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good morning to everyone now welcome back and good to see all of you any visitors that are out there with us this morning it's a joy to have you with us it always is nice to have visitors among us so we welcome you to free grace Baptist Church before our worship just a few announcements your first off there will be a meeting with the the Surry people that's what we're calling you now the people involved with the Surry church plant there'll be a meeting after the a.m. worship in the fellowship hall so if you could find your way there immediately after worship that would be helpful and again that's everybody involved with the the Surry Reformed Baptist Church plant secondly just a reminder to make sure that you vote on Mike Kirkpatrick for eldership ballot envelopes you may have received one and you may have already put your ballot in the white box it's at the back make sure you do put it in the white box and not the offering box that will happen vice versa but make sure the ballots for Mike Kirkpatrick and elder should go into the white box if you don't have an envelope yet you can see the deacons there I think specifically for Doug and Mike for for your envelope so please today is the last the last day so please make sure that you take care of that lastly we have the church directory update information at the back just behind the the left hand side here in the the entryway to provide either mark that your your phone numbers and your email addresses are the same or if you're not on there or you have new phone numbers or email addresses you can write them on there and watch your penmanship some of you need to spend a little bit more time writing clearly so just make sure that you put the right you know a clear phone number and a clear email address if you are updating yours and to check it if it's the same well thank you let's move on to sacred things as we begin our worship here this morning with a reading of Psalm 2 that is our call to worship this Lord's Day morning Psalm 2 psalm 2 this is the word of the living and true God why do the nation's rage and the people plot a vain thing the kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his Christ saying let us break their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us he who sits in the heavens shall laugh the Lord shall hold them in derision then he shall speak to them in his wrath and distress them in his deep displeasure yet I have set my king on my holy hill of Zion I will declare the decree the Lord has said to me you are my son today I have begotten you ask of me and I will give you the nation's for your inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession you shall break them with a rod of iron you shall dash them to pieces like a Potter's vessel now therefore be wise o Kings be instructed you judges of the earth serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling kiss the son lest he be angry and you perish in the way when his wrath is kindled but a little blessed are all those who put their trust in him amen well let's stand and sing together as a church if you'll stand with me and turn in your larger Trinity hymnals to 2:17 we'll stand and sing that hymn together to 1:7 [Music] let's go to our God in prayer let us pray a righteous and holy father we come to you now is a gathered assembly coming to you in prayer we do pray that you would help us to now hallow your name we do pray that you would give us that measure of your spirit that our souls now might arise to that proper esteem that proper reverence and awe the triune God of heaven and earth we thank you Father Son and Holy Spirit for the benefits that you pour out upon us on a daily basis we rejoice in the the things that you bless us with and we rejoice above all in the fact of the gospel of Jesus Christ we thank you for that righteousness that avails with you a righteousness not our own even Christ's his perfect righteousness his obedience to the law imputed to us and received by faith alone we thank you for the forgiveness of sins for the blest cross work of Jesus Christ our Savior we thank you that upon Calvary's cross he redeemed a multitude of people that no man can number a multitude of sinners that no man can number from every tribe and tongue and people and nation we thank you that that is a full atonement to bless a definite atonement we thank you for His resurrection on the third day in power and in great victory we rejoice in the ascension we thank you that he now sits at your right hand where he lives ever to intercede for the Saints where he rules and reigns over his enemies and where he does subdue the hearts of his elect we thank you for the gospel of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and for all the blessings that are associated with Christ's perfect work and your amazing grace and we would pray God that you would help your people this morning to sing your praises to rejoice in Father Son and spirit that to sing the praises of our God we do pray that you would be with us and with those specifically in our midst Lord who do suffer suffer with physical issues and trials as we prayed for many this morning Lord we would pray for those presently afflicted with many diseases and illnesses and injuries we think Lord God of of dawn Neufeld we think of Chris collie we think of clothes II know we do just pray that you'd bless all these Lord God we pray that you'd strengthen them that you would help them that much medical aid would be brought to them by your gracious hand and we pray for answers and for good things Lord but we do pray of course that in the midst of suffering and physical affliction you would lift them up you would encourage them in the inner man and cause them to rejoice in their God who does right for his own glory and for his Saints and we know that there are many others Lord struggling physically we do pray that you'd be with them that you tend to their bodies that you would heal them Lord that you would cause them to know seasons where the pains are not as intense where the discomforts Lord might even be taken away we do pray that you would heal them and like it like those others beforehand prayed for we pray that they would know the presence of their God that they would rejoice in you lord and be resigned unto your will in all things we thank you Lord for those who are still pregnant we pray that you'd watch over mothers that you'd watch over babies in the wombs we would ask Lord that you would strengthen babies in the wombs that you'd cause them to be nourished to be strengthened in that in due time Lord you would bring them forth healthy we just pray that you'd watch over mothers in the meantime Lord and you cause them as well to be healthy and strong and that following these blessed births Lord that you would encourage them and heal them and recover them quickly and we just thank you for these blessings that you give to your people and we thank you again for the recent birth of Joseph Michael we rejoice in this gift that you've given to Micah and Chloe we pray Lord that you'd watch over this baby that you grow it strengthen it and nourish it daily and we do pray that you'd be with Chloe and just strengthen her as well as she recovers from giving birth and we do pray that you would just cause them to rejoice in this gift from on high and that you would with each and every one who are parents in this congregation Lord that you would encourage their hearts that you would cause them to raise their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord and that God for all children in this place that you would bring them by your grace and for your glory it's a salvation in Jesus Christ the Lord that at a young age they would name the name of our God and rejoice in our Redeemer the Lord Jesus Christ we do pray God that you'd be with the persecuted Church as we prayed this morning for for many Lord we pray for our brothers and sisters around the world that you'd watch over those who are persecuted god we just ask that you'd be near to those in many nations where the government's and even their own citizens fellow citizens Lord bring violence in opposition to the people of Christ just be with them comfort them just encourage them Lord in the midst of opposition and we pray that you would protect them God we asked once again that you would judge those who would seek to oppose the people of God we pray that you would bring justice upon those who would bring violence and death upon our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ we pray for your amazing grace as well to come through the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ that you would bring forth many persecutors from the madness of idolatry and opposition to Jesus Christ the Savior that they would bend a knee to the king of kings and Lord of lords we do pray Lord God that you'd be with those who govern over us as we do pray each and every Lord's day God we pray for Kings and those who are in authority we would ask that you would cause them to judge righteously that they would no longer Lord sanction wickedness and abominations in the land we do pray that you would raise up those to be rulers who would seek to uphold righteousness and justice and equity and Lord God that you would even cast down those who seek to to prosper wickedness and to prosper evil in the land we do pray and you would cause them to stumble like drunken men and raise up rulers to rule injustice we do