Jesus Christ The Sinless Son Of Man

Jesus Christ, The Sinless Son Of Man

Book of Hebrews 2:1-18

We learned in our last lesson that Jesus was greater than any prophet of the Bible. This gives Him the right to give us the will of God by teaching us His Word. We should listen to every word He says!

We know that it was Jesus who sent us the Holy Spirit after His death, to live inside us and to guide us!

We learned that Jesus is greater than any and all the angels. The angels are powerful but an angel cannot be filled with the Holy Spirit of God and therefore cannot be saved if they fall from the "Grace of God", such as Lucifer and those that followed him.

No angel could have ever done the work of Jesus Christ our Lord!

Jesus is greater than any and all the rulers of this Earth we live on!

It is a foolish choice when we do not allow Jesus to rule supreme in our lives, while we are living in this body of flesh!

We have a loving Savior who will one day take us home to Heaven!

It was necessary for God to come to this earth and live as a human, in order for Him to be a perfect sacrifice for all other humans!

Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

God has given us this special privilege to live in these latter days BUT He also expects a lot out of us:

Luk 12:48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. [For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required]: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

The Messiah came as the man Jesus Christ so He could restore mankind to the condition God intended from the beginning.

There are two great things we will learn from the Book of Hebrews:

1.) Jesus, as the Son of Man, reveals The God of the Holy Trinity to Mankind.

2.) Jesus, as the Crucified Son of Man, will represent mankind before the Almighty, Living God.

If we cannot realize that each one of us have a representative in Heaven that secures and defends our salvation, we will be like some others who think they have lost their salvation, which is impossible, because of Our Savior, who is now our Advocate, sits at the throne of God.

Jehovah of the Holy Trinity cannot lose anything He has created, much less those that He has "redeemed"!

*****Our Text:

Heb 2:1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

Heb 2:2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;

Heb 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

Heb 2:4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

These verses are not in our lesson but lets look at them anyhow.

We see that this very first verse tells us we need to listen to what God tells us in His Word. That word earnest means "we need to pay close attention"!

That word "therefore", because of what we learned from the first chapter of Hebrews, that Jesus, the Son of God, is the speaker of the last days and not the prophets and not the angels!

We are to take what God says and just believe because of the source of those words, Christ Jesus, The Author of our faith:

Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

God says we cannot allow His Words to just slip by us, because we cannot escape the bondage of sin if we do not obtain the "Salvation" brought to us and given to us by Our Lord Jesus Christ.

We cannot just neglect the Word of God!

Jesus Christ delivered a greater message than all that came before Him and everyone that hears this message has a greater responsibility to not only listen to this message but to learn from it because there will be a greater accountability for what Jesus teaches us than anything in the Old Testament.

*****Our Text:

Heb 2:5 For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.

Heb 2:6 But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?

Heb 2:7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:

Heb 2:8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.

That "world to come" is not a reference to Heaven but is a reference to the time of the Millennial Kingdom when King Jesus will rule on the Earth.

The Greek word used here means the inhabited Earth. This same Greek word is used when Jesus said to preach the gospel to all the world, "the inhabited Earth".

In fact in Luke 2:1 this same Greek word is used when Caesar Augustus sent out his decree to all the world which at that time meant the Roman Empire, "the inhabited Earth".

In Luke 21:26 this same Greek word is used as the word Earth, "the inhabited Earth". This world to come cannot mean Heaven nor can it mean New Jerusalem.

Hebrew believers would know that this was a reference to the promise to King David!

2Sa 7:16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.

2Sa 7:17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.

Psa 89:3 I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,

Psa 89:4 Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.

Psa 89:27 Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.

Psa 89:28 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.

Psa 89:34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.

The angels have never ruled in the past and the angels will never rule this earth in the future. They have been servants and messengers and they will continue to do the same throughout eternity.

What is man?

The Son of God, left the riches of Heaven and came to this Earth, to become man. He left Heaven's glory, not to be an angel but to be lower than an angel, a man Himself.

Of himself man is nothing and can be nothing. The materials to make a man cost less than two dollars even in our economy.

Physically man is not valuable!

Mentally, we just think we are something but even Jesus said we are nothing without Him!

The only thing we provide to God is "a lost sinner" in need of Salvation!

We can see that in reality we are very much lower than the angels!

God, who is greater than all His creation, came to the Earth but He came as a lowly man and not as a powerful angel.

God could not have revealed Himself to us if He had come as a powerful angel.

God came to represent mankind!

God came to this Earth so He could take man back to Heaven!

If we can get to Heaven it will be because of the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, the Messiah!

There is no other means to be saved, nor to get to God's Heaven!

It is man, Adam who was set over God's creation and not any angel!

We are going to do something that no angel could ever do! God is going to bring man back to a place of ruling this Earth and not Satan, who is now the little g god of this world.

God does not intend on Lucifer or any other angel to rule any part of His creation!

But we can also see in America and all over this world that, "man is not yet capable of ruling again on this Earth".

God has placed everything under the feet of Jesus, Son of Man, Son of God!

When Christ Jesus rules this Earth as King, it will return to the paradise that it once was!

*****Our Text:

Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

Heb 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

Heb 2:11 [For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one]: for which cause [he is not ashamed to call them brethren],

Heb 2:12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto [my brethren], in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

Heb 2:13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, [Behold I and the children which God hath given me].

The sinless Son of Man, Jesus Christ Our Lord had to lay aside His Glory in order than He could die that we can share His Glory!

Jesus came down to our level, but He never committed a sin!

Jesus had to survive temptation to become the perfect sacrifice for our sin.

Jesus paid the full price for our sin! We do not have to pay one thing in the redemption process!

The only thing we give to God, is a person in need of saving.

Jesus Christ came to this world in order that we could be saved and that He will one day take us back to the glory-land.

It is in Jesus Christ, and only in Jesus Christ that we can be saved!

2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

If we use the word rescuing more than the word saving, we would have a better understanding of what the Captain of Salvation has done.

Jesus has "rescued" each and every believer and He will accept, "whosoever will believe" into His house in Heaven.

Jesus says:

Psa 22:22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.

This means "we that believe" and "the Son of God" belong to the same family!

If we can accept this fact, then we should know that we are also to live as close to perfect as we can in this flesh that houses our soul!

Not only are we His brothers and sisters, we are also His children!

If the Messiah had not come to this earth and become a man, He would not have been able to take us back to Heaven.

Jesus had to be the incarnate Son of God.

Jesus had to be the crucified Son of Man.

Jesus had to be the resurrected Savior.

OR, there could no salvation for anyone!

Jesus Christ, just like us, trusted God just like we have to do, and because if we have that "faith" in Father God as He had, He is not ashamed to call us His brethren.

When Christ Jesus was on that cross, His enemies had these words:

Mat 27:43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.

Jesus showed this trust in His Father, but not for Himself, He and His Father are one.

Jesus showed this trust in His Father for the children His Father gave to Him!

A sinner must be called of God, this is called conviction by and of God the Holy Ghost(Spirit).

This is every believer from that time until the end of time.

What did God the Father do:

Mat 27:45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.

Mat 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

He accepted the sacrifice of His Son!

When we do not accept the completed work of Jesus on that cross, we are saying that it was not good enough for us, when God the Father, in Heaven, has already accepted this sacrifice!

When we wait on the Lord, we are trusting in His return and in the words He has told us and written down for us.

We are also trusting that God the Father truly loves us because of His Son!

God the Father is the only Being in this universe who has the power of death because "He is the giver of all life"!

Our Text:

Heb 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

Heb 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Heb 2:16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

Heb 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. Heb 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Why did the Son of God, The Messiah, come to this Earth the first time? Verse 14 gives us our answer!

