the symbolism of 559 00:36:37,040 --> 00:36:38,440 exactly what it meant when it did. 560 00:36:39,040 --> 00:36:43,520 In other words, as one man said, in one mighty miraculous act, 561 00:36:44,400 --> 00:36:47,360 God proves that the physical temple is obsolete. 562 00:36:48,400 --> 00:36:52,720 The Old Testament law is abolished, the Ark of the 563 00:36:52,720 --> 00:36:55,520 Covenant, you remember, had been gone for centuries, and the 564 00:36:55,520 --> 00:36:59,920 glory of God no longer dwells between the cherubim in the Holy 565 00:36:59,920 --> 00:37:04,320 of Holies. OK, So what exists on this day 566 00:37:04,520 --> 00:37:08,920 was the Temple, the Holy place, the most Holy place, and its 567 00:37:08,920 --> 00:37:15,160 veil is simply a facade of what it once meant. 568 00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:22,880 But God makes it clear. Physical Israel, with all its 569 00:37:22,880 --> 00:37:27,720 corruption, is an empty room with a torn curtain. 570 00:37:29,720 --> 00:37:32,160 Israel no longer is God's chosen nation. 571 00:37:33,320 --> 00:37:36,960 A new era is dawned, has dawned. One scholar put it this way, 572 00:37:37,600 --> 00:37:41,280 God's Shekinah, which is an English transliteration of a 573 00:37:41,280 --> 00:37:44,680 Hebrew word meaning dwelling or settling, denoting the presence 574 00:37:44,680 --> 00:37:48,520 of God. OK will no longer. 575 00:37:48,520 --> 00:37:51,400 In other words, the presence of God and the glory of God will no 576 00:37:51,400 --> 00:37:56,080 longer exist in a dark room, but will once again be with His 577 00:37:56,080 --> 00:38:04,400 people and in their lives. Just like in the Garden of Eden. 578 00:38:05,480 --> 00:38:08,520 God had His people and He was in their life. 579 00:38:10,200 --> 00:38:12,920 The old Law of Moses was a schoolmaster to bring man to 580 00:38:12,920 --> 00:38:16,400 Christ. God dwelt with, dealt with the 581 00:38:16,400 --> 00:38:18,640 nation of Israel. He dealt with the people and 582 00:38:18,640 --> 00:38:22,000 nation with all of its rules and all the things they had to do 583 00:38:22,000 --> 00:38:24,960 under the law of Moses. Jesus dies on the cross, nails 584 00:38:24,960 --> 00:38:27,400 it, all of the cross. And guess what, when that bill 585 00:38:27,400 --> 00:38:30,680 was rent and twain, it shows that God no longer dwells in a 586 00:38:30,680 --> 00:38:32,600 dark room. He's with his people. 587 00:38:33,160 --> 00:38:35,600 He's in your heart. That's why when Jesus says the 588 00:38:35,600 --> 00:38:39,360 Kingdom, get this please. The Kingdom of God is within 589 00:38:39,760 --> 00:38:45,320 you. Who's you baptized? 590 00:38:45,320 --> 00:38:48,920 Believers, Christians. Followers. 591 00:38:49,160 --> 00:38:57,560 Disciples. Now, the Lord's death occurred 592 00:38:57,560 --> 00:39:01,840 about 3:00 PM. You know who was in the temple 593 00:39:02,080 --> 00:39:06,800 at that time? Temple worshippers. 594 00:39:08,800 --> 00:39:15,360 Who were the temple worshippers? Only the common priest, I don't 595 00:39:15,360 --> 00:39:17,760 know how many were in there, but the Bible says under the old law 596 00:39:17,760 --> 00:39:20,840 of Moses, the priest went into the holy place, which is a 597 00:39:20,840 --> 00:39:24,360 picture of the church. The priest went into the holy 598 00:39:24,360 --> 00:39:27,960 place. Priest did accomplishing the 599 00:39:27,960 --> 00:39:29,800 service of God. They did it in shift work. 600 00:39:29,800 --> 00:39:33,720 I don't know how many were there, but when this great event 601 00:39:33,720 --> 00:39:37,160 happened and the veil was torn into, the priests that were 602 00:39:37,160 --> 00:39:39,880 there were the only ones that could witness that event. 603 00:39:41,440 --> 00:39:44,440 But Can you imagine how the story must have spread? 604 00:39:45,440 --> 00:39:48,640 I mean, for the first time, the common priest is looking into 605 00:39:48,640 --> 00:39:51,960 the Holy of Holies, signifying where the place of God is. 606 00:39:54,240 --> 00:40:01,760 And I just wonder, I just wonder if some of those priests were 607 00:40:01,760 --> 00:40:03,920 some of the ones that were obedient. 