We completed a study of the 37 recorded miracles of Jesus. Have you noticed, I almost always say “recorded” miracles of Jesus?
The last recorded miracle was found in John’s gospel, and just a few verses later, John concluded his gospel with this:
John 21:25 “And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.”
That’s why I say “recorded” miracles. I’m certain there were more!
Body
Now that we’ve looked at the recorded miracles, let’s look at the Greatest Miracle of All.
Today, I’d like us to begin with the last words of Jesus while He was on the Cross.
Knowing the torture He endured before being hung on the Cross and hanging on the Cross, it is a miracle that He was able to speak any words at all.
We must keep in mind that He was still 100% man, and 100% God.
Last words of Jesus
Scripture tells us He was hung on the cross about 9 am, and He hung there for about 6 hours, until His death.
During those 6 hours, He spoke 7 different times, and once again, we see the heart of Jesus.
We are reminded that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Throughout His ministry, Jesus taught forgiveness. In this moment, on the cross, we see Him living out what He taught.
1st saying:
Luke 23:34 “Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots.”
Stand with me, as we honor God, while reading a couple of verses on forgiveness.
(Give address and pause)
Matthew 6:14 ““For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
This week, a dear friend, mentioned of a season he was in, and I encouraged him to camp out in Matthew 6 for a few days. Matthew 6 is in the middle of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 6, we come to understand that Jesus knows our human-ness.
Matthew 18:21–22 “Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”
2nd saying:
Luke 23:43 “And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.””
So much has been written about this verse:
The thief didn’t say the sinner’s prayer
He wasn’t baptized
He didn’t ask forgiveness
I do know this: Jesus said it and I believe it!
3rd saying:
John 19:26–27 “When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.”
We see OT prophecy being fulfilled many times in the NT. Here, however, we NT prophecy being fulfilled.
Luke 2:34–35 “Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.””
In these first three sayings of Jesus while on the Cross, we see Him thinking about others:
Asking the Father to forgive those who crucified Him
Promising the thief on the Cross, Paradise
Thinking of His mother
4th saying:
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?””
If you like deep dive verses, this is one of them.
Do you remember in the miracle of raising of Lazarus that scripture tells us Jesus cried out in a loud voice?
He does it here also!
I can only imagine that when He cried out in a loud voice to God, He did it with all the strength He had left in His body.
We see Jesus’ human side in His 5th saying:
John 19:28 “After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!””
Again, we see OT foreshadowing that is found in Psalm 69:21 “They also gave me gall for my food, And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.”
John 19:29 “Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth.”
The 6th and 7th sayings of Jesus sort of overlap.
John 19:30 “So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.”
The Greek word for “it is finished” is tetelestai.
In the business context that word means:
The debt is paid in full
In the context of the courts is means:
The sentence has been fully served
In the military context it means:
Victory in battle!
Jesus is telling us:
The debt has been fully paid
The sentence has been fully served
The spiritual has been won!
Luke 23:46 “And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ ” Having said this, He breathed His last.”
Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
We see the birth of Christ- a child is born
We see the death of Christ- A Son is given
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.”
I’d like us to move from the Cross to the Empty Grave.
mash-up of scripture...
The Burial of Jesus
This all happened on Friday, the Day of Preparation, the Day before the Sabbath.
As evening approached a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was a good and righteous man, and member of Jewish high council, went to Pilate and
asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate told Joseph he could have Jesus’ body. The place of crucifixion was near a garden. Joseph took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth. As His body was taken away, the women from Galilee followed and saw where His body was placed in the new tomb.
This was Joseph of Arimathea’s (a-RIM-a-THEE-a)own tomb, and close @ hand. It had been carved out
of rock. He rolled a great stone in front of the entrance. Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting across from the tomb and watching.
The women went home and prepared spices and ointments to anoint Jesus’ body. But by the time they were finished, the Sabbath had begun, so they rested, as required by law.
The Resurrection
Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdelene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb. Suddenly, there was a great earthquake. For an angel of the came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone and sat on it. His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint.
Mary Magdelene, was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in.
She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. “Dear woman, why are you crying? “Because they have taken away my Lord”.
Then the angel spoke to her “Don’t be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here: He is risen from the dead, just as He said would happen”.
She turned to leave, and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize Him. Dear woman, why are you crying? Jesus asked her. “Who are you
looking for?” She thought he was the gardener. Sir, she said. If you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him, Mary Jesus said.
She turned to him and cried out. “Rabboni” (which is Hebrew for “teacher”).
Go find my brothers and tell them I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.
Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, I have seen the Lord. Then she gave them his message.
A couple of things I’d like us to consider this Resurrection Sunday, that maybe you’ve never considered before.
What Jesus left in the tomb
Angels in the Gardens
Let’s begin with Angels in the Gardens.
Completely transparent.
I had missed that this tomb was next to, or in a garden.
Ok, confession time is over. I feel better now, don’t you?
I’d like to look at 3 passages about angels in gardens, and their role in each passage.
First, we see the fall of disobedient man in the Garden of Eden.
Then, we see an angel.
Genesis 3:24 “So He (God) drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.”
This angels role was to guard the garden, and prevent man from gaining access to the tree of life. God placed the angel there because of Adam and Eve’s disobedience in the garden of Eden, by eating of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Another angel in a garden is found in:
Luke 22:43–44 “Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”
Here we see an angel strengthening Jesus in His obedience to God.
The last one we’ll look @ is in:
John 19:41 “Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.”
We see three different accounts of angels appearing after the resurrection. Whether there was one angel or multiple angels, the role was to announce a risen Savior.
One garden is essentially the garden or tomb of death.
Another garden is the garden of a man stepping into His eternal Garden of Salvation,
and yet another Garden is the Garden of Victory over a death handed to us by Adam, into everlasting life with a Risen Savior.
Next, let’s consider:
What did Jesus leave in the tomb?
In my first closing today...
We spent several weeks studying the Miracles of Jesus.
This may have caused you to consider, what was the Greatest miracle of them all?
Was it one of the 37 recorded miracles?
Was it the miraculous virgin birth of Christ?
Was it His Resurrection?
Personally, I believe the greatest miracle of all, is the Miracle of Grace!
Grace that came down from heaven to save you and me
Grace that tabernacled here on hearth
Grace that had the patience to teach us His ways
Grace that endured unimaginable pain as Roman soldiers beat and tortured Him mercilessly
Grace that hung on a tree and pled to the Father to forgive, because they didn’t know what they were doing
Grace that rolled the stone away
Grace that returned to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father
Grace that is unearned, undeserved, and unending
Grace is the greatest miracle of all!
In my second closing:
Next, let’s consider:
What did Jesus leave in the tomb?
He left His grave-clothes:
John 20:5–6 “And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there,”
He left death in the tomb, where it belongs:
Luke 24:5–6 “Then, as they (the women) were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they (the men/angels) said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee,”
He left the folded napkin:
John 20:7 “and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself.”
I’d like to take just a quick minute to explain what I believe this symbolizes:
In Jewish tradition, at mealtime if the Master was finished with his meal, he would sort of crumble up or wad up the dinner napkin.
If he had left the table, but wasn’t finished, he would leave the napkin neatly folded, so the servants would know the Master would be returning.
Church, here’s my question for you today.
Have you had your Resurrection Day?
If you have accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, did you leave your grave-clothes at the altar, or bring them along with you “just in case”?
If you have accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, and became a new-creation, do you look for the living among the dead?
If you have accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, did you crumble up the napkin, or did you fold it in anticipation of His return?
Now, if you haven’t accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, what in the world are you waiting for?
-Crystal sing 1st verse and chorus of “Softly and Tenderly”
-Pray out-