pray unto this end that you would cause your gospel to go forth we know that it is only by the gospel of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit that hearts are changed and we do pray Lord God that you would go forth victoriously throughout the ends of the earth that your gospel would be proclaimed and that you would come by amazing and victorious grace making dead sinners alive in Christ Jesus that many more that a multitude of newly redeemed tongues even each and every day would sing the praises of Jesus Christ the Savior we would ask Lord that you'd be with the Surrey Bible study and eventual church plant Lord we thank you for this ongoing work we pray that you would prosper it and grow it we pray that you would encourage those who are presently a part of it and Lord God that you would bring many more to it and we pray that you would keep us prayerful for these things that we as we look forward to January for a first meeting time for worship Lord we do just pray that you would again be with this work that much good might be brought out of it and that the gospel there would be proclaimed we do pray for my kirkpatrick we pray that you'd be with our brother that you'd be with Mike and Jessica but specifically Lord with Mike that you'd just be with him as he looks forward next week to installation into eldership we do pray that you would watch over him that you would strengthen and encourage him Lord and we pray that you would be with us as a church that we would Lord God be a church that is unified be a church that is guided by the spirit with respect to these things and we thank you that we have these means ordained by you to identify and to install those into the eldership and we do just pray that you'd be with us that you'd watch over this work the Lord God that you would bring good things to this congregation bring about good things in the midst of this congregation that you might be glorified and that you're gathered assembly might sing the praises of father son in spirit we do pray Lord God that you'd be with Pastor Butler as he preaches this morning we know God that ministers of the gospel are not to rest upon their own ingenuity and intelligence and strength but rather Lord they are to rest solely and alone upon those things afforded by the triune God of heaven and earth so we do just pray that you'd strengthen him in this pulpit that you would give him what he needs to proclaim richly the things of your word we thank you that we have the freedom and the Liberty to gather here in worship we thank you that we have as that central element of worship the preaching of your Holy Word we do just pray God that you would be honored and glorified in the act of worship by this gathered assembly we pray that by the preaching of the word Lord God that sinners in this place this morning would be saved we long to see those who enter in these two doors outside of Christ to leave singing the praises of your most holy name so we pray for the power of the holy spirit attending the preached word today we do pray that your Saints would be edified nourished and fed and strengthened by the proclamation of the word today Lord God and in the midst of worship we do pray that you would bless us that we would return to you the honors and the praises and all those things that are do your most high name do be glorified do be honored Lord God now in this act of worship by this gathered assembly and we pray all these things in the name of Jesus Christ the Savior amen let's stand and sing another hymn then if you'll stand with me this time in the same hymnal 184 to a familiar tune 184 [Music] Luke our New Testament scripture reading will be a reading of Luke 2 beginning in verse 1 and finishing at verse 24 Luke 2 beginning in verse 1 once again the word of God and it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered this census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria so all went to be registered everyone to his own City Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judea to the City of David which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and lineage of David to be registered with Mary his betrothed wife who was with child so it was that while they were there the days were completed for her to be delivered and she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn now there were in the same country Shepherds living out in the fields keeping watch over their flock by night and behold an angel of the Lord stood before them and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were greatly afraid then the angel said to them do not be afraid for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people for there is born to you this day in the City of David a savior who is Christ the Lord and this will be the sign to you you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger and suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying glory to God in the highest and on earth peace goodwill toward men so it was when the angels had gone away from them into heaven that the Shepherd's said to one another let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass which the Lord has made known to us and they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger now when they had seen him they made widely-known the saying which was told them concerning this child and all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds but Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart then the Shepherd's returned glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen as it was told them and when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the child his name was called Jesus the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb now in the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord as it is written in the law of the Lord every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons amen well just just briefly it's a wonderful scene here where a lot of biblical revelation has brought together in the announcement of this one born of a woman and born under the law to redeem those who are under the law it's a interesting thing here when we started reading through the gosset when we started reading the Gospel of Luca a number of Sundays ago we noted that Luke opens up his gospel not with you know once upon a time in a land far far away but he opens up by stressing the certainty the historical veracity of the events that he's about to write about this isn't fairy tale these aren't cunningly devised fables but much rather this is a true account of Jesus the Son of God who took to himself our nature for our Redemption and our recovery and we see here that the the narrative continues with historical figures historical places and geographical locations it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered Kyrenia skub earning Syria everyone went to be registered to his own City you see Luke doesn't shy away from recording these events and placing them in a particular point in history what we find though above that is fulfillment being brought brought or biblical biblical revelation being fulfilled prophecy planned purpose Old Covenant revelation being fulfilled in the birth of the Savior we see that this one is born in Bethlehem hark ins back to the Old Covenant announcement that Bethlehem Ephrathah though you are the littlest of the thousands of Judah yet out of you will come forth to me one to be born or one who is born a ruler whose goings forth are from old from everlasting we see Luke here bringing forth the reality that this prophecy is being fulfilled also that 2nd Samuel 7 reality that of the promise of the coming son whose kingdom would not fade away we have the reality of Isaiah 9:6 in Isaiah 7:14 brought before us all of that to announce to these Shepherds and of course to everyone the good tidings of great joy which would be to all the people that there is born in the City of David this day a savior who is Christ the Lord and it's an it's an amazing scene that follows after that where the angels sing glory to God in the highest and on earth peace goodwill toward men you see this one born in Bethlehem this one born to Joseph and Mary this babe wrapped in swaddling cloths is not simply man though he is barely and truly man he is one who is worshiped by the Angels a later revelation Hebrews tells us that when God the Father brought the firstborn into the world he said let all the angels of God worship Him here we have a scene that this Savior born in the City of David who is Christ the Lord is God Most High the angels sing hark the herald angels sing glory to the newborn King this Savior is God man one Christ the only mediator between God and men and if you're here this morning this should come to you as good tidings of great joy you have violated the law of God all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God yet this Savior came to perfectly redeem and all those who believed in him have salvation and everlasting life what a blessed truth let's pray Heavenly Father we thank you for this revelation that we have in the Gospel of Luke we rejoice in the announcement of our Savior Jesus Christ the Lord we sing his praises and we rejoice and you are God and we do pray that you'd continue to be with us in worship help us to bring you honor help us to bring you praise and might our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ be exalted upon the praises of this assembly and we pray in his name amen well let's