Change Only His Death Brings
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
By now it is probably obvious that if you are not crossfit and you desire to reach crossfitness that you must make permanent changes. Temporary changes produce temporary results. The old ways must be done away with in fact you might even consider them dead habits. It is only through this drastic killing of old things that the new crossfit lifestyle can take place.
As we continue to look into the death burial and resurrection of Jesus this morning I believe God through Luke wants us to see that spiritual crossfitness only comes from change brought by death - but its not just any death it is only through the death of Jesus that change can be brought. It is His death that brought the necessary change for us to achieve a level of spiritual crossfitness. Lets read and understand the changes that have been brought by His death.
44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three, 45 because the sun’s light failed. The curtain of the sanctuary was split down the middle. 46 And Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.” Saying this, he breathed his last.
47 When the centurion saw what happened, he began to glorify God, saying, “This man really was righteous!” 48 All the crowds that had gathered for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, went home, striking their chests. 49 But all who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
50 There was a good and righteous man named Joseph, a member of the Sanhedrin, 51 who had not agreed with their plan and action. He was from Arimathea, a Judean town, and was looking forward to the kingdom of God. 52 He approached Pilate and asked for Jesus’s body. 53 Taking it down, he wrapped it in fine linen and placed it in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had ever been placed.
54 It was the preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. 55 The women who had come with him from Galilee followed along and observed the tomb and how his body was placed. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.
1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3 They went in but did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood by them in dazzling clothes.
5 So the women were terrified and bowed down to the ground. “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” asked the men. 6 “He is not here, but he has risen! Remember how he spoke to you when he was still in Galilee, 7 saying, ‘It is necessary that the Son of Man be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and rise on the third day’
8 And they remembered his words. 9 Returning from the tomb, they reported all these things to the Eleven and to all the rest. 10 Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them were telling the apostles these things.
11 But these words seemed like nonsense to them, and they did not believe the women. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. When he stooped to look in, he saw only the linen cloths. So he went away, amazed at what had happened.
The Veil Is Torn
The Veil Is Torn
44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three, 45 because the sun’s light failed. The curtain of the sanctuary was split down the middle. 46 And Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.” Saying this, he breathed his last.
47 When the centurion saw what happened, he began to glorify God, saying, “This man really was righteous!” 48 All the crowds that had gathered for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, went home, striking their chests. 49 But all who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
We read that it was now about noon, Jesus has been on the cross about 3 hours, and now darkness has come over the whole land until three. The sun’s light failing is the excuse given for the darkness. Some have tried to explain this away by saying it was an eclipse but that would be impossible for one main and simple reason. The Jews followed a lunar calendar and everything was times based on new moons and full moons. The full moon was required for Passover. It is held the 15th day of Nisan so Passover is always on a full moon day.
Exodus 12:12 (CSB)
12 “I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night and strike every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, both people and animals. I am the Lord; I will execute judgments against all the gods of Egypt.
Exodus 12:13 (CSB)
13 The blood on the houses where you are staying will be a distinguishing mark for you; when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No plague will be among you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
Darkness had come over all the land for three hours. Jesus had said just a while before that this was the hour of darkness to reign. Darkness was reigning because of His crucifixion.
The remarkable darkness all over the earth showed the agony of creation itself in the Creator’s suffering.
Origen and Eusebius quote words from Phlegon the Roman historian in which he makes mention of an extraordinary solar eclipse as well as of an earthquake at about the time of the crucifixion.
“In the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad, there was an extraordinary eclipse of the sun: at the sixth hour, the day turned into dark night, so that the stars in heaven were seen; and there was an earthquake.” — Phlegon
Because of the requirements of Passover we know that this was no natural eclipse of the sun. It was at this time that Jesus died. Jesus called out with a loud voice “Father into your hands I entrust My Spirit.” and immediately after saying this He breathed His last. Jesus in saying this is showing He gave up His life when He wanted to and how He wanted to. No one could take it from Him. Jesus was not a victim whom we should pity, but as we know and will see He is a conqueror we should admire.
Jesus’s words were another fulfillment of prophecy continuing to show that Jesus was following a predetermined plan to accomplish something necessary. God’s plan of salvation being made possible through His death.
5 Into your hand I entrust my spirit; you have redeemed me, Lord, God of truth.
We know what it was that Jesus call out in a loud voice from the Gospel of John.
30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.
“It is finished” - only one word in the Greek - Tetelestai - paid in full. This is the cry of a winner, of one who is victorious. Jesus had just paid the debt - the full debt of sin that we owed and had finished the purpose of the cross.
