. . . And Then, What Happened?, Part 2

When we hear the account of Jesus death on the cross is quite common to let her mind skip ahead to Easter morning to avoid the details of this gruesome crucifixion gravitate instead toward the joy of his miraculous resurrection today on Insight for living Chuck Swindoll reminds us that the events between Jesus death and resurrection have powerful implications and invites us to follow along in Matthew chapter 27 refine the surprising drama that unfolded following Jesus death, Chuck titled today's message and then what happened.

Begin with prayer. We realize our father that anyplace we open word.

There are treasures to be discovered significant treasures that relate to our lives. Truth to be seen regarding the events when they occurred, and what they meant to those people and how they relate to us from the first century to the 21st these words continue to be relevant in their worrying, with hope and reassurance.

May we grasp what you have for us.

Maybe not be so preoccupied with the things that concern us in our everyday lives that we miss what you have for us in these brief minutes were together enable us to glean from these words these lines from this narrative, what you have for us to see and to remember, as a result of our time in your word make it especially meaningful for those today who have lost a sense of hope. Hope you could reach someone who seems forever out of reach. Hope that you can do will work even after death that you can carry out your will, even against those who fight it and resist it, speak to us, Lord were listening and we care.

Thank you in advance.

Father for the way you use the gifts of your people who give graciously and generously and faithfully. Thank you for sustaining this church over the years, and raising us up from a simple small body of people who would occupy a piece of land in the middle of nowhere and ultimately find ourselves right here in the nerve center of a busy city in North Texas.

Thank you for this, we accept it as a part of your grace and we hold loosely be pleased as we give today for the work of ministry to be carried on, may it be a reminder to all of us of how great your grace has been to us how meaningful your mercy and how deep your love, day after day week after week, year after year and for the thousand of the reasons we give parts of gratitude generals in the name of Jesus who loved us and died.

Everyone's a man to study the book of Matthew was Chuck Swindoll sure to download his searching the Scriptures. Studies by going to inside world.org/studies Chuck titled his message and then what happened in our journey through Matthew's gospel. We have looked deeply into what we call the passion of Christ in the arrest of the garden of Gethsemane and the cross from Gethsemane to Golgotha, the passion of Christ already endured all that he suffered things that were said that were untrue decisions that were made that were unfair, and ultimately when they nailed him to a cross and stood across the ground and there he hung in there. He died as it reads here. He released his spirit.

Other gospel writers say he breathes his last, he gave up his spirit. At that moment. This version reads something very significant occurred not the place of death, but her life was going on. Priests were engaged in there in the rituals people were involved in worship. But something happened in that holiest of holies that had never happened before and would never happen again. A supernatural phenomenon occurred and we read of it at that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

This is just a curtain and this is just any sanctuary. This is the holiest place on planet Earth, so holy sinners are kept away from it at all times the price kind of God shown down onto the mercy seat and get this once a year. The priest with great care would enter briefly sprinkled blood on that altar back away and leave as he would represent through the blood shedding their report out there the sins of the people and move away, but outside of the curtain because the curtain kept people from coming in. No warning to this could only be have been done by God. It was an announcement from the Lord saying no longer is there a barrier between the center and the holy God.

You are now free to come through the opening day about porn video right into the presence of God.

As we read in Hebrews 4 let us therefore draw near with confidence, many Bibles read with boldness into the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. How marvelous is that we don't come carefully. We don't come reluctantly. We don't come, not knowing what might happen we come boldly. We if you will walk right into God's presence and we represent our own needs before him as believer priests. How marvelous right after the death of Jesus the Lord saw to it that the veil be toward saying from this moment all you have access to me, no longer needing to go through the priest, the high priest or whatever priest further.