stand and sing again our final him before the preaching will be 393 in the larger Tremmel Trinity hymnal that is let's stand and sing 393 [Music] well please turn with me in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 27 Matthew chapter 27 we've been concerning or considering the cross specifically the crucifixion of our Lord and that section begins in verse 32 we've seen the crucifixion proper in verses 32 to 38 the mockery of the crucified one in verses 39 to 44 the cry of dereliction from our Savior in verses 45 to 46 the death of Jesus specifically in verses 47 to 50 and this morning we'll take up the last section the signs and wonders following the crucifixion in verses 51 to 53 and then the presence or the witnesses of the crucifixion in verses 54 to 56 but I do want to begin reading in verse 32 of Matthew 27 now as they came out they found a man of Cyrene Simon by name him they compelled to bear that bear his cross and when they had come to a place called Golgotha that is to say place of a skull they gave him sour wine mingled with gall to drink but when he had tasted it he would not drink then they crucified him and divided his garments casting Lots that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet they divided my garments among them and for my clothing they cast lots sitting down they kept watch over him there and they put up over his head the accusation written against him this is Jesus the King of the Jews then two robbers were crucified with him one on the right and another on the left and those who passed by blaspheme him wagging their heads and saying you destroy the temple and build it in three days save yourself if you are the son of God come down from the cross likewise the chief priests also mocking with the sky and elder said he saved others himself he cannot save he is the king of Israel let him now come down from the cross and we will believe him he trusted in God let him deliver him now if he will have him where he said I am the son of God even the robbers who were crucified with him reviled him with the same thing now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land and about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice saying Ailee Ailee lama sabachthani that is my God my God why have you forsaken me some of those who stood there when they heard that said this man is calling for Elijah immediately one of them ran and took a sponge filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed and offered it to him to drink the rest said let him alone let us see if Elijah will come to save him and Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit then behold the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom and the earth quaked and the rocks were split and the graves were opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised and coming out of the graves after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many so when the Centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and the things that had happened they feared greatly saying truly this was the son of God and many women who followed Jesus from Galilee ministering to him were looking on from afar among whom were Mary Magdalene Mary the mother of James and Josie's and the mother of Zebedee's sons amen will let us pray our Father in Heaven we thank you for what is written here concerning our Savior we thank you for the great lengths that he went to to save us from our sins that he lived in obedience to your most holy and perfect and glorious law that he was offered up as a sacrifice and a substitute on the cross and that he died and that he was raised the third day we thank you and we praise you that you made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him we thank you for this glorious gospel and we pray that as we consider this section of Scripture our hearts would be filled with love and adoration for the Savior and we pray that your Holy Spirit would guide us and and aid us and assist us and help us to understand your word and God for any and all who have come here this morning that are not in Christ we pray that they would parallel the cry of the soldiers here that truly this is indeed the Son of God that many throughout the earth today by the power of the Holy Spirit would be drawn effectually unto Christ called out of darkness into marvelous light confessing that Jesus alone is able to save to the uttermost do forgive us now for our sins and our transgressions and help us to receive with thanksgiving your word and we pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ amen well as we have considered this particular section will notice specifically that our Lord's death was not as a result of his own sin Christ is not undergoing these things because he was a criminal because he was a violator because he was a transgressor of the law know Christ loved the law of God Christ always did what was pleasing to the Father Christ undertook this on our behalf it is substitutionary atonement that is wrought out here at Calvary it is Christ standing in the place of all those whom the father had given him bearing our penalty suffering in himself the wrath and fury and the Justice of God Almighty it is not for his offenses because scripture declares that he's holy harmless and undefiled but it's for our offenses Paul summarizes the glorious truth of the gospel in Romans 4:25 he says that Christ was delivered up because of our offenses and he was raised for our justification so all that we witness in this particular section ought to lead our hearts to worship and to praise and to glorify it ought to lead us to a appreciate the great love of the Savior where any loved us he laid his life down on our behalf and certainly this morning as we take up these effects are these signs and wonders that follow the crucifixion it is note worried that note worried that creation itself responds to what transpires here at Calvary now want to look at verses 51 to 53 under the title the signs and wonders following the crucifixion and then we'll finish out this particular section with the witnesses to the crucifixion in verses 54 to 56 but let's look at these signs and wonders and there are several the first is this porn veil now Mark and Luke also record this torn veil matthew is alone in verses 51 to 53 matthew is alone when he deals with the graves opening the earthquake coming the rocks being shattered and then the bodies of many saints being raised and appearing in the holy city Jerusalem to many so matthew is unique in verses 51 to 53 but as I said Matthew Mark and Luke all comment concerning this torn veil notice in verse 51 then behold convention used by Matthew throughout his gospel to identify something that demands attention then behold the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom now there were actually two veils with reference to the temple there was an inner veil and that inner veil separated the Holy of Holies from the holy place and then there was an exterior veil or another veil and that separated the holy place from the courtyard now commentators are divided because he doesn't identify for us which veil is in place so there's two veils an inert separating the Holy of Holies from the holy place a little bit of familiarity with the Tabernacle in the temple at this particular point would be most helpful remember that the tabernacle was instituted by God for Israel in the Old Testament as a place where God and sinners would meet together and the tabernacle was constructed in a particular way there was an outer court there was a holy place and then there was a Holy of Holies now later the tabernacle gives way to the temple same basic design however the temple is stationary it is located in Jerusalem again it is that place where God and sinners meet and sinners come to God through sacrifice sinners come to the tabernacle or to the temple by bringing an animal and then they cut the throat of that animal and then the priests takes that blood and he brought and He pours it upon the altar for the sins of the people of Israel and so this was the way of access into the presence of God now it's also important to remember that only the high priest one time a year went into the Holy of Holies certainly there were others that were allowed to go into the holy place the priests but only the high priests alone went into the Holy of Holies on the great day of atonement he was the only one that went behind that sort of inner inner veil and so as Jesus is now given up the ghost as Jesus has cried with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit we read the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom what is the significance here well those who see it as the outer veil suggest the significance is the destruction of Jerusalem remember Jesus has prophesied this Jesus has foretold this Jesus is said in 23:38 that behold your house is left to you desolate on the heels of that Matthew 24 and 25 he has given us the all of it a discourse where any prophecies concerning the destruction of the temple others suggest that it's the inner fail that's in view and with reference to the interview the significance is is that now there is access to God now there is access not just on the part of the great of the high priest once a year on the Day of Atonement but as a result of Christ's atoning work access to the father has been opened up now I don't think these two things are mutually exclusive I think the judgment of God upon apostate Jerusalem and