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Well, good morning.
Glad that y'all are here with us today.
If you've got your Bible, go ahead and open it up to Matthew chapter 27.
So we're going to continue on as we are preparing our hearts for Easter next week and what God
is going to do with that.
I do want to remind you guys, you've heard this every week now for several weeks, we're
going to be having three services on Easter Sunday.
We're going to ask that you register for one of those services just so that we can make
sure that we, if it's going to be our outdoor service, that we have the right amount of chairs
set up, and if it's going to be inside, like just at the 930 service just earlier today,
there was only a handful of seats that were available.
So we have to think through those things.
So make sure that you do that.
The outdoor service and the indoor services, the messages will be identical, and we will do
Lord's Supper at all three of those.
The outdoor service will just have acoustic worship, and it'll be all family worship.
So babies all the way through, grandma and grandpa, will all be out there together.
For the 930 and 11 services, we're doing a family service like we've done before, but
the nursery is going to be available for that, for those two services.
But other than that, we'll be in here having a good time worshiping and celebrating together.
We want you to invite your friends, your neighbors, your family members.
I know my in-laws are going to be worshiping with us that Sunday, and we're excited about
that.
We just want to encourage you, if you could please, to register ahead of time so that we
can provide what we need to for that Sunday.
So as we dive into this passage of Scripture in Matthew 27, you know, you hit the point
with the Easter story as we talk about it, where the culmination, and this is key, is going
to be next Sunday when we talk about Resurrection Sunday, when we talk about the fact that the
tomb is empty, which is an important part, right?
Like, that must happen.
If Jesus is still dead in the tomb, then what we do here is a waste of time.
Like, let's be honest.
If Jesus is still dead today, then this gathering of worshiping is worthless, because the whole
point for us and the point of the gospel is that He is alive and He is risen.
And so we celebrate that.
But in the story, in the narrative of the Easter story, there's so many different twists
and turns as we go through it, and we're able to see and draw from these pivotal events that
happen and take place and that reveal to us more who Jesus is.
They speak to our heart more of our depravity and our sin and who we are now in Christ.
And last week, when we looked at Judas and Peter and how there was a failing in both of
them, right?
Peter denied Jesus.
Judas sold out Jesus.
And we've got both of these instances that happen, and they're both sin in different capacities,
but what we see on the end of their stories, what we begin to know as Judas killed himself
because of a lack of understanding of grace, and Peter, in all of his failings, went on
to be a church planter who would go out and proclaim the gospel and share.
The same man who was afraid for people to know that he was with Christ stood up before that
same group of people and said, hey, you killed the Messiah.
You did this.
And it's because Peter understood grace.
And so when we look at that and begin to understand, I had somebody ask me this week.
They said, you know, as I try to understand Judas' path and Judas' life, do you think that
Judas would have been given forgiveness by God in spite of all that he had done?
And my answer was, absolutely.
That's what grace is.
That's what God's working and doing.
You know, Judas sold out Jesus.
And while that's horrific in that, God would still extend the same grace that he would extend
to Paul, who had become Saul, who was a mass murderer, right, of Christians.
But that's the hope.
That's what we have with the experience.
And today, what we're going to look at, we're going to dive into the trial of Jesus and the
crucifixion of Jesus.
And as we look through that, we're going to see a picture of greater clarity of what Jesus
is doing that's going to lead him to the cross.
And then what Jesus is going to do, the tomb will be empty to give you and I hope and reason
to celebrate.
So let's start reading in Matthew 27, starting in verse 11.
It says, now Jesus stood before the governor and the governor asked him, are you the king
of the Jews?
And Jesus said, you have said so.
But when he was accused by the chief priest and elders, he gave no answer.
And then Pilate said to him, do you not hear many things they testify against you?
How many things they testify against you?
Look at verse 14, but again, he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that
the governor was greatly amazed.
What we see, starting in verse 11, we see this trial of Jesus.
