Easter Week 2 • Matthew 27

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Well, good morning.

Glad that y'all are here with us today.

If you've got your Bible, go ahead and open it up to Matthew chapter 27.

Matthew 27 · chapter mention

So we're going to continue on as we are preparing our hearts for Easter next week and what God

is going to do with that.

I do want to remind you guys, you've heard this every week now for several weeks, we're

going to be having three services on Easter Sunday.

We're going to ask that you register for one of those services just so that we can make

sure that we, if it's going to be our outdoor service, that we have the right amount of chairs

set up, and if it's going to be inside, like just at the 930 service just earlier today,

there was only a handful of seats that were available.

So we have to think through those things.

So make sure that you do that.

The outdoor service and the indoor services, the messages will be identical, and we will do

Lord's Supper at all three of those.

The outdoor service will just have acoustic worship, and it'll be all family worship.

So babies all the way through, grandma and grandpa, will all be out there together.

For the 930 and 11 services, we're doing a family service like we've done before, but

the nursery is going to be available for that, for those two services.

But other than that, we'll be in here having a good time worshiping and celebrating together.

We want you to invite your friends, your neighbors, your family members.

I know my in-laws are going to be worshiping with us that Sunday, and we're excited about

that.

We just want to encourage you, if you could please, to register ahead of time so that we

can provide what we need to for that Sunday.

So as we dive into this passage of Scripture in Matthew 27, you know, you hit the point

with the Easter story as we talk about it, where the culmination, and this is key, is going

to be next Sunday when we talk about Resurrection Sunday, when we talk about the fact that the

tomb is empty, which is an important part, right?

Like, that must happen.

If Jesus is still dead in the tomb, then what we do here is a waste of time.

Like, let's be honest.

If Jesus is still dead today, then this gathering of worshiping is worthless, because the whole

point for us and the point of the gospel is that He is alive and He is risen.

And so we celebrate that.

But in the story, in the narrative of the Easter story, there's so many different twists

and turns as we go through it, and we're able to see and draw from these pivotal events that

happen and take place and that reveal to us more who Jesus is.

They speak to our heart more of our depravity and our sin and who we are now in Christ.

And last week, when we looked at Judas and Peter and how there was a failing in both of

them, right?

Peter denied Jesus.

Judas sold out Jesus.

And we've got both of these instances that happen, and they're both sin in different capacities,

but what we see on the end of their stories, what we begin to know as Judas killed himself

because of a lack of understanding of grace, and Peter, in all of his failings, went on

to be a church planter who would go out and proclaim the gospel and share.

The same man who was afraid for people to know that he was with Christ stood up before that

same group of people and said, hey, you killed the Messiah.

You did this.

And it's because Peter understood grace.

And so when we look at that and begin to understand, I had somebody ask me this week.

They said, you know, as I try to understand Judas' path and Judas' life, do you think that

Judas would have been given forgiveness by God in spite of all that he had done?

And my answer was, absolutely.

That's what grace is.

That's what God's working and doing.

You know, Judas sold out Jesus.

And while that's horrific in that, God would still extend the same grace that he would extend

to Paul, who had become Saul, who was a mass murderer, right, of Christians.

But that's the hope.

That's what we have with the experience.

And today, what we're going to look at, we're going to dive into the trial of Jesus and the

crucifixion of Jesus.

And as we look through that, we're going to see a picture of greater clarity of what Jesus

is doing that's going to lead him to the cross.

And then what Jesus is going to do, the tomb will be empty to give you and I hope and reason

to celebrate.

So let's start reading in Matthew 27, starting in verse 11.

It says, now Jesus stood before the governor and the governor asked him, are you the king

of the Jews?

And Jesus said, you have said so.

But when he was accused by the chief priest and elders, he gave no answer.

And then Pilate said to him, do you not hear many things they testify against you?

How many things they testify against you?

Look at verse 14, but again, he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that

the governor was greatly amazed.

What we see, starting in verse 11, we see this trial of Jesus.