The Holy Spirit reminds us that we are on Satan's "turf"!

We live in a place where Satan is present. Satan will never again be present in Heaven, and that is where the home of the believer is located. Ever since the fall of Adam, this world and this world system has been influence by Satan and therefore his territory of influence.

1.) Satan is the prince of the power of the air. We can only imagine what all this means.

2.) Satan is the "little g" god of this age. Which means the time, up until the Second Coming of Christ Jesus.

3.) Satan is the ruler of this world but Satan can only attack the children of God with the permission of God as we can prove by the Book of Job.

4.) This why every world view will always oppose the Word of God!

We have the same attack on every person in this world just as the serpent deceived Eve!

The Messiah, The First Coming of the Son of God, fulfilled prophecy:

He was born like a man and named Jesus!

He took the same flesh and blood as a man!

He fulfilled prophecy in His birth, but He was born naturally like every human.

Why?

Because that, then He died, He would render Satan powerless over death!

The Bible says:

1Jn 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

1Jn 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. [For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.]

By making Satan powerless, He set at liberty all of us who were bound for Hell, in bondage and were servants of Satan, the Devil.

The Apostle Paul wrote:

Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Angels cannot die!

Jesus Christ did not come to save not one angel!

Jesus, The Son of God, The Messiah, came to save humans!

The Messiah had to come in the form of "Human Flesh" for only then could He die and in His death defeat Satan whose methods would have destroyed all life.

Satan is a fallen angel who cannot die, not because God does not have the power to do so, but because God says so in His Word and He will not violate any part of His Word.

The spiritual death of Satan will mean that He will no longer be able to operate as He did. He is not so much destroyed but we could say disarmed.

He holds no power of death over the believer!

It is the death of Our Savior that gives us life!

Not the miracle of the Virgin birth!

Not the miracles He performed including the raising of the dead!

Not His life on this Earth BUT only by His death!

The after His death, He showed His power in His own resurrection!

We are still going to die in this flesh but because of the work of Jesus on the cross we can live forever spiritually, and with a new glorified body.

This is the great and wonderful gift that Jesus, Our Lord has given to each one of us who believe!

Satan is the author of Sin:

Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Sin brings death:

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

But because of the cross and the resurrection of Our Lord, we can also have life eternal:

Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Rev 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

I believe that it can be said that in the Old Testament, The Son of God took on the nature of angels to do His Work and is many times called the Angel of the Lord but in the New Testamant, He took on the seed of Abraham so that the Jew could believe.

God made every effort from the time of Adam and Eve to let them know that the Messiah would come in the flesh as a Jew.

The path to that baby born of a virgin and laid in a manger was marked throughout the Bible.

Everybody should be able to see these signs of truth, yet He is still denied.

The Bible teaches us:

Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

God gave the world His Old Testament to lead them to Him:

Gal 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

Gal 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

The New Testament is to teach us all:

Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

Col 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

God has so dealt with sin that He can now show mercy to every believing sinner to remove "all" our guilt and therefore our "bondage" to sin.

What is the great truth of the Bible now for the believer?

1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

If you do not know this marvelous Savior, today would be a good day to find Him as He is standing just outside your heart:

Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Questions?

Let's Pray!

Jesus Christ The Eternal Son Of God

Jesus Christ---The Eternal Son Of God

Our Text: Book of Hebrews Chapter 1

I have always considered the Book of Hebrews my favorite book of the Bible BUT, I have grown to realize that every Book of the Bible should be my favorite.

There are no unimportant scriptures in the Word Of God!

We will find out that Jesus Christ is the main subject in this wonderful book. Jesus Christ may no longer be in a physical body on this Earth but more importantly, He still abides in each and every believer!

Jesus Christ is now in Heaven with the Father and He has become Our High Priest while He intercedes for "all the ones He owns".

YES, He paid dearly with His blood to purchase each and every believer and now defends each one in Heaven as our advocate. An advocate is somewhat like a lawyer.

Jesus Christ:

1.) Lived on Earth as a man.

2.) He also died on this Earth as a man.

3.) But Jesus Christ arose with the Power of God and now lives in God's Presence.

4.) And Now at this time, Jesus Christ is the permanent High Priest to the Church.

The Bible says:

Heb 7:24 But this man, because he continueth ever, [hath an unchangeable priesthood].

Even when Jesus returns as the King of the Jews, He will still be High Priest to the Church, and Husband to the Bride of Christ.

When Jesus died, He ended the dispensation of The Law and ushered in a New Covenant that was written with His Own Blood!

This New Covenant is superior to the Old Covenant and more involved, so then it must replace that Old One.

This is the message we should learn from the Book of Hebrews!

We may not know who wrote the Book of Hebrews until we get to Heaven when God says we will know all things and have the mind of Jesus Christ.

But what we need to know is:

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

This great book was probably directed at early Jewish believers. In fact the Church began with early Jewish believers and there are still Jewish believers, BUT the key word is of course "Believer" and every believer should study the entire Bible.

The Jews had to understand, and some did, that the time of the Law had ended along with the time of all animal sacrifices.

Jesus was our sacrifice and Jesus paid it all at the cross!

To say that Jesus Christ is superior to all the Old Testament prophets would be especially meaningful to the Jewish believer and maybe not as much to the Gentile believer.

To the Gentile, Jesus is more the fulfillment of all Bible prophesy!

Jesus is our Savior and not so much the Prophet to the Church!

There are many who want to be prophets but we can have only one Savior and we already know Him!

At the time of the writings of Hebrews it is very probable that most everyone that had known Jesus personally had died. I do believe that the Apostle John was still alive and also the Apostle Paul who I believe had some part in, or I feel is the writer of this book.

But, It is God who wrote all the Bible!

As we know, Our God, is a God of timing and there can be no doubt that this book was written at a critical time in the life of the Jewish Believer.

The Temple was still standing but it would only be a few years before Titus came to destroy Israel and Jerusalem and cause the dispersion of Israel for the third and final time.

This book would encourage the Jewish believer to believe that Jesus was superior to all the Old Testament traditions and all the Old Testament prophets!

When we study this book we should be encouraged to know what we are trusting in.

It is the Word of God that we can trust and not the words of this world we live in!

The world of the Jew was a world of chaos at this time and if we open our eyes we can also see a world in chaos against God and His people at this time we live in.

AND, God warns us of rejecting the teachings of Jesus:

Heb 12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, [if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven]:

Heb 12:26 Whose voice then shook the earth: [but now he hath promised], saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

There should not be any doubt that this book and most all the New Testament focuses on the future from the time it was written.

We live in part of that future time spoken of in the Bible:

Heb 2:5 For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection [the world to come, whereof we speak].

We are living in the days just before the soon coming Glory Days of Christ Jesus and we are actually some of that future spoken of in the Book of Hebrews.

Not because we are in the Bible but because our names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life!

Our Text:

Heb 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

Heb 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

When we study the Book of Hebrews we should have a better understanding of how much superior the Christian faith is above all other religions! The word "better" is seen many times in Hebrews. Our goal, to learn about Christ Jesus must include the Book of Hebrews.

BUT, The Book of Hebrews will also challenge us to see Jesus as He is now!

We also should keep in mind the main purpose God had in "Creation".

1.) God wants every one of us to know Him on a personal level, just as Adam did before his fall.

2.) But, God wants us to know that our joy on this Earth will happen only through a personal relationship with Him.

The very first word in this great book is "God". This means the Supreme, Divine Magistrate, The Godhead, The God that is the Holy Trinity, the God of the Bible, there is no other!

This is the "Creator" of this universe that we live and Our God expects us to accept that fact, so He does not mention why or how He is God.