What was it that Jesus accomplished by paying the debt of sin? He forever changed our relationship to God and with God. We see this in that the veil was torn in two. This veil represented the separation of the Holy - the boundary between heaven and earth. The veil was the constant reminder that because of sin man is unfit for the presence of God. Jesus’s death tore that veil in two. It is said that Herods temple was built to the dimensions of Solomon’s temple. If true here are the dimensions of the veil.
19 He prepared the inner sanctuary inside the temple to put the ark of the Lord’s covenant there. 20 The interior of the sanctuary was thirty feet long, thirty feet wide, and thirty feet high; he overlaid it with pure gold. He also overlaid the cedar altar.
Therefore the veil was to be 30 feet high and 30 feet long to block the view of the Holy of Holies. The veil is believed to have been 4 inches think to obstruct the view - but to shroud the glory of God I can only imagine it must have been thicker. It has been said two horses could not pull it apart. Draw you attention to the tearing of the veil - it was torn top to bottom. No man could reach it nor tear it -it was torn from heaven down.
Jesus’s death provided a way of approach to God and it was opened to all who would come by faith.
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus—20 he has inaugurated for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh)—
21 and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.
Two significant things from this one change - man has free access to the throne of grace by the Cross and God does not dwell in temples made with hands but now dwells in man.
16 Don’t you yourselves know that you are God’s temple and that the Spirit of God lives in you?
The Centurion having witnessed a few crucifixions I am sure recognized that this was not a normal one and that truly Jesus was different - declared Jesus righteous some translate even as seeing Jesus as the Son of God. All who consider the cross know this same truth - and its great because the pathway to God has been opened up through Jesus’s death which tore the veil.
32 As for me, if I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all people to myself.”
Righteousness Is Redefined
Righteousness Is Redefined
50 There was a good and righteous man named Joseph, a member of the Sanhedrin, 51 who had not agreed with their plan and action. He was from Arimathea, a Judean town, and was looking forward to the kingdom of God. 52 He approached Pilate and asked for Jesus’s body. 53 Taking it down, he wrapped it in fine linen and placed it in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had ever been placed.
54 It was the preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. 55 The women who had come with him from Galilee followed along and observed the tomb and how his body was placed. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.
As we see the burial of Jesus lets focus in on Joseph of Arimathea. It was because of Joseph that Jesus had a tomb to be laid in. Joseph was a member of the Sanhedrin but notice how Luke describes Joseph - good and righteous. Prior to the death of Jesus to be considered good and righteous one must have been perfect in the keeping of the law, the sacrifices and the ceremonial cleansing. Certainly Joseph as a member of the Sanhedrin ( a Pharisee as he looked forward to the kingdom) could fit the bill. Jesus death has changed the definition of righteous and good.
Paid in full and it is finished both point to what happened on the cross. God placed upon Jesus all the guilt and wrath our sin deserved and He bore it perfectly for us satisfying the Father’s wrath for us. He drank the cup of wrath being judged as sin in our place.
2 Corinthians 5:20–21 (CSB)
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” 21 He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
Joseph of Arimathea was called good and righteous not because he was so, but because Jesus’s death made Him so, and its the same for us. Joseph was a member of the Sanhedrin but not one who voted or went along with their plan or action against Jesus. It is most likely he wasnt even present when the Sanhedrin condemned Jesus at their mock or legal trial. Joseph believed in Jesus and we know this because he was looking forward to the kingdom of God coming through Jesus.
10 I rejoice greatly in the Lord, I exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a groom wears a turban and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
22 The righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, since there is no distinction. 23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;
24 they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as the mercy seat by his blood, through faith, to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his restraint God passed over the sins previously committed.
26 God presented him to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so that he would be just and justify the one who has faith in Jesus.
Joseph in faith asked for the body of Jesus to bury Him. This act forever would separate him from the Sanhedrin and the Orthodox Judaism forever. He would be identified with Christ - as he buried Christ in a sense he buried his old self too. In burying Jesus - please understand that Jesus truly died - the preparations for His burial wouldn’t have been needed if He had not really died.
Death Is A Defeated Enemy
Death Is A Defeated Enemy
1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3 They went in but did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood by them in dazzling clothes.
5 So the women were terrified and bowed down to the ground. “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” asked the men. 6 “He is not here, but he has risen! Remember how he spoke to you when he was still in Galilee, 7 saying, ‘It is necessary that the Son of Man be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and rise on the third day’
8 And they remembered his words. 9 Returning from the tomb, they reported all these things to the Eleven and to all the rest. 10 Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them were telling the apostles these things.
11 But these words seemed like nonsense to them, and they did not believe the women. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. When he stooped to look in, he saw only the linen cloths. So he went away, amazed at what had happened.