the salvation of sinners by Jesus Christ our companion consistent thoughts I think that both things are in view at this particular point the book of Hebrews seems to indicate it was indeed the inner veil Hebrews 6:19 and 29 11 to 28 and then 10 19 to 22 fact one commentator says the whole of the Epistle to the Hebrews is commentary on the split veil the reality is is that we were kept outside the reality is is that we were prohibited from access the reality is is that now that Christ has died now that he is atone for our sins now that he has brought Redemption in salvation we are brought nigh through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ it is a symbolic a symbolic act that shows many things in my estimation again the judgment upon the Jews Matthew Poole said by this rending of the veil God testified his wrath against the Jews and that he was leaving his temple amongst them remember this is something that the context definitely highlights in 23 and 24 God is departing from this localized temple in Jerusalem just like he does in the prophecy of Ezekiel the glory of God departs and that's what's happening with reference to Jerusalem and Israel as a whole CH Spurgeon said it this way with reference to the rending of the veil as if shocked at the sacrilegious murder of her Lord the temple rent her garments like one stricken with horror at some stupendous crime I think he's not I think he's on the right track there that the salvation with reference to those who are in Christ is certainly typify by this rending of the veil notice the direction it's not from the bottom to the top it's not man in God it's God ripping the veil from the top to the bottom it's God has initiated the access since God has provided the sacrifice it's God who has sent his son as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world it is through this atoning work of our Lord Jesus Christ that we now have access into the holy of Holy's into the very presence of God himself fact John Calvin says for then Christ the true and everlasting priest having abolished the figures of the law opened up for us by his blood the way to the heavenly sanctuary that we may no longer stand at a distance within the porch but may freely advance into the presence of God when he says it is finished he means it is finished on 19:30 and one of those things that was in fact finished was the ceremonial aspect of God's law it's not finished because it was bad it's not finished because it was evil it's finished because the ceremonial law is fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ he is the great High Priest he has wrought out atonement he has brought us into the presence of God Almighty he has indeed gathered together many sons and he will indeed bring them unto glory through this redemptive work that we find recorded for us here at John a Matthew 27 so the rending of this veil publicly displays the glory of Jesus Christ in his atoning work yes in the salvation of sinners allowing providing making access for them to the Father but as well in the judgment upon this apostate nation who had desecrated the temple who had used it or who had polluted it and made it a den of thieves a house of robbers itself there is both judgment and salvation to come to pass as a result of this rending of the veil and I think as well before we conclude this particular point notice what it says about the coven ental transformation that is taking place remember at the Last Supper what does Jesus say this is my blood of new covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins something significant is going on here at a more macro cosmic level God in terms of his covenant 'el dealings with people is abolishing the old covenant again not because it was bad or it was evil or it was wicked or it was wretched but it was always purposed to be temporary it was always purpose to point us to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ it had fulfilled its function it is now abrogated it is the new covenant wherein we have access through his blood to the Father himself now notice secondly in terms of these signs and wonders this are of the earthquake and rocks versus a verse 51 B says and the earth quaked and the rocks were split Davies and Allison say that God vindicates his son with a shower of astounding miracles nature speaks again and loudly if you trace through the narrative over the Passion Week where has the father been now we know where the father has been he's always in heaven he's enthroned on high is sovereign and majestic and glorious and wondrous to see our Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane crying out to the Father you see Christ on the cross in Matthew 27 crying out to the father the father is now speaking through the created order the father now vindicates his son through the created order the brunner says as the skies darkened before Jesus death now the earth trembles after it think about what's happening here now there are some who suggest well you know the Temple in Jerusalem as a whole is it is on fault lines and and and you know when you're on fault lines things like earthquakes are quite typical and quite natural this isn't a natural earthquake this is a supernatural earthquake if earthquakes were that popular and that common which I don't really have any reason to doubt or be concerned with but if they were why are the soldiers afraid why do they greatly fear and specifically with reference to the earthquake and the things that transpire consistent with that it's not fault lines that the Bible is concerned with its gods in breaking into history and I think that's what this earthquake suggests for us notice that Matthew doesn't give us Matthew 29 and interpret for us these signs and wonders it's a bit difficult and as I said Matthew alone records 51 to 53 Mathew alone records these earthquakes and splitting rocks and dead bodies of saints being raised and going into the city of Jerusalem this is only Matthew so I can't say with utter certainty what all of this means can't say with utter certainty because you know we don't have a an authoritative interpretation but what do waiks suggest to us in the Bible well it suggests first the intervention of God the intervention of God judges 5 4 and 5 and then again in Psalm 114 7 and 8 but it suggests as well the judgment of God you can turn to the Prophet Jeremiah here Jeremiah chapter 10 if we ask the question why this earthquake on the occasion of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ I would suggest that one of the things we ought to appreciate is the judgment of God in other words it's not the case that this crime goes unpunished it was the greatest crime that was ever committed wasn't it I've shared with you before I like to look at the news and see the crime that is going on in the world not because I have some sick fascination with crime but because I hope it elicits from me prayer and intercession and a cry to God to send forth his glorious gospel to save sinners I got to tell you sinners really do outdo themselves in the commission of crime and there's some horrific things every single day that you can read on the news but hands-down the biggest crime that's ever transpired is the execution of Jesus Christ he didn't do anything wrong I mean even if we were framed for a bank robbery and even if we were imprisoned we would never have the ability to say well I've never done anything wrong now maybe I hadn't committed that particular bank robbery and I'm not this is the way jurisprudence should operate I'm just giving an analogy we can never stand before the judge and say I'm innocent I've done nothing wrong no you've done everything wrong maybe you didn't commit this particular bank robbery but you know you're a wretch you deserve it again I hope that's not the way jurisprudence operates but you get the point Christ didn't never do anything wrong he always obeyed the law he always did what his father gave him to do he always pleased his father he says my meat is to do the will of him who sent me and can any of us actually say within our Christianity that army is to do what God says yes me pastor for about a millisecond and then you go on and do something else brethren Christ always did what was pleasing to the Father it was a heinous crime never forget that this crime was punished when these Jews in Matthew 26 say his blood be on us I'm sorry in Matthew 27 previous his blood be on us and our children God heard this and God answered this and God surrounded their fair city with the Roman armies in AD 70 and sacked Jerusalem destroyed the temple dispersed these people into exile for their having offended the majesty of God Most High in executing the Lord of glory their Messiah the one nation of bowed to and confessed and adored and worship no God does bring judgment and this earthquake is typical this earthquake points to what is coming in terms of the judgment of God but just to see a couple places notice in Jeremiah the Prophet 10 verse 7 who would not fear you O king of the nations for this is your rightful due for among all the wise men of the nations and in all their kingdoms there is none like you but they are altogether dull hearted and foolish a wooden Idol is a worthless doctrine silver is beaten in two places beaten in two plates it is brought from Tarshish and gold from loofas the work of the craftsmen in the hands of the merchants metal Smith blue and purple are their clothing there all the work of skilful men the Lord