Matthew 27. I basically want to deal with the renting of the
veil. The title of the message, the
way is now open. the way into God's presence that
for so long was closed off by that veil that only the high
priest could go into the Holy of Holies one time a year with
the blood of atonement. Anybody else go back there, they're
gonna drag them out dead. But the way into God's presence
to the true holy of holies is now open for sinners like you
and me. When Adam rebelled against God, he was driven out of the garden. A separation had been made between
God and man. Sin separated us from God. Do away with sin, and we do away
with that separation. You do away with it. That's all.
That's the only thing that separates us from God. Sin. And Adam sinned. God said, Don't
eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. And Adam, on
purpose, On purpose, he disobeyed God. He knew what he was doing.
The Scripture says, Eve was deceived. Adam was not deceived. He knew
exactly what he was doing, and why he was doing it. And that
sin has brought on separation, and that sin has brought on all
that we see that goes on in this world. all the evil, all the
hatred, all the killing, everything. The very root of it is right
back there in the garden when Adam rebelled against God. And we've been rebelling ever
since. And it's not until God Almighty breaks us, He has to
break us. And He has to make us new, a
new creation. There has to be a new creation
made. In the new birth, there has to
be a new man made. And He brings us to His feet
in obedience and in love. When Adam sinned, when he did
this, and separated us from God, God did not leave His people alone. You know, God said, I did not
create the world, the earth, in vain. I created it to be inhabited. I did not create it to let it
just go into a disaster. God has a purpose in creation. And that purpose is to save a
people and make them just like His Son. I mean a multitude of
sinners that no man can number. And He's going to make them just
like His Son. He's going to populate that new
earth with that people that He has redeemed, that He has saved.
And in the beginning, after the fall, God gave types and pictures
of the way into His presence. And we know that the way is the
Lord Jesus Christ. He gave types and pictures of
Christ who is the way. Our Lord said in John 14, I am
the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father, but
by me. No man, it's impossible. It is
an impossibility to come into God's presence apart from Jesus
Christ. Apart from His blood, His righteousness,
His person. So let's pick up here in verse
51. After our Lord in verse 50 says,
When He had cried again with a loud voice, that's when He
cried over in John 19. It is finished. He yielded up
the ghost. And when this happened, it says,
Behold, that is, give attention to this. Don't let this go over
your head. The veil of the temple was rent
in twine, or in two, from the top to the bottom. And the earth
did quake. Creation, it's like creation
shuddered and shook at the death of its Creator. Now I believe
that the whole earth, not just that area, but the whole earth,
this whole globe shook. when Jesus Christ gave up the
ghost, when He died. Creation shuddered at that event,
and the rocks rent. But let's look at a little history
of the veil. Turn over to Exodus chapter 26. In Exodus 26, look in verse 31. We'll read 31 through 34. And thou shalt make a veil of
blue and purple and scarlet, and fine twine linen of cunning
work, with cherubim shall it be made. And thou shalt hang
it upon four pillars of shiddom wood, overlaid with gold. Their
hooks shall be of gold upon the four sockets of silver. And thou
shalt hang up the veil under the taches, that thou mayest
bring in thither within the veil the ark of the testimony, and
the veil shall divide unto you between the holy place and the
most holy. And thou shalt put the mercy
seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place. Now,
turn over to Hebrews chapter 9. Let me do a little reading here
in Hebrews 9, and we'll have some understanding here of what
some of this means. In verse 2, I'm going to read
2 through 12. For there was a tabernacle made,
the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the showbread,
which is called the sanctuary. And after the second veil, the
tabernacle, which is called the holiest of all, which had the
golden censer, ark of the covenant, overlaid round about with gold,
wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that
budded, and the tables of the covenant. and over it the cherubims
of glory shadowing the mercy seat of which we cannot now speak
particularly. Now when these things were thus
ordained, the priest went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing
the service of God. But into the second went the
high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which
he offered for himself and for the errors of the people. The
Holy Ghost, this signifying that the way into the holiest of all,
was not yet made manifest while as the first tabernacle was yet
standing, which was a figure for the time then present, in
which were offered both gifts and sacrifices that could not
make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the
conscience, which stood only in meats and drinks and diverse
washings and carnal ordinances imposed on them until the time
of reformation. But Christ, being come a high
priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect
tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building,
neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood
He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal
redemption for us." Now, let's look at this. What does the renting
the rending of the veil Ming. It has a powerful, powerful meaning. This didn't just happen because
there was an earthquake. Now there's no doubt that a lot
of those Jews that was in that vicinity at that time, and you
can only imagine the horror that they, especially those ones that
were ministering in the tabernacle there, you can only imagine the
horror they had when they walked in there and they saw it rent.