AND, There will be no excuse for not knowing this God:

Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

Rom 1:20 [For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen], being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

There is only one way to please God:

Heb 11:6 [But without faith it is impossible to please him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

*****Sundry times would mean at various times through many men, as Abraham through Moses and all others. The Old Testament was written over a 1500 year period and from a period of about 4000 years before Jesus.

God did not give all His truth to Abraham but revealed it at certain times to many others until the time of Jesus.

*****Divers manners would mean in different ways, as God will use all His Creation especially humans to do His speaking, but He has also spoken out Himself through the Holy Spirit.

We should realize that we have a God who speaks to His People!

God has used many ways of communicating to those that wrote the Old Testament.

He used dreams, He spoke through the Laws of Moses, He spoke through the design and the building of the Tabernacle and the Temple. He spoke through the sacrifices, and He spoke through "Types" and He has spoken through His "Creation"!

He spoke through His Psalms and He spoke through as many as 45 writers of the Bible.

He has given us His Divine will by giving us His Inspired Word!

[All scripture is given by inspiration of God]

*****The words "in time past" are in references to the Old Testament, that we have with us today.

God has indeed spoken to us all and with these scriptures but we immediately see that we did not have the completed Word until God spoke to us all through His Son!

What other religion can say they have a God who speaks to His people?

Most false religions begin by certain leaders who say a god spoke to them and they were to teach all others.

Jehovah our God speaks to all His children!

*****We should also know that these words that are spoken by the The Son, The Lord Jesus Christ, are superior to the word spoken by all the prophets of the Old Testament.

God wanted all the Hebrew believers to be aware of this fact.!

Jesus Christ is superior for He was not only a man but He is "The Son Of God"!

Jesus was not just a man that was called of God!

We must also realize that if God spoke out of Heaven to anyone in our day, [He would only repeat what He has already written down for us]!

There will not ever be any new chapters of our Bible!

There will never be any NEW WORD OF GOD!

If there are any new revelations they will come from His Word that He has already given to us!

We have a completed work and the complete Word of God [and it came by His Son]!

*****The Son, is the heir of all things of the Father!

*****The Son, is the Creator of all things!

*****The Son, is the completer of and, the fulfillment of the written Word of God!

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

And who is this Son?

Joh 1:14 [And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us], (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

And John the Baptist said, this is the One, This is the Son:

Joh 1:15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

Joh 1:16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

Joh 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, [but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ].

*****The "express image":

The Bible teaches us that Jesus was not just another sign nor was He just another revelation of God.

Jesus Christ is God's final and ultimate revelation of Himself to all people.

The New Age movement then is a lie!

Eastern mysticism is then a lie!

Humanism is then a lie!

Islam is then a lie!

All Cults are lies!

Anything that is not of Christ Jesus is then a lie!

Jesus Christ is the brightness of God' Glory!

Jesus Christ is not a reflection of God but Is The Shining Forth Of God's Glory!

Jesus Christ is "ONE" WITH GOD!

Jesus Christ, The Son, is the full and perfect revelation of what is in Our Father in Heaven!

AND, We can know The Father because we know The Son!

*****The Son upholds all things.

In other words this creation of God that we live in is sustained and kept in it's creative order by the power of the Son of God!

It is God that sits on the throne. It is through His Son that is in perfect control of the events that take place on this Earth!

Time will pass just as He says these Ages will come to pass!

If you study His Words you can know what "Age" you live in and how we should all be busy about the work He has given us to do!

*****It is this Son, the Lord Jesus Christ that "By Himself" cleansed us from all our sin!

This is the "image" God wants us all to see:

Jesus Christ, The Son, is the "revelation" of God's Love, God's Grace, God's Justice, God's Holiness, and God's Righteousness.

This is the "revelation" God gives us of cleansing us of our personal sin and He will one day cleanse His entire creation of sin and the curses.

This is the promise God makes and this is why we should base our salvation on the promises of God!

He is the God, who has never failed and His Son who paid the price for our salvation with His blood.

*****Our Lord is now back at home doing exactly what He said He would be doing.

He is preparing us a mansion in His Fathers house, and He is interceding on our behalf, BUT He is also praying for our victory over this sinful world!

What a Savior we have!

*****Our Text:

Heb 1:4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

Heb 1:5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

Heb 1:6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

Heb 1:7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

Jesus Christ did not die to save any of the fallen angels!

They can never be restored!

Jesus died to save mankind!

Jesus is superior to any angel and any prophet!

We read a lot about angels in the Old Testament but we do not read of an angel ministry connected to the Church.

Do we all have guardian angels?

Are angels busy doing what God tells them to do?

A child of God is indwelled with the Holy Spirit of the Almighty God and not one angel has the power of the Holy Spirit!

Angels are Heavenly personalities, they have no place to dwell on this Earth.

They are made for the presence of God.

Angels are glorious creatures, and they are wonderful and powerful and skillful and they know many great things, but they do not know the feeling of being indwelled by the Holy Spirit.

Angels are seen in battles!

Angels are seen in death!

When an angle comes on the scene, "victory is assured" BUT it is not because of the angel it is because of the Lord of those angels.

They will do whatever the will of God without question and without remorse!

But among all the angels there is none as great as God's Son.

Every angel in Heaven could be sacrificed and not one lost person could have been saved!

Not one angel could pay the penalty of our sin!

Not one angel could become a man so they could die in our place!

Not one angel could shed blood, they do not have blood! And without the "shedding of blood" there can be no remission of sin:

Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Only Christ Jesus, The "ONLY" begotten Son, could pay the price for all our sin!

When was Jesus "begotten"? When He was brought back from the dead!

Jesus was not begotten in Bethlehem!

The begotten is the work of God:

Psa 2:6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

Psa 2:7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, [Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee].

Psa 2:8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

Psa 2:9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

God will do whatever He desires with His angels.

He may change them into winds, or flames of fire and He has done these things and still does these things!

And ,we should know that God is good and everything He does is good!

*****Heb 1:13 [But to which of the angels said he at any time], Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

Heb 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

To make more sense of this verse let's look at what Jesus said as He responded to the questions of the High Priest before He was crucified:

Mar 14:61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?

Mar 14:62 And Jesus said, [I am]: and [ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power], and coming in the clouds of heaven.

In Matthew we see:

Mat 22:41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,

Mat 22:42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David.

Mat 22:43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying,

Mat 22:44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?

Mat 22:45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?

Now back to our scripture in Hebrews, I personally believe it can be said that you will never find a place in the Old Testament where God said any of the angels were His sons!

The Psalms teach "the deity" of Christ, as God and there is a more complete picture of Christ in the Psalms than in the Gospels.

Jesus said:

Luk_24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, [that all things must be fulfilled], which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and [in the psalms, concerning me].

The right hand of God, is the place of honor for only the ["Begotten" Son of God]!

We have already stated Jesus is the [Begotten Son of God] because He arose from the death of the cross!

Not one angel could ever reach this place of honor as the Son of God!

There is only one Son in the Holy Trinity and that Son is Jesus:

Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

1Pe 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; [angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him].

There is no other Savior because there is no other Son of God!

Most false religions and most cults will honor Jesus, but only with there own man-made doctrine BUT, when they are confronted with the truth of Sin, and Righteousness, and Judgment, they will not accept that Jesus was God in the flesh!

It is a fact that no one in this world can be saved until they face there own decision of just "what are they going to do with Jesus"!

According to the Book of Hebrews, to reject Jesus Christ as He is revealed in the Bible, is to reject the "One True God"!

The angels are powerful creations of God!

They were created back in Genesis 1:1.



An angel cannot die!

The angels are ministering spirits that were created to do obey the will of God!