is the true God he is the Living God in the everlasting King and his wrath the earth will tremble and the nations will not be able to endure his indignation yeah that's just one specimen passage of many that we could go to to highlight the reality that what we have in this earthquake is typical of the judgment of God to be upon these people Matthew Henry said the earth by trembling under such a load bore its testimony to the innocency of him that was persecuted and against the impiety of those that persecuted him never did the whole creation before groan under such a burden as the Son of God crucified and the guilty wretches that crucified him you see this earthquake isn't just to be interpreted as some natural phenomena that is unique to the place of Israel in this geographic location because there's fault lines present no we ought to think God's wrath we ought to think God's just judgment and curse we ought to consider the fact that God does not take sin lightly he doesn't pardon those who crucified his son lest they repent and believe in his son he doesn't just turn his back on judgment it's a difference between sort of human jurisprudence and divine jurisprudence God always gets his man I remember being a kid the only thing I ever knew about Canada was that there were Mounties and I knew that Mounties always got their man well the longer that I live in Canada I see that wasn't always true they don't seem to always get their man God always gets his man if you're not a believer here this morning God will get you and I don't mean in some vindictive sadistic sorta way the judge of all the earth is going to conduct a grand tribunal and we will all stand before him to give an account of deeds done in the body whether good or evil we will all stand before the throne room of God on that day or the the throne of God on that day we will all give an account with reference to his holy law I'll have to confess the idolatry that we are guilty confess the blasphemy and the Sabbath breaking and the insubordination and the murder and the adultery and and the theft and the lies and the covetousness you have to give an account for all that I think human jurisprudence oftentimes dulls us or dead-ends us to that reality you see people get away with a lot of things perhaps in your home you get away with a lot of things your young birds let and your parents don't know the degree to which you are engaged in rebellion or sin or evil and you get this idea that well if they don't see me if they haven't caught me if they don't know that I'm doing this then then I'm I'm off scot-free the Old Testament teach us some lessons that we desperately need to be reminded about your sin will always find you out you think when akin took that that wedge of gold or those Babylonian garments and he hid it under his tent but I thought oh I'm safe nobody's ever gonna see this nobody's ever gonna know this it's only a portion of the Spoils that were there I mean after all I'm a soldier I should get to to reap the benefits doesn't matter that God said no it doesn't matter that God put them under the ban doesn't matter that God says this is anathema don't touch those things when you march against the city we actually think we can get away with sin we actually think that we can hide from God and he goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden you ever considered the reality the Adam and Eve after they plunge and after they they engage in sin they reject God's rule and authority they reject his word what do they do they make fake leaves for themselves to cover themselves and then they hide among the trees don't you find that outlandish don't you find that awkward did they actually suppose for the moment that the God who built the trees couldn't see them hiding among the trees and then when God comes to deal with them who told you that you were naked God's not looking for information because he's deficient it's kind of like the father when he sees the kid with the chocolate running down gee he knows good and well that kid stole a cookie but he asks him did you get into the cookie jar it's time to reckon it's time to pony up time to get serious what happens when God does that with Adam well first Adam blames God and then Adam blames his dear wife the woman whom you gave me she gave me this fruit to eat in other words God if you hadn't given and given me this woman I'd be great isn't that offensive isn't that terrible see we don't learn from that because we still do the very same thing we try to hide from God in our sin we try to blame others with reference to our sin she see God isn't like men God is not like the earthly magistrate who misses who doesn't see who winks err or says well well I understand be on your way now all of us are gonna stand before this God to give an account and we ought to consider the reality of this particular earthquake not in terms of seismic phenomena but in terms of God's wrath and fury and curse and judgment and hell and damnation that sinners justly deserve and are liable unto the only way to flee the very wrath that this earthquake typifies is in the cries who bowed up his head and get about his head and gave up his spirit according to verse 50 the only hope of salvation is in the one who said why hast thou forsaken me the only hope of salvation is in the one whom these soldiers will confess truly this was the son of God he's the only remedy that can provide protection from the coming God coming wrath of God Almighty let this earthquake teach you what the judgment of God is all about now notice thirdly the resurrection of the saints and verses 52 and 53 this demonstrates Jesus power over the grave doesn't it it's power over the grave and death notice in verse 52 and the graves were opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised and coming out of the graves after his resurrection they went into the holy city and a appeared to many same languages utilized in the prophet Ezekiel though with different sort of fulfillment Jesus highlights his sovereign authority over the grave in John 5:24 229 Jesus here demonstrates his sovereign authority over the grave in the sense that after his death these graves opened up I think this foreshadows what is going to happen in chapter 28 there's going to be a longer detailed analysis of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus but Matthew here is linking the death of Christ and the resurrection of bodies the resurrection of saints it highlights the efficacy of Jesus atoning works a work once he dies what happens the graves are open many bodies of the Saints are raised what's that indicate it indicates what Dailey Davies and Allison say Jesus death is a resurrecting death the dead are revived by his dying as he passed from life to death they pass from death to life and then notice it says that that many are the bodies of many of these Saints they went out and appeared to many within the holy city again this is not reported for us in Mark and Luke and John Paul doesn't deal with this and give us explanation or exposition but we just kind of navigate our way does this mean which Saints aren't they I mean there's noble attempts the old patriarchs Abraham Isaac and Jacob most are most say no they were probably contemporary Saints you know those that when they went into the holy city and appeared to many they would be recognizable as those who had gone into the grave and had now been raised from the dead we don't know the identity of these Saints it doesn't tell us it simply says many bodies are many of the Saints this one thing we do know however we may not know their identity but we know this of a truth that they are Saints because of what Christ does in other words the cross not only reaches forward to us in the 21st century but it's the cross that reaches backward in other words Old Covenant Saints go to heaven not based on their ability not based on their merit not based on their goodness but by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone it is Christ who is responsible for the fact that these Saints are heaven bound these Saints were saved before Jesus were saved by Jesus and then notice something else with reference to the text many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised you hear what the emphasis is on their bodies do you know what the Christian hope is a bodily resurrection from the dead brethren we are not Gnostics God is not a gnostic God is not against creation God is not at war with your body he's at war with your sin a body is good the body was created by God the body will be renewed in that blessed day in a way in a manner in which we will have the capacity to enjoy God forever but it's not disembodied spirits that is the Christian hope again when I was a kid Catholic growing up my conception of of heaven were you know angels you know heads with wings playing harps and disembodied spirits in the presence of God that's not the Christian hope notice specifically and conspicuously many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised Bruner says with reference to God matter matters that this is important because all throughout the history of the church this is one of the things that has plagued her though is when you read John's first letter what does he identify often or what is he stress or what is he at pains to to make sure persons understand he doesn't deny that Jesus was flash you see the Greek so the the the persons that had a had a bad view can say the Greeks there was a lot