Sermon for 2/21/2010
Darkness
Introduction:
Are you scared of the dark? I counted the # of night lights in my house- 7. Who needs 7 night lights? When I was a bachelor I didn't have any night lights. I now have arthrits in my toes because I stubbed them so much but I was saving those pennies on the electric bill.
WBTU:
A. Last week we had Ash Wednesday, and thus begin the Lenten, Easter season.
B. Around the cross and empty tomb we have some surprising events that often we don’t think about. We think about the main events and this is good but there are some things that happened around the cross and empty tomb that add a lot of color to the scene.
C. The color we talk about today is in the background of the cross. It is black, or darkness. This is described in 3 gospels:
1. Matthew 27:41-50
2. Mark 15:31-37
3. Luke 23:44-45
Thesis: Today we are going to ask three questions of this miracle. Where? What? And Why?
For instances:
1. Where? (All the land, the Whole Land)
A. By the time the darkness came, Jesus had already hung on the cross for 3 hours, from 9 o’clock to twelve noon. At the 6th hour (at noon) darkness blanketed the land until the 9th hour (3 o’clock) in the afternoon.
B. The part of the earth that was supposed to have sunlight during that time of the day didn’t have it for 3 hours. The sun didn’t shine during the heat of the day.
C. Tertullian, a church historian, was writing to some pagan adversaries in the second century. He wrote, “At the moment of Christ’s death, the light departed from the sun and the land was darkened at noonday. This wonder is related in your (speaking to heathen adversaries) own annals and is preserved in your archives to this day.”
E. Phlegon, Roman astronomer, says of that day, “The greatest eclipse of the sun that was ever known happened then, for the day was so turned into night that the stars appeared.”
2. What? (The sun stopped shining- Luke 23:45)
B. Where did the darkness come from? What caused it?
(1) An Eclipse? This was the time of the Passover and the time of a full moon. Astronomers tell us that a solar eclipse is impossible at this time. An eclipse never occurs suddenly as did this incident and an eclipse only lasts for a few minutes--never three full hours. Tell story about in Jr. High and had an eclipse.
(2) A Natural Phenomena? Could it be a darkness like that associated with a volcanic eruption? This darkness covered the entire land and it came suddenly. Earthquakes happen with volcanic eruptions but there is no mention of ash or rocks falling.
(3) A Dust Storm or Cloud Cover? What about a dark cloud cover which suddenly rolled in or perhaps a very heavy dust storm? Again, it is unlikely because of its suddenness.
(4) An Act of God
C. If this happened the way that the Scriptures say it did, then the natural world would have been in a mess. We live in a world of delicate balance. Think about El Nino. Think about the changes that would come about if all of the sunlight stopped for 3 hours. The temperatures would plummet and this would cause changes in weather, in the water currents, in the tides. None of this is mentioned in the Scriptures. Why? Because God didn’t allow it to happen. All things are possible with God.
D. It came suddenly and ended suddenly with no warning- the turning off of a light. The Revised Standard Version says in this verse that the sun’s light failed; the New Living Translation says that the light from the sun was gone.
E. Exactly how deep or black was this darkness? We are not told but it was not the twilight fading of the sun, but an all encompassing, frighteningly sudden darkness.
F. In nature, darkness always surrenders to light. But here, the darkness of Calvary was so intense that it smothered the light. This is an amazing thing to consider.
3. Why?
God stopped the sun from shining to highlight three things about the cross of Christ.
1. Men love spiritual darkness
A. We do not like physical darkness, but we love spiritual darkness. (John 3:19 NIV) This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. (John 3:20 NIV) Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
B. (Eph 5:11 NIV) Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. (Eph 5:12 NIV) For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. (They do it in the dark, why?) (Eph 5:13 NIV) But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, (Eph 5:14 NIV) for it is light that makes everything visible.
C. This hateful crowd around the cross illustrates this very well- the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders. (Mat 27:18 NIV) For he (Pilate) knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.
D. Not satisfied that he is being crucified they stood around the cross and mocked him and heaped insults on him. (Psa 22:6) But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people.(Psa 22:7) All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads:(Psa 22:8) "He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him."(Psa 22:16) Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet.
G. (Exo 10:21 NIV) Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness will spread over Egypt--darkness that can be felt." Once they got a good taste of that darkness, they found out they really didn’t like it.
G. What happened during the darkness? Silence. The evil, cruel taunts, the sarcastic comments, all are hushed now. The darkness is frightening, and as they experience this darkness, they tremble at the connection of this event to the crucifixion of Jesus.
H. When the light comes back their attitude is different. When Jesus begins to speak they are more attentive. They misunderstand him but they give him a drink. When he is dead, we have this reaction from the centurion and those who were watching, (Matthew 27:54); they were terrified and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”
2. There was a battle going on between spiritual forces
A. In the Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, there is a scene where Aslan delivers himself to the White Witch to be sacrificed for Edmond. The most hideous creatures and followers of the White Witch come around Aslan and beat him, cut him, and rip out his hair. It is a very gruesome scene. Finally the white witch comes and finishes him off. This is a picture of what is happened with Jesus on the cross.
B. (Psa 22:12 NIV) Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. (Psa 22:13 NIV) Roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against me.
C. (1 John 3:8) The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.
D. (Col 2:15 NIV) And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
3. The darkness symbolizes the inconceivable suffering of Jesus Christ in His death.
B. (2 Cor 5:21 NIV) God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
C. (Isa 53:5) But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
D. It caused him to cry out, My God, My God, why have you forsaken me? (Psalm 22) His suffering was hidden from all human eyes. No human eyes were intended to see Him in His supreme anguish.
E. Poem by John Ellerton- Throned upon the awful tree, Lamb of God, Your grief I see. Darkness veils your anguished face; none its lines of woe can trace. None can tell what pangs unknown hold you silent and alone. Silent through those three dread hours, wrestling with the evil powers, left alone with human sin, gloom around you and within, till the appointed time is nigh, Till the Lamb of God may die. Hark, that cry that peals aloud upward through the whelming cloud! You, the Father’s only Son, You, His own anointed One, You are asking “can it be” “Why have You forsaken Me?”
E. What does it mean to be forsaken by God? No living man could know. We are surrounded by His graces. We are sustained by His mercies. We are daily dependent upon Him to sustain us. Whether we believe in Him or not.
F. There may have been times when you felt forsaken by God. Sad to see a person forsaken. 1. A child forsaken by his parents. 2. A wife forsaken by her husband. 3. Person forsaked by his friends. These are nothing to equal a man forsaken by God.
G. That's what it is all about. Jesus was forsaken by the Father that you need never be forsaken. He tasted death for you, that you might know life in Him.
H. This is what hell will be like. Completely forsaken of God! Alone for all of eternity
Conclusion and invitation:
A. (Mat 25:30 NIV) And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
B. (Rev 21:23 NIV) The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.