And as we look at the trial of Jesus, it's important for us to know in a world that speaks
about injustice, that's not a word that is foreign to us and to our culture, that the trial of
Jesus is the largest injustice that's ever been done to one individual.
What we see happen and take place in this series of trials and conversations that Jesus will
have filled in Matthew 27 is the greatest injustice known to humanity, the greatest building of
injustices that we see.
And when we look at the whole narrative of all of the Gospels where these are laid out for
us, we see that there were six injustices that were committed that night against Jesus.
Six things that would cause protests to riot in a day like today.
Six things that would cause people to say, that's not right.
I don't stand for what has happened and what has taken place.
But yet it's what happened to Jesus.
And yet everyone was silent, except for the call to crucify him.
The first injustice that we see is that this trial happened at night and with no advanced
notice.
Now, both of these things are illegal.
So this is really 1A and 1B.
Trials didn't happen at night, but yet this trial happened at night so that people who may
come forward wouldn't come forward.
And so it was hidden away.
There was not notice that was given.
So imagine this, right, like if you're on your way home, right, you shouldn't, but let's
say you get caught for speeding.
Maybe that's something that some of us struggle with, right?
Let's say you get caught for speeding.
Well, you know you're going to find out the date that you can stand before to defend the
reason or to find out what's going to happen with this speeding ticket.
And the same thing existed in the time of Christ.
If you were going to stand trial, there was notice that would happen.
But Jesus is betrayed, arrested, and put before trial.
These are the events that we see.
Both of these events were illegal according to Jewish custom.
The second thing that we see is that the judges here are really acting as the prosecutors.
Like we think that the Roman government is the one that is truly trying Jesus and the judges
of Jesus, but Pilate and the government, they're just a figurehead.
The men who will bring the charges about Christ will be the same ones who work to condemn Christ
and who pronounce his judgment.
So imagine you go into court and the judge is the one pleading for your guilt, whether you're
guilty or not, right?
The deck is stacked against you.
The second injustice that we see.
The third one, the witnesses that testify against Jesus present false testimony, and we know that
because their testimonies contradict one another, right?
They didn't have time to get their story straight.
And as they go through in a just system, they would see, well, hold on, this person says one thing, this person says
another, this person says another, they're both against him, but they all can't be true because they
contradict one another, and they would throw them out.
But that doesn't happen for Jesus.
They're held as credible.
Now, there were witnesses who spoke on behalf of Christ, but their testimony in Jewish custom, okay, if someone came
forward and said, and they're held credible, no, I saw them, they were not speeding.
And then another person, they were not speeding.
They were not speeding.
What would happen is eventually enough cases were built to where the judge would step in and say the charges are dismissed.
And the witnesses who speak for Jesus, even though their stories line up, they're largely ignored, and they press forward with the trial.
The sentence of crucifixion that is given to Jesus did not fit the accusation or the perceived crime.
It would literally like being, getting sentenced to death for shoplifting, all right?
Like, that's not what our courts, and if that happened to someone, we would all say, this is injustice that took place.
This shouldn't be.
But for Jesus, it's what they demanded.
The last injustice that we see, and we'll read this in just a little bit, kind of foreshadowing what's going to happen.
Pilate, the government leader, right, is blackmailed to give the people what they want.
The leaders basically say to Pilate, if you don't do what we want, we'll riot.
And you're like, what's the big deal of that?
Like, how's that call in his hand?
Well, if word gets back that Pilate can't keep the people under control, one of two things could happen to Pilate.
Pilate could be removed from his power and from his seat and from authority, and what that would mean would he would lose his career that he had worked hard for.
But the other piece with Pilate, with that, is if it got too out of control, it could cost him his life.
And so here's a man who's looking at a situation where he doesn't see a way out that's right, but he at least sees a way out that doesn't condemn him.
And so he does what the religious leaders in the crowd want.
But verse 12 and verse 14, there's something very interesting that we see on behalf of Christ.
As the charges that are false are brought before him, as lies are shared about him, as people who would speak truth about him are ignored, Jesus says nothing.
