Easter Series: “Between Two Trees”
Video Introduction: Good Friday Video
Introduction:
The Tale of Two Trees is found in the Bible we see two trees singled out in the Garden of Eden in Genesis and again in Revelation at the end of time we see one of the trees again – so in the beginning and in the end of time we discover a tale of two trees. Between these two trees is a lot of time – a lot of wasted time – a lot of sin – a lot of evil – a lot of disobedience to God and His Word - a lot of redemption through blood sacrifice of animals and then Jesus emerges on the scene in between these two trees’ stories – He redeems what was lost at the disobedience of Adam and Eve with One tree – Jesus chooses to be the ultimate sacrifice for sin – So Jesus was crucified, beaten, whipped, scorned and tortured for our acts of disobedience to God on a cross or as some say one a tree – He suffered because of your sin and my sin – He was nailed to a tree the cross – so that what was lost by Adam and Eve at the tree of Knowledge of Good and evil could be restored through this other dead tree. His death opens the door for us, so we can partake of another tree which was also found in the Garden of Eden and according to God’s Word tells us it reappears in the Book of Revelation in Heaven – this tree is the Tree of Life.
So, we discover in The Bible a story of 2 Tree’s – 2 Choices – 2 directions - a lot of wasted time between the two trees - a lot of sin between the 2 trees -- but also a selfless act of ultimate love from God to us in the crucifixion of Jesus. This act of love – a violent act by mankind sets us up to be restored to God the Father and to partake of The Tree Of Life.
RENÉE LAREAU MAKES THIS OBSERVATION (ALONG WITH MY ADDITIONS TO HER THOUGHTS) ABOUT WHY WE ARE MEETING THIS FRIDAY AND WHY THIS DAY SHOULD BE A SOLEMN DAY:
The events of Good Friday are violent, to put it mildly. The crucifixion of Jesus and all the events leading up to it are disturbingly violent, ugly, noisy, and bloody. John’s Gospel account of Jesus’ arrest, trial, and crucifixion (traditionally read at services on Good Friday) is filled with images of the screaming crowds (“Crucify Him”), the betrayal of friends, the tearing of garments (and flesh,) and a controversial, heated (out of control trial.) The whole day encompasses one disturbing event after another with enough violence to fill an Arnold Schwarzenegger film. (So why do so many churches approach this day with Silence amid violence?) Renee states, “I always find it so interesting that people often commemorate the events of this disturbing, chaotic, violent day with silence. Houses of worship are never so quiet as they are on Good Friday. Silence is in the air, it seems. Many services begin with complete and utter quiet, and a disturbing hush falls over all who have come to contemplate the crucifixion.”
TONIGHT, I WANT US TO PONDER AND REFLECT THE PRICE AND THE SUFFERRING JESUS PAID ON THAT CROSS FOR OUR SIN OF DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD AND UNDERSTAND HOW HORRIBLE IT WAS FOR JESUS. SOMETIMES WE NEED TO PLACE OURSELVES INTO THE STORIES OF THE BIBLE TO TRULY RECEIVE WISDOM AND REVELATION FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT. LET’S DO THAT TONIGHT.
Thesis for series: The tale of two trees starts in Creation and ends with a picture of Heaven in the end times. One tree started out looking good – it promised knowledge and the ability to be like God – but this knowledge came from experiencing evil resulted in death not life – it resulted in millions of acts of sin, hurt, death, torture and horror – it set a wave of murder and evil loose within the life of mankind. The desirable and lip smacking tree turned to a tree of death and anguish. But within this Garden of Eden we have another tree’s story being told. It is The Tree of Life which because of Adam and Eve’s sin we get banished from it but through Jesus we get to eat of it and it will offer life not death, healing not hurt, peace not war, love not hate and it will give us good not evil for eternity. But we get to choose which tree we want to feast on? Which one have you chosen?
Sermon 1: Good Friday: “The Tree of The Knowledge of Good and Evil.”