BUT,

Not one angel can intercede on the behalf of God's children!

Not one angel can be a mediator for God's children!

Not one angel can answer pray!

Not one angel can fill you with God's Holy Spirit!

Not one angel can save you from the wrath of God!

And, Not one angel can forgive sin!

We have only one advocate, and that "ONE", is the Christ of God, the Lord Jesus, The Son!

Jesus Christ is greater then the angels!

Jesus Christ is greater than the Laws of Moses!

Jesus Christ is sitting on the throne of Power, YET, He still humbles Himself to intercede for every "Born Again" child of God!

What a precious Savior we have!

Christ Jesus is the Son, angels are His servants!

Christ Jesus will return as the King, angels are His subjects!

Christ Jesus is the Creator, angels are creatures of His creation!

Christ is now sitting on His throne in Heaven waiting until He will come to destroy His enemies with His angels.

He will wait until God stops calling on the Lost to be saved!

God says His Son will one day rule over all His creation SO, Jesus is much higher than any angel!

We must remember when Jesus returns as King, He will rule in Israel for 1000 years.

He will redeem His creation to Himself!

He will reverse the effects of the curse, and our environment will be restored as it was in the days of Adam and there will be harmony in this Earth again!

But we must also remember before this happens, the Church will be called out!

Satan will send a "false messiah" who says that he can bring peace to this Earth and there will be seven years of Satan's lies before the truth of the Gospel is revealed with the return of Christ Jesus.

There is no evil that can stand before the Glory of God and His Son.

Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

How can we not trust the truth of the Word of God?

Questions

Let's Pray!

The Resurrection Of The King

The Resurrection Of The King

Our Text: Book of Matthew Chapter 28

We must not be ignorant of the Bible. If the resurrection of Jesus did not occur then there is no Christianity!

Paul wrote:

1Co 15:12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?

1Co 15:13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:

1Co 15:14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

1Co 15:15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.

1Co 15:16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:

1Co 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

The doctrine of the resurrection is fundamental to the Body of Christ!

To deny the resurrection is to deny the whole Bible, for no part of it can be true if not all of it is true!

If the foundation of Christianity is removed then the whole superstructure will fall!

Jesus taught us of two resurrection.

1.) A "spiritual" resurrection.

Joh 5:25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

Joh 5:26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;

Joh 5:27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

2.) A "bodily" resurrection.

Joh 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

Joh 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

The "spiritual" resurrection takes place the day you accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour. That is the Soul resurrection!

Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

The "bodily" resurrection means more than just bringing the body back to life. Jesus brought people back to life and they again had to die:

The daughter of Jairus:

Luk 8:50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.

Luk 8:51 And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.

Luk 8:52 And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.

Luk 8:53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.

Luk 8:54 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.

Luk 8:55 And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.

The son of the woman in Nain:

Luk 7:11 And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people.

Luk 7:12 Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.

Luk 7:13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.

Luk 7:14 And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.

Lazarus:

Joh 12:9 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.

Joh 12:10 But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;

Joh 12:11 Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

These all had to die again. The resurrection of Jesus means more than these things.

It means to make alive, no more to die.

Paul again writes:

1Co 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

1Co 15:43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:

1Co 15:44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

1Co 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

1Co 15:46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

1Co 15:47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

1Co 15:48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

1Co 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

What else does the Bible teach?

While this resurrection takes place, the identity of the "body" that is raised is never lost. That dead body will be raised to suit it's new life in Heaven.

Proof when Christ Jesus was transfigured:

Mat 17:2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

Mat 17:3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

Moses was still Moses and Elijah was still Elijah!

God had this purpose from the beginning. There would never have been a Tree of Life if God had not planned for immortality. It was sin that changed things!

Paul wrote:

2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

2Ti 1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, [who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel]:

What is the Gospel?

Co 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

1Co 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

1Co 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

1Co 15:4 And that he was buried, and [that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures]:

1Co 15:5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

1Co 15:6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

1Co 15:7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

1Co 15:8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

When Paul uses the phrase "according to the scriptures", he means according to Old Testament prophesy!

*****Our text:

Mat 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

Mat 28:2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.

Mat 28:3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:

Mat 28:4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.

Mat 28:5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

Mat 28:6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

Mat 28:7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.

When most people look at this Sabbath they think that Jesus was crucified on a Friday. The fact is that the Bible tells us a different story.

When Jesus was crucified and placed in that tomb it was the evening before the preparation day:

Mat 27:62 [Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation], the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,

Mat 27:63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.

John wrote:

Joh 19:31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

If we go back to the Laws of the Jews we know:

Exo 12:15 Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.

Exo 12:16 And [in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you].

Exo 12:17 And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.

In other words this day should be treated as a Sabbath(a high Sabbath).

In the Book of Leviticus we read:

Lev 23:5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S passover.

Lev 23:6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.

Lev 23:7 [In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein].

Jesus could not have been placed in the grave on Friday but on Thursday.

There are many who write the harmonies of the four Gospels that list thirteen events happening on Tuesday and eight on Thursday and leave Wednesday totally blank. These same scholars list the words Jesus said on Tuesday:

Mat 26:2 [Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified].

If Jesus said this on Tuesday then Jesus said He would be dead by Thursday. I believe the Words of God are more valuable and true above what man writes:

Jesus had given the World a "Sign" that He would fulfill:

Mat 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

This is the truth of the Gospel:

Rom 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

These women who had witnessed the crucifying of Jesus waited until the dawn of the day after this Sabbath. It had been three days not four so His body would still not have begin to deteriorate.

Joh 11:39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, [by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days].

Prophesy says:

Psa 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

They knew Jesus had died!

BUT, They had no faith in what Jesus had taught:

Mat 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

Most of this world will tell you that they believe that Jesus lived and that he died but only the Church the Bride of Christ truly believe that Jesus "rose again".

What does the "resurrection" of Jesus Christ mean to us?

1.) It proves that Jesus was truly the Son of God:

Joh 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

Joh 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

2.) It proves the truth of the Old Testament:

Psa 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Psa 110:1 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

3.) It proves that there will be a resurrection of the saints of God, a Rapture of the Church:

1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

4.) It is proof of a future judgment:

Act 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

5.) We now have a Heavenly Priest that will never change:

Heb 7:22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

Heb 7:23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:

Heb 7:24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.

Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Heb 7:26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

Heb 7:27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

Heb 7:28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

6.) It is the "power" behind the Church:

Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

7.) It is our hope for the future:

1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

1Pe 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

1Pe 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Though these women and those that were told had gathered discouraged and defeated, the Church can assemble on any day to bear witness that Jesus is alive and is the foundation of the Church, "Because He Lives".

The Bible tells us that there are earthquakes when the LORD visits this earth. They may not take place every time but they may. What does seem true is that the severity of the earthquake may coincide with God's wrath at that time.

Any earthquake that would move stable things on this earth would be severe. That word "great" would mean that this earthquake was widespread.

Though this earthquake was great it was not the earthquake that moved the stone that covered the entrance into the tomb where Jesus had been placed.

Luk 24:3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

Luk 24:4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

The Book of Luke tells that there were actually two angels.

It was an angel that had rolled that stone away. That stone had the seal of the Roman government on it but a much higher power had removed that stone.

It was not Jesus that removed that stone. Jesus could pass through walls. He had passed through His grave clothes which still held His shape lying in that tomb, and he had passed through the walls of that tomb.

Joh 20:5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.

Joh 20:6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, [and seeth the linen clothes lie],

Joh 20:7 And the napkin, that was about his head, [not lying with the linen clothes], but wrapped together in a place by itself.

Those wrappings, those grave clothes laid there like an empty cocoon!

