The Price That Was Paid For His Presence
For the past few weeks, we’ve been taking a look at this ROOM WITH A VIEW. We’ve been talking about prayer and how we can all call on God at any time, at any place. That we can enter His presence any time we wish. Today, we want to take a look at the PRICE THAT WAS PAID FOR THAT PRIVILEGE.
2000 years ago, the temple was the center of worship. In the midst of that temple was a special place. A place called the Holy of Holies. This is the place of God’s presence. The place where He dwelt. So holy was this place that a veil was placed over its entrance to separate everyone from this place. For no one was worthy, no one was holy enough to enter this place. Or, even to look inside.
Jesus often went to the temple to worship the Father, but when he arrived, he kept on referring to it as “HIS house.” He often referred to this place as His Father’s house. He said that He and the Father were one.
So hated was Jesus by the Jewish leaders by this act, that they plotted to kill Him. They were infuriated by His insistence that He could forgive the people of their sins. This was blasphemy for only God could do this. They hated Him because He claimed to be God. They hated Him because He went throughout the land healing the sick, raising the dead, casting out the demons and performing miracles that confounded the wise.
John 11:47-50 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. 48 If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.” 49 And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, 50 nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.”
Caiaphas had no idea as to the truth of his words. You see, Caiaphas feared Rome would come and punish the Jewish people for following a new “king,” so Caiaphas wanted to kill off Jesus to save their POLITICAL standing…but, again, Caiaphas had no idea as to the truth of his words! For what he said for political gain…is the very thing that brought spiritual gain!
And so, the religious leaders of the day sought to kill Him. They planned His death. They did everything possible to ensure His death. And…they were successful. They plotted with Judas to betray Christ. They came to the garden where Jesus was praying. Jesus was captured. He was tried, He was beaten, and He was killed. His pain was excruciating. And His death was real.
Try to imagine, if you would, that moment – that sad, solemn moment – when our precious Lord died once and for all for the sins of the world. After all of the beatings, after all of the pain He suffered. After the humiliation of hanging on that cross. That Jesus died!
As soon as Jesus died on the cross,
all creation shook…
all of hell’s fury raged…
all of heaven cried out in mourning…
The rocks literally split wide open…
The graves rumbled…
And to the Jewish citizen – the worst possible event had occurred…
The VEIL to the Holy of Holies RIPPED in TWO!
The veil that protected them from their God who was to be feared was gone.
Thus, exposing the one sacred area of their community. For this veil divided off the common areas from the most precious place in their temple – the “Holy of Holies.”
To them, this is where God dwelt. It was a place to remain a light of hope and a place where the priests would commune with God Himself.
They knew God as unapproachable – but for selected times – in the Holy of Holies.
BUT Jesus said in Matthew 11:28 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Their understanding of God was a God to be feared. BUT Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
They believed that God dwelt in this place. BUT Jesus said in John 14:23, “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.”
So, when the veil ripped, it allowed everyone to peek in…to see into the private area that contained God’s presence…AND that was why Jesus came - So that you could have an intimate relationship with Him!!
BUT THEY KILLED the One who would bring about this message of hope, mercy, and peace. They had killed the God of Light. They had tortured the God of their hope. And now the room where they experienced God in a sacred way…was defiled. And the light had left this Holy place.
Because Jesus was dead, in the tomb…and then it was Saturday.
Around Easter Sunday, we often focus on the Day Jesus rose from the dead.
And even Good Friday – the Day Jesus Died on the cross. But rarely, if ever, do we reflect on what Saturday was like – the day in the middle.
1. On Saturday…No Believer was to be Found.
Luke 5:11 They forsook all and followed him.
Matthew 26:55a,56b In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me?... 56 Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
NOTICE that with the same resolute commitment that made them drop their nets, quit their jobs, and follow Christ 3 ½ years ago…it was with that same resolute attitude that on this day, they forsook him…and fled!
2. On Saturday…All Believers lived in Fear.
John 20:19a Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews…
3. On Saturday…It Seemed like Evil had Prevailed.
The Jews were satisfied – as they had rid themselves of this problem. Pilate was breathing easy – as he had appeased the Jews and saved his political job. The enemies of Jesus were rejoicing – as they had finally silenced all believers in Jesus Christ.
