Sermon Central
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The Day God Died
Contributed by Larry Jones on Apr 18, 2001 (message contributor)
Summary: Although the death of Jesus may have appeared destructive, we find life in Him.
The Day God Died.
And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 35And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. 36And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down. 37And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. [KJV]
Today People look to Jesus in a very vast spectrum of ways.
Good Teacher, Anointed Man, God, Evil, Myth, etc.
Perhaps the confusion rests in His death, until the crucifiction, He was a miracle, truth, comfort, guide, friend, leader, teacher, - even as some pointed out – Godlike.
Then He died.
How can he do anything now, he had lead the disciples into a confusing place. Death makes Jesus only a man.
Because.
1. A dead man has no authority in my life.
- Roosevelt, 4 terms, died, Truman was
now the authority.
2. A dead man cannot empower his agenda.
-All of Jesus’ teachings now mean
nothing.
-The best way to weaken a movement is
to kill its leader.
(This was the plan of the Jewish leaders)
3. A dead man ensures the fact that he is not
divine.
-Could prove that Jesus was a fake.
-Does prove that humanistic divinity
is a joke.
But there is more to this story.
And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. [NASB-U]
What appeared to be a devilish defeat was really a DIVINE DEATH.
Here the separation of mankind was remedied in His death.
(Explain the veil – 1 time per year)
Now I can enter into the Holy of Holies.
His death was necessary for our salvation.
He couldn’t win a battle that He did not fight in.
Then they buried Him
One week before, Mary had anointed Jesus with costly perfume to prepare Him for his burial.
This made Him take on the aroma of a King.
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Him. 2Very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. 3They were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?" 4Looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away, although it was extremely large. 5Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed. 6And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him. [NASB-U]
When they arrived at the tomb all they found of Jesus was the aroma of a King
Today we need to realize that Jesus is not gone all we have to do is sense the sweet aroma of His Grace and we know the King is present.
(Holy Spirit)
1. Sing a hymn
2. Read His Word
3. Pray – etc.
These all bring that sweet aroma around once again
This lets me know that He is alive.
And Because He Lives,
1. He is the giver of Life.
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. [KJV]
I like that phrase "more abundantly" it gives a feeling of complete satisfaction.
2. He gives fullness and empowering to my faith
1 Cor. 15:12-19
Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; 14and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. 15Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. 16For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; 17and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.