Thesis: The Tree of The Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden went from looking lip smacking good to bearing a forbidden poisonous fruit. Adam and Eve ate, and it became a tree representing shame, sin and death. This tree ended their Paradise life experience and launched into a sea of pain, suffering and isolation from God. Upon eating the forbidden fruit, the tree started twisting into a sinister spirit turning from looking a live and luscious tree to a dead and haunting tree and over laid with evil – it was forbidden by God to eat or touch, but Eve and Adam allowed their eyes to be fixated on the one thing they could not have in the Garden. The result was a fallen sinful, isolated, painful state for all of mankind.
T.S - Let’s look into Scripture tonight and discover this Tale of Two Trees!
Genesis 2:
8 Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 And the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”
Genesis 3:
1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” 4 “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. 8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?” 10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” 11 And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” 12 The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” 13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” 14 So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” 16 To the woman he said, “I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” 17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” 20 Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living. 21 The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. 22 And the LORD God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” 23 So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. 24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
We discover in our story of 2 trees a relationship between mankind and God in the Garden of Eden. God had created man and woman and places them in a garden of Paradise – no mosquitos by the way - He gives them all kinds of encouraging things, like plants, water, waterfalls, and encouraging words and shows them all the good and then warns them to stay away from 1 tree – it’s really the only one negative comment or warning in the whole story of Creation – God in essence said, “You can eat enjoy of everything in the Garden except what is on this tree right here – this tree is a no touch or eat zone – stay away from it – warning if you eat of it you will die – So God says other than this tree everything else is yours in this Garden of Eden.
The sin element I want to draw your attention too here was not the real tree but the words of God telling them not to eat of it – the sin of Adam and Eve was disobedience to God’s Word – the main element of sin is disobeying God and His Words.
The fixation on the wrong food, or object or even things:
Have you ever noticed the nature of kids especially toddlers – “We say don’t touch this!” – And they become mesmerized by what they cannot have – no different for Adam and Eve! All they looked at was what they could not have not on what they did have! The sin nature along with coaxing by the enemy cause all of us to go into the no touch zone of God. For all of us this results in an overpowering urge to eat the forbidden fruit then suffer the consequence of that disobedient act our whole life. We are all born with a sin nature as a result of this revelatory story in Genesis.
T.S. – Let’s look at our text tonight a little deeper to see the details of our story of two trees: the following borrowed and adapted from: fromhttps://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin-taylor/the-tree-of-life-and-the-tree-of-the-knowledge-of-god-and-evil/
1. Among all the trees in the Garden of Eden, God identified two special trees: of life, and of the knowledge of good and evil.
a. “And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” (Genesis 2:9)
b. 2 Tree’s:
i. Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil
ii. Tree of Life
2. God allowed Adam to eat from all the trees except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, warning him that death would result.
a. “The LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.'” (Genesis 2:16-17)
b. It’s important to note God made us in His image and that means we have the capacity to reason, think, love and communicate but it seems God gave mankind everything and more they would ever need accept the permission to eat of this one tree – you could say it was a test for mankind to see if they would be faithful to God and His Word – was it an actual tree I think so – it would have been different than all the other trees in the Garden so one would not eat by mistake – it was distinct – in spite of tradition it most likely was not an apple tree some believed it was an apple because Latin for apple is Malum which would designate an evil malus. But most likely according to Jewish theologians it was a either a grape vine, fig tree or apricot tree. But no one knows for sure the tree did bare fruit.
c. Some people think it was unfair of God to place a tree in the reach of Adam and Eve and say don’t eat don’t touch – why do such a thing? Did God know Satan would come as serpent? Why not place an angel to guard them from the tree – why not cut it down and remove it? Would have made life on this earth so much more enjoyable – why give mankind the choice to choose?
i. Why? Because God designed us to be like him and have the ability to choose right from wrong -to have the decision to be faithful to God or not – evil invaded this world and still does because of the choices of mankind – one day this idea of choice will disappear but for now – we choose between good and evil – it’s part of creation and Gods love for us – we have the right to choose his way or the other way.
d. I know people struggle with God testing His creation – but is testing bad?
i. The idea of testing should be looked at as positive verse negative.
1. Truth is God tested Israel just look at their story in the OT:
2. In the book of Proverbs 17:3: The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart.
a. It reveals that God does test our hearts!
