23 the name of the message is
death burial resurrection death burial resurrection Luke chapter
23 my Luke chapter 23 We're starting verse 44 It was about the sixth hour and
there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour and
And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent
in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with
a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. And having said thus, he gave
up the ghost. Now when the centurion saw what
was done, he glorified God, saying, certainly this was a righteous
man. And all the people that came
together to that site, beholding the things which were done, smote
their breasts and returned. And all his acquaintance and
the woman that followed him from Galilee stood afar off beholding
these things. Next we see in our text that
our Lord is buried. And behold, there was a man named
Joseph, a counselor, and he was a good man and just. The same
had not consented to the counsel and the deed of them. He was
of Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who also himself waited for the
kingdom of God. This man went unto Pilate and
begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down and wrapped
it in linen and laid it in a sepulcher that was hewn in stone, wherein
never man before was laid. And that day was the preparation,
and the Sabbath drew on. And the woman also which came
with him from Galilee falled after and beheld the sepulcher
and how his body was laid. And they returned and prepared
spices and ointments and rested the Sabbath day according to
the commandment. So we saw when the text that
Brother Matt read how they crucified our Lord. And we see in verses
44 to 49 that our Lord Jesus Christ died on Calvary's cross.
He died on Calvary's cross. Then in verses 50 to 56, we see
that he was buried, that he was buried. He was placed in a rich
man's tomb where never man before was laid. So we've seen in our text so
far the death and burial of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now God's
people have had revealed to them just who Christ is, just who
Christ is. fact that he is our majestic
God that he's the great creator that he's God incarnate in flesh
fully man but yet fully God we've had that revealed to us and he
came to this earth he became a man the Word of God became
a man so he could suffer and bleed and die to pay the ransom
price for his people for his bride the one he's loved from
eternity and we've just read beloved about
the most spectacular amazing event in the history of man it
really is it is the most spectacular and the most amazing event in
the history of mind this this is I've said this many times
and I'll keep saying this this was the greatest manifestation
of love that this world has ever seen greatest manifestation of
love that this world has ever seen. Verse 44 brings forth that it
was about the sixth hour and there was darkness over all the
earth until the ninth hour. The sixth hour for the Jews is
12 noon and the ninth hour is about 3 p.m. Right after our
Lord had told his blood-bought child His blood-bought child,
the thief who was saved by grace, that was one of his people from
before the foundation of the world. Oh, my. That he would be with him in
paradise today. Today, he told him. Darkness
then came upon the whole earth. The whole earth. From around
noon until the ninth hour, again, which was around 3 p.m. Three
hours of darkness came upon the earth. And the miracle of darkness
that came upon the earth was all by the power of our great
God. It was all by the power of our
great God. And one can only imagine how
fear would grip the people, how fear would have gripped the people,
the inhabitants of this earth, that our all-knowing, all-powerful
God is the only one who knew the meaning of the darkness. He's the only one. The perfect love of God for His
chosen people was demonstrated on Calvary's cross. The perfect,
eternal love of God was demonstrated on the cross. Herein is love,
not that we love God, but that He loved us and sent His Son
to be the propitiation for our sins, 1 John 4, 10. Again, I'll
read that again. Herein is love. Here's love manifested. Not that we love God because
we know in our natural state we don't love God. But that he loved us. He's loved
his people with an everlasting love. And sent his son. The Lord was
on a mission. He came to redeem his people
from their sins. Sent his son. to be the propitiation
for our sins. He sent his son to die on the
cross for sinners. For sinners. And we who are saved
know we're still sinners, don't we? But praise God, we're saved
by grace. We're saved by grace. Those who are born again by the
Holy Spirit of God, we've been delivered. We've been delivered
from the power of darkness. And oh, what a darkness we were
in. Oh, what a darkness we were.
