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
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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
WAS BEING SACRIFICED OUTSIDE THE CITY WALLS OF JERUSALEM
THE TEARING OF THE VEIL IS SO IMPORTANT
BECAUSE THE VEIL WAS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IN THE TEMPLE
BECAUSE THE VEIL SURROUNDED THE ARK OF THE COVENANT
AND THE ARK OF THE COVENANT SYMBOLIZED THE VERY PRESENCE OF GOD
THE TEARING OF THE VEIL GAVE EVERY ONE PERSONAL & DIRECT ACCESS TO GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST
BUT NOT ONLY DID THE TEARING OF THE VEIL GIVE US ACCESS
BUT THE VEIL WAS ALSO SYMBOLIC OF MAN`S INTERNAL PROBLEMS
YOU SEE MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS
MAN`S NATURE WAS EVIL
AND THE HOLY OF HOLIES WAS A CONSTANT REMINDER TO MAN THAT HE WAS CROOKED AND IN NEED OF A SAVIOR
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WELL NOT ONLY DID THE BLEW A FUSE AND REFUSE TO SHINE
NOT ONLY WAS THE VEIL IN THE TEMPLE WAS RENT IN HALF
BUT THE TEXT ALSO TEACHES US
THAT JESUS DISMISSED HIS SPIRIT INTO HIS FATHERS HANDS
IN OTHER WORDS
JESUS GAVE UP HIS LIFE FOR YOU AND ME
AND THE FACT THAT JESUS DIMISSED HIS SPIRIT INTO HIS FATHERS HAND
IS EVIDENCE THAT JESUS WAS IN TOTAL CONTROL OF HIS DEATH AND RESSURRECTION
AND HE LET`S US KNOW THAT WE CAN TRUST GOD AT ALL TIMES
AS WELL IN ALL SITUATIONS
NO MATTER HOW BAD YOUR SITUATION MAY SEEM TO YOU
HE LETS US KNOW WE CAN TRUST GOD WITH OUR SITUATIONS
BECAUSE IF GOD CAN
BIRTH ADAM WITHOUT A MAN OR A WOMAM
BIRTH EVE WITHOUT A WOMAN
IF GOD CAN PREGNATE MARY WITHOUT A MAN
THERES NO PROBLEM TO BIG FOR OUR GOD
YOU SEE MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS
JESUS SURENDERED HIS BODY TO DEATH
BUT HE DISMISS HIS SPIRIT INTO THE HANDS OF GOD
AND IN BY DOING SO
HE LETS US KNOW THAT GOD HANDS ARE FAITHFUL AND TRUSTWORTHY HANDS
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WELL NOT ONLY DID THE SUN BLEW A FUSE AND REFUSE TO SHINE
NOT ONLY DID THE VEIL IN THE TEMPLE RENT IN HALF
NOT ONLY DID JESUS COMMITED HIS SPIRIT INTO HIS FATHER HANDS
BUT WHEN YOU GO TO MATTHEW 27 VERSE 51 PART- B
IT REVEALS THAT THE EARTH BEGAN TO REEL AND ROCK LIKE A DRUNK MAN
WHICH LETS US KNOW THAT CREATION WAS SYMATHIZING WITH THE CREATOR
FOR WHAT HE WAS GOING THROUGH FOR YOU AND FOR ME
ROCKS STARTED SPILTING AND GRAVES STARTED OPENING
WELL NOT ONLY DID THE SUN BLEW A FUSE AND REFUSE TO SHINE
AND THE VEIL OF THE TEMPLE RENT IN HALF
NOT ONLY DID JESUS SURRENDER HIS BODY TO DEATH AND HIS SPIRIT INTO THE HANDS OF HIS FATHER
AND THE EARTH ROCK AND REEL LIKE A DRUNK MAN
BUT THE TEXT ALSO REVEAL THAT IF LEFT THE CETURION SOLDIER WITH A TESTIMONY
FOR HE SAID
SURELY ---SURELY THIS MAN WAS THE SON OF GOD
AND HE WAS RIGHT BUT HE MADE A MISTAKE WHEN HE SAID WAS
BUT I STOP BY TO TELL HE STILL IS THE SON OF GOD
WELL JOSEPH & NICODEMUS PLACE HIM IN A BORROWED TOMB
HE STAYED THERE ALL NIGHT FRIDAY
STAYED THERE ALL SATURDAY MORNING ---STAYED THERE ALL SATURDAY EVENING
BUT EARLY ----
EARLY- EARLY SUNDAY MORNING
BEFORE THE BARN YARD PIMP COULD SOUND THE ALARM CLOCK
BEFORE THE MORNING DEW COULD FALL ON GOD`S PRETTY GREEN GRASS
HE GOT UP
EVEN THOUGH I WAS`NT THERE I BELIEVE HE GOT UP
YOU SEE MATTHEW SAYS HE GOT UP
MARK SAYS HE GOT UP
LUKE SAYS HE GOT UP
JOHN SAYS HE GOT UP
GRANDMA SAID HE GOT UP
EVEN THOUGH I WAS`NT THERE I BELIEVE HE GOT UP
WITH ALL POWER IN HEAVEN AND EARTH IN HIS HANDS
HAVE A BLESS EASTER YALL
AND BE ENCOURAGE AND HIGHLY FAVORED IN THE LORD
BUT RENMEMBER HE DID IT ALL FOR YOU AND FOR ME