And as we look at the trial of Jesus, it's important for us to know in a world that speaks

about injustice, that's not a word that is foreign to us and to our culture, that the trial of

Jesus is the largest injustice that's ever been done to one individual.

What we see happen and take place in this series of trials and conversations that Jesus will

have filled in Matthew 27 is the greatest injustice known to humanity, the greatest building of

injustices that we see.

And when we look at the whole narrative of all of the Gospels where these are laid out for

us, we see that there were six injustices that were committed that night against Jesus.

Six things that would cause protests to riot in a day like today.

Six things that would cause people to say, that's not right.

I don't stand for what has happened and what has taken place.

But yet it's what happened to Jesus.

And yet everyone was silent, except for the call to crucify him.

The first injustice that we see is that this trial happened at night and with no advanced

notice.

Now, both of these things are illegal.

So this is really 1A and 1B.

Trials didn't happen at night, but yet this trial happened at night so that people who may

come forward wouldn't come forward.

And so it was hidden away.

There was not notice that was given.

So imagine this, right, like if you're on your way home, right, you shouldn't, but let's

say you get caught for speeding.

Maybe that's something that some of us struggle with, right?

Let's say you get caught for speeding.

Well, you know you're going to find out the date that you can stand before to defend the

reason or to find out what's going to happen with this speeding ticket.

And the same thing existed in the time of Christ.

If you were going to stand trial, there was notice that would happen.

But Jesus is betrayed, arrested, and put before trial.

These are the events that we see.

Both of these events were illegal according to Jewish custom.

The second thing that we see is that the judges here are really acting as the prosecutors.

Like we think that the Roman government is the one that is truly trying Jesus and the judges

of Jesus, but Pilate and the government, they're just a figurehead.

The men who will bring the charges about Christ will be the same ones who work to condemn Christ

and who pronounce his judgment.

So imagine you go into court and the judge is the one pleading for your guilt, whether you're

guilty or not, right?

The deck is stacked against you.

The second injustice that we see.

The third one, the witnesses that testify against Jesus present false testimony, and we know that

because their testimonies contradict one another, right?

They didn't have time to get their story straight.

And as they go through in a just system, they would see, well, hold on, this person says one thing, this person says

another, this person says another, they're both against him, but they all can't be true because they

contradict one another, and they would throw them out.

But that doesn't happen for Jesus.

They're held as credible.

Now, there were witnesses who spoke on behalf of Christ, but their testimony in Jewish custom, okay, if someone came

forward and said, and they're held credible, no, I saw them, they were not speeding.

And then another person, they were not speeding.

They were not speeding.

What would happen is eventually enough cases were built to where the judge would step in and say the charges are dismissed.

And the witnesses who speak for Jesus, even though their stories line up, they're largely ignored, and they press forward with the trial.

The sentence of crucifixion that is given to Jesus did not fit the accusation or the perceived crime.

It would literally like being, getting sentenced to death for shoplifting, all right?

Like, that's not what our courts, and if that happened to someone, we would all say, this is injustice that took place.

This shouldn't be.

But for Jesus, it's what they demanded.

The last injustice that we see, and we'll read this in just a little bit, kind of foreshadowing what's going to happen.

Pilate, the government leader, right, is blackmailed to give the people what they want.

The leaders basically say to Pilate, if you don't do what we want, we'll riot.

And you're like, what's the big deal of that?

Like, how's that call in his hand?

Well, if word gets back that Pilate can't keep the people under control, one of two things could happen to Pilate.

Pilate could be removed from his power and from his seat and from authority, and what that would mean would he would lose his career that he had worked hard for.

But the other piece with Pilate, with that, is if it got too out of control, it could cost him his life.

And so here's a man who's looking at a situation where he doesn't see a way out that's right, but he at least sees a way out that doesn't condemn him.

And so he does what the religious leaders in the crowd want.

But verse 12 and verse 14, there's something very interesting that we see on behalf of Christ.