608 00:40:04,560 --> 00:40:07,200 In the book of Acts and came to Jesus. 609 00:40:07,360 --> 00:40:10,120 I don't know. Look in Acts 6:00 and 7:00. 610 00:40:10,320 --> 00:40:13,240 Then the word of God spread and the number of disciples 611 00:40:13,240 --> 00:40:18,200 multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great number of priests 612 00:40:19,000 --> 00:40:23,960 were obedient to the faith. Just maybe some of those priests 613 00:40:24,200 --> 00:40:26,240 were some of the ones that were there that day. 614 00:40:27,640 --> 00:40:36,120 Who knows what else happened, Matthew 2752 and 53 and the 615 00:40:36,120 --> 00:40:40,120 graves were open and many bodies of the Saints who had fallen 616 00:40:40,120 --> 00:40:45,200 asleep were raised. Notice, first of all, we have to 617 00:40:45,200 --> 00:40:49,480 get the first sentence here at the time of his death. 618 00:40:49,960 --> 00:40:53,440 When? When the earthquake and the 619 00:40:53,440 --> 00:40:56,480 rocks were split. When did that happen? 620 00:40:56,640 --> 00:40:59,280 At the same time, I'm making a point here. 621 00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:03,360 At the same time, the veil was torn in two from top to bottom. 622 00:41:03,480 --> 00:41:04,840 Same time. When did that happen? 623 00:41:04,960 --> 00:41:07,200 When Jesus died at his death, right? 624 00:41:07,760 --> 00:41:12,200 So over here at his death, the graves were open and many bodies 625 00:41:12,200 --> 00:41:14,120 of the Saints who had fallen asleep were raised. 626 00:41:14,200 --> 00:41:16,640 When at his death. This is where people get a 627 00:41:16,640 --> 00:41:21,080 little confused because of the next sentence and coming out of 628 00:41:21,080 --> 00:41:23,040 the graves after his resurrection. 629 00:41:23,040 --> 00:41:27,000 So people say, well, it happened when he was resurrected from the 630 00:41:27,000 --> 00:41:28,760 dead. It didn't happen when he was 631 00:41:28,880 --> 00:41:31,000 crucified. Not so fast. 632 00:41:31,160 --> 00:41:34,600 Lenski gives a little bit of a explanation to that. 633 00:41:35,120 --> 00:41:39,600 Lenski says this. This phrase modifies only their 634 00:41:39,600 --> 00:41:41,800 appearance in Jerusalem. When? 635 00:41:42,000 --> 00:41:46,800 After the resurrection. OK, the act happened. 636 00:41:47,000 --> 00:41:50,880 They were raised when the earth did quake and the rocks were 637 00:41:50,880 --> 00:41:53,400 ripped. And picture this, it wasn't like 638 00:41:53,400 --> 00:41:55,480 graves of we got today at a cemetery. 639 00:41:55,640 --> 00:41:59,560 They had stones that covered the mouth of those tombs. 640 00:41:59,680 --> 00:42:02,120 They were split and they rose from the dead. 641 00:42:02,280 --> 00:42:06,680 But they were seen in Jerusalem after his resurrection. 642 00:42:06,680 --> 00:42:08,240 So that's the modification there. 643 00:42:09,000 --> 00:42:13,480 So Lenski says, thus making their resurrections occurring on 644 00:42:13,480 --> 00:42:17,920 Friday evening preparation when Jesus was crucified at the time 645 00:42:17,920 --> 00:42:21,440 of his death. OK, what else? 646 00:42:21,440 --> 00:42:22,880 Let's he also said a couple more things. 647 00:42:22,880 --> 00:42:23,880 I'm going to put it up here we go. 648 00:42:25,240 --> 00:42:28,560 Already the death of Jesus brought resurrection to these 649 00:42:28,560 --> 00:42:30,120 Saints. So we're seeing the significance 650 00:42:30,120 --> 00:42:32,520 of it. Hence the account of this 651 00:42:32,520 --> 00:42:36,480 occurrence properly connected with the death of Jesus. 652 00:42:36,480 --> 00:42:40,840 And then finally he said this as what is the significance of it? 653 00:42:42,480 --> 00:42:45,800 The great importance of this resurrection of these bodies 654 00:42:45,800 --> 00:42:50,080 coming out of the grave of the Saints for us is the fact that 655 00:42:50,080 --> 00:42:52,880 the resurrection is not merely a future event. 