On the first day of the week, Sunday, very early in the morning they (the women) came to the tomb. With them they brought the necessary spices they had prepared in order to properly dress the body of Jesus.
Now Jesus had been taken from the cross and hastily placed in the tomb and only somewhat prepared for burial. The body was laid in and the tomb had a stone that was rolled in front of it. The Romans placed guards and put their seal upon the stone as well.
How did the women expect to get to the body of Jesus? How would they move the stone? How would they convince the guards to break the seal? Scripture is silent on what they were thinking but instead pictures the love and devotion they had, which can sometimes overlook obstacles as they seek to display their love and devotion.
Please see in scripture that these women came fully intending to care for the body of Jesus. They had no notions of finding anything but His body as they left it. As they came to the grave they found the stone has been rolled away from the tomb. They then entered the tomb and did not find the body - showing they were still looking and expecting a body.
In the midst of their confusion suddenly two men stood among them dressed in dazzling clothes. Which terrified the women. When they spoke it was to question their methods “Why do you search for the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen! Remember how he spoke to you while still in Galilee. He said it was necessary that the Son of Man be betrayed into the hands of men and be crucified and rise the third day? It was then that the women remembered.
This account puts to rest the idea that the disciples wishful thinking caused them to imagine the resurrection - they werent even expecting it was something that could happen!
The first people to know of the resurrection of Jesus were the women who had been faithful in following Him - in life, on the cross, and in death even as they came to the tomb. Because of their devotion to Him they were the first to know of the resurrection.
17 I love those who love me, and those who search for me find me.
Those who are devoted and seek the Lord in all situations and at all times will uniquely find Him
The angels reminded the women that this was something that MUST happen. Not only was the crucifixion necessary and ordained but so was His resurrection! Without the death of Jesus you cannot have the resurrection of Jesus. The resurrection required the cross!
The death of Jesus Christ means the death of death itself. The death of death in the death of Jesus Christ also means victory over death for those who trust in Christ as their God and Savior.
Jesus’ resurrection marks the first time in history that someone rose from the dead never to die again. Others who were resurrected eventually died a second time
Jesus’ resurrection was a true and total defeat of death. As the Holy Son of God, Jesus overcame death once and for all, as Peter explained: “It was impossible for death to keep its hold on him”
24 God raised him up, ending the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by death.
The triumphant, risen Christ said
18 and the Living One. I was dead, but look—I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades.
Keys are a symbol of authority. Jesus is sovereign over death. Christ’s conquest of death was permanent and eternal.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers and sisters. The one who does not love remains in death.
2 Timothy 1:10 (CSB)
10 This has now been made evident through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who has abolished death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live. 26 Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
His death and resurrection removed even the fear of death!
14 Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, Jesus also shared in these, so that through his death he might destroy the one holding the power of death—that is, the devil—15 and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death.
Jesus died. Death is destroyed. Satan, the one who holds the power of death, is destroyed. Death and sin no longer have mastery. Death cannot separate us from the love of God. This is why the gospel, when it is properly understood, floods a man with such delight and boldness in the face of death.
55 Where, death, is your victory? Where, death, is your sting? 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
Conclusion
Conclusion
After a grandfather lost a treasured watch during a family gathering, he called his grandchildren together and told them he’d pay $25 to the one who found it. This sent the kids on a mad scramble - running and screaming and turning over every rock. The youngest grandson just sat and watched his brothers, sisters and cousins all return empty-handed. The next morning at breakfast he handed the grandfather his watch.
“How did you find it?” asked the puzzled old man.
“I just got up real early and listened for the ticking,” replied the clever grandson.
Often times we are seeking the Lord in the midst of commotion and busyness all around us. The devotion of these women early in the morning and the example Jesus gave as well is to seek when everyone else sleeps and all is quiet - whether early in the morning or late at night. The promise is that those who seek Him will find Him. Those devoted to Him find and hear things first that others may not right away. Not different level of spirituality just different times of learning the same truths and learning the same things of God.
The danger of the resurrection I dont think is that people dont believe Jesus rose from the dead, I think the danger is knowing Jesus rose from the dead but miss the meaning of Jesus rising from the dead means.
Payment on the cross was offered perfectly and completely
The empty tomb is the receipt while the cross was the payment
Because Jesus rose death no longer has a hold on redeemed man
You dont see that God’s love and man’s hate battled at the cross, God’s love won
Most of all you dont know that Jesus’s resurrection promises that we can be resurrected in Him too!
Also we need to stop looking for Jesus among the dead things - He is alive right now and forever more.
Ritualism, Traditionalism, Legalism, Formalism - all of these things are dead things - life can only be found in living things.
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
He has opened the veil for all to come close to God through Him and His death and resurrection