Badenoch Free Church

Sunday Morning 3rd Feb 2008
 
Matthew’s account of Jesus’ crucifixion is full of detail about what others do to Him, but very little record of what Jesus does and says Himself.
It is in all its details it is an amazing fulfilment of Isaiah 53.
This morning we will look at what happened to Jesus, with Isaiah 53 very much in mind.
To begin with we will look at what happened from a divine perspective and why.
1) what God did (Isa 53v6,8,10)
“My God, My God why have you forsaken me” v46.
Jesus felt God turn his face away. WHY did Jesus feel like that?
a) because God was laying our sin on him. (substitution)
Isaiah 53:6 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
b) because He was being punished with the punishment we were due (penal substitution)
NLTIsaiah 53:8 From prison and trial they led him away to his death. But who among the people realized that he was dying for their sins -- that he was suffering their punishment?
c) because he was being crushed - to make us heirs.
NLT Isaiah 53:10 But it was the LORD's good plan to crush him and fill him with grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have a multitude of children, many heirs. He will enjoy a long life, and the LORD's plan will prosper in his hands
That is the great end of it all. Jesus took our sin and our punishment so that we could become children of God! The sin had to be dealt with so that Gods ultimate plan could take effect.
With that great reason in mind we can look now at what Jesus went through on that day to achieve our salvation!
 
2) what the chief priests and the elders do to him. (Isa53v3)
Condemn him to death and hand him over v1-2
Make their charge before Pilot v12
Persuade the crowd to call for the crucifixion of Jesus v20,22 - Persuade ….
Mock and insult him v41 (Isa53v4)
The important thing to notice is who they are doing this to. It is Jesus they are attacking, mocking, plotting against……….
 
3) what Pilot does (Isa53v8)
Gives him a public trial v11f
Tries to release Jesus v18, 21. Giving the crowed the offer of the best or the worst prisoner! They chose the guilty over the innocent.
Gives up v24
Has Jesus flogged then handed over to the executioners v26
Even Pilot knows this is wrong. He can’t believe what is going on.
Yet still concedes to their demands.
 
4) what the soldiers do. (Isa53v4-5)
Surround him v27
Strip him and mockingly put on royal robes v28
Put on the crown of thorns and mockingly worship him v29
Spit on him and beat him with a staff v30
Take off the robe and re-clothe him, lead him to the cross v31
Crucify him v35
Again remember they are doing this to Jesus. Had he ever done anything to deserve such barbarity?
5) what the others did
Fellow crucified mock him v44
Passers by insult and frown v39-40 (Isa53v3-4)
The crowds that welcomed Him with shouts of Hosanna now despise Him. Hate him. What a disappointment He turned out to be. No way was he the Messiah, hanging there on the Cross!
Joseph takes his body and puts him in the tomb v58-60 (Isa53v9)
One positive to finish with. Another detail of prophecy fulfilled. Killed as a common criminal yet buried as a wealthy man!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sunday Evening 3rd Feb 2008
 
 
The effects of the death of Jesus Mat 27v50-53.
What did His death accomplish?
Liberation of God, Earth and Man.
Jesus died v50. (And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. LK23v46/Jh19v30) and then :
 
1) God was liberated - curtain temple torn in to. God could now again walk freely with man because sin had been dealt with.
Matthew 27:51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
This was a divine act. “top to bottom.” A human could only tear from bottom to top! And even then it would be a struggle as the veil was 60 foot high and 30 foot wide!
The curtain symbolised the separation between God and Man. That separation was now gone.
Often we think of being free now to go to God, but more importantly God is free to come to us!
Without our sin being dealt with Gods wrath could brake out at any time, but now his wrath has been appeased.
Hebrews 10:19-22 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
God’s desire was always to be with us, in full fellowship. Having dealt with sin that desire can be achieved.
Application:
How then should we live? In that freedom. With God.
 
2) The earth liberated - an earthquake symbolising the hope of a new and better creation
Matthew 27:51 …. The earth shook and the rocks split.
This reminds us of the cosmic compass of Gods plan of salvation.
At the death of Jesus the earthquake reveals a “significant earthly reaction to the divine events on the cross”
Colossians 1:19-20 For God was pleased to have all his fulness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Romans 8:19-22 19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that {Or subjected it in hope. 21 For} the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
Isaiah 65:17-25
Isaiah 11:1-10 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him--the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD-- 3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; 4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. 5 Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash round his waist. 6 The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. 7 The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. 8 The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest. 9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. 10 In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious.
Application:
We live in an environmentally sensitive age.
People are aware of the gift of creation and the need to protect it.
We can join in this love of creation, use it as common ground.
We can explain the reason for creations problems - sin.
We can point to the hope of creations renewal.
 
3) Man was liberated - people rose from the dead.
Matthew 27:52-53 52 The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
The sequence of events here should be understood as this: Jesus dies, then an earthquake opens the tombs and then at the resurrection of Jesus “holy people” are also raised. The power of the Spirit in raising Christ overflowed and raised others with him!
“holy people”? Probably the bodies of well known OT saints! A kind of deposit guaranteeing the final resurrection for all who die believing in Jesus.
Colossians 1:21-22 21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of {Or minds, as shown by} your evil behaviour. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation--
1Cor 15v20-23
1 Corinthians 6:14 14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.
Application:
The great hope that we have is our full salvation. Body and soul will be saved.
The physical and the spiritual will be brought together in perfect unity.
Conclusion:
All this Jesus accomplished by his death on the Cross.
What a Saviour. What a Salvation.