656 00:42:53,240 --> 00:42:56,720 It is already begun. In the case of these Saints, not 657 00:42:56,720 --> 00:42:59,960 only Jesus is raised from the dead and advanced number of the 658 00:42:59,960 --> 00:43:03,800 Saints have been risen with him. This is an assurance that we 659 00:43:03,800 --> 00:43:08,080 also shall rise. OK, here's the difference. 660 00:43:08,600 --> 00:43:11,920 These people that were resurrected in Jerusalem that 661 00:43:11,920 --> 00:43:17,200 had to die again, OK, when Jesus died, was buried and rose again, 662 00:43:17,200 --> 00:43:19,200 he became the first fruits of them that slept. 663 00:43:19,360 --> 00:43:21,520 When that happened, guess what? Great stuff. 664 00:43:22,200 --> 00:43:26,240 When we die and we're buried in the Bible says it appears once, 665 00:43:26,520 --> 00:43:30,240 once for man to die and then the judgement or the resurrection. 666 00:43:31,960 --> 00:43:35,160 Jesus was the first fruits. He's the first one to die, be 667 00:43:35,160 --> 00:43:38,240 resurrected, never to die again. Guess what's going to happen for 668 00:43:38,240 --> 00:43:42,600 us because of that, children of God, we're going to die, be 669 00:43:42,600 --> 00:43:47,880 raised, never to die again. This was a symbol when that 670 00:43:47,880 --> 00:43:52,880 happened. It was a symbol that we will 671 00:43:52,880 --> 00:43:58,280 have a resurrection finally, and I'm wrapping up now in verse 54, 672 00:43:59,600 --> 00:44:04,360 when the centurion, and when the centurion and those with him who 673 00:44:04,360 --> 00:44:09,960 were regarding Jesus saw the earthquake and the things that 674 00:44:09,960 --> 00:44:18,000 had happened, they feared greatly saying truly this was 675 00:44:18,000 --> 00:44:21,720 the Son of God. Can you imagine all of the 676 00:44:23,240 --> 00:44:27,360 executions that the centurion must have witnessed in his life 677 00:44:29,680 --> 00:44:35,080 in charge of 100 soldiers? How many he would have seen that 678 00:44:35,080 --> 00:44:39,760 were different than this one? I read that people actually were 679 00:44:39,760 --> 00:44:46,160 screaming to the all the way to the end, uttering profanities 680 00:44:47,600 --> 00:44:50,600 and vile things of hatred and bitterness. 681 00:44:53,120 --> 00:44:59,800 Not this man, not the one on the Middle cross. 682 00:45:02,520 --> 00:45:09,640 The centurion saw it all. He witnessed it all, you see. 683 00:45:09,640 --> 00:45:14,200 Here was the man who begs his father to forgive his 684 00:45:14,200 --> 00:45:16,840 executioners and says, Father, forgive them, for they know not 685 00:45:16,840 --> 00:45:22,200 what they do. Here was the man whom heaven had 686 00:45:22,200 --> 00:45:24,920 blanketed with the dignity of darkness for three hours. 687 00:45:26,720 --> 00:45:30,280 Here was the man who entrusted his mother to his closest 688 00:45:30,280 --> 00:45:36,200 disciple before he died. Here was the man who blesses one 689 00:45:36,200 --> 00:45:39,440 of the thieves hanging by his side and says, today you will be 690 00:45:39,440 --> 00:45:44,800 with me in paradise. Here was the man whose final 691 00:45:44,800 --> 00:45:47,080 words are to commit his spirit to God. 692 00:45:47,080 --> 00:45:51,960 Don't you see the point? Here is the man who is not just 693 00:45:52,160 --> 00:46:00,280 a man, he's the Son of God. And the centurion simply said, 694 00:46:00,520 --> 00:46:05,160 truly, this was the Son of God. Who was this man? 695 00:46:05,160 --> 00:46:10,760 I don't know, but Lenski says tradition says this Gentile 696 00:46:10,760 --> 00:46:16,280 centurion is named Longinus and comes to faith beneath the dead 697 00:46:16,320 --> 00:46:22,040 Savior's cross. Truly, this was the Son of God. 698 00:46:24,640 --> 00:46:28,320 That's it. That's the crucifixion. 699 00:46:29,920 --> 00:46:32,480 Those are the events surrounding the crucifixion and the 700 00:46:32,480 --> 00:46:35,600 significance of them over the last two lessons. 