Furthermore, there was an earthquake. The earth shook, so much so that rocks split apart when you remember also that it the same day there was a darkness that inch that shrouded the earth not only clips were never told that the son was in the clips know it wasn't unexpected was in. It was a supernatural phenomenon. The atmospheric condition of earth was changed by the one who created atmospheres and the earth was shrouded in darkness so remember the things that Matthew records from not neutral through the day. He records from a scene that was in darkness, so in the darkness.

The bail is split in the darkness and earthquake hits you see all of your life relied on earth to stay under you walked on it you could count on. The next step being at the same level as this former step, but in an earthquake.

All of the changes. There is even even a rolling experience. We have a dog that was able to predict earthquakes in the Dogwood how long was going to do it but I'm not going to do that. The Dogwood how before the earthquake and our son wound dog Chuck would say, earthquakes coming out right and all of a sudden he would hit the dog knew ahead of time yet, and earthquake sensitivity and I we would go through it we seen books thrown off the wall we seen dishes break, we've seen chairs turned over and you go through that and it it's horrendous. I take it this was a massive earthquake. If rocks were split on this is a time when there is something seismic is happening. Think of being the priest still is going through his ritual and there the temple or at the temple and think of the worshipers who were there and then, out of an outside area, which is dark in its mid day or a little later in the dealing with that.

On top of all of it.

There comes an earthquake and the veil of the temple splits from top to bottom it. It is something you will never forget and look at the third. The bodies of the tunes were open and the bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead and left the cemetery after Jesus resurrection went to the city of Jerusalem and peered many people live you ever seen that before. Many people never realize that right after Jesus death to result bodies. Your I remember when I was younger and was thinking about my need for seminary. This is one of the reasons I want to go to a place where they really believe the Bible and I was for me it was for Dallas seminary and I was accepted and I began looking forward to taking the course which was taught by the now delete J. Dwight Pentecost, he taught the life of Christ, just holding a testament in the sand and teaching the whole semester without a note to me.

He knew the life of Christ.

So naturally I took the course along with Will. The room was packed with student is waiting for Matthew 27 okay I been waiting for the answer to the bodies. The truth opening of the bodies coming out of the going is reasonably money sitting around drinking coffee was going well what what what is this, because whatever the answer, and I want to tell you I wrote down. I had my prince among my pen ready. Back in those days there were computers wrote down your notes and so on. I got my my pen ready. These are his words, and I quote, I do not know who they were, frankly, I'm stumped by all of this. Now the next verse will hold no way no so now that we come to this passage I want to give you my interpretation. I don't know who they were and frankly I'm sent by all of this.

In fact, if you want to know what it's all about: John MacArthur. He knows everything about all of this. So it's a joke. Everybody come on he probably knows what what these are, but I don't. I cannot explain it legs wide Pentecost could not. I am not going to test this with the temple, but I do know that they didn't come out of the tomb resurrected until after Jesus resurrection. See verse 53 as very important that was made clear in that class and I'll make it clear today, but I see that because Jesus is the firstfruits of those raised from the dead. The first one to be resurrected with Jesus. There were others who were resuscitated they came back from beyond. In the same body, but they were not raised in the glorified body until Jesus direction yes was the first and they followed, but all of this I want you to picture whatever it meant and however it occurred. Imagine living there and witnessing it and experiencing now you can appreciate the centurion's response is given to us and 54 and 55 or 54.

Look at the verse the Roman officer of the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake.

See they are yawning. They're not having to imagine it. They're going through it and it is truly a terrifying experience was a centurion moly is the most seasoned of the Roman soldiers he's known combat. He, as we often would say he's earned his stripes.

He's a rugged, battle scarred war hardened veteran of the Roman army who's in charge of this crucifixion detail and is terrified and notices response. He and those around him say almost in unison. This man truly was the silica don't talk good escape to quickly over those words those of the words of Harden's veteran who doesn't based anything on emotions whose life is been marked by combat chili all around him, maybe done some of it himself and he is so moved. I believe it's a moment of conversion. This is a man Gentile to the poor has had no schooling, no religious training.