And so it asks us the question, why?
Why would he say nothing?
Why not to take a moment and to use a phrase that we have, right, he's got his day in court.
Why not defend himself?
Why not say, no, all these people are lying and I can prove how what they're saying isn't true.
Why wouldn't Jesus defend himself?
Why wouldn't Jesus set the record straight and say, I know that you've got this charge of me and this charge of me and this charge of me,
but let me tell you who I really am.
Let me tell you where I'm really from.
Let me tell you what I've come to do.
Why does Jesus, in this moment, in this trial, where injustice after injustice after injustice has taken place,
why does Jesus not fight for himself?
And the power of what's happening in this moment is not found in the words that are said,
but it's found in the silence of Jesus.
And it helps us understand that Jesus is the silent substitute.
I want us this truth to ring true in your life and mine.
This room and the people who are watching online and the people who were here earlier,
we have a lot of things that are different about us.
But the one trait that marks us all similar,
the one trait that marks all of humanity alike is this.
Now, maybe we've done different things, but in the court of God, we're all guilty.
We all have sin.
We've all committed these acts.
We've all violated the will and the law of God.
And Jesus is the only innocent person.
No charge of wrong could ever be brought up against him.
He didn't break the law.
Jesus is the only person who can stand before a court and say,
in every way, with every word, with every thought, with every action, I'm innocent.
But what about this, innocent?
What about this, innocent?
So why doesn't Jesus even say that?
Why must he be this silent substitute as he stands in this trial?
He can be the substitute, but why can he not be vocal?
And if you think about it in a court case, what are you doing?
You're making your appeal to those who are before you.
You're making your appeal to the judge of why you're not guilty and why you're innocent.
You want your story to be told.
You want your rights to be ensured.
But not with Jesus.
You know, an interesting thing is happening in this trial where injustice rings true time and time again.
It wasn't the judgment of Pilate that condemned Jesus.
It wasn't the judgment of the chief priests and the elders that condemned Jesus.
What condemned Jesus to death, why Jesus was the silent substitute, was the judgment of God.
You know, as Jesus is standing there in that trial, as lie after lie after lie is shared.
It doesn't matter what Pilate says.
It doesn't matter what the chief priests and the elders and the Pharisees and the people say.
The reason why Jesus is silent is God has already said guilty.
Now, why would God do that?
Why would God look at his son, who's innocent, and say guilty?
You know, we talk about the story of Easter and the price that Jesus would pay.
We talk about the reality for you and I, that Jesus paid the price for us.
We paint a picture of a person standing before a judge who's been found guilty and who deserves a punishment.
But what Christ does is he comes in and he says, I'll take on the punishment, I'll pay the debt, I'll restore everything, I'll make it right again.
And that is true.
That is the work that Jesus does.
Jesus steps in and pays a debt on our behalf.
Jesus steps in and takes on a punishment that we deserve.
But there's more than that that takes place.
Jesus didn't just pay the price.
Jesus took on the debt.
And that's why that who was innocent was made guilty.
And that's why Jesus knew as he stood there that what awaited him at the cross had been set forth by God through the testimony of the prophet.
That's why Jesus said that he was not.
So it wasn't the judgment of Pilate that sent Jesus to the cross.
It wasn't the judgment of the chief priest.
It was the very judgment of God.
Because God's judgment will be poured out.
And Jesus says, for us who were found in him, I'll take on.
On that judgment.
So even though I'm innocent, I'll stand there in silence as it's said about me that I'm guilty.
Let's keep reading in verse 15.
This is now at the feast that the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted.
And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.
So when they gathered, Pilate said to them,
Who do you want me to release for you?
Barabbas or Jesus, who was called Christ?
For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up.
Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him,
saying,
Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him in a dream.
Now the chief priest and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.
The governor again said to them,
Which of the two do you want me to release for you?
And they said,
Barabbas.
And Pilate said to them,
Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?
And they all said,
Let him be crucified.
And he said,
Wow, what evil has he done?