Nobody's supposed to see that. Nobody's supposed to go back
there but the high priest once a year. And here it is rent in
two and opened up. So what does all this mean? Well,
first of all, we know this. We know that as long as it stood,
and we just read this, that the way into the holiest of all was
not yet made manifest. That's what it said in verse
8 of Hebrews 9. This was just a type and a picture. that the
way into God's holy presence was yet to be revealed. It has
not yet been revealed until now, until this event, until this
happened. It also means this, that the ceremonial dispensation
was now abolished, it's over with. All those ceremonies and
all that they did day after day after day, you can't tell how
many, probably millions of lambs and were slayed every day, the
morning and evening sacrifice, day after day after day for years
and years and years. That all came to an end. It all
came to an end. All the types, all the shadows,
it's all done. It also means that the earthly
priesthood that was set up as they knew it and all that they
did was over. because the true high priest
of God, the true high priest of the church, has now come. And that true high priest is
Jesus Christ. He is the one who represents
us before God. No one else represents us before
God. No one else takes His place.
No one else is a substitute for the substitute. The Pope does
not take His place here on earth. at all. Jesus Christ is our High
Priest. He's the one we go to. He's the
one we pray to. He's the one in whose name we
pray and nobody else's. The earthly priesthood is over
with as it was known. And then it means this, that
the Holy of Holies is now open for any believing sinner to come,
Jew or Gentile. It's open. In Jesus Christ, we
can meet with God. We can meet with God and we can
cast upon Him all our cares. We can come before Him and speak
to Him right now. Right now. Every sinner here
who believes, if you believe the Gospel, you believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ, right now, you don't have to wait one time
a year, right now, you can right now go into God's presence, into
the Holy of Holies and speak to Him. You can cast all your
cares upon Him right now. That was never allowed. That
was never allowed before. But the way into God's presence
has now been revealed, and that way is a person. It's a person. That way is not a religion. That
way is Jesus Christ. And you and I are now who are
far off or made nigh by the blood of Christ. He has taken us within the veil. And then it means this, it means
the removal of all distinction between Jew and Gentile. All
distinction is gone. In Christ it says we are what?
One. God is saving a people out of
every kindred, tribe, tongue, and nation under heaven. And
in Jesus Christ, we are one. It doesn't matter where you're
from, what nation you're from, in Christ we are one. We are
brothers and sisters in Christ. Listen to this. Turn over to
Ephesians chapter 2. I want you to read. I want to do
some reading for you. Or us to do some reading here
this morning. In Ephesians chapter 2, look
in verse... Let me see where I want to start
reading. Let me start reading in verse
11. Wherefore remember that you,
being in time past, Gentiles in the flesh, who are called
uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in
the flesh made by hands. that at that time you were without
Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers
from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God
in the world." This is our ancestry as far as Gentiles go. They were
in darkness. But now, in Christ Jesus, ye
who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
For He is our peace, who hath made both one. Jew and Gentile,
and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us,
having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments
contained in ordinances of all these ceremonies. For to make
in himself of twain or of two, one new man." One new man. It's not anymore they are Jews
and we are Gentiles. In Christ we are one. We are
one. There's no distinction in Jesus
Christ. We're one. "...and that He might reconcile
both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity
thereby, and came and preached peace to you which were afar
off, the Gentiles, and to them that were nigh, that through
Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father." Now therefore, I have to go on
and read here, listen. Now therefore, you are no more
strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints
and of the household of God. All distinction has been removed. And then here's something else.
Here's something else that it means. When they split that veil
that kept everybody out, except that high priest went in once
a year, You and I can come into God's presence, listen, with
boldness. With boldness. Hebrews 10, 19,
listen. Having therefore brethren, boldness
to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. We can come
into God's presence right now with boldness. Confidence. You know, boldness comes from
confidence. That's where it comes. It comes
from confidence. You got confidence in somebody or something or someone,
you have boldness. And you and I can come with boldness
into the holiest of holies. That's God's presence. I know
this is just so hard to comprehend, but it's so. It's so. The way
into the presence of God who is holy is now open, and we can
come in with boldness." Not scared, not afraid like they were at
Mount Sinai when they heard the thundering and the lightning.
They said, Moses, don't let Him speak to us. No, I want Him to
speak to us now. Lord, speak this morning. Speak
to our hearts. And I want us to be able to speak
to Him with boldness. You know, the law of God said,
stand back. The law of God said, stand back.