3. The apostle Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 2:4: On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.
a. God does test our hearts so why not Adam and Eve?
i. Look at tempt - test - trial in Greek. Dokimazo - New Testament Greek Lexicon - New American Standard https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/dokimazo.html
1. Definition. to test, examine, prove, scrutinize (to see whether a thing is genuine or not), as metals; to recognize as genuine after examination, to approve, deem worthy. NAS Word Usage - Total: 22. analyze 2, approve 3, approved 1, approves 1, examine 4, examines 1, prove 1, proving 1, see fit 1, test 2, tested 3,
ii. See following verses for the proof God does do tests:
1. The righteous God tests the hearts and minds” (Psalm 7:9).
2. “The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the hearts” (Proverbs 17:3).
3. “The LORD tests the righteous, but the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates” (Psalm 11:5).
4. “God tested Abraham, and said to him, . . . ‘Take now your son . . . and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you’” (Genesis 22:1-2). When Abraham was about to slay his son, the “Angel of the Lord called to him . . . and said, . . . ‘Do not lay your hand on the lad, . . . for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me’” (Genesis 22:11-12). “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac” (Hebrews 11:17).
5. In his affliction, Job understood that God was testing him. Job pondered, “What is man, that You should exalt him, that You should set Your heart on him, that You should visit him every morning, and test him every moment?” (Job 7:17-18).
6. David said to God, “You test the heart and have pleasure in uprighteness” (1 Chronicles 29:17). David once invited God to “examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my mind and my heart” (Psalm 26:2). God once withdrew from Hezekiah, “in order to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart” (2 Chronicles 32:31).
7. The Apostle Paul said, “We speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts” (1 Thessalonians 2:4). Since God is unchanging (Job 23:13; Psalm 15:4; Malachi 3:6), may we not also reasonable think that God now tests us in various ways throughout life?
b. God test us for various reasons – here are a few:
i. The tree represented for Adam the choice between submitting to God’s law (truth) or pursuing his own moral authority.
ii. The choice or text showed whether they Feared the Lord (the beginning of wisdom), or did not fear God and would judge for themselves what good and evil is and is not.
1. Learning obedience to God would have resulted in greater wisdom, maturity, and freedom.
2. This is what the serpent tempted Adam and Eve with: “You shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5). That is, you shall judge for yourselves what is evil and good – never a good idea.
3. Just look at all the atrocities in history and what people call good today and what they call evil today!
4. Micah Redding stated,
a. The ability to possess knowledge is a double-edged sword. It unleashes great power, for both good and evil. It allows us to do great things, but it also exposes us to great dangers. It has been responsible for every great deed in history, and for every terrifying horror.
b. To the very extent that our imagination opens up infinite possibilities, it also opens up infinite harms. Of course, our imagination is a core part of us, and we wouldn’t want to escape it. And yet, in possessing the ability to imagine unseen worlds, we expose ourselves to untold dangers.
5. And this is why it is called the knowledge of good and evil.
iii. Quote from gotquestions.org states, “If God had not given Adam and Eve the choice, they would have essentially been robots, simply doing what they were programmed to do. God created Adam and Eve to be “free” beings, able to make decisions, able to choose between good and evil. In order for Adam and Eve to truly be free, they had to have a choice.”
1. John Collins agrees: God intended that through this tree humans would come to know good and evil: either from above, as masters of temptation, or from below, as slaves to sin.
2. The above information on “testing” gleamed from and adapted from Robert L. Waggoner. From the website www.biblicaltheism.com
3. After being tempted by the serpent, Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and Adam did the same.
a. “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” (Genesis 3:6”
b. “Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.” (Genesis 3:7)
4. After eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil—in part to become “wise”— but he soon discovers it’s not the wisdom of God – so Adam now possesses the knowledge of good and evil (he participated in evil and experiences it) not like God does, as well as he receives the knowledge of their nakedness (which is shame a result of sin).