As the charges that are false are brought before him, as lies are shared about him, as people who would speak truth about him are ignored, Jesus says nothing.

And so it asks us the question, why?

Why would he say nothing?

Why not to take a moment and to use a phrase that we have, right, he's got his day in court.

Why not defend himself?

Why not say, no, all these people are lying and I can prove how what they're saying isn't true.

Why wouldn't Jesus defend himself?

Why wouldn't Jesus set the record straight and say, I know that you've got this charge of me and this charge of me and this charge of me,

but let me tell you who I really am.

Let me tell you where I'm really from.

Let me tell you what I've come to do.

Why does Jesus, in this moment, in this trial, where injustice after injustice after injustice has taken place,

why does Jesus not fight for himself?

And the power of what's happening in this moment is not found in the words that are said,

but it's found in the silence of Jesus.

And it helps us understand that Jesus is the silent substitute.

I want us this truth to ring true in your life and mine.

This room and the people who are watching online and the people who were here earlier,

we have a lot of things that are different about us.

But the one trait that marks us all similar,

the one trait that marks all of humanity alike is this.

Now, maybe we've done different things, but in the court of God, we're all guilty.

We all have sin.

We've all committed these acts.

We've all violated the will and the law of God.

And Jesus is the only innocent person.

No charge of wrong could ever be brought up against him.

He didn't break the law.

Jesus is the only person who can stand before a court and say,

in every way, with every word, with every thought, with every action, I'm innocent.

But what about this, innocent?

What about this, innocent?

What about this, innocent?

So why doesn't Jesus even say that?

Why must he be this silent substitute as he stands in this trial?

He can be the substitute, but why can he not be vocal?

And if you think about it in a court case, what are you doing?

You're making your appeal to those who are before you.

You're making your appeal to the judge of why you're not guilty and why you're innocent.

You want your story to be told.

You want your rights to be ensured.

But not with Jesus.

You know, an interesting thing is happening in this trial where injustice rings true time and time again.

It wasn't the judgment of Pilate that condemned Jesus.

It wasn't the judgment of the chief priests and the elders that condemned Jesus.

What condemned Jesus to death, why Jesus was the silent substitute, was the judgment of God.

You know, as Jesus is standing there in that trial, as lie after lie after lie is shared.

It doesn't matter what Pilate says.

It doesn't matter what the chief priests and the elders and the Pharisees and the people say.

The reason why Jesus is silent is God has already said guilty.

Now, why would God do that?

Why would God look at his son, who's innocent, and say guilty?

You know, we talk about the story of Easter and the price that Jesus would pay.

We talk about the reality for you and I, that Jesus paid the price for us.

We paint a picture of a person standing before a judge who's been found guilty and who deserves a punishment.

But what Christ does is he comes in and he says, I'll take on the punishment, I'll pay the debt, I'll restore everything, I'll make it right again.

And that is true.

That is the work that Jesus does.

Jesus steps in and pays a debt on our behalf.

Jesus steps in and takes on a punishment that we deserve.

But there's more than that that takes place.

Jesus didn't just pay the price.

Jesus took on the debt.

And that's why that who was innocent was made guilty.

And that's why Jesus knew as he stood there that what awaited him at the cross had been set forth by God through the testimony of the prophet.

That's why Jesus said that he was not.

That's why Jesus said that he was not.

That's why Jesus said that he was not.

So it wasn't the judgment of Pilate that sent Jesus to the cross.

It wasn't the judgment of the chief priest.

It was the very judgment of God.

Because God's judgment will be poured out.

And Jesus says, for us who were found in him, I'll take on.

On that judgment.

So even though I'm innocent, I'll stand there in silence as it's said about me that I'm guilty.

Let's keep reading in verse 15.

This is now at the feast that the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted.

And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.

So when they gathered, Pilate said to them,

Who do you want me to release for you?

Barabbas or Jesus, who was called Christ?

For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up.

Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him,

saying,

Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him in a dream.

Now the chief priest and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.

The governor again said to them,

Which of the two do you want me to release for you?