But they shouted all the more,
Let him be crucified.
So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing,
but rather a riot was beginning,
he took water and washed his hands before the crowd,
saying,
I am innocent of this man's blood.
See to it yourselves.
And all the people answered,
His blood be on us and our children.
Then he released for them Barabbas.
And having scourged,
Jesus delivered him to be crucified.
And we see this story continue to unfold.
Where Pilate stands and he says,
I can't find anything wrong with him.
And so we've got Barabbas,
who is filled with evil,
who's filled with depravity,
who's filled with murder in his heart.
Do you want us to release him?
Or Jesus?
You know, Jesus,
the guy that's,
he's done some teaching
and he may have said some things
that ruffled your feathers,
but he's healed some people
and done all these good things.
Who do you want?
And they say,
Give us Barabbas.
And Jesus in his silence continues on down the path
that God has laid out for him.
Now Jesus' death was an ugly, horrific death.
When someone was crucified
and would have gone through the beating
that Jesus would have gone through,
oftentimes those who were closest to him
wouldn't even recognize him
because of what they had gone through.
I'll never forget,
a friend of mine was in a horrific car accident one time.
And I went to visit him.
And I walked into the room.
It's a friend that I'd known for years
and we'd been on trips together
and done a lot of things together.
And I walked into the room
and I saw him laying on the bed
with tubes coming out of him
and his face was beaten up
and he had scars
and he had bruises
and he had cuts still fresh on his face
and stitches that were there.
And he was being cared for.
And I walked out of the room
and checked the door plate
because I wasn't sure
if it was my friend or not.
Jesus' crucifixion
and the path that would take him there.
Some of the punishments that they would do
were literally done
to bring him to the verge of death
and then stopping
so that his body could recover enough
so that they could continue on.
They would literally beat him
and whip him
until pieces of skin
were filleted off of him
with his face included.
You've heard the crown of thorns.
Yesterday we were working out
in the yard
and starting
the beauty of South Carolina
was it felt like
spring happened for a week
and then it was really hot yesterday, right?
And I reached down
to pull some weeds
and some thorns
were in the weeds
that I pulled
and it cut my hand
and they were
little teeny tiny thorns
like that
and I had to go in tweezers
and get them all out.
And we can think
that maybe that's what happened
with Jesus
but they weren't.
They were thorns like this
that were hard
and then as they pressed down
would have penetrated
his skin on his forehead
and all around
and maybe down into his eyelids.
The death of Jesus wasn't neat.
It was horrific.
It was bloody.
And blood is a powerful symbol
that we see oftentimes
in Scripture
both Old Testament
and New Testament.
Blood flowing
was the symbol of life
and it's what we
continue to think of.
Blood spilt
was the symbol of death
and oftentimes
even related
to not righteous death
of what had happened
to take place.
Blood offered
was given as a sacrifice
as a payment for sin.
And what we see
in this account
of Jesus
is the power
of blood
of what will happen
and take place.
And so the reason
why I keep talking
about all of these
physical things
is because while Jesus
was the silent substitute
Jesus was also
the physical substitute.
Right?
We have to understand
that Jesus' divinity
did not spare him
from the pain
of his humanity.
Jesus' life
that he lived
was filled
with pain
and suffering.
What you go through
with pain
and suffering
Jesus walked
through that.
Like Jesus knew
what it felt like
to stomp his toe
to get sick.
Like Jesus knew
what physical pain was.
Jesus knows
what emotional pain is.
Jesus wept
when his friend died.
Jesus felt betrayed
and alone
when those deserted him.
Jesus knew
what that felt like.
Jesus knew
what the pain
of care
felt like
as he was
being led away
and was going
to be crucified.
He knew
that he had to take care
and had his mother
provided for.
Jesus knew pain.
And it's important
for us to know
that Jesus
is the physical substitute.
Jesus died.
His body went
through the torment
of this horrific death.
And God didn't set him
free from it.
God didn't remove
the pain of the cross.
Instead he poured it
out on Jesus.