a. “. . . the woman saw that the tree . . . was to be desired to make one wise.” (Genesis 3:6)
b. “Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.” (Genesis 3:7)
c. “Then the LORD God said, ‘Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil.'” (Genesis 3:22b-24)
d. God did not want Adam and Eve to sin. God knew ahead of time what the results of sin would be. God knew that Adam and Eve would sin and would thereby bring evil, suffering, and death into the world. Why, then, did God allow Satan to tempt Adam and Eve? God allowed Satan to tempt Adam and Eve to force them to make the choice. Adam and Eve chose, of their own free will, to disobey God and eat the forbidden fruit. The results—evil, sin, suffering, sickness, and death—have plagued the world ever since. Adam and Eve's decision results in every person being born with a sin nature, a tendency to sin.
e. “Knowing Good and Evil” is not about God’s Wisdom here:
i. One author states: “The first thing to say is that “knowing good and evil” does not refer to the possession of information, like one would “know” the capital of Belgium or the chemical components of a cell membrane. It is an active phrase, and refers to discernment between good and evil, or more simply, making judgments. Compare for example the woman of Tekoa’s words to King David, when she was looking for him to correct a wrong: “For the king will hear and deliver his maidservant from the hand of the man who would destroy both me and my son from the inheritance of God.” Then your maidservant said, “Please let the word of my lord the king be comforting, for as the angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and evil” (2 Samuel 14:16-17). The woman is here seeking for the king to issue a judgment in her behalf. She associates this “knowledge” to the activity of God himself, or the “Angel of God.” It is the kind of judgment that is associated with rulership. Similarly, when Solomon became king upon David’s death, he prays for wisdom. But listen to his actual words: And now, O Yahweh my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. So give your servant a hearing heart to judge your people, to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of yours? (1 Kings 3:9).
5. After Adam disobeyed God’s command regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God forbade Adam to eat from the tree of life lest he live forever in that state; therefore, God banished him from the Garden and posts a guard on the tree.
a. “Then the Lord God said, ‘. . . Now, lest [the man] reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.” (Genesis 3:22b-24)
6. The reason we needed a way to the Tree of Life and deliverance from the tree of death becomes obvious so God sends Jesus for us – for our restoration and redemption to God the Father and for permission to partake and eat of the Tree of life in Heaven:
a. Point to highlight: Adam and Eve's decision is what ultimately required Jesus Christ to die on the cross and shed His blood on our behalf. Through faith in Christ, we can be free from sin's consequences, and ultimately free from sin itself.
i. May we echo the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 7:24-25, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
ii. May we see “The Slain Lamb” at the throne of God in Revelation 4 and 5 the one who is able to restore us to God and to take the scroll which is the plan and will of God to restore mankind to access to His throne and presence.
b. Enter Jesus onto the scene (The Slain Lamb) – especially the events of Good Friday! It’s a solemn even filled with violence, horror, death, torture and abandonment. It by the end of the day leaves the disciples defeated, hopeless, crushed and grieved.
i. Remember the disobedience at the Tree of Knowledge leads to death – Adam and eve’s death – mankind’s death – lots of pain and wasted time – leads to isolation from God’s presence and banishment from the Tree of life.
ii. But Jesus sent by God is a divine act of love and grace and Jesus decides he will follow God’s will and choose to die on another dead tree – the cross.
1. Listen to these Scripture Texts about the tree of Jesus:
a. Acts 5:30: “The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree.”
b. Acts 10:39: “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree.
c. Galatians 3:13: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”
d. 1 Peter 2:24: “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.”
c. The Day of Good Friday – a day of violence and a day filled with evil:
i. Good Friday Events:
1. 6 a.m.
a. Jesus Stands Trial Before Pilate (Matthew 27:11-14; Mark 15:2-5; Luke 23:1-5; John 18:28-37)
b. Jesus Sent to Herod (Luke 23:6-12)
2. 7 a.m.
a. Jesus Returned to Pilate (Luke 23:11)
b. Jesus Is Sentenced to Death (Matthew 27:26; Mark 15:15; Luke 23:23-24; John 19:16)
i. Pilate gives the crowd a choice Barabbas or Jesus?
ii. Crowd choose Barabbas not Jesus!