And they said,

Barabbas.

And Pilate said to them,

Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?

And they all said,

Let him be crucified.

And he said,

Wow, what evil has he done?

But they shouted all the more,

Let him be crucified.

So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing,

but rather a riot was beginning,

he took water and washed his hands before the crowd,

saying,

I am innocent of this man's blood.

See to it yourselves.

And all the people answered,

His blood be on us and our children.

Then he released for them Barabbas.

And having scourged,

Jesus delivered him to be crucified.

And we see this story continue to unfold.

Where Pilate stands and he says,

I can't find anything wrong with him.

And so we've got Barabbas,

who is filled with evil,

who's filled with depravity,

who's filled with murder in his heart.

Do you want us to release him?

Or Jesus?

You know, Jesus,

the guy that's,

he's done some teaching

and he may have said some things

that ruffled your feathers,

but he's healed some people

and done all these good things.

Who do you want?

And they say,

Give us Barabbas.

And Jesus in his silence continues on down the path

that God has laid out for him.

Now Jesus' death was an ugly, horrific death.

When someone was crucified

and would have gone through the beating

that Jesus would have gone through,

oftentimes those who were closest to him

wouldn't even recognize him

because of what they had gone through.

I'll never forget,

a friend of mine was in a horrific car accident one time.

And I went to visit him.

And I walked into the room.

It's a friend that I'd known for years

and we'd been on trips together

and done a lot of things together.

And I walked into the room

and I saw him laying on the bed

with tubes coming out of him

and his face was beaten up

and he had scars

and he had bruises

and he had cuts still fresh on his face

and stitches that were there.

And he was being cared for.

And I walked out of the room

and checked the door plate

because I wasn't sure

if it was my friend or not.

Jesus' crucifixion

and the path that would take him there.

Some of the punishments that they would do

were literally done

to bring him to the verge of death

and then stopping

so that his body could recover enough

so that they could continue on.

They would literally beat him

and whip him

until pieces of skin

were filleted off of him

with his face included.

You've heard the crown of thorns.

Yesterday we were working out

in the yard

and starting

the beauty of South Carolina

was it felt like

spring happened for a week

and then it was really hot yesterday, right?

And I reached down

to pull some weeds

and some thorns

were in the weeds

that I pulled

and it cut my hand

and they were

little teeny tiny thorns

like that

and I had to go in tweezers

and get them all out.

And we can think

that maybe that's what happened

with Jesus

but they weren't.

They were thorns like this

that were hard

and then as they pressed down

would have penetrated

his skin on his forehead

and all around

and maybe down into his eyelids.

The death of Jesus wasn't neat.

It was horrific.

It was bloody.

And blood is a powerful symbol

that we see oftentimes

in Scripture

both Old Testament

and New Testament.

Blood flowing

was the symbol of life

and it's what we

continue to think of.

Blood spilt

was the symbol of death

and oftentimes

even related

to not righteous death

of what had happened

to take place.

Blood offered

was given as a sacrifice

as a payment for sin.

And what we see

in this account

of Jesus

is the power

of blood

of what will happen

and take place.

And so the reason

why I keep talking

about all of these

physical things

is because while Jesus

was the silent substitute

Jesus was also

the physical substitute.

Right?

We have to understand

that Jesus' divinity

did not spare him

from the pain

of his humanity.

Jesus' life

that he lived

was filled

with pain

and suffering.

What you go through

with pain

and suffering

Jesus walked

through that.

Like Jesus knew

what it felt like

to stomp his toe

to get sick.

Like Jesus knew

what physical pain was.

Jesus knows

what emotional pain is.

Jesus wept

when his friend died.

Jesus felt betrayed

and alone

when those deserted him.

Jesus knew

what that felt like.

Jesus knew

what the pain

of care

felt like

as he was

being led away

and was going

to be crucified.

He knew

that he had to take care

and had his mother

provided for.

Jesus knew pain.

And it's important

for us to know

that Jesus

is the physical substitute.