All of his training in anything related to God would be regarding the mythical God's overall and suddenly he's saying that one hanging on the cross is close my messages a day little bit about coming back to this, but let me adhere before you write anyone off and think they are too far gone ever to believe. Remember the centurion everyone of us knows someone or were related to someone we been friends with someone. Maybe someone in our own family is a far distance from the Lord and our tendency is to think they'll never come around though never believe in Jesus will never submit their lives to Christ.

Would you look would you let the record stand for what it says this man went home that night and said if he was a married man will never be the same. She says you done crucifixions for four months what you mean your is no no no, he is like none other than me tell you what I heard because he was there to hear the other things. Father forgive them for they don't know what they're doing into your hands I commend my spirit, and those other sayings from the cross centurion was right there he heard it all and then the earthquake and in the darkness in these open tombs. That's all he needed. He believed no one is so far gone that the Lord is unable to reach them. So since he is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Then, let's not be willing either. Let's not give up on anyone either wanted to add the word yet to your sentence know he doesn't know the Lord. Yet know she hasn't turned the corner, spiritually speaking, yet until the crucifixion.

The centurion hadn't either. Yet, but at this moment. He was a different man. The scene changes rather quickly in Matthew's gospel. As we get verse 57 and Joseph appears before Pilate since Pilate is the governor, the Romany charge of the capital punishment in he asked permission for him to take the body from the cross, we pause and mention something that becomes very important. Remember what you learned last time, bodies were usually left on the cross to disintegrate. They were not considered worthy of a burial. They honk until the birds ate them apart or insects or just the disintegration of the elements and that's probably what this is the role of authorities of the Jews and even Roman spot would happen but not in this case Joseph and other gospel writers tell us, a Pharisee who has been converted, named Nicodemus remember that name who came to Jesus by night, according to John three and heard the gospel being born again. So these two men.

Though Matthew only mentions Joseph here. They went to Pilate and asked for Jesus body pilot issues in order allows them to release him to watch closely to go to the cross. The take the body down from across the care of the body and its lip and life estate for private lease or they will prepare it dignity and honor for the very this is one of those days when it would be good to place a bookmark in this passage Chuck Swindoll will return to Matthew 27 on Fridays program with a lot more to show us in this biblical account of the events that transpired after Jesus suffering and death. This is insight for living. To learn more about this ministry. Please visit us online@insightworld.org was quite possible today that you're listening to this program alone in your car alone at home, or perhaps listening to the podcast by yourself with headphones, but in reality you're not alone. Millions around the world are listening to this program today with you where the light of God's chosen to give insight for living a global audience of eager learners like you who want to hear the truth about Jesus Christmas we received a personal comment from a listener in the Philippines. She said hi Pastor Chuck, thank you for your dedication and commitment to God. I've been in a very tough situation and I've lost myself in my love for God with thank you for writing this book included a picture of her favorite book from Chuck. Well, I can assure you that your transparent words and encouragement to all those who invest financial ministry of insight for living because you reinforce that our giving is truly making a difference. So as God moves you to join us in touching lives. We invite you to give generously today.

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We provide ample opportunities to pause and let the wonder. Our goal is to create special moment when you deepen your love for the Bible and draw closer to your ward experience an unforgettable 12 day tour to Israel Chuck Swindoll insight for living ministries March 6-17, 2022. To help you grasp the significance of each slight you will be accompanied by handpicked Israeli guidance and we choose the best, along with some of the retrained pastors and professors to enhance your spiritual journey, no organization I know of offers this level of exceptional in depth instruction and personal care for holy land travel to learn more, call 1-888-447-0444. Just imagine walking along sacred sites and watching the Bible the line make your reservation by calling 1-888-447-0444 or go to insight.org/events insight for living ministries tour to Israel is paid for and made possible by only those who choose to attend. Join us when Chuck Swindoll presents another heart rending message about the death of Jesus that's Friday on insight for living.

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