We were dead in trespasses and sins, in the darkness of our
sins. And we didn't even know we were in the darkness. And we were loving being in the
darkness. That was our natural state. child of God rejoice we've been
delivered we've been delivered we've been delivered by the Lord
Jesus Christ our all-conquering King the captain of our salvation
beloved oh and it is he who imparts that
salvation to us just as that song we just sang he gives it
to his people he gives eternal life to us it's Christ and Christ
alone who has defeated all our foes foes that we could not defeat
in our natural state death is conquered our sin is
conquered our sins are all paid for conquered
and paid for by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ by our great Savior sinless spotless
Lamb of God who died in our room in place what love is that you can't even
measure it it's so vast it's so vast turn if you would to
Colossians chapter 2 Colossians chapter 2 and let's read what
Paul writes to the Colossian believers about the death of
Christ this this passage is one of my
favorite portions of scripture I absolutely I have a lot of
favorite portions of scripture but this is this one is just
makes my heart sing and see if it does for you who are a child
of God to look at this Colossians 2 verses 13 to 15 look at the
verse 13 and you so Paul's writing the believers we know he's writing
to the Colossian believers and you being dead in your sins.
That's our natural state. Dead. Graveyard dead. We can't
help ourselves. We're hopeless. We're helpless.
We're dead. And we have no desire for God.
We have no desire for the things of God. We have no desire for
his word. We don't want to be around his people. We don't want
to have nothing to do with them in our natural state. And you,
being dead in your sins. the uncircumcision of your flesh,
look at this, hath he quickened together with him, you're born
again by the Holy Spirit of God through the preaching of the
word, hath he quickened with him, having forgiven you all
trespasses, oh just relishing that, all trespasses, past sins
are all forgiven, present sins are forgiven, and future sins
are all forgiven, all, all means all there beloved, all, Wonderful
news, isn't it? See the preacher? We have good
news for sinners. The question is, are you a sinner?
Has God shown you that you're a sinner? Because we're all sinners. We're all sinners. We're born
sinners. Look at this, oh heaven, forgiving
you all trespasses, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances
that was against us. Oh my, think of all our sins.
And think of the handwriting and ordinances that was against
us. We were guilty, right? The law condemned us. Guilty. But look at that. Blotting out. That means to whitewash like
it's not even there. That's what that means in the
Greek. Whitewash. Blotting out. The handwriting
and ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us,
right? Because it would have led us
right to our eternal doom. the contrary to us, and took
it out of the way, nailing it to his cross. And having spoiled
principalities and powers, he made the show of them openly,
triumphing over them. And the triumph in there is in
light of a Roman general. He would come in after a huge
victory. He would come in in what was
called a Roman triumph. And they had pictures and stuff of all
the things that went on in the battle. And at the very end,
he would come in. The victorious general would come in with a
golden laurel. And he would come in. And he would, my. People
would be yelling and screaming. The Lord Jesus Christ triumphed
over His enemies, beloved, triumphed over all of them, over all of
them. Isaiah writes the words by the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit. He writes this, Comfort ye, comfort
ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem,
that's God's people, and cry unto her that her warfare is
accomplished, that her warfare is accomplished. and that her
iniquity is pardoned, for she hath received of the Lord's hand
double for her sins. Beloved, our warfare was accomplished,
was accomplished by the perfect redeeming work of the Lord Jesus
Christ at Calvary's cross, at Calvary's cross. When he as our
substitute suffered the wrath of God in our place, suffered
the wrath of God on that cruel cross on Mount Calvary. All our
sins, our sins were placed upon Him. The sinless, spotless Lamb
of God bore that and paid everything that God demanded for us. And we are made the righteousness
of God in Him. Our sins are totally forgiven,
fully pardoned. Heaven forgiven you all trespasses. There is not one that's not under
the blood. There is not one that's not under the blood. Our dying
Savior satisfied the holy justice of God and the law of God totally
in our place. And the only way God's children
could be comforted is by the preaching of the gospel. The
preaching that says, He did it all. He did it all. He did it all. This is the heavenly
manna for our souls, beloved. This is heavenly manna for our
souls, the preaching of the gospel. And we feast and feed on the
truth of God's forgiving grace, don't we? Oh, we want to hear
it again and again and again and again. Just keep telling
me about what Christ has done. Now, we see two manifestations
here of the almighty power of God. Look at verse 45. In verse
45, we see two manifestations of God's almighty power. The
scripture says, and the sun was darkened, and the veil of the
temple was rent in the midst. Now, the sun was darkened is
just another way of telling us that there was darkness over
all the earth. This was not a natural eclipse.
This was not one that was planned. Planned by God, but not, you
know, man can look and say, oh, there's going to be an eclipse
at this time. They didn't have a clue that it was coming. God knew, because God knows everything. This was not a natural eclipse.