Don't you come in here. Let me read you something here
out of Exodus 19. And the Lord said unto Moses,
Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud. That's like a veil. I
come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when
I speak with thee, and believe thee forever. And Moses told
the words of the people to the Lord. And the Lord said to Moses,
go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and
let them wash their clothes and be ready against the third day.
For the third day, the Lord will come down in the sight of all
the people upon Mount Sinai. Now listen. Here's what the law
does. Thou shalt set bounds unto the
people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves that you go
not up into the mount, or touch the border of it. You can't even
touch the border of it. Whoso touches the mount shall
be surely put to death. There shall not a hand touch
it, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through, whether it be
beast or man. There was nothing alive on that
mount. When God descended on that mount and he gave that law,
there was nothing alive. He said, a beast, if a beast
touches it, it's dead. It's dead. It shall not live
when the trumpet sounds long. He said they shall come up to
the mount. But he says here, you set bounds and you tell them,
don't you touch this mount. Don't even if your beast touch
it, it's going to die. But you know what the gospel
says now? Come unto me, all you that labor and heavy laden, and
I'll give you rest. I'll give you rest. When he said
that Thomas touched me, For a spirit has not flesh and bones." But
he said, touch me. John said, we have looked upon
life, we've handled it, we've touched it, we've seen it, we're
eyewitnesses to it. We've touched life. And we're still alive. We are
still alive. Christ said, he that has seen
me has seen the Father. Scripture says no man can look
upon God and live. But we can look upon God in Christ
and live. We can look upon God Almighty in Christ and live. But something else here, the
renting of the veil also signifies the removal of sin. What really
separates us from God? And I said this in the beginning.
It's sin. Sin. Sin keeps us from communion
with God. If this sin issue with me is
taken care of, then I can have fellowship with God. And when Christ died, when He
cried, It's finished, He removed that which separates me from
God. He removed my sins. When He was put to death on Calvary's
tree, He put my sins away. We sing
that song, did you hear what Jesus said to me? They're all
taken away. All my sins were taken away.
He removed that which separated me from God. It's been put away.
Turn over to Hebrews 9 again. In Hebrews 9, look in verse 24. Hebrews chapter 9. For Christ is not entered into
the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the
true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence
of God for us. Nor yet that he should offer
himself often as the high priest entereth into the holy place
every year with the blood of others. For then must he often
have suffered since the foundation of the world, but now, once,
in the end of the world." This is the end. Now, I don't know
how much longer it'll go, but we're in the end of it, because
there's nothing else to be done, except the saving of the last
sheep. That's it. Everything has been done. The
redemption price has been paid. But once in the end of the world
hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." Sin has been put away. That which separated me from
God, my sins have been put away. And God is the one who put them
away. And now, Now the message is come. Come. It says in Leviticus 16.2, come
not at all times. That's what it says, come not
at all times. Speaking about the veil, the temple, come not
at all times. But now it's come. It's come. Come at any time. Any time your
heart feels impressed to go before God for mercy, for forgiveness,
for whatever burden is laid on your heart, He says, come. Come. There has been opened for us
a new and living way. Let me read that to you out of
Hebrews chapter 10. I should have just went to Hebrews
today, but in Hebrews 10, because it deals so much with it. It says in verse 19, "...having
therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by
the blood of Jesus by a new and living way." What do you mean
living way? Christ, who is life, is the way. He is the living way. You know,
John said over there in Revelation 5, he said, I saw a lamb. as it stood in the midst of the
thrones and the elders. He said, I saw all that stood
as it had been slain. The sacrificial character of
Christ is just as fresh in heaven right now. as it was from the
beginning, because the Scripture says that He's the Lamb of God
slain before the foundation of the world, and it's just as fresh
as it was when it happened 2,000 years ago. That's why we always preach Christ
and Him crucified. It's always a fresh message.
It's always fresh. Having therefore, brethren, boldness
to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and
living way, which he hath consecrated, new made for us through the veil."
Listen, that's to say his flesh. That veil was his flesh. And he made a new and living
way for us to come into God's presence. I know that when a
lot of those Jewish leaders and all, when they went back in the
temple and they saw that rent veil, they were just horrified. When you and I see it, when we
really see it with these eyes of faith, not these eyes of the
flesh, but eyes of faith, when we see it, we see a way into
God's presence. Christ has made a way for us.