The angels said:

Mat 28:6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. [Come, see the place where the Lord lay].

The soldiers that had witnessed these things had passed out in fear of their lives!

We can think that we will bravely stand before this awesome God but I fully believe we will be more like these soldiers or like Daniel whom the Lord loved:

Dan 10:7 And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.

Dan 10:8 Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and [there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength].

Dan 10:9 Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground.

Jesus was not held by the bonds of death and could not be:

Act 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: [because it was not possible that he should be holden of it].

"Come and see" was followed up by "Go and Tell".

*****Our Text:

Mat 28:8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

Mat 28:9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.

Mat 28:10 Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

Mat 28:11 Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.

Mat 28:12 And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,

Mat 28:13 Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.

Mat 28:14 And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you.

Mat 28:15 So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

Discouragement had become great joy. Fear had become hope. Death had become life!

Gazing on that empty tomb and hearing those angels say "He is risen" is the beginning of our faith!

Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

Rom 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Rom 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

Rom 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? [It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us].

Notice the next thing that comes is worship as they all fell at the feet of Jesus.

We are in the wrong when we say we have faith and do not take the time to worship our Lord!

Some say we can worship without going to gather in His name. We can and we should! But we cannot forsake the assembling also:

Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

We know that the disciples were hiding in fear of their own lives. We know that after realizing the truth of Christ resurrection, how great they became as disciples and servants of the Lord.

Can you imagine what was going through the minds of those soldiers when they awoke.

To be a member of Pilate's personal guard they had to be experienced, battle hardened men. They knew that things had happened beyond normal, these were spiritual things and they went straight to the High Priests of Israel.

This may have also been their instructions but we must also remember a couple of more things.

1.) For a Roman soldier to lose his prisoner would cost him his life.

2.) For a soldier to sleep on guard duty could also cost them their lives.

The supernatural things they had witnessed would have to be explained to Pilate in order for them to live.

Proof:

Act 12:18 Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.

Act 12:19 And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode.

Act 16:27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

Act 16:28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

We can actually see proof of the resurrection in these things:

1.) If the body of Jesus had been stolen the grave clothes would not have been left behind especially as they were undisturbed.

2.) If the friends of Jesus had stole His body, surely they would not have returned to place more spices on it.

3.) The enemies of Christ would not have stolen His body for they wanted no hint of a resurrection.

4.) If the body of Jesus could be found and we can be sure it has been looked for, it would have silenced the early church and the spread of Christianity.

What we see is that there are no answers except the truth which is that Jesus Christ "arose from the dead" just as He said and He is still alive today!

The had given Judas only 30 pieces of silver. It would take a great sum of money or death to silence the truth of what these soldiers had witnessed.

Remember that some had already been convinced of the truth.

Mat 27:54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

*****Our Text:

Mat 28:16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.

Mat 28:17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Some scholars have said that the Book of Matthew is the Gospel of the Mountain:

1.) From a mountain Jesus gave the "Sermon on the Mount".

2.) From a mountain Jesus was transfigured.

3.) From the Mount of Olives, He took His place as the Son of David and rode into Jerusalem.

4.) From the Mount of Olives, He delivered the prophesy of the second coming and His Kingdom.

5.) He is now on a mountain in Galilee.

Some Bible scholars say that it is on this mountain where Christ Jesus was seen by more than 500 people at one time.

1Co 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

1Co 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

1Co 15:5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

1Co 15:6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

We can see from the scriptures of Paul that most of these were fairly young people because they were still alive when Paul was preaching to the Corinthians and we can know there some that doubted on this mountain but at this time all the 11 disciples were now confirmed believers:

The proof:

Joh 20:24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

Joh 20:25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

Joh 20:26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

Joh 20:27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

Joh 20:28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

Joh 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

The Lord Jesus did not ascend back to Heaven at this time but later in Jerusalem again on the Mount of Olives:

Luk 24:50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.

Luk 24:51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

We now have what is called the "Great Commission". Jesus directed these words to everyone on that mountain that day even though there were some that doubted. These words of Jesus do also apply to all that call on the name of Jesus as their Saviour.

If we want to be a part of God's Word then we must be disciples and obey this command:

Paul wrote:

Rom 15:20 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:

Rom 15:21 [But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand].

We must tell all those that have not heard of Jesus!

This will also fulfills prophesy and includes those in the governments of this world!

Isa 52:15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: [for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider].

Though this is the "Great Commission" all the Word of God have the same authority and are given by the same author. We cannot pick and choose in the Word of God!

When Jesus said "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth" He was saying it is His right only to use this power!

Jesus is still the only "authority" in this world because He is still ALIVE!

By His death and resurrection He defeated all His enemies.

Joh 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

You see all the work that needed to be done for "Salvation" is finished because of the cross!

Jesus showed the power of God in His resurrection!

It is with this authority that we have hope as Christians!

To be a Christian is to be a "Missionary for God" to all that have not heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He has given His Church this time to share this Gospel.

2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, [not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance].

Those that perish will perish because of their own refusal to believe!

Our command is to teach all nations. That begins where we now live. That begins in the place where we first got saved. If we will not share the Gospel at home, we can be sure that God will not call on us to go to foreign lands.

No matter where we are located in our daily walk with God, it is that place, in that moment that is our missionary field.

Act 11:19 Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.

Act 11:20 And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus.

Act 11:21 And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.

To be a disciple of Jesus means we are attached to Him and what He teaches. We have what He teaches in the written Word of God. That Word is settled in Heaven. It is not for us to make changes in it but teach it as it is.

We must study that Word in order to do these things:

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

This same Word is what we are to teach!

The main thing we need to know is that Jesus will be with us in all these things and it is still His Power that saves.

We just deliver the message as we are Christ's messengers of the truth of the Gospel!

So now let's look at the facts:

1.) Jesus had repeatedly while He lived predicted that He would suffer death and that He would rise on the third day.

2.) Jesus made His resurrection the "sign" of proof of all His claims.

3.) Jesus instituted two perpetual ordinances:

a.) One to commemorate His death.(The Lord's Supper)

b.) The other to commemorate His burial and His resurrection.(Believers Baptism)

4.) It seems that only Mary, the sister of Lazarus believed that Jesus would die and resurrect but we see that all the religious leaders and His enemies had believed and taken measures that they thought would stop it.

Mat 26:12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.

Mat 26:13 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

His enemies:

Mat 27:39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,

Mat 27:40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

Mat 27:41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,

Mat 27:42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.

Mat 27:62 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,

Mat 27:63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.

Mat 27:64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.

Mat 27:65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.

Mat 27:66 So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

Jesus risked everything of the New Testament Church and Christianity on the fact of "His Resurrection". This fact has never been proven wrong and I'm sure that Caiaphas and the Roman government did everything in their power to prove differently and failed.

Did Jesus actually die?

The facts:

1.) The written record says He died. We have that record!

2.) All historians most being non-believers said He died. (Josephus and others)

3.) The man Pilate had put in charge of those soldiers, a Centurion, officially said He died and reported this to Pilate. Pilate believed his man!

4.) Jesus was actually embalmed and buried in the Jewish fashion of that day and that tomb was barred with a great stone. There was one hundred pounds of embalming spices used. That could not have been done to someone that was alive.

5.) That great stone was sealed with the seal of the Roman government. To remove this seal was an act that required death. No Jew would have done this!

6.) There was an armed guard posted to guard this tomb. Not of the Jewish Temple guard but of Pilate's palace guard. They knew their own death would follow if they failed to do their job!

7.) It was an angel of God who has all authority that removed that stone.

8.) That Roman guard reported first to the Jewish High Priest for what they saw was supernatural things that they had no defence of. They knew they faced death at the hands of Pilate for these things they could not stop.