Jesus died.

His body went

through the torment

of this horrific death.

And God didn't set him

free from it.

God didn't remove

the pain of the cross.

Instead he poured it

out on Jesus.

A bloody horrific event.

But the irony is this.

The blood that would be shed.

The blood that would be

spilled on Calvary.

would be the blood

that makes all of those

who were saved by him

clean.

This week when I was

reading through this passage

of scripture

I found some

some great irony

that God gives us

in Matthew 27.

Look back at verses

24 and 25.

So when Pilate saw

that he was gaining nothing

but rather a riot

was beginning

he took water

and washed his hands

before the crowd

saying

I am innocent

of this man's blood

see to it yourself.

Pilate said

I'm like look

I don't want

his blood on me.

This man is innocent.

And when people

come back

and say

who were the guilty

parties

that sentenced him

to death?

Who were the guilty

parties

that demanded

this of him?

His blood

is not going

to be found

on me.

And now look

at verse 25.

So the people

respond to him.

So he's saying

like who's going

to be guilty

in this?

And what the people

say is all

the people

answered.

His blood

be on us

and on our

children.

Now here's what

they meant.

We'll own the guilt

of this.

We'll take this

on.

That's fine.

Pilate

wash your hands.

Be done

with this.

We will take

this on.

And here's

the irony

of this.

In order

for them

to have

any hope,

in order

for them

to have

salvation,

what they

need is

what they

declare

but they

just don't

know it.

That his

blood

needed to

be on

them

in the

prayer

for their

children.

Right?

That as

Christ's

blood

was

spilt

on

Calvary

that what

it would

do

is it

would

cleanse

and

make

all

of

those

clean.

So it's

ironic

when we

look at

this.

Who we

are

is we

are all

Barabbas.

We are

all

Barabbas.

And we

don't stand

before

Pilate

but we

stand

before God

and we're

all

guilty.

We've

all

done

it.

It's

our

punishment

but

instead

we walk

free

and it's

Jesus

who takes

it on.

And in

the words

that the

people said

but they

didn't even

know what

they meant

they didn't

know what

he was

talking

about

our

prayer

God

may

your

blood

be

on

us.

This is

the story

of Easter.

Not just

that the

tomb is

empty

but that

a man

died

and for

his

innocent

blood

that was

spilt

it makes

us clean.

So

Pilate

sentences

Jesus

releases

him

for this

to be

done

and Jesus

is sentenced

to death.