of thought concerning different things within the Greeks but but there was a group of thinkers called Gnostics now this is probably not who John has in mind specifically but Gnostic type people and Gnostic just means their gnosis just means knowledge it's a good thing we all ought to desire knowledge gnosis the Gnostics were a bit odd in this way they thought they had direct access to God for their knowledge they had that sort of hotline like charismatic sore Pentecostals are certain reforms where they think they have their their own access to God well the Lord told me that that that would be very common in a Gnostic Bible study if you were to say what does this text mean to you they said well I can tell you cisely because God told me yesterday that that was one of the aspects of Gnosticism but they also thought that the body was bad they thought the flesh was bad they thought that one was noble what was good and pure and holy and upright was the inside of man and so he see why they would struggle with the incarnation of the Son of God why they would struggle with the in flash meant of the second person of the Trinity they would struggle with that because conceptually they thought flesh was bad so somehow if Christ came he must have only appeared to be flesh he must not really have been flesh it must just have it and an appearance of such thing but John says now what we saw we held we hold a little we beheld with our eyes we we touched him John stresses the earthiness of the Christian gospel John stresses the earthly reality of Christ the same is true here brethren matter matters to God Bruner goes on God made it in creation took it on in incarnation and raises it again in resurrection bodies are not immaterial or unimportant to the biblical God they matter so much that God raises them in the Apostles Creed we joyfully confess I believe in the resurrection of the BA and the life everlasting disembodied souls are not part of the Christian Hope new spiritual but nevertheless real bodies are you see this body of decay this body that is riddled with pain this body that is oftentimes affected because we live in a world filled with sin and curse and all that sort of thing this body is renewed on the day of judgment it's that good news it's not a blessed reality I think it is to those who suffer preach this hope of the Christian resurrection to somebody riddled with cancer with chronic illness with pain I've often thought that we North Americans can't really identify with some of the promises with reference to the New Jerusalem in the book of Revelation when we are told they will neither hunger nor thirst there anymore I don't know that we feel the import of that I don't know that we can enter in and go wow I longed for a day when there's no more hunger and thirst because for the most part we've never hungered or thirsted for the most part we've always walked down to the you know to the tap and turned the water on or we've walked to the to the refrigerator and took the food out for the most part we waste probably more food than certain persons in this world even see in a month so I don't know that we feel the benefit and the power and the strength of that promise like our Ethiopian brethren do or our Sudanese brethren do when they read that they say wow no more hunger no more thirst don't denigrate them and say oh no brother you've got to think about the communion with the father and the the spiritual blessings wrought by Christ somehow were more holy than God who says look to the Ethiopian and the Sudanese when you get to the New Jerusalem based on the redemptive work of my son you'll never hunger there and you'll never thirst there or in Revelation 21 and 22 there will be no more sorrow no more I gotta say we probably don't relate to that promise if we're in good health we probably don't relate to that promise if we are cancer-free we're not undergoing great suffering and turmoil and trial we probably don't relate to the fact that God is promising a pain-free state talk about pain management talk about pain control talk about life with God most high I believe in the resurrection of the body brethren we are not Gnostics mater is not evil the world is not evil the flesh is not evil it is sin you see some of this Gnosticism in first Timothy chapter 4 Paul calls it doctrines of demons when persons come to the church and they say or come to believers and they say no you shouldn't get married and you shouldn't eat steak because those are earthly pleasures and those are are things that that show that we're tied and we're faster than this earth Paul says go ahead and get married you'll have a neat steak B thankfully y'all way for it we are not Gnostics brethren many of the bodies of the Saints were raised now notice what they do when they're raised and coming out of the graves after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many now as the text is punctuated it sounds like Christ gives up his spirit the veil is rent in two from top to bottom the graves are open the bodies are raised and they sit from Friday till Sunday before they go into the holy city perhaps we ought to put a full-stop between graves opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep in other words the graves are opened at that particular moment but the bodies aren't raised until Sunday fact Calvin takes it this way as does Gil and Matthew Henry Calvin says there is no probability in the conjecture of some commentators that after having received life and breath they remained three days concealed in there I think he see the difference either they were raised on the Friday and sat in the graves until the Sunday or they were raised when Jesus was raised I think the when Jesus was raised makes more sense given the fact that he is the firstfruits of all those who are raised from the dead the theological significance underscores that terms of the historical significance notice that these Saints go into the holy city this is Jerusalem and they appear to many and this appearance to many is to confirm the reality that Christ was daya and now he's raised again now notice Matthew doesn't answer for us what happened to them did did they go back to their jobs did they go back to their homes did one of them who had been raised go home and say honey I'm back he doesn't get into all that does he he doesn't sort of scratch the itches that that these things suggest or these these are the questions that suggest themselves did they ascend with Jesus we don't know here's the point Christ has power over sin that veil is Renton - showing us access to God Christ has power over the grave the graves are opened and Christ has power over death many of the bodies of the Saints were raised and then these bodies of the Saints that were raised went into the holy city and they there they appeared to many they their demonstra they there they demonstrated and confirmed all that had transpired at Golgotha all that had transpired with reference to the Lord he was dead he was buried but he was raised he was who he said that he was and these signs and these wonders confirm it again the Saints as representatives of the Jewish past add their testimony to Jesus which confirms the Christian present in this particular situation so that's the signs and wonders let's look briefly at the witnesses to the crucifixion notice the confession of the soldiers in verse 54 that this is amazing unlikely confessors these ones very unlikely confessors in spite of or in light of all that they had witnessed that all that had transpired think of a wide-scale rejection of Jesus by Israel think of all the parties guilty with reference to the death of our Lord Jesus the religious leaders they move they instigate they are operating not only behind the scenes but quite openly to get Christ executed they stir up the multitudes they call upon the multitudes to ask for his execution they are the mob that appears before the PAS the Roman governor Pontius Pilate they all all oppose the Lord Jesus even on the cross notice those who pass by blaspheme them verse 39 likewise the chief priests scribes and elders verse 41 even the robbers and verse 44 reject the claims of Christ so that these soldiers say what they say it's truly an amazing situation now they're the four soldiers are specifically tasked with carrying out his execution if you want to look at John 19 you can see where the death squad or these four men serve specifically to ensure Christ's crucifixion notice in John 19 23 then the soldiers when they had crucified Jesus took his garments and made four parts to each soldier apart and also the tunic see see you've got four soldiers Centurion others with him that serve on this particular squad to ensure the execution of the Son of God now as we look in this particular passage they are most likely the same ones who mocked him in verses 27 to 31 remember after Pilate X gives the order to execute Pilate then turn Jesus over to the Roman soldiers and what do they do they have a mock enthronement seat they have a mock enthronement scene they know why he's appeared before Pilate they know what the particular charges are they know what's happening and so they take that crown of thorns and they put it into his head they give him a reed to serve as his royal sceptre and they put that purple robe on him it's a mock enthronement scene they abuse him they torture him they slap him they mock you the base of the cross they've casting Lots to get his garments remember not a lot of money to be