3. 8 a.m.
a. Jesus Is Led Away to Calvary to the place of the “The Skull” (Luke 23:33; Matthew 27:32-34; Mark 15:21-24; Luke 23:26-31; John 19:16-17)
b. Isaiah 53:3-5
4. 9 a.m.
a. The Crucifixion - "The Third Hour" Jesus Is Crucified on the Cross Mark 15: 25 - It was the third hour when they crucified him. (NIV). (The third hour in Jewish time would have been 9 a.m.)
b. Luke 23:34 - Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (NIV)
c. The Soldiers Cast Lots for Jesus' Clothing (Mark 15:24)
5. 10 a.m.
a. Jesus Is Insulted and Mocked
i. Matthew 27:39-40 - And the people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. "So! You can destroy the Temple and build it again in three days, can you? Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!" (NLT)
ii. Mark 15:31 - The leading priests and teachers of religious law also mocked Jesus. "He saved others," they scoffed, "but he can't save himself!" (NLT)
iii. Luke 23:36-37 - The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. They called out to him, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" (NLT)
iv. Luke 23:39 - One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" (NIV)
6. 11 a.m.
a. Jesus and the Criminal
i. Luke 23:40-43 - But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
1. Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
2. Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." (NIV)
b. Jesus Speaks to Mary and John
i. John 19:26-27 - When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, "Woman, he is your son." And he said to this disciple, "She is your mother." And from then on this disciple took her into his home. (NLT)
7. Noon - "The Sixth Hour"
a. Darkness Covers the Land
i. Mark 15:33 - At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. (NLT)
8. 1 p.m.
a. Jesus Cries Out to the Father
i. Matthew 27:46 - And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (NKJV)
b. Jesus is Thirsty
i. John 19:28-29 - Jesus knew that everything was now finished, and to fulfill the Scriptures he said, "I am thirsty." A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. (NLT)
9. 2 p.m.
a. It Is Finished
i. John 19:30a - When Jesus had tasted it, he said, "It is finished!" (NLT)
ii. Luke 23:46 - Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last. (NIV)
10. 3 p.m. - "The Ninth Hour"
a. Events Following Jesus' Death
i. The Earthquake
1. Matthew 27:51-52 - At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. (NIV)
2. The Centurion - "Surely he was the Son of God!"(Matthew 27:54; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:47)
ii. The Soldiers Break the Thieves' Legs (John 19:31-33)
iii. The Soldier Pierces Jesus Side (John 19:34)
iv. Jesus is Laid in the Tomb (Matthew 27:57-61; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42)
1. Silence falls across the Heaven, across the earth through the disciples of Jesus and Jerusalem:
a. RENÉE LAREAU states, “Whether silence makes us sad or not, there is definitely something about silence that is uncomfortable, as anyone who has been to an awkward dinner party can attest. Mealtime silence causes us to fidget with our forks and dramatically swig our ice water as we try to think of something to say, anything. To be silent, in some situations, is to be socially inept. In other situations, silence brings forth issues and problems we would rather not confront. Discomfort results when silence allows all kinds of fears and worries to seep into our souls. One of my favorite authors wrote that “silence is full of things we need to learn about ourselves,” which may be true, but it doesn’t mean that we have to like it. When we are silent our insecurities and worries bubble to the surface of our consciousness, forcing us to confront them without distraction.
2. Good Friday is not your usual T.G.I.F. day!
a. RENÉE LAREAU notes, “Good Friday silence is hardly the stuff of the Christmastime images conjured up by “Silent Night.” No cute little cattle lowing here. No heavenly peace or sleeping baby in the manger. Good Friday silence invites us to contemplate death and suffering, hardly the stuff of our usual TGIF thoughts. But if silence is, indeed, full of the things we need to learn about ourselves, perhaps we can contemplate suffering and death, both as it pertains to Jesus’ life and to our own.”
3. We never quite know what to do in the face of silence do we. But it seems, somehow, on this solemn day of reflection and revelation, we discover a scene full of graphic violence and unanswered questions, the most adequate response I think we can offer after all is silence.
T.S. - So after these last few words from Vernon tonight -- we are going to dismiss our service in silence so as to ponder and think of what this moment in time must have felt like for those living it, experiencing it and the overwhelming presence of grief.
Vernon’s Spoken Word!