As if

this isn't

enough

the Bible

tells us

that he

is mocked

he is

again

repeatedly

beaten

he is

stripped

of his

clothes

he's

forced

to carry

his

cross

a crown

of thorns

is forced

onto his

head

and they

take nails

and they

stretch his

body out

and through

one hand

and through

another

and then

through his

feet

they nail

him to

a cross

and as

he's nailed

to it

they would

pick him

up

and they

would drop

the cross

down into

a hole

that had

been dug

and so in

those last

moments as

the crucifixion

is unfolding

Jesus would

feel the

jar that

would happen

as that

weight would

slam down

and the

tension would

feel on

his hands

and on

his feet

and in

order for

him to

breathe

he would

have to

grab

as tight

as he

could

with the

nails

that were

there

and on

his feet

and would

have to

pull himself

up so

that he

could breathe

and so

he could

get oxygen

he'd have

to put

the strain

on the

tendons

in his

hands

and on

his feet

on his

body

and then

when that

pain was

too much

he would

collapse

again

and begin

to suffocate

and the

process

would

continue

over

and over

again

and then

verse 45

it says

now from

the sixth

hour

there was

darkness

all over

the land

until the

ninth hour

and about

the ninth

hour

Jesus cried

out with a

loud voice

saying

Eli

Eli

Lema

Sabachthani

that is

my God

my God

why have

you forsaken

me

and some

of the

bystanders

hearing it

said

this man

is calling

Elijah

and one

of them

at once

ran

and took

a sponge

filling it

with sour

wine

and put

it on a

reed

and gave

it to

him to

drink

but the

other

said

wait

let us

see whether

Elijah

will come

to save

him

and Jesus

cried out

again with

a loud

voice

and yielded

up his

spirit

and behold

the curtain

of the

temple

was torn

in two

from top

to bottom

and the earth

shook

and the rocks

were split

the tombs

also were

opened

and many

bodies

of the

saints

who had

fallen asleep

were raised

and coming

out of the

tomb

after his

resurrection

they went

into the

holy city

and appeared

to many

and when

the centurion

and those

who were

with him

keeping watch

over Jesus

saw the

earthquake

and what

took place

they were

filled with

all

and said

truly

this was

the son

of God

when we

think of

the miracle

of Easter

we think

of the

resurrection

day

we think

that that

who was

dead

is now

alive

and it's

true

and that

gives us

hope

and the

reason to

celebrate

but the

miracle

of Easter

is not

just limited

to resurrection

day

the miracles

of Easter

are also

seen

in the

crucifixion

of Christ

of what

takes place

in these

nine verses

that we

just read

and so

what I

want us

to do

is to

look at

and understand

that not

only is

Jesus

the silent

substitute

that not

only is

Jesus

the physical

substitute

but that

Jesus

is also

the miraculous

substitute

that in

his death

things happen

that had

never happened

before

and may

never happen

again

the first

miracle that

we see

is the

miracle of

darkness

so as

scripture

unfolds

the story

that we

just read

darkness

took over

the land

for a

three hour

time period

beginning

not at

nine o'clock

at night

not at

maybe even

seven o'clock

at night

but at

noon

darkness

filled the

land

and not

like in

an eclipse

like what

we've seen

before

that spans

for a few

moments

or maybe

a few

minutes

and really

only

partial

darkness

for most

of it

and complete

darkness

for a

brief period

of time

but from

noon

until

three

o'clock

darkness

completely

covered

the land

telling

what God

said

through his

prophets

would happen

so why

would God

do that

you see

the darkness

brought on

by God

would

symbolize

the judgment

brought on

by God

and in

this what

we see

is not

the judgment

of God

being poured

out

on the

people

there

but

the judgment

of God

the Father

being poured

out

on his

only son

this is

the miracle

that we

see

the reminder

of darkness

is that we

all deserved

that

but instead

God poured

it out

on him

the next

miracle

that we see

is the

miracle

of the veil

there was

a curtain

that was

hung

in the

temple

and at

Jesus'