A bloody horrific event.
But the irony is this.
The blood that would be shed.
The blood that would be
spilled on Calvary.
would be the blood
that makes all of those
who were saved by him
clean.
This week when I was
reading through this passage
of scripture
I found some
some great irony
that God gives us
in Matthew 27.
Look back at verses
24 and 25.
So when Pilate saw
that he was gaining nothing
but rather a riot
was beginning
he took water
and washed his hands
before the crowd
saying
I am innocent
of this man's blood
see to it yourself.
Pilate said
I'm like look
I don't want
his blood on me.
This man is innocent.
And when people
come back
and say
who were the guilty
parties
that sentenced him
to death?
Who were the guilty
parties
that demanded
this of him?
His blood
is not going
to be found
on me.
And now look
at verse 25.
So the people
respond to him.
So he's saying
like who's going
to be guilty
in this?
And what the people
say is all
the people
answered.
His blood
be on us
and on our
children.
Now here's what
they meant.
We'll own the guilt
of this.
We'll take this
on.
That's fine.
Pilate
wash your hands.
Be done
with this.
We will take
this on.
And here's
the irony
of this.
In order
for them
to have
any hope,
in order
for them
to have
salvation,
what they
need is
what they
declare
but they
just don't
know it.
That his
blood
needed to
be on
them
in the
prayer
for their
children.
Right?
That as
Christ's
blood
was
spilt
on
Calvary
that what
it would
do
is it
would
cleanse
and
make
all
of
those
clean.
So it's
ironic
when we
look at
this.
Who we
are
is we
are all
Barabbas.
We are
all
Barabbas.
And we
don't stand
before
Pilate
but we
stand
before God
and we're
all
guilty.
We've
all
done
it.
It's
our
punishment
but
instead
we walk
free
and it's
Jesus
who takes
it on.
And in
the words
that the
people said
but they
didn't even
know what
they meant
they didn't
know what
he was
talking
about
our
prayer
God
may
your
blood
be
on
us.
This is
the story
of Easter.
Not just
that the
tomb is
empty
but that
a man
died
and for
his
innocent
blood
that was
spilt
it makes
us clean.
So
Pilate
sentences
Jesus
releases
him
for this
to be
done
and Jesus
is sentenced
to death.
As if
this isn't
enough
the Bible
tells us
that he
is mocked
he is
again
repeatedly
beaten
he is
stripped
of his
clothes
he's
forced
to carry
his
cross
a crown
of thorns
is forced
onto his
head
and they
take nails
and they
stretch his
body out
and through
one hand
and through
another
and then
through his
feet
they nail
him to
a cross
and as
he's nailed
to it
they would
pick him
up
and they
would drop
the cross
down into
a hole
that had
been dug
and so in
those last
moments as
the crucifixion
is unfolding
Jesus would
feel the
jar that
would happen
as that
weight would
slam down
and the
tension would
feel on
his hands
and on
his feet
and in
order for
him to
breathe
he would
have to
grab
as tight
as he
could
with the
nails
that were
there
and on
his feet
and would
have to
pull himself
up so
that he
could breathe
and so
he could
get oxygen
he'd have
to put
the strain
on the
tendons
in his
hands
and on
his feet
on his
body
and then
when that
pain was
too much
he would
collapse
again
and begin
to suffocate
and the
process
would
continue
over
and over
again
and then
verse 45
it says
now from
the sixth
hour
there was
darkness
all over
the land
until the
ninth hour
and about
the ninth
hour
Jesus cried
out with a
loud voice
saying
Eli
Lema
Sabachthani
that is
my God
why have
you forsaken
me
and some
of the
bystanders
hearing it
said
this man
is calling
Elijah
and one
of them
at once
ran
and took
a sponge
filling it
with sour
wine
and put
it on a
reed
and gave
it to
him to
drink
but the
other
said
wait
let us
see whether
Elijah
will come
to save
him
and Jesus
cried out
again with
a loud
voice
and yielded
up his
spirit
and behold
the curtain
of the
temple
was torn
in two
from top
to bottom
and the earth
shook
and the rocks
were split
the tombs
also were
opened
and many
bodies
of the
saints
who had
fallen asleep
were raised
and coming
out of the
tomb
after his
resurrection
they went
into the
holy city
and appeared
to many