9.) It is the angel that told all the Jesus had risen.

Did Jesus resurrect back to life, how do we account for that tomb being empty?

1.) Some of the guard testified that the body of Jesus was stolen but that contradicts the story told to the High Priest!

Mat 28:11 Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.

2.) The testimony of the stolen body was only told after the bribe was paid. This would have been thrown out of any court.

Mat 28:12 And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,

Mat 28:13 Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.

3.) These men could not have known anything about the body of Jesus if they had been asleep the whole time and they would have stopped it if they were not asleep.

4.) The disciples would have had no use for the dead body of Jesus. It would have proved nothing.

5.) It leaves unexplained the resurrection and appearances of those saints of old that roamed the streets of Jerusalem in full view of everyone.

Mat 27:52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,

Mat 27:53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

6.) A Centurion of the Roman army could not have been fooled by these things and was witness to the truth and we should believe as he did.

Mat 27:54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

7.) The disciples believed when they saw Him:

1Jn 1:1 That which was from the beginning, [which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled], of the Word of life;

1Jn 1:2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

1Jn 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

1Jn 1:4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

8.) His Mother, His brothers, His friends and His companions for three years could not all have been fooled!

Act 1:3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

Act 1:4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

Let's Pray!

The Sacrifice Of The King

The Sacrifice Of The King

Our text: Matthew chapter 27

Jesus had "wept" as he had entered Jerusalem for this last time before His appointment with the cross.

Did He weep for Himself?

Luk 19:41 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

Luk 19:42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, [at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes].

No, He wept for the children of Israel.

Notice what Jesus says: "but now they are hid from thine eyes"

Paul later wrote these words to the Christians in Rome:

Rom 11:7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded

Rom 11:8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

To the Christians in Corinth:

2Co 3:14 (But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ).

2Co 3:15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.

2Co 3:16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

We should ask why?

2Co 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

2Co 4:4 [In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not], lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

2Co 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

Jesus Christ had many great prayers but He said one on that cross that stands out for Israel and all unbelievers:

Luk 23:34 Then said Jesus, [Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do]. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

We know this prayer is answered everyday and we know that Israel will be saved not so much for what God did on that cross but because what the Son ask the Father, the Father will then do!

Jesus is our intercessor between us and God the Father.!

1Pe 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

1Pe 2:22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

1Pe 2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; [but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously]:

1Pe 2:24 [Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness]: by whose stripes ye were healed.

1Pe 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

Satan's hold on the people of God was broken on that cross and every individual has the power of salvation in their own selves if they will follow the example of Jesus and ask for forgiveness.

1Jn 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

1Jn 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

What is the will of God?

Gal 1:3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

Gal 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, [that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father]:

Let's study the day these things took place.

*****Our text:

Judas the traitor:

Mat 27:1 When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:

Mat 27:2 And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

Mat 27:3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

Mat 27:4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.

Mat 27:5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

Mat 27:6 And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.

Mat 27:7 And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in.

Mat 27:8 Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.

Mat 27:9 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value;

Mat 27:10 And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me.

When Judas witnessed this false trial by Caiaphas and the religious leaders and saw that Jesus was condemned to death, he was filled with remorse. He returned those thirty pieces of silver:

"Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood"

Judas would have had to be a witness to the things that were happening to Christ Jesus.

Satan had used Judas's love for money as his bait to trap him and now it seemed to be nothing to be a part of.

Satan has this effect on all the things he makes happen:

Heb 11:25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, [than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season];

You see the pleasure of sin does not last very long. Every sin that is committed is centered on covetness.

Paul wrote:

Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

Judas had coveted money above all else and money caused him to destroy himself by committing suicide. Most of those that stand behind the pulpits in the modern church stand there in covetness of money or power or for some other worldly thing, selling out the Lord Jesus Christ with every sermon. Those sitting in the pews, in the house of God covet the things of this world rather than the things of God, also destroying there own lives.

The Book of Jude describes these men like Judas.

The Book of James describes the false Christian.

Judas realizes that though Jesus is innocent of all these things He is accused of, He will still be condemned.

He gives his confession to the priests, who have no regard for the innocent, as he throws the money back to them and then he commits suicide.

Act 1:18 Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.

Act 1:19 And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.

Act 1:24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,

Act 1:25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, [from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place].

Judas took his place in a hell that was reserved for Satan, and it was Satan that had deceived him into going there.

To those that think Judas will arise one day as the Anti-Christ from the pits of hell they are also deceived:

The Bible says:

Luk 16:26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

Those priests judged that it was not lawful to put that blood money back into the Temple treasury. They decided to buy the field of the potter for a burying ground for strangers. This potters field which is on the side of the valley of Hinnon is also called 'Tophet" in the Bible.

Tophet

=Topheth, from Heb. toph "a drum," because the cries of children here sacrificed by the priests of Moloch were drowned by the noise of such an instrument; or from taph or toph, meaning "to burn," and hence a place of burning, [the name of a particular part in the valley of Hinnom]. "Fire being the most destructive of all elements, is chosen by the sacred writers to symbolize the agency by which God punishes or destroys the wicked.

Jeremiah says:

Jer 18:1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,

Jer 18:2 Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.

Jer 18:3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.

Jer 18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

Jer 18:5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

Jer 18:6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.

Jer 18:7 At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;

Jer 18:8 If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.

Jer 19:1 Thus saith the LORD, Go and get a potter's earthen bottle, and take of the ancients of the people, and of the ancients of the priests;

Jer 19:2 And go forth unto the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is by the entry of the east gate, and proclaim there the words that I shall tell thee,

Jer 19:3 And say, Hear ye the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; [Behold, I will bring evil upon this place], the which whosoever heareth, his ears shall tingle.

Jer 19:11 And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and they shall bury them in Tophet, till there be no place to bury.

Jer 19:12 Thus will I do unto this place, saith the LORD, and to the inhabitants thereof, and even make this city as Tophet:

Zechariah adds:

Zec 11:12 And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.

Zec 11:13 And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was priced at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.

Because these priests could not accept this returned money, the purchase of the potters field was applied to Judas. It was bought for the purpose of burying strangers but to all that knew it was called "the field of blood":

The "Tophet" of Jeremiah that was valued and bought for 30 pieces of silver the price for the Messiah is then prophecy fulfilled.

Notice this also foreshadows what was to happen to Israel.

The land of Israel would become a land for burying strangers from the time of Titus until May 14, 1948. Israel was not there because this nation was scattered among all the nations.

There are still many Jew who have not made their way back home.

*****Our text:

Mat 27:11 And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.

Mat 27:12 And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.

Mat 27:13 Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?

Mat 27:14 And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.

Mat 27:15 Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.

Mat 27:16 And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.

Mat 27:17 Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?

Mat 27:18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.

Mat 27:19 When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.

Mat 27:20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.

Mat 27:21 The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.

Mat 27:22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.

Mat 27:23 And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.

Mat 27:24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.

Mat 27:25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

Mat 27:26 Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

There is a point that needs to be made. The Roman laws stated that all non-citizens had no legal rights. Under this point of law Pilate could not act illegally, for Christ Jesus had no rights in the eyes of Rome. This is a sad statement but even today many foreigners are treated as if they have no rights at all by the governments of this world.

We must also realize that before the Sanhedrin court, the Supreme Court of Israel at that time, Jesus was tried for "blasphemy".

As Christ is taken before Pilate He is tried for:

1.) Sedition or misleading the nation of Israel religiously.

2.) For forbidding the payment of taxes, which he paid Himself.

3.) For claiming to be King of the Jews, which He did have legal right to claim by heredity.

Luk 23:2 And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.