701 00:46:36,680 --> 00:46:41,440 Next, give me two weeks When it's my turn again, we're going 702 00:46:41,440 --> 00:46:44,840 to talk about after he was buried, after he spent three 703 00:46:44,840 --> 00:46:54,240 days in the heart of the earth. He's risen and I'm so thankful 704 00:46:54,240 --> 00:47:00,640 that he's risen because the Bible says if he ain't risen, we 705 00:47:00,640 --> 00:47:05,280 are of all men most miserable because there is no 706 00:47:05,480 --> 00:47:10,120 resurrection. This is it, but there is. 707 00:47:10,240 --> 00:47:13,040 Stay tuned in two weeks. Are you here today and you're 708 00:47:13,040 --> 00:47:17,240 not a Christian? We never preach from the Word of 709 00:47:17,240 --> 00:47:19,840 God without extending an invitation to somebody that 710 00:47:19,840 --> 00:47:21,600 might be subject to the gospel call. 711 00:47:22,440 --> 00:47:24,360 The steps to become a child of God are very simple. 712 00:47:24,360 --> 00:47:27,920 You got to hear the Word of God. Romans 10/17 So faith comes by 713 00:47:27,920 --> 00:47:30,160 hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 714 00:47:30,400 --> 00:47:32,920 Upon hearing the word of God, it needs to produce something. 715 00:47:33,080 --> 00:47:36,040 It's got to produce faith. You got to believe with all your 716 00:47:36,040 --> 00:47:37,400 heart. Hebrews 11 and 6. 717 00:47:37,400 --> 00:47:41,640 Without faith it's impossible to please Him, for He comes to God 718 00:47:41,640 --> 00:47:44,480 must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those 719 00:47:44,640 --> 00:47:48,200 who derigently seek Him. Then you got a choice to make. 720 00:47:48,200 --> 00:47:51,360 I got to change. I got to repent of my sins. 721 00:47:51,600 --> 00:47:54,080 Acts 1730. Truly these times of ignorance 722 00:47:54,080 --> 00:47:58,680 got overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent. 723 00:47:59,360 --> 00:48:02,240 Then you have to be willing to make the greatest confession you 724 00:48:02,240 --> 00:48:04,840 could ever make, the greatest words you will ever utter, and 725 00:48:04,840 --> 00:48:08,080 that is to confess Jesus Christ as the Son of God. 726 00:48:08,080 --> 00:48:11,160 Acts 837 Then Philip said, If you believe with all your heart, 727 00:48:11,160 --> 00:48:13,200 you may. And he answered and said, I 728 00:48:13,200 --> 00:48:17,080 believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 729 00:48:17,280 --> 00:48:19,840 Upon both steps you're a fit candidate to go down to the 730 00:48:19,840 --> 00:48:24,120 point of salvation, which is to be baptized for the remission of 731 00:48:24,120 --> 00:48:25,920 your sins. Mark 1616. 732 00:48:26,120 --> 00:48:29,920 He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does 733 00:48:29,920 --> 00:48:32,440 not believe will be condemned. Is it necessary? 734 00:48:32,440 --> 00:48:36,040 Does it save us first? Peter 321, the light figure. 735 00:48:36,040 --> 00:48:40,440 We're in the even baptism death also now save us, not the 736 00:48:40,440 --> 00:48:43,240 putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good 737 00:48:43,240 --> 00:48:47,360 conscience toward God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 738 00:48:47,560 --> 00:48:49,680 If you've never taken those steps of obedience, we would 739 00:48:49,680 --> 00:48:54,880 love to assist you in it today. You get the blood of Christ, 740 00:48:55,480 --> 00:48:58,280 your sins are washed away. You become a child of God. 741 00:48:58,680 --> 00:49:03,080 Wow, maybe you've taken those steps, but you've drifted away. 742 00:49:03,080 --> 00:49:06,880 Just make it right, come back, repent of those things, confess 743 00:49:06,880 --> 00:49:08,600 those things. We'll pray with you and for you 744 00:49:08,640 --> 00:49:09,880 and God will forgive and restore. 745 00:49:10,000 --> 00:49:12,720 If you want to be to class, come forward while we stand and while 746 00:49:12,720 --> 00:49:12,840 we.