This was wrought by the supernatural power of our great God. And verse
45 continues and says, and the veil of the temple was rent in
the midst. The veil of the temple was rent
in the midst. Again, another manifestation
of the power of God by the almighty hand of God. The veil of the
temple was a very thick curtain. And no man, not even Samson himself,
could have rent that veil with his bare hands. No man could
have done that. But the thing with this is the
veil of the temple was rent from top to bottom, not from bottom
to top. From top to bottom. Now what
would man? Man would have to put some kind
of scaffolding up just to get to the top, wouldn't they? This was rent from top to bottom. The veil of the temple separated
the sanctuary from the innermost sanctuary, the holy place from
the holiest of holies. And because of sin, there is
a great separation between God and sinners. And the holiest
of holies is where the high priest of Israel would go. The high
priest of Israel go, and only the high priest. On the day of
atonement, he entered in there and sprinkled the blood of the
sin offering on the altar and on the mercy seat. And absolutely
no one But the high priest was allowed to enter into that area, which teaches us that sinful
man cannot approach God except through a divine representative.
And we know who the high priest pictured, don't we? The high
priest pictured Christ, who is our high priest, who is our high
priest. Jesus Christ is the only one
and only high priest It is He who represents spiritual Israel.
It is He who represents spiritual Israel. His chosen people. And we know the scripture declares
that there's only one mediator between God and man. Only one. Only one. So absolutely no one
can approach God and be in God's presence except through the Son,
the Lord Jesus Christ. There's no other way to approach
God. except through Christ. And the sacrifice that was offered
on the Day of Atonement, it typified Christ, too. It typified Christ,
who offered himself as the supreme sacrifice that removed our sins,
that removed our sins, the sins of his people, from God's sight
forever. Forever. Rejoice again, you who are the
child of God. Rejoice. You've been purchased with the
precious blood of God, the God-man mediator, and you've been born
again by the Holy Spirit of God. And it's the Lord Jesus Christ
who is your mercy seat, and who is the altar, and who is the sacrifice,
and it is he who is our great high priest. See, all those things
typified Christ. Again, the high priest went into
the holiest of holies on the day of atonement. And again,
that typified Christ, our great high priest. After he made atonement
for our sins, he entered into heaven, beloved. He entered into
heaven as our divine representative. For Christ has not entered into
the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the
true, but into heaven now to appear in the presence of God
for us, Hebrews 9.24. Our blessed Redeemer entered into
the Holy of Holies with his blood, as the scriptures proclaim, 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, Hebrews 9.12. Having obtained eternal redemption
for us. for we who are sinners, for we
who are his people. And the veil of the temple rent
was to signify the fulfillment of the day of atonement, which
typified the Lamb of God, who was justified his people by his
blood. Rejoice, child of God. It is
through Christ and Christ alone that you have now received the
atonement. Also the veil of the temple was
rent to signify that those who have received Christ and his
blood atonement for our sins can boldly approach our God now.
