Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• This morning: Matt 27:45-54
• This evening: Psalm 16
• Look at miraculous phenomena linked to the resurrection
• The resurrection of many people
• Darkness
• An earthquake
• The invisible hands that tore the curtain
• Jesus was on the cross for 6 hours
• 9am - 3pm
• 3 hours of light, 3 hours of darkness
• In the light, Jesus uttered three sayings:
• "Father, forgive them for what they do"
• "Today, you will be with Me in paradise"
• "Behold your son"
• In the darkness
• The mocking stopped
• What were Pilot, Caiaphas, Ananias and the crowds thinking?
• Jesus uttered four sayings:
• "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani" (v46)
• "I thirst"
• "It is finished"
• "Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit"
• Overview:
• The Darkness
• The tearing of the curtain
• An earthquake
• The raising of the dead
• At special times God acts with supernatural power
  • Examples

The Darkness

• Three hours of darkness
• It was not an eclipse
• It was passover time - there was a full moon
• This cannot be explained naturally
• In whatever way God, chose to bring darkness upon the earth
• Why?
• Was it such a holy moment that Christ was taking our sins?
• Was it that Christ was suffering all alone?
• Darkness is often a sign of judgment and even of hell
• Jesus had only ever known the pleasure, delight and sweet communion with His Father
• Now the Father is punishing His only Son
• Now the Father is forsaking His Son
• This is what Hell is - being forsaken by God
• Christ is taking our sins
• What did it mean for Him to be punished in our place?
• The Christian delight:
• We know that He was forsaken so that we might never be forsaken
• He was punished so that we would not be
• Do you love the Saviour?
• My God - no longer 'Father'
• After the judgement He says 'Father'

The Tearing of the Curtain

• "Jesus yielded up His Spirit" (v50)
• He bowed His head
• He was in total control
• A sinless soul can never die
• Jesus could not die
• There are mysteries here
• Examples
• The curtain veil was split in two
• Just the curtain was torn - nothing else was damaged
• Can you imagine the fear that would have struck in the hearts of the priests in the temple?
• Why did this happen?
• The old system of human priests and animal sacrifices is done away with
• Christ is our High Priest
• Christ is our sacrifice
• God's invisible hands torn the curtain from top to bottom
• What does this mean for us?
• We have boldness to enter the presence of God through the blood of Jesus Christ
• Have you found your way to God?
• The tearing of the curtain is a tremendous encouragement to us
• Have you come back to God?

An Earthquake

• This was a tremendous sign
• Do you remember Mount Sinai and the giving of the law?
• Quote from the Song; 'Alas and Did my Saviour die'
• When Christ returns the earth will be shaken again
• Is this a picture of what will happen?
• Colossians tells us that Christ did not just die for souls
• It would have been an awesome event for those there
• They said: 'Truly this was the Son of God'
• Sometimes God does this with people today

The Raising of the Dead

• The open tombs and the opening of the graves (v52-53)
• Who was raised up?
• Christ came to save all people - Old Testament and New Testament
• The saints are sinners who have believed in the promises of God and have been cleansed of their sin
• Christ must have the preeminence
• Christ has a glorious body
• The people were like Lazarus, raised with a mortal body
• What happened to these people?
• There are tremendous mysteries here
• The Roman centurion proclaims "Truly this was the Son of God!" (v54)
• Something has happened to him - he is alive, wake, fearful and confessing that Jesus is the Son of God
• Christ came for sinners
• We can idolise Old Testament figures but they are sinners
• Examples

Closing Remarks

• The message of Easter is that Christ came to save sinners
• The fours signs of God speak to us
• Recap
• Do you love the Saviour?