He's made a way for a wretch like me to come into God's presence
and be accepted. Accepted. We are accepted in
the Beloved. That's what it tells us in Ephesians
chapter 1. He hath made us accepted in the Beloved. And then notice it says here,
and I'll close, it says that That veil was rent from top to
bottom. It wasn't rent halfway. It was not split halfway, but
it was rent from top to bottom. Top to bottom. I'm telling you,
only God could do that. Listen here. I read this from
John Gill. The veil was very stiff and very
strong. It was made from threads six
times doubled and four fingers thick. And that veil was torn
right in two. Right in two. Not halfway, all the way. This lets the vilest of sinners
who need mercy and grace Access. Access. To walk right into God's
presence. It also shows this, that there
is no part for us to do in order to make salvation complete. It's
not rent halfway than the other half you and I got to come up
with. You and I got to... We don't do anything. When it
comes to salvation, now I'm serious, when it comes to salvation, We
are passive in it. Even faith is the gift of God. Now let's not make faith the
means of it, because the means of salvation is Jesus Christ,
His blood and righteousness. Faith is a gift of God. It's
the work of God in the new creation. It's God giving you faith to
believe. It's not, you know, faith is
not something you and I muster up. And it's not something that
because, you know, we might be smarter than somebody else, we
get it and they didn't. Nobody gets it until the Lord
saves them. If the Lord saves you by his
grace, you get it. I see, I understand, I understand. And I'll tell you this about
faith. You, when God reveals Christ in you and to you, You
cannot help but believe. I believe, I honestly, I believe
the gospel because I can't help it. I'd have to lie, I'd have
to stand here and lie and say I don't believe it. I believe
it because I can't help it. When God gives that kind of faith,
when he does that kind of work of grace, that's when a sinner
will believe. It's just like you're walking
outside and that sun is just shining so bright and your eyes
are open. You can't help but see the sun
shining. You'd have to be a liar to walk
out and say, I don't see no sun. No, it's that obvious. Really,
it's that obvious. It's that real to you. God is
that real, Christ is that real, and salvation is that real to
you, and you understand. If you don't understand anything
else, I don't understand the millennial, what they call the
millennial reign of Christ, you know. Henry said he was a pan-millennialist. It'll all pan out in the end.
He's got the all-millennials, the post-millennials. Henry said,
I'm a pan-millennialist. It'll all pan out in the end.
I don't know. There's so much I don't know.
But I know how God can save a wretch like me. I know how I can stand
before God righteous and accepted. And that's in His Son, Jesus
Christ. That's what I know. That's what
I know. If you want somebody to stand
here and explain Armageddon and all these other things to you,
you got the wrong person. And I tell you, I don't think
anybody else knows it. I haven't heard anybody else that ever had anything
to say about it that I thought knew what they were talking about.
God does. God knows. And the earth did quake, and
the rocks rent, split them in two. Over in Ezekiel 36, 26,
this is the scripture that just jumped in my mind when I read
about the rocks rent. They split right in two. God
says in Ezekiel 36, 26, I will take away that stony heart and
I'll give you a heart of flesh. The only person and the only
message that can conquer and break a hard heart like we were
born with is the gospel. And that's how God does it. He
does it with the gospel. And then it says, "...many saints
came out of their graves and entered into the holy city, proof
that he got the job done." Can you imagine? I think in one place
it said 500 or something like that came out. But many of the
saints came out of the grave. Can you imagine they went in
there and people saw them? You know how powerful that had
to be? It was proof of His resurrection, proof of who He is. They were
witnesses to Christ's resurrection and His power. And even that old crusty soldier,
even that old crusty hardened soldier standing at the cross
had to confess, surely this was the Son of God. The only thing
he got wrong was was. He is the Son of God. He got
the verb wrong. And then Joseph of Arimathea,
a rich man, begged for the body of Christ to bury it in his own
tomb. Usually they left those bodies
hanging there and they let the buzzards eat them. They let them
decay and rot. They wanted people to see it.
But he went and he begged the body of Christ, this rich man. You know why? You know why? to fulfill the
Word of God, Isaiah 53, 9. And he made his grave with the
wicked, those two thieves, and with the rich in his death, buried
in a rich man's grave. I tell you, right down to the
jot and tittle, it just, it's so accurate, so accurate. But the message is this, this
morning. There is a way into God's presence for sinners. If
I can find a sinner, if I can find one, I've got good news.
I've got good news for sinners. There's a way that you can come
into God's presence and be accepted, be forgiven, and be cleansed,
be pardoned, be justified. And that way is Jesus Christ.