Psalm 27:12-15 The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth. 13 The Lord laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming. 14 The wicked have drawn the sword and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, to slay those who are of upright conduct. 15 Their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
4. On Saturday…Believers felt Powerless
Jesus had given them hope of a new kingdom…but, now, He was dead! Rome was still an oppressing political force to them. They had put all their hopes in Jesus Christ…and nothing has changed!
They were still oppressed. There was no visible ‘kingdom’ and now their leader was dead.
5. On Saturday…Everything seemed Hopeless
Was His Word true? Was Jesus trustworthy? Was Jesus really who He said He was?
People had heard Him say, “I am the resurrection and the Life.” People had heard Him offer eternal life to all who would believe in him “John 4”…but he didn’t have the power to save Himself.
I wonder if the description of Saturday is the type of life that you are living right now?
Fearful.
Powerless.
Hopeless.
Afraid of the future.
Filled with Despair.
I know how it is to feel like this on some days of your life. How do I know? Because I feel this way on occasion. Everyone does. But there’s hope!
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
But you may say, “ Jonathan, that all sounds nice but what good is any of it if this promise came from a person who is dead? I mean, just look around you – darkness, despair, fear, and hopelessness. Where’s the hope in this?
You know what? You’re right. It doesn’t look too good right now. It’s Saturday. It does look dismal and dark right now. For the One who made all of these promises…is lying in a borrowed tomb…dead on Saturday.
And it is pretty quiet and dark…with no way to ignite the light of hope.…And if this were any other situation, any other person, any other day, we would be without hope.
We would have no light.
We would have no peace.
We would have no future.
But, the good news is that you don’t have to “sorrow as others who have no hope.” I Thessalonians 4:13b
Yes, the world would say, “He’s dead…you have no hope!”
Yes, the world would have us believe that what we feel deep down in our hearts is mere sentiment.
True, there are not many in this world who believe the truth of Jesus Christ,
BUT, MY FRIEND, hear me loud & clear this morning:
We don’t serve a God who is in the grave today!
We don’t pray to a God of Stone or a God that is a figment of man’s imagination!
We don’t meet every week to reflect on nothing but memories of our Savior,
It is not a mere creed or concept that we are deeply in love with!
We worship the risen Lord Jesus Christ…and Him only will we serve!
Even though during the deepest, darkest, hours in history – on that Saturday – as Christ’s body lay lifeless in a borrowed tomb…all mankind believed that Jesus’ words were a lie.
And it seemed that He was POWERLESS to do ANYTHING HE SAID HE WAS ABLE TO DO, And when it seemed like it couldn’t get any darker in the world and in man’s hearts…And when it seemed like ALL THE POWERS OF HELL had prevailed…
That is when the very hand of God reached down…
And with no effort at all…rolled the stone away from that grave!
And all of heaven shouted…
and the trump of God resounded…
And ALL THE HEAVENLY HOST…
ALL CREATION…
ALL THE ANGELS…
Witnessed Our Lord – our Lord Jesus Christ – the One who had healed the sick, who had raised the dead, who had cast out the demons, who had fed the thousands, who had walked on the water, who had turned the water into wine, who had been born in that manger.
THEY WITNESSED JESUS’ BODY BEGIN TO STIR, THEY WITNESSED HIM STANDING IN THE MIDST OF THAT DARK TOMB, THEY WITNESSED HIM WALKING OUT OF THAT TOMB. THEY WITNESSED THE LORD JESUS CHRIST RISE FROM THE DEAD!!!
BECAUSE SATURDAY WAS NOW OVER, AND SUNDAYHAD ARRIVED!!!
He rose, just like He said He would. Everything He said would happen, the things He told His disciples, it was all true. It was just as He promised. He had proven that He was indeed the Son of God.
Philippians 2:9-11 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
All creation, every man, every woman will someday bow down and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord. I’ve bowed my knee to Him already. Many of you have done so as well. My prayer is that if you haven’t, that you would bow your knee today…and accept Him as your personal Lord and Savior.
You see, my friend, the veil is ripped – and what was once a horrible thing (to have the holy of holies exposed to the common people) is NOW a wonderful thing. Meaning. YOU can approach God whenever you want to find grace and peace in the time of need.
God is there.
God is accessible.
God is waiting for you to place your faith and trust in Him.
Because of the price He paid for the privilege of His presence in your life!
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