death

an earthquake

happens

and the

veil

is torn

in two

the earthquake

did not

cause the

tear

the earthquake

that happened

simultaneously

with the

tear

and as the

tear

rips

through

it symbolizes

something

and I want

you to

understand

what this

veil

or curtain

was like

for you

to understand

the miracle

that happens

and takes

place

the bible

tells us

that the

curtain

was torn

from top

to bottom

the complete

distance

and that

was about

60 feet

so imagine

within here

a curtain

that hangs

all the way

down

and not a

partial tear

but a complete

from top

to bottom

and that

curtain

that hung

wasn't thin

you couldn't

see through

it

it's not

like a

curtain

we would

hang up

in our

homes

but the

curtain

was four

inches

thick

and so

this isn't

a thread

that comes

loose

but what

God's doing

is God's

saying something

you see

the temple

is where

you came

to interact

with God

the temple

is where

you came

to hear

from those

who at

the temple

heard from

God

the temple

was where

you came

to go

to offer

your prayers

to God

the temple

was where

you came

to sacrifice

to God

the temple

was where

you came

to have

a relationship

with God

and God

says

through the

death of

Jesus

on the cross

that veil

that curtain

is torn

to be

no more

and now

the curtain

now the temple

is Jesus

so where do we go

for a relationship

with God

not the temple

to Jesus

where do we come

to offer prayers

to God

not the temple

but to Jesus

where do we go

to be made right

from our sins

not the temple

to Jesus

that in this

the miracle

that we see

of what God

moving in this

is the emphasis

that Jesus

is the new

temple

and he shows us

that

by the veil

that's being

torn

the next miracle

that we see

is the miracle

of resurrection

you know we saw

and we know

what's going to happen

in the life

of Jesus

but we see

here as well

that in verse 52

it tells us

that when the earth

shook

tombs were opened

right

which kind of

makes sense

right

like you begin

to think of

what happens

when an earthquake

comes

and it's not an earthquake

maybe like we've

experienced here

where it's like

hey did a plane

just fly over

like really close

no no

like rocks

split

because of

this earthquake

but then

here's what happened

that's a little bit

miraculous

dead people

got up

out of their

tombs

and began

to walk around

now I don't know

about you

but if I see

a dead person

walking around

I've got questions

right

like that's

been a thing

that's been

different for us

in this last year

death has

has been talked

about more

I feel like

in my line

of work

I've seen

more death

death

COVID related

death

not COVID related

and everywhere

in between

and here's what

I know

if I

officiate

your funeral

I'm just gonna tell you

all right

let's

all out

right here

okay

I come

open casket

you know

they passed

we celebrate you

we celebrate your life

we celebrate Jesus

all those things

that I've done

and then we go

out to the cemetery

and I see the hole

that they're gonna

put you in

and I see that casket

the same casket

I just saw you in

the same casket

that I saw your family

gather around

and mourn

and I see them

then lower you

into the ground

and then maybe

I ride back

the next day

just wanna make sure

and the dirt's

covered over

and everything's there

and there's the

headstone

that's right there

and then I go

to Walmart

and there you are

walking around

that's gonna mess

with me a little bit

and I would think

that it would mess

with you a little bit

so just imagine

that this is

what's happening

and this is

what's taking place

wait a minute

wait a minute

you were dead

and now you're alive

but it's the story

of the gospel

what is the event

of the significance

that marked dead people

coming to life

not the earthquake

the death of Jesus

the death of Jesus

at the 930 service

if you're here

you can see it

we got our baptistry out

Georgia Hamilton

one of our

sixth graders

at our church

had given her life

to Christ

back before COVID

and we were able

to talk with her

and talk with her

her family

and met with her

and she shared

about the work

that God was doing

and was ready

to come forth

and believers baptism

and be baptized

and so during our

930 service

we did that with her

and with her family

and it was

a wonderful time

of what's happening

and what's taking place

in her life

her dad baptized her

right

and that was just

a wonderful picture

to see

of family discipleship

and what that means

and we were able

to celebrate with them

as Raymond

baptized his daughter

and the same thing

that happened

in that earthquake

happened the day

that Georgia

gave her life to Christ

happened the moment

she repented

of her sins

and confessed

that Jesus

is her Lord and Savior

you know one day

short of Jesus

coming back

you and I all

are going to have

someone

that's going to

officiate

a funeral service

and they're going to

stand near

our casket

of where we were

and they're going to

say things about us

and they're going to

say things about Jesus

and people are going

to go out

and there's going

to be a process

that happens

and then one day

we'll rise

and we'll be with Christ

for all of eternity

but if the spiritual work

also happens

where we step

from death to life

the Bible tells us

that we are

lost

in our trespasses

and sin

that we are

dead

but in salvation

not we will be

made alive

but we are

made alive

we're made alive

and so

what we looked at

and what we talked

about is

as Georgia

walked in

to the baptistry

that was a picture

of old Georgia

of dead Georgia

and she dies

and that's what

it looks like

when she goes

under the water

and that she's

dying to her

sin and herself

and when she

comes out

she's raised

to walk

in the newness

of life

right

who was dead

has now

been made alive

and that's

the miracle

of resurrection

not that we

wait for it

but we've

experienced it

now let's

flip that story

that illustration

that I just

shared with you

and say

something happens

to you today

car accident

sick

go to the

hospital

you

kind of know

what's going

on

you can hear

the bells

and the whistles

and the things

you can hear

the panic

of the

nurses

and doctors

and family

members

you gasp

for that

last bit

of air

right

and then you

die

and then

sometime later

all of a sudden

you're not

dead anymore

you find that

that heart

that had

stopped working

has started

to beat

again

those lungs

that had

stopped working

now begin

to pump

and air

begins to

feel your body

again

those limbs

that no longer

worked

and been

set in

were now

flexible

and able

to move

and the muscles

and the tendons

and the joints

and the bones

there

the decay

that had taken

over

was no longer

there anymore

and was there

was newness

and you're

well I got

to go get

some stuff

I need to run

to Walmart

right

so you take

off

and somebody

comes up

to you

and says

whoa

whoa

I thought

you died

well I did

well what

happened

well I'm

alive now

and I

would think

that in

those stories

what would

happen

is a

how'd that

happen

and you'd

want to

tell them

Jesus died

and when he

died

it made a way

for me to

become alive

again

and that's

the part

of the gospel

for us

if we've

truly died

to our

sin and

self

if we've

truly died

to our

trespasses

and sins

and God's

given us

new life

then we

live like

it

we live

like it

and then

lastly

it's the

miracle of

confession

right

we look

back at

that last

verse we

read

verse 54

and 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 is

the son

of God

the power

of the

confession

the centurion

was not a

man who

had grown

up being

taught to

wait for

the Messiah

who was

not brought

to the

temple

who was

not brought

to bring

sacrifices

but out

the mouth

of lostness

made a

declaration

of who

Jesus is

why

because of

what he

had seen

and what

he'd

experienced

and what

was laid

out right

before him

you know

the miracle

confession

is this

if we

confess with

our mouth

that Jesus

is Lord

and believe

in our

heart

of who

he is

and that

God

raised him

from the

dead

that we

will be

saved

that's it

the miracle

of the

confession

just ask you

this morning

have you

experienced

the miracle

of darkness

of knowing

that God

poured his

wrath out

on Jesus

and not

you

have you

experienced

the miracle

of the

veil being

torn

that Jesus

is the

new temple

have you

experienced

the miracle

of resurrection

that you've

been brought

to new

life

and if

not

then today

it is our

prayer

that you

would experience

the miracle

of confession

where Jesus

saves you

would you

pray with

me

God we

come to

you today

as we

celebrate

the fact

that the

tomb

is empty

Jesus we

know that

it was

with a

great price

that this

was made

possible

so Lord we

thank you

for being

the silent

substitute

Lord as

you could

have declared

your innocence

as you

could have

brought forth

all of the

injustices

that were

taking place

you stood

there silently

to take on

the guilt

that we

deserved

Lord we

thank you

that you

were the

physical

substitute

that with

that declaration

of your

guilt even

though you

were innocent

you paid

a great

price

a price

that should

have been

us but

through that

price being

paid your

your blood

was spilt

and Lord I

pray that your

blood would be

found on all

of us

Lord I pray

that it would

be found on

our children

and on our

family and on

our friends

Lord those who

we know and

those whom we

don't

that the power

of the blood

of Christ

that redeems

that makes us

new

that brings us

hope

Lord may

that blood

be found

on us

and Lord I

thank you

that you're the

miraculous

substitute

that is through

your substitute

through your

substitute alone

where dead men

and women

are made

alive

where confessions

change eternities

where relationships

with an almighty

God is formed

and where we

stand as

knowing that we

are the

recipients of

grace

Jesus we love

you

we praise you

in your name

we pray

amen

just a moment

we're going to

stand and respond

and worship

I'll be down

front

if you want to

talk to someone

about a relationship

with God

I'd love to talk

with you

love to pray

with you

love to experience

that miracle

of salvation

to happen

in your life

maybe you just

want to come

down front

and pray

it's open

maybe you just

want to stand

and respond

and worship

we just ask

that you lead

you respond

and how God's

leading you

would you stand

as we worship

him

thanks again

for listening

to the Willow Ridge

Church weekly

podcast

we hope that

you enjoyed

listening to

this week's