Easter [ He Did It All For You And Me]

EASTER

Luke 23:44-46 (NIV)

44 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour,

45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.

46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.

Matthew 27:51-54 (NIV)

51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split.

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.

54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!"

VERY BRIEFLY WILL YOU TURN AND SHAKE YOUR NEIGHBORS HAND [AND IF YOU DON`T KNOW THEM THE RIGHT THING TO DO IS INTRODUCE YOURSELF ]

AND TELL THEM –WITH THE HELP OF THE LORD AND THE GUIDIANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS –

THE PREACHER GOING TO PREACH ABOUT

[ HE DID IT ALL FOR YOU AND ME]

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS

THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST WAS THE GREATEST EVENT IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND

BECAUSE IT REVEALS THAT JESUS IS MORE THAN OUR CRUCIFIED SAVIOR

BUT HE IS OUR RISEN LORD

AND THIS MY BROTHER AND SISTERS

WHAT MAKES THE RESSURECTION OF JESUS A NECESSARY PART OF THE GOSPEL

BECAUSE THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS IS SO IMPORTANT THAT IT WAS PROPHESIED HUNDRED OF YEARS BEFORE JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD IN THE FLESH

AND WITHOUT THE DEATH BURIAL AND THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS

THE WORLD WOULD BE LEFT WITHOUT FORGIVENESS OF SIN

AND OUR HOPE OF HEAVEN WOULD BE LOST

BECAUSE THE PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE WOULD`NT HAVE NEVER BECAME A REALITY

BECAUSE THE HEART OF THE GOSPEL IS THE DEATH BURIAL AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS ON OUR BEHALF

AND WITHOUT THE RESURRECTION

JESUS COULD`NT HAVE CONQUERED SIN , DEATH AND HELL

BUT BECAUSE HE GOT UP THAT 3RD DAY MORNING WITH ALL POWER IN HIS HANDS

SIN ,DEATH AND HELL CAN NO LONGER CONQUER US

WHO HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS AS LORD AND SAVIOR OF OUR LIVES

IN THE TEXT ---IN THE TEXT

LUKE GIVES GLIMSPE OF WHAT JESUS ENDURED ON THE CROSS FOR YOU AND ME

WHEN YOU LOOK AT VERSE 44-45A

THE TEXT REVEALS THAT SUN BLEW A FUSE AND REFUSE TO SHINE

AND THE REASON WHY IT REFUSE TO SHINE IS BECAUSE GOD WOULD`NT LET IT SHINE

IT WAS GOD SENT DARKNESS THAT SHROUDED THE CROSS

TO HIDE THE NAKEDNESS OF JESUS

SO THAT THE ONLOOKERS COULD NOT SEE THE SHAME JESUS WAS EXPERIENCING IN OUR STEAD

AND IN THE MIDIST OF IT ALL

NATURE WAS SYMPATHZING WITH THE CREATOR AS HE SUFFERED AND DIED FOR YOU AND FOR ME

THE DARKNESS THAT COVERED THE EARTH WAS A SYMBOL OF THE DARKNESS OF SIN

BECAUSE IT SYMBOLIZED THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE LIGHT OF GOD`S PRESENCE FROM YOU AND ME

AND YOU DO KNOW THAT SIN ALWAYS BRING A SEPERATION BETWEEN GOD AND MAN

BUT JESUS HUNG ON THE CROSS AS A SINNER IN OUR PLACE

IN OTHER WORDS HE BECAME SIN FOR US

AND YOU DO KNOW SIN DESERVES THE JUDGEMENT OF DARKNESS

BUT GOD ALLOWS THE SUN TO BLOW A FUSE AND REFUSE TO SHINE

TO COVER THE PAIN AND AGONY JESUS WAS EXPERIENCING WITH THE DARKNESS OF OUR SINS

AS WELL TO COVER HIS NAKEDNESS FROM THE VIEW OF THE CROWD WHO WAS MOCKING AND LAUGHING AT HIM

***********************************

WELL NOT ONLY DID THE SUN BLEW A FUSE AND REFUSE TO SHINE

BUT THE TEXT ALSO REVEAL THAT THE VEIL IN THE TEMPLE WAS RENT IN HALF

THE RECORD REVEALS

THAT THE VEIL WAS TORN FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM

AND NOT FROM THE BOTTOM TO THE TOP

BECAUSE IT WAS GOD WHO TORE IT

AND WHEN GOD TORE IT

HE WAS OPENING UP A NEW WAY INTO HIS PRESENCE

AND THEREFORE IT WAS NO LONGER NECSSARY TO GO THROUGH MAN TO GET TO GOD

BECAUSE ---JESUS THE GOD MAN

JESUS THE APPLE OF GOD`S EYE WHO IS FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH

OPEN THE WAY—

AND GAVE US ACCESS TO GOD THROUGH HIS DEATH ON CALVARY

JESUS DIED AT THE NINTH HOUR

3:OO IN THE AFTERNOON

THE SAME TIME THE PRIEST WAS MAKING THE OFFERING OF THE PASSOVER LAMB

AND WHILE THE PRIEST WAS SACRIFICING THE SYMBOLIC LAMB

THE LAMB OF GOD WHO TAKES AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD