CHRIST’S FINAL WEEK: DARKNESS BEFORE THE DAWNING
PSALM 30:5b
“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”
Disclaimer: Source material for this sermon has been gleaned from many different sources. I have attempted to acknowledge these sources whenever possible.
Introduction: The events of the week had unfolded: Mary anointing the feet of Christ, the Triumphal Entry, Christ cleansing of the Temple, confrontation with the religious leaders, the betrayal pact of Judas and the Pharisees, Christ’s observance of the Passover Seder, the Garden of Gethsemane, the betrayal kiss, Jesus’ arrest, the crucifixion of the Son of God, the tomb. While the demons danced and the devil laughed, the disciples sat in the deepest depths of despair. Mary, the mother of Jesus mourned. All nature shuddered at the death of the Creator. Sadness and weeping as the world lay in darkness. It always appears darkest before the dawn.
I. Weeping may endure for a night - Sadness came because
A. Dreams appeared to be shattered.
1. The disciples had hoped that Christ was the long expected Messiah. In their own words they “were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel.” – Luke 24:13
2. They had looked forward to His setting up the kingdom and their participation in the governing of that kingdom.
3. Remember how the Mother of James and John came in Matthew 20:21 and said to Christ, “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.”
4. They had such dreams and hopes.
5. But now their dreams appeared to have gone up in smoke. The One whom they were following lay dead in sealed tomb. They were desponded, disappointed, depressed and in despair.
6. Some of you have seen the death of your dreams. You have watched as life has altered or shattered the plans and dreams you once held so dear. Like the disciples you are dejected and dismayed by dreams that have been devastated.
7. When dreams are shattered, hope dies and when there is no hope one begins to question “what is the value of life?”
B. Separation and loneliness looked as if it was eternal.
1. Mary’s Son’s lifeless body lay in a cold garden tomb. A great stone had been placed across the entrance to the tomb pointing out the separation of the living from the dead. The coldness of death looked as if the devil had won and that she would be separated from the One who the angel told Mary was to be called Immanuel for eternity.
2. Accompanying this separation was the feeling of loneliness, the kind of loneliness that is brought on by despair, the loneliness that you feel although you may be in the midst of a crowd.
3. You can sense the same mournful feelings of loneliness and separation are seen when Mary Magdalene comes to the tomb of Christ and the angels ask her in John 20:13 “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”
4. Just as some of you have seen your dreams shattered, many of you have experienced or are experiencing the sadness of separation, loneliness and alienation. Some through death of a loved one. Some through the death of a marriage. Some through broken friendships. Some through broken health.
5. You feel that no one understands what you are going through. You feel that you must carry the load all yourself. You may even feel angry and question why you are going through this dark valley.
C. Promises had been forgotten
1. Jesus Christ had given to His followers a number of precious promises concerning the events related to His death, promises they had forgotten. They became desponded because they had forgotten what He had said.
2. He said He would rise again - Luke 18:31 – 33 Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”
3. He said when He would rise again - Matthew 12:38 – 40 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
4. He said death had no power over Him - John 10:17 – 18 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”
5. He said He was the Source of Life - John 11:25 – 26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die…
6. He said He would not leave them alone - John 14:18 – 19 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.
7. Many of you have forgotten the promises that Christ has made to you. Promises to never leave you. (Hebrews 13:5). Promises to meet your needs (Philippians 4:19). Promises of comfort and protection (John 14:16-17).
II. Weeping may endure for a night - But Joy comes in the morning
A. The Devil laughed and the Demons danced thinking that they had destroyed the King of the Universe. But what appeared to be a victory for Satan was to be his defeat and downfall.
B. The darkness gave way to the dawning on that Resurrection Morning.
C. 1 Corinthians 15:17 – 19 …if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.
D. If Christ remained in the grave cold and silent, then we would have good reason for our tears, for us to feel abandoned and hopeless. But thank god for the fact that joy came in the morning.
E. Mark 16:1 – 7 Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”
F. It is said that on the evening of June 18, 1815 a man stood in the tower of England’s Winchester Cathedral gazing anxiously out to sea. At last he found what he was looking for - a ship sending a signal by use of lights. He strained to see the message. All of England held its breath with him, wanting to know the outcome of the war between their military leader, the Duke of Wellington, and the French dictator Napoleon Bonaparte. Bonaparte, who had once ruled all of Europe bar England remained a threat, and now the decisive Battle of Waterloo had been fought. So, as he stood in the tower of Winchester Cathedral our man waited to relay the news that would determine England’s future. The signal came just as a heavy fog was rolling in. It only just got through, but how he wished it hadn’t, for the signal read: "Wellington defeated" The man signaled to other stations and the news spread across the countryside, bringing great gloom and sadness. But then a great reversal. The fog lifted, and the message was sent again, this time in full: "Wellington defeated the enemy". Joy? Happiness? Delirium! Wellington had won! On the day of Christ’s crucifixion it seemed the message was "Christ defeated", but three days later we discover that the message had not been receive din full. The resurrection reverses what we initially thought and declares "Christ defeated the enemy!"
G. You who have had dreams shattered, you who have been in the depths of despair and loneliness, you who long for eternal life realize the victory has been won.
H. Romans 8:37 – 39 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I. 1 Corinthians 15:55 – 57 “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