"Blasphemy" is not mentioned to Pilate because he would not rule on a Jewish matter.

Pontius Pilate was the sixth Roman procurator to serve in Judea. He was not liked by the Jews because he would deliberately violate the Jewish laws. He was not above killing to accomplish his purpose which is why he and Herod were at odds:

Luk 13:1 There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

It was Herod that was the governor of Galilee.

The charges to the guilt of Jesus brought to Pilate were political charges against the Roman government but they were still lies and were still false.

Pilate focused on the charge of Jesus being a king.

Any new king would be a threat to Rome!

"Art thou the King of the Jews?"

Jesus answered "it is as you say" but He explains His meaning.

Joh 18:34 Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?

Joh 18:35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?

Joh 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

Joh 18:37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

Joh 18:38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.

Jesus was not the type of king that Pilate asked about at least not at this time:

1.) The Kingdom of Jesus is not of this world.

2.) He had no armies on this earth.

3.) His followers would not have to fight for Him.

4.) His Kingdom would be a reign of "Truth".

Pilate found no fault in Our Lord because He has no faults!

Jesus answered nothing else.

We know that Jesus was next taken before Herod:

Luk 23:6 When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilaean.

Luk 23:7 And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time.

Luk 23:8 And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.

Luk 23:9 Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing.

Luk 23:10 And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him.

Luk 23:11 And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.

Luk 23:12 And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.

This Herod was the one that had murdered John the Baptist and had also threatened to kill Jesus.

Herod had silenced John who was God's voice to the people and Jesus had nothing more to say to this evil man.

Here stood the Lamb of God and He opened not His mouth!

Isa 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

1Pe 2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:



Herod could only mock Jesus and send Him back to Pilate.

If Pilate had hoped to get rid of his problem of judging Our Lord, he was disappointed.

As the Roman Governor, he had to uphold the law of Rome.

As a politician he knew he had to get along with the people or Rome would replace him.

Both Herod and Pilate knew that Jesus had broken no Roman Law and was innocent!

There seemed to be a custom of releasing a Jewish prisoner on the day of the Passover Feast. This was usually some outspoken Jewish person who had really broken no law but this day Pilate deliberately chose his most notorious prisoner. A true murderer and an enemy of the Jew and of Rome.

Barabbas:

Joh 18:40 Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.

Mar 15:7 And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection.

Barabbas was not an innocent man and he had been tried and found guilty and was waiting on his execution.

Barabbas was on death's row in prison and it was Christ Jesus that would also take his place.

Christ Jesus was the substitute for every sinner for we were all on Satan's "death row"!

Pilate had reasoned with himself that these people would ask that Jesus be released after all Jesus had healed the sick, He had raised the dead, and He had done many other known miracles.

These evil Jews had put in place a means of riot and it would be Pilate that would get the blame if he allowed it to happen.

Pilate then did three things:

1.) He wash his hands claiming he was innocent of the death of Jesus.

2.) He stated that Jesus was a "just" person and not worthy of death.

3.) He offered to punish Jesus and then release Him.

What did these blinded Jews say?

Joh 19:12 And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: [but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar].

Pilate knew these things would make it to Rome if he did what was right and released Jesus.

Pilate had Jesus scourged and delivered to be crucified:

[Read and study Psalms 22.]

Jesus Christ was made a curse for each and everyone of us:

Deu 21:23 His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

Gal 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

Gal 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Pilate knew what was right but he elected to please the people who were wrong:

Mar 15:15 And so Pilate, [willing to content the people], released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.

How often now do small groups of people go before our government for some ungodly thing and the government yield to them knowing they are not right with the majority of the populace.

Pilate ask a very serious question of these Jews:

"What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ"

Everyone that has been born since the death of Jesus will see and answer this question before they die.

"What do we do with Jesus the Christ Child?"

He must be accepted as your personal Saviour or He must be rejected. There is only one choice to make:

1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

1Co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.



1Co 6:11 [And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

You know:

1.) Judas yielded to the devil in his sin.

2.) Peter yielded to the flesh in his sin.

3.) Pilate yielded to the world, listened to the crowd that was before him, and took the easy way out, not the right way.

Pilate condemned the Lord of Glory!

What will you do with Jesus Christ Our Lord?

*****Our Text:

Mat 27:27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.

Mat 27:28 And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.

Mat 27:29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!

Mat 27:30 And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.

Mat 27:31 And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.

Mat 27:32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.

Mat 27:33 And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull,

Mat 27:34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.

Mat 27:35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

Mat 27:36 And sitting down they watched him there;

Mat 27:37 And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Mat 27:38 Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.

Mat 27:39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,

Mat 27:40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

Mat 27:41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,

Mat 27:42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.

Mat 27:43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.

Mat 27:44 The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

Mat 27:45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.

Mat 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Mat 27:47 Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.

Mat 27:48 And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.

Mat 27:49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.

Mat 27:50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.

Mat 27:51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

Mat 27:52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,

Mat 27:53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

Mat 27:54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

Mat 27:55 And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:

Mat 27:56 Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's children.

Mat 27:57 When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple:

Mat 27:58 He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.

Mat 27:59 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

Mat 27:60 And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.

Mat 27:61 And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.

Mat 27:62 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,

Mat 27:63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.

Mat 27:64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.

Mat 27:65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.

Mat 27:66 So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

Barabbas was the false man chosen by the land of the Jew. He was the national choice but we see the "blood of Christ" was wished upon them and even to those not yet born their own children.

Does the history of the Jew show this?

Satanic hatred then and existing in our day then took over and an awful punishment of Christ Jesus began.

He had already been sentenced. He was a willing substitute for our sin. What happens next was uncalled for!

*****(vs 27-30)

After Jesus was sentenced to be crucified He was placed in the custody of the soldiers that were in Pilate's control. They took Him to their own quarters in the Praetorium.

The Praetorium was the common hall where the governor's, who was the "praetor"(the commander-in-chief), personal body guard(the palace guard) congregated.

Christ was condemned by Rome because He was a King which was true. He did have King David's bloodline.

These soldiers paid homage to this king in a terrible way. Pilate knew Jesus was innocent yet he allowed Jesus to be ridiculed by his own army.

Remember Jesus had just been scourged. Many a man had died during a Roman scourging.

1.) They first disrobed Jesus placing upon Him the color of royalty. This was most probably an old garment of the palace guard.

Can you imagine ripping the clothes off Jesus exposing that body so torn by the violence of that whip with it bits of bone, and sharp objects imbedded into it's nine tails.

Rev 5:6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, [stood a Lamb as it had been slain], having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

God has not forgotten this day!

He will yet sit on His throne:

Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isa 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

2.) A king must have a crown:

They wove together stems from a thorny bush and push it into His head. The same head that was so recently anointed with the oil from that alabaster box of Mary's.

3.) They gave this king a scepter of the reed plant.

Then: "they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! "

4.) They then spat on Him while beating Him with their fist and with that reed or other reeds.

Isa 50:5 The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.

Isa 50:6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

Isa 50:7 For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.

This submission of Our Lord was not a sign of God's weakness "but of His strength".

1Pe 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, [leaving us an example], that ye should follow his steps:

1Pe 2:22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

Christ Jesus was showing us an example of His "Love"!

*****(vs 31-38)

Once more Jesus was disrobed and His own blood soaked robe was placed upon Him. Jesus was not just going to die but He was going to die on a cross.

Joh 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

Joh 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Jesus was then led to the place of His crucifying:

Heb 13:12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.

Heb 13:13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.

With all the punishment already on that precious body of Our Lord, He was unable in His flesh to carry His cross.

It was required that the prisoner to at least carry his own cross beam and to wear a placard around his neck describing his crime.