made they would take whatever spoils they were they could go sell it Chilliwack bidding they would put it on there we just got this garment from a man that was executed it come by my house 10 bucks and it's yours that's why they were casting Lots for the garments of our Lord Jesus they had witnessed the mocking they had heard the bypassers they had heard the religious leaders they had heard the robbers a brethren as a general rule if robbers mock you nobody really pays any attention if bypassers mock you nobody really pays any attention but when the religious elite of a particular society mock you everybody pays attention why we need to be very careful that we don't misrepresent things and we don't assassinate somebody's character these are the ones who had charge of keeping watch over him notice in verse 36 sitting down they kept watch over him there now no back in our text in verse 54 those with him regarding Jesus saw the earthquake and the things that happened they feared greatly last time this they feared greatly was used it was used of the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration when they saw the glory of Christ revealed that says they feared greatly and these Jewish these Roman soldiers are in the same boat at this particular time now note their confession truly this was the son of God the soldiers Davies and Alison make this observation the soldiers who were set up as witnesses in verse 36 take up the title used to ridicule Jesus in verses 40 and 43 and make it a sincere confession now some suggest that we ought not to translate it as the Son of God these Roman soldiers said well he's a son of God remember in the Roman Empire it was not uncommon to have a plurality of God's was a polytheistic society he might have been a divinized man in the sight of these particular soldiers they they might have had these better thoughts of him and so we shouldn't translate it the son of God we should translate it uh he's one among many of the sons of the gods I don't think so and whether they knew exactly what they were saying and the significance of it Matthew certainly does consider what these men had heard and what these men had seen and what these men had known they saw the charge written above his head this is the King of the Jews should be a son of God they heard the specific claims of the bypassers in verse 39 he claims to be the son of God they heard the specific cavils or tables what's the word cavil ke CA VI L the insults of the the religious leaders in verses 40 and 43 and as well they lived in Palestine they would have heard Jewish religion they would have heard the promise of mass of Messiah and the fact that the article is not used is not a problem it's a particular convention that Col Wells will rule speech - it's not necessary to have the article there in this particular convention I submit brethren they knew exactly what they were saying and the was there shouldn't tip us either well they thought he was the son of God but no longer know they're going based on the information that they had readily available as they survey the mockery that they themselves had inflicted as they survey the mockery that the bystanders and leaders and and robbers had inflicted as they survey the the the result of the of a kangaroo court that brought Jesus to this particular place standing now at the foot of the cross seeing the effects of this particular earthquake they are led to confess the great confession of Christianity truly this was the son of God they now Joe the disciples Matthew 14:33 Matthew 16 remember when Jesus says who do men say that I the Son of Man am and the disciple say well they say this this is it and then Jesus says who do you say that I am and Peter says thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God and Jesus says blessed art thou simon barjona for flesh and blood did not reveal this to you but my father who is in heaven they have joined the ranks of these confessors they have joined the ranks of God himself in terms of identifying divine sonship of Jesus not that they've become God but they confess with God this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased brethren these men scanning at the foot of the cross could no longer suppress could no longer hold back could no longer just say well he's just a common piece of riffraff like the other two that were crucified know this truly was the Son of God Bruner makes this observation he says it pleases Matthew that just as it was Gentile Magi who first honored Jesus birth in Matthew 2 so it is now Gentile militia who first honor Jesus death think about it what's this typical of what's this symptomatic of what's going to be crystal clear in the Great Commission go therefore and make disciples of all the nations some suggest one can't really believe these Roman soldiers were converted why not why can't we believe that if the central confession of Christianity is thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God and the last recorded statement a person scanning at the foot of the cross say thou art the Son of God like that seems to me to indicate that everything scripture says all the way back to the to the Abrahamic promise in Genesis 12 and the application of it and Matthew 28 is true God is building a worldwide church made up from every tribe tongue people and nation Romans so Algiers faithful women Jewish disciples whoever by God's grace come to him will not be cast out Luther believed that the soldiers confession is the sign of the power of the death of Christ the blood of Christ not only wakens dead bodies but also sinners Souls I read something recently another critique of what's called the cessationist I don't want to weigh everybody down at this particular point in the sermon but suffice it to say some of us do not believe that tongues and prophesying continue on this side of the New Testament we believe the gifts those particular revelatory gifts of God have ceased hence the name cessation they've ceased why because God's given us the New Testament in other words tongues and prophesying were present in the early church because they didn't have Matthew through revelation so God was speaking to the church via tongues and prophesying to the people of God once the Canon is closed that means we have the New Testament there's no longer a place for tongues and prophesied now unfortunately cessationists are often represented as being anti supernatural I don't know how that follows you know beyond me to see how that follows but but you're anti supernatural you believe in the cessation of the gifts and and therefore you don't believe in the power of God brethren cessationists believe in miracles cessationists believe in the power of God when a sinner is saved say sation estanque their lives on that power miraculous power of God Almighty and their ministries it's a matter of revelatory gifts it's not a matter of the power of God it's not a matter of miracles it's not a matter of can God most assuredly God can and I would have to further submit that the salvation of a sinner brethren in my mind is feeble and weak as it is for excels the giving of a tongue I mean let's not capitalize on tongues and prophecy and forget the supernatural power and presence of the Holy Spirit in bringing dead sinners to life and we seeking tongues are we seeking prophesying are we seeking the resurrection of dead souls by the preaching of the gospel through the power of God Most High that's what we ought to be about Luther's right he believed that the soldier's confession is the sign of the power of the death of Christ the blood of Christ not only awakens dead bodies but also sinners Souls now let's look finally at the presence of these women all three other gospel records have this the presence of these women and many women who followed Jesus from Galilee ministering to him we're looking on from afar among whom were Mary Magdalene Mary the mother of James and Josie's or Joseph and the mother of Zebedee's sons now matthew hasn't gone into a great deal of description about the fact that Jesus had women who followed him you know we do err if we think that there were these twelve men that follow Jesus and that's all he ever had around him brethren it says they followed him from Galilee this means about a eighty to a hundred mile track to get from Galilee to Jerusalem and notice that the text underscores a few things about them they followed Jesus from Galilee ministering to him Luke eight verses two and three tell us specifically from their substance from their money from their bank from their labors they provided for Jesus and His disciples notice the particular ladies that are mentioned among whom were Mary Magdalene Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of Zebedee's sons Mary Magdalene is often mentioned she's the one in Luke 8 that had the seven demons cast out by the power of Jesus Christ now people try to link her with a whole bunch of others in the New Testament but we really don't have warrant to do that but Mary Magdalene is present here the Mary of Mother Mary the mother of James and Joseph some suggest this would be Jesus mother because Mary according to Matthew 13 55 had two sons and one was named James and one was named Joseph so some surmise that this must be Mary the mother of Jesus it's an odd way for Matthew to describe Mary the mother of Jesus I think it's easier to submit that James and Joseph were very common names in this period so this was another Mary and then the the mother