and when
the centurion
and those
who were
with him
keeping watch
over Jesus
saw the
earthquake
and what
took place
they were
filled with
all
and said
truly
this was
the son
of God
when we
think of
the miracle
of Easter
we think
of the
resurrection
day
we think
that that
who was
dead
is now
alive
and it's
true
and that
gives us
hope
and the
reason to
celebrate
but the
miracle
of Easter
is not
just limited
to resurrection
day
the miracles
of Easter
are also
seen
in the
crucifixion
of Christ
of what
takes place
in these
nine verses
that we
just read
and so
what I
want us
to do
is to
look at
and understand
that not
only is
Jesus
the silent
substitute
that not
only is
Jesus
the physical
substitute
but that
Jesus
is also
the miraculous
substitute
that in
his death
things happen
that had
never happened
before
and may
never happen
again
the first
miracle that
we see
is the
miracle of
darkness
so as
scripture
unfolds
the story
that we
just read
darkness
took over
the land
for a
three hour
time period
beginning
not at
nine o'clock
at night
not at
maybe even
seven o'clock
at night
but at
noon
darkness
filled the
land
and not
like in
an eclipse
like what
we've seen
before
that spans
for a few
moments
or maybe
a few
minutes
and really
only
partial
darkness
for most
of it
and complete
darkness
for a
brief period
of time
but from
noon
until
three
o'clock
darkness
completely
covered
the land
telling
what God
said
through his
prophets
would happen
so why
would God
do that
you see
the darkness
brought on
by God
would
symbolize
the judgment
brought on
by God
and in
this what
we see
is not
the judgment
of God
being poured
out
on the
people
there
but
the judgment
of God
the Father
being poured
out
on his
only son
this is
the miracle
that we
see
the reminder
of darkness
is that we
all deserved
that
but instead
God poured
it out
on him
the next
miracle
that we see
is the
miracle
of the veil
there was
a curtain
that was
hung
in the
temple
and at
Jesus'
death
an earthquake
happens
and the
veil
is torn
in two
the earthquake
did not
cause the
tear
the earthquake
that happened
simultaneously
with the
tear
and as the
tear
rips
through
it symbolizes
something
and I want
you to
understand
what this
veil
or curtain
was like
for you
to understand
the miracle
that happens
and takes
place
the bible
tells us
that the
curtain
was torn
from top
to bottom
the complete
distance
and that
was about
60 feet
so imagine
within here
a curtain
that hangs
all the way
down
and not a
partial tear
but a complete
from top
to bottom
and that
curtain
that hung
wasn't thin
you couldn't
see through
it
it's not
like a
curtain
we would
hang up
in our
homes
but the
curtain
was four
inches
thick
and so
this isn't
a thread
that comes
loose
but what
God's doing
is God's
saying something
you see
the temple
is where
you came
to interact
with God
the temple
is where
you came
to hear
from those
who at
the temple
heard from
God
the temple
was where
you came
to go
to offer
your prayers
to God
the temple
was where
you came
to sacrifice
to God
the temple
was where
you came
to have
a relationship
with God
and God
says
through the
death of
Jesus
on the cross
that veil
that curtain
is torn
to be
no more
and now
the curtain
now the temple
is Jesus
so where do we go
for a relationship
with God
not the temple
to Jesus
where do we come
to offer prayers
to God
not the temple
but to Jesus
where do we go
to be made right
from our sins
not the temple
to Jesus
that in this
the miracle
that we see
of what God
moving in this
is the emphasis
that Jesus
is the new
temple
and he shows us
that
by the veil
that's being
torn
the next miracle
that we see
is the miracle
of resurrection
you know we saw
and we know
what's going to happen
in the life
of Jesus
but we see
here as well
that in verse 52
it tells us
that when the earth
shook
tombs were opened
right
which kind of
makes sense
right
like you begin
to think of
what happens
when an earthquake
comes
and it's not an earthquake
maybe like we've
experienced here
where it's like
hey did a plane
just fly over
like really close
no no
like rocks
split
because of
this earthquake
but then
here's what happened
that's a little bit
miraculous
dead people
got up
out of their
tombs
and began
to walk around
now I don't know
about you
but if I see
a dead person
walking around
I've got questions
right
like that's
been a thing
that's been
different for us
in this last year
death has
has been talked
about more
I feel like
in my line
of work
I've seen
more death
death
COVID related
death
not COVID related
and everywhere
in between
and here's what
I know
if I
officiate
your funeral
I'm just gonna tell you
all right
let's
all out
right here
okay
I come
open casket
you know
they passed
we celebrate you
we celebrate your life
we celebrate Jesus
all those things
that I've done
and then we go
out to the cemetery
and I see the hole
that they're gonna
put you in
and I see that casket
the same casket
I just saw you in
the same casket
that I saw your family
gather around
and mourn
and I see them
then lower you
into the ground
and then maybe
I ride back
the next day
just wanna make sure
and the dirt's
covered over
and everything's there
and there's the
headstone
that's right there
and then I go
to Walmart
and there you are
walking around
that's gonna mess
with me a little bit
and I would think
that it would mess
with you a little bit
so just imagine
that this is
what's happening
and this is
what's taking place
wait a minute
you were dead
and now you're alive
but it's the story
of the gospel
what is the event
of the significance
that marked dead people
coming to life
not the earthquake
the death of Jesus
at the 930 service
if you're here
you can see it
we got our baptistry out
Georgia Hamilton
one of our
sixth graders
at our church
had given her life
to Christ
back before COVID
and we were able
to talk with her
and talk with her
her family
and met with her
and she shared
about the work
that God was doing
and was ready
to come forth
and believers baptism
and be baptized
and so during our
930 service
we did that with her
and with her family
and it was
a wonderful time
of what's happening
and what's taking place
in her life
her dad baptized her
right
and that was just
a wonderful picture
to see
of family discipleship
and what that means
and we were able
to celebrate with them
as Raymond
baptized his daughter
and the same thing
that happened
in that earthquake
happened the day
that Georgia
gave her life to Christ
happened the moment
she repented
of her sins
and confessed
that Jesus
is her Lord and Savior
you know one day
short of Jesus
coming back
you and I all
are going to have
someone
that's going to
officiate
a funeral service
and they're going to
stand near
our casket
of where we were
and they're going to
say things about us
and they're going to
say things about Jesus
and people are going
to go out
and there's going
to be a process
that happens
and then one day
we'll rise
and we'll be with Christ
for all of eternity
but if the spiritual work
also happens
where we step
from death to life
the Bible tells us
that we are
lost
in our trespasses
and sin
that we are
dead
but in salvation
not we will be
made alive
but we are
made alive
we're made alive
and so
what we looked at
and what we talked
about is
as Georgia
walked in
to the baptistry
that was a picture
of old Georgia
of dead Georgia
and she dies
and that's what
it looks like
when she goes
under the water
and that she's
dying to her
sin and herself
and when she
comes out
she's raised
to walk
in the newness
of life
right
who was dead
has now
been made alive
and that's
the miracle
of resurrection
not that we
wait for it
but we've
experienced it
now let's
flip that story
that illustration
that I just
shared with you
and say
something happens
to you today
car accident
sick
go to the
hospital
you
kind of know
what's going
on
you can hear
the bells
and the whistles
and the things
you can hear
the panic
of the
nurses
and doctors
and family
members
you gasp
for that
last bit
of air
right
and then you
die
and then
sometime later
all of a sudden
you're not
dead anymore
you find that
that heart
that had
stopped working
has started
to beat
again
those lungs
that had
stopped working
now begin
to pump
and air
begins to
feel your body
again
those limbs
that no longer
worked
and been
set in
were now
flexible
and able
to move
and the muscles
and the tendons
and the joints
and the bones
there
the decay
that had taken
over
was no longer
there anymore
and was there
was newness
and you're
well I got
to go get
some stuff
I need to run
to Walmart
right
so you take
off
and somebody
comes up
to you
and says
whoa
I thought
you died
well I did
well what
happened
well I'm
alive now
and I
would think
that in
those stories
what would
happen
is a
how'd that
happen
and you'd
want to
tell them
Jesus died
and when he
died
it made a way
for me to
become alive
again
and that's
the part
of the gospel
for us
if we've
truly died
to our
sin and
self
if we've
truly died
to our
trespasses
and sins
and God's
given us
new life
then we
live like
it
we live
like it
and then
lastly
it's the
miracle of
confession
right
we look
back at
that last
verse we
read
verse 54
and when
the centurion
and those
who were
with him
keeping watch
over Jesus
saw the
earthquake
and what
took place
they were
filled with
awe
and said
truly
this is
the son
of God
the power
of the
confession
the centurion
was not a
man who
had grown
up being
taught to
wait for
the Messiah
who was
not brought
to the
temple
who was
not brought
to bring
sacrifices
but out
the mouth
of lostness
made a
declaration
of who
Jesus is
why
because of
what he
had seen
and what
he'd
experienced
and what
was laid
out right
before him
you know
the miracle
confession
is this
if we
confess with
our mouth
that Jesus
is Lord
and believe
in our
heart
of who
he is
and that
God
raised him
from the
dead
that we
will be
saved
that's it
the miracle
of the
confession
just ask you
this morning
have you
experienced
the miracle
of darkness
of knowing
that God
poured his
wrath out
on Jesus
and not
you
have you
experienced
the miracle
of the
veil being
torn
that Jesus
is the
new temple
have you
experienced
the miracle
of resurrection
that you've
been brought
to new
life
and if
not
then today
it is our
prayer
that you
would experience
the miracle
of confession
where Jesus
saves you
would you
pray with
me
God we
come to
you today
as we
celebrate
the fact
that the
tomb
is empty
Jesus we
know that
it was
with a
great price
that this
was made
possible
so Lord we
thank you
for being
the silent
substitute
Lord as
you could
have declared
your innocence
as you
could have
brought forth
all of the
injustices
that were
taking place
you stood
there silently
to take on
the guilt
that we
deserved
Lord we
thank you
that you
were the
physical
substitute
that with
that declaration
of your
guilt even
though you
were innocent
you paid
a great
price
a price
that should
have been
us but
through that
price being
paid your
your blood
was spilt
and Lord I
pray that your
blood would be
found on all
of us
Lord I pray
that it would
be found on
our children
and on our
family and on
our friends
Lord those who
we know and
those whom we
don't
that the power
of the blood
of Christ
that redeems
that makes us
new
that brings us
hope
Lord may
that blood
be found
on us
and Lord I
thank you
that you're the
miraculous
substitute
that is through
your substitute
through your
substitute alone
where dead men
and women
are made
alive
where confessions
change eternities
where relationships
with an almighty
God is formed
and where we
stand as
knowing that we
are the
recipients of
grace
Jesus we love
you
we praise you
in your name
we pray
amen
just a moment
we're going to
stand and respond
and worship
I'll be down
front
if you want to
talk to someone
about a relationship
with God
I'd love to talk
with you
love to pray
with you
love to experience
that miracle
of salvation
to happen
in your life
maybe you just
want to come
down front
and pray
it's open
maybe you just
want to stand
and respond
and worship
we just ask
that you lead
you respond
and how God's
leading you
would you stand
as we worship
him
thanks again
for listening
to the Willow Ridge
Church weekly
podcast
we hope that
you enjoyed
listening to
this week's
message
if you'd like
to learn more
about who we are
or explore
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