Jesus has began this walk to the cross bearing all His cross:

Joh 19:17 And [he bearing his cross] went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:

It was decided that someone should help Him:

"And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross"

Only about two and a half hours had passed since Jesus had stood before Pilate which was most likely about six thirty (A M).

It was about nine (A M) when this procession reached Golgotha.

Where have we see this place in the Bible?

Gen 22:4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, [and saw the place afar off].

Gen 22:5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

Gen 22:6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

This place of Golgotha could be seen from a great distance in the time of Abraham.

It was customary to give those to be crucified a drugged drink to help ease their pain but Jesus refused this drink.

Christ Jesus wanted to feel the pain of my sin and of your sin. Sin cannot be watered down! Sin cannot be made light of!

Psa 69:21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

It was also customary for the soldiers to share in any spoils of those that were crucified.

Psa 22:17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.

Psa 22:18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

They gambled for the things of Jesus:

Joh 19:23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.

Joh 19:24 They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.

They then sat down and waited upon Him to die:

"And sitting down they watched him there"

They displayed His title above that cross in three languages:

Luk 23:38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

*****(vs 39-44)

Jesus was not executed in a building, He was executed on a public highway on a day when there were many thousands if not millions going in and out of Jerusalem. Jesus Christ was now mocked by this crowd of Jews.

Psa 22:6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

Psa 22:7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,

Psa 22:8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.

The Jewish leaders also joined in reminding others what He had said:

Mat 26:61 And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

Joh 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

"He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him"

Jesus Christ stayed on that cross to prove He was the Son of God.

Jesus was not the only one crucified on Golgotha that day. There were at least two others. These were confirmed men who had stolen from Rome. We can see that even thieves were punished by death in the hands of Rome.

The Bible said many years earlier:

Isa 53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and [he was numbered with the transgressors]; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

He was counted among thieves. The passers by mocked Him, yet He stayed on that cross to prove He was a loving God.

The Bible says:

Psa 69:20 Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.

He could only prove He was a loving God with His death! He gave it all so that we might live!

Jesus did not come to this earth to save His own life. Jesus Christ came to this earth to pay the ransom for all sinners!

Thank You Jesus!

*****(vs 45-56)

Jesus was crucified about nine in the morning of that sad day. He had hung on that cross for three hours until noon. Then a solemn darkness settled over the land. This was at least the land known as Palestine and maybe the Roman Empire but in other places of the world there was already darkness.

This was not an eclipse of the Sun. The Jew used a lunar calendar, the Passover Feast occurred at the time of the full moon.

This was a supernatural darkness!

God had hidden His face from Him; He was forsaken by God Himself!

This darkness would last for three hours.

There were three days of darkness before the first passover in Egypt and now there was three hours of darkness before God's Lamb died for our sins and the sin of the entire world.

Jesus had spoken three times that were recorded before this darkness:

1.) He had prayed "Father forgive them".

Luk 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

2.) He had assured a repentant thief of a place in Paradise.

Luk 23:39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

Luk 23:40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

Luk 23:41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

Luk 23:42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

Luk 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

3.) He had given His Mother into the care of the Apostle John.

Joh 19:25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.

Joh 19:26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!

Joh 19:27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

It was during this darkness that Jesus had been made sin for us!

2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Jesus then quoted His Own Sweet Words:

Psa 22:1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

That darkness was a symbol of the "judgment" that He had endured!

Gal 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

Gal 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

A Holy God cannot look upon sin! How could a Holy God look upon His Son with favor at this time when He had become sin?

Jesus then spoke in His favorite language, Hebrew!

He was not understood by many of the spectators!

There will be a pure language one day and all will understand!

Zep 3:8 Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

Zep 3:9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.

Jesus then spoke three more times:

1.) "I thirst".

Joh 19:28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.

Fulfilling prophesy:

Psa 69:21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

2.) "It is finished"

Joh 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

3.) "into Thy hands I commend My Spirit"

Luk 23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

Jesus Christ was in complete control of Himself!

Jesus "gave" His life for us, no one took His life!

2Co 13:4 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.

2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Then there were three miracles:

1.) The veil of the temple was ripped into:

2.) There was an earthquake:

3.) There was a resurrection of some saints:

Mat 27:51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

Mat 27:52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,

Mat 27:53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

Mat 27:54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

The ripped veil symbolized that the way to God was now open to all that would come to Him:

Heb 10:18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

Heb 10:21 And having an high priest over the house of God;

Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

No more need for a single temple, a high priests, sacrificial altars, or the animal sacrifice.

There was an earthquake when God gave the Law:

Exo 19:18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.

Exo 19:19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.

The earthquake at Mount Calvary signified that the demands of the Law had been met:

Heb 12:18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,

Heb 12:19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:

Heb 12:20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:

Heb 12:21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)

Heb 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

Heb 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. Heb 12:18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,

Heb 12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

Heb 12:26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

Heb 12:27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

Heb 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

Heb 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.

1.) Jesus conquered sin: (the torn veil)

2.) Jesus conquered the Law: (the earthquake)

3.) Jesus conquered death: (the resurrections)

The Bible tells us:

Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

Rom 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Rom 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

Rom 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Apostle John was the only disciple that we know was near the cross:

Joh 19:35 And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.

Many women were watching this cruel thing:

1.) Mary the Mother of Jesus.

2.) The sister of Mary, wife of Cleophas(Alphaeus).

3.) Salome, the mother of James and John.

4.) Mary Magdalene.

We know there were others.

We also know that the men, the disciples had fled.

The "just" died for the "unjust" that day!

*****(57-66)

There was another man that witnessed these things that had not made himself known as a disciple of Jesus to others:

Joseph of Arimathaea:

These same religious leaders did not want dead bodies hanging on crosses during the Feasts. After six PM would begin the next day, the day of the Great Sabbath. Therefore the legs of those crucified would be broken to allow for death to come.

Crucifying was like hanging, a means to cut of the supply of air, but a much harsher way of doing it.

Joh 19:31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

Joh 19:32 Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.

Joh 19:33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:

Now these were professional soldiers. Only a selected few were allowed to be Pilate's body guard. They knew death when they saw it.

Satan had not had enough yet! Jesus had said He would resurrect and He would, but some had not understood God's Power:

Joh 19:34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

Joh 19:35 And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.

Joh 19:36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.

Joh 19:37 And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.

God will not leave one scripture that will not be fulfilled:

Joseph was a secret disciple of Jesus, who served on the Council of the Sanhedrin. He was a good man among many evil men.

Luk 23:50 And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just:

Luk 23:51 (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.

Mar 15:43 Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.

He had seen his Master crucified, it was time to stand up for Jesus. With the help of Nicodemus another disciple afraid to make himself known for lack of faith they prepared the body of Jesus for burial.

If God had not kept these men hidden until this time, prophesy would not have been fulfilled!

Isa 53:9 [And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death]; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

The site of the tomb was near Golgotha and had probably been selected by Joseph earlier. We must consider that these two men in preparing the dead body of Jesus had then to forgo the Passover as they had defiled their own bodies under Jewish Law. They knew that the Law had been fulfilled in Jesus.

They had found the true Lamb of God!

The disciples had forgotten that Jesus promised to rise again but not those evil religious leaders who said they did not believe.

It was the Roman soldiers who had been in charge and it would be Roman soldiers that would apply that Roman seal to that tomb and guard it to make sure it was not disturbed by anyone.

To break the seal of the Governor would require death to those that did so.

For Roman guards to loose a prisoner required their death.

God had made sure that no one could steal the body of Jesus, friend or foe!

The Jewish leaders and the Roman government would now help to prove the evidence of Christ's Resurrection!

Let's pray!