of Zebedee's sons she's called Salome in mark 1540 she's called Salome that's her specific name but it is intriguing on a couple of levels here first the apologetic significance the apologetic that means the defense significance of this a woman's testimony and a Jewish court didn't mean anything didn't mean much don't get offended ladies don't go home and cry I'm not trying to trigger you this is just the way it was their testimony did it matter and many have observed that the New Testament authors use their testimony is one of the indicators that what they write is true if you had gathered together to try to pull the wool over the eyes of a mass of humanity he would never use women as your witnesses you would make sure that you had men and note the continuity with the women their president is death their president the burial verse 61 and they're present at the resurrection chapter 28 you see the testimony of the New Testament authors is not shaped it's not molded it's not massaged they don't leave things out that doesn't make or help their case they report the facts and the facts are that Jesus had women and Jesus had women that were faithful to him Jesus had women that were devoted to him and as I look at this particular scene and I see these wool mat women at the foot of the cross I got a thing what kind of a and he was that they would be that devoted he never insulted that he never lusted after them he never sexually harassed them he never made them feel like second-class citizens he never made them feel like they were relegated to simply you know the kitchen or to the to the bedroom no they were followers and devotees of the lord jesus he never made them feel awkward but as well it up holds the reality that sometimes we need to get over ourselves with reference to what Ephesians 5 tells us husbands are the head of the lives wives are to submit to their own husband's as to the Lord it can be done there's no bad in it there's no ill in it there's no evil in it it's not something to be shot or or or or ran from Christ is the author of both old and new testaments Christ is as much involved as Ephesians 5 in Ephesians 5 as is Paul the Apostle Christ sets down that particular order with reference to his creatures and Christ to his true humanity perfect man is devoted or has devotion by these women he always treated them with respect he always treated them with love he always treated them with kindness and dignity he always made them feel welcome and they are present and I think it's the last Clause I think that it's somewhat troublesome while he doesn't identify this as Salome he identifies her as the mother of Zebedee's sons where are they where are they sisters you come off well in the gospel narratives sisters come off well now I don't think a bunch of unbiblical conclusions ought to be drawn out well therefore they should be pastors no no where's Emma DS sons the only gospel narrative that mentions one of the - one of the one of the Apostles present it's John and remember that this mother of Zebedee according to Matthew 20 20 came to Jesus and said will you permit that my son sit on your right and on your left remember that was that this Salamanca here she learns the true meaning of being on Jesus left and right her presence also serves as a foil for her son's cowardly absence that's Davies and Alison now you may say well there are modern commentators and they're pretty mean to men Calvin says praise is bestowed on the women alone who accompanied Christ till death because they're extraordinary attachment to their master was the more strikingly displayed when the men fled trembling now I'm not here to exalt womanhood over manhood but I am here to call us all to faithful discipleship where are the women in crunch-time there at the cross some have said well they were at a distance so that highlights that they lacked courage now it was by necessity you let a bunch of women next to the Cross in this particular contact perhaps they stayed away from there because of the indignities involved they're naked men on a cross wasn't like today where everybody looked at everything naked there was dignity and decorum with these women so that they were not drawn I defined cowardice in the women because they were at a distance is to see something that is simply not there we should see devotion following him those 80 to 100 miles we should see service they ministered unto Him and we should see the same faith as expressed by those soldiers because who would stay in the midst of this unless they believed that truly this was the son of God these are good witnesses of our Lord Jesus well in conclusion the primary emphasis in this passage is on the efficacy of the atoning work of our Lord Jesus we see the power of Jesus in inaugurating that means bringing to pass bringing into fruition the New Covenant fact I think Ryle is beautiful here he says the rending of the veil proclaimed the termination excuse me in passing away of the ceremonial law it was a sign that the old dispensation of sacrifices and ordinances was no longer needed its work was done its occupation was gone from the moment that Christ died there was no more need of an earthly high priest and a mercy seat and a sprinkling of blood and an offering up of incense and a day of atonement the true high priest had at length appeared the true Lamb of God had been slain the true mercy seat was at length reveal the figures and shadows were no longer needed may we all remember this to set up an altar and a sacrifice and a priesthood now is to light a candle at noonday you know he's got in his crosshairs there's the Roman Mass the Romish Mass why would you set up a priesthood and I and sacrifices in an altar now it's to light a candle in the noonday Sun Christ said it is finished he inaugurates the new covenant in his blood we see as well the power of Jesus over sin that rent veil is an invitation to sinners to come access to God has been secured by the son through his death at the cross as well we see that power over the grave 51 to 53 four-shot of the realities of chapter 28 and the Blessed truth of 1st Corinthians 15 how does Paul in that resurrection chapter yes there's practical admonition therefore be a moveable be strong be stead I get that but in terms of his exposition of the glory of the resurrection you know what he says he says death where is your sting o Hades where is your victory death is swallowed up in victory and this little glimpse and 51 to 53 as odd as it may appear because it's not marked John it's not expounded on the rest of the New Testament as odd as it may be at least at first we ought to appreciate the reality of what it preaches and teaches us the graves will be open and many bodies of the Saints will be raised we will be raised and of course we could spiritualize it and say we're heading into the holy city the New Jerusalem aren't we that's where this train is bound we see the power of Jesus for past present and future sinners those many Saints in the graves are raised by virtue of the fact of Christ's atoning work his cross reaches back his cross wheat reaches forward his cross reaches all directions Samuel Rutherford made this observation the cross of our Christ upon which he was extended points in the breadth of it to former and following ages his being equally salvation to both and in the length of it to heaven and earth reconciling them together and then we see the efficacy of the atoning work of our Lord Jesus in the salvation of men from every tribe tongue people and nation sir Roman soldiers that confess truly this was the son of God well brethren I hope that as we have meditated upon looked at this particular section the entirety beginning in 42 all the way to verse 57 hopefully it has informed our minds but even more I hope it does elicit from us worship to God theology Christology ought to produce doxology I'm not saying you know not knowing these things are unimportant you know me better than that we need to know these things but may these things move us to praise to adoration to worship and to love and to honor and adore and if you're not a believer here this morning may that rent veil show you something of the heart of God may that rent veil show you something of God's regard for sinners from top to bottom to show the access that Christ has secured through his own precious blood Paul develops this at length Ephesians two he says that Gentiles prior to coming into contact with the Lord Jesus Christ they were they were aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel they were strangers to the covenants of promise they were without hope and without God in this world but now he says Christ has come Christ has made peace Christ preaches peace so that all who look to him can have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ may the rent Vail today be a demonstration to you of access to the Father by the son through the power of the Holy Spirit and may you look unto him and may you live well let us pray our Father we thank you for your word we thank you for your grace and your mercy we thank you for the glorious gospel of our salvation and may we learn the lessons from this passage and may they fuel to provide fuel for us to worship our God and may you indeed save sinners may you open hearts and open ears and eyes to receive the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ and may souls be saved by your power and for your glory and we ask these things through Christ Jesus our Lord amen you