Can boldly approach our God. Turn if you would to Hebrews
chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10. And we can only approach him
through the throne of grace. Why? Because we have a great
high priest. We have a great high priest. Hebrews chapter
10 verses 19 to 22. And put your finger in Colossians
3, we'll go there in a minute. Hebrews chapter 10, verses 19
to 22. Heaven therefore, brethren, verse
19, heaven therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest
by the blood of Jesus. See, the only way we can approach
God, the only way we can enter into his presence is through
the precious blood of Christ. Because what did God say to the
Israelites? When I see the blood, I'll pass over you. I'll pass
over you. Having therefore, brethren, boldness
to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new
and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the
veil, that is to say, his flesh, and having a high priest over
the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full
assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil
conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Oh my. Now the believer in Christ
has the full freedom and confidence to enter the very presence of
God. And it's by absolutely nothing in us. It's all by the precious
blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. All by the power and virtue of
his blood. And the veil rent, the veil in
the temple is rent in two, and the ceremonies and sacrifices,
they've all been laid aside, beloved. They've all been laid
aside. by Christ's effectual sacrifice
in the flesh. And now, O Christ Jesus our Lord,
he rules and he reigns in victory. In victory. And it is he, never
forget this, it is he who has absolute authority. It's he who has absolute authority. Turn, if you would, to Colossians
chapter 3. veil on the temple was ran also
to show us that through Christ Jesus that he's the one and only
way for both Jews and Gentiles for both Jews and Gentiles to
approach God and that God all of God's children are united
in one body one body he's the head and we're the body look
at Colossians chapter 3 look at verse 10 to 11 Look what Paul
pens here. And having put on the new man,
we're born again by the Holy Spirit of God, which is renewed
in knowledge after the image of him that created him, where
there is neither Greek nor Jew. Now, there was a time when Jews
wouldn't even socialize with the Greeks. Well, they socialized
as much as they could just doing business with them. But other
than that, they had nothing to do with them, nothing to do with
any Gentiles. Well, it says here, where there's
neither Jew nor Greek, Circumcision nor uncircumcision. Barbarian,
Scythian, bond nor free, but Christ is all and in all. Look
at that. One in Christ. Now it says they
are barbarians. We know what barbarians were,
but Scythians, Scythians were known. I did a little look when
we were going through Colossians, the study in Colossians. The
Scythians were known as the barbarians of the barbarians. They were
the worst. And I won't even get into what they did. They were
savage. Well, Lord saved some of them.
Isn't that wonderful? Because they're mentioned here.
Oh, my. Where there's neither Greek nor
Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond nor
free, but Christ is all in all. My. Take note now, let's go back
to Luke chapter 23. Take note of these words in verse
46. And when Jesus had cried with
a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.
And having thus said thus, he gave up the ghost. Our Lord cried
with a loud voice. Now this was not a cry of a weak
man. No, this was the loud voice of
a conquering captain. Manifested that he had the strength
to live forever, but it was his appointed time to die. Remember
what our Lord said, turn if you would, with this in mind, remember
what our Lord said in John chapter 10, and note there in verse,
turn if you would to John 10, we're looking at verses 15 to
18. But I want to read again verse 46. And when Jesus cried
with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.
And having said this, he gave up the ghost. Now look what he
said in John 10. Look at this. John chapter 10. Look at verses
15 to 18. And as the Father knoweth me,
even so I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. Well, remember what he said there.
Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit, and having said thus,
he gave up the ghost. Now, he says over here, I lay
down my life. I do it. He did it. He willingly laid
down his life. Look at this. Who does he lay
it down for? As the Father knoweth me, even
so know I the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. And
other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them also I
must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be
one fold and one shepherd, one flock, one body. Remember over
in Colossians, Jews, Greeks, barbarians, Scythians, bond-free,
circumcision, uncircumcision, one in Christ, one in Christ. Therefore doth my father love
me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. He's
got all power, beloved. He's telling them right there.
He's got all power. No man taketh it from me. Remember
what he told Pilate? You have no power unless God
gives it to you. Oh, my. No man taketh it from
me, but I lay it down to myself. I have power to lay it down,
and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received
of my father." Oh my. He just told them who he was.
Now they didn't know. Now the apostles and God's people,
we've been taught who Christ is, but there's division among
the Jews for these saiyans. They were pretty riled up. Let's go back to our text and
look at that verse 46 again. Luke 23, 46. And when Jesus had
cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend
my spirit. And having said thus, he gave
up the ghost. John Gill brings this forth.
He says, when the Lord cried with a loud voice, he showed
the vehemency of his affection, his strong confidence in God,
and his being fearless of death. thus spoke that he might be heard,
and his word attended to, since they contain things of the greatest
importance and consequence." Marvel at this. And having said
thus, he gave up the ghost. Marvel at those words. Because
of what we just read over there in John, I lay down my life for
the sheep. He gave up the ghost willingly.
He died willingly, freely. voluntarily. What a Savior! What a Redeemer is Jesus Christ
our Lord! What a Savior! And always remember
this, that our Lord Jesus was in perfect control of every situation
during His life here. He was in perfect control of
every situation during His life here. He knew exactly what He
was doing. He came here to do the Father's
will. He came here to do the Father's will. And he could not
have done that if he had not known what the Father's will
was. He came here to do the Father's
will, to save his people from their sins. And he could not have perfectly
obeyed the Father if he did not know, or if he was not in perfect
control of every situation. He's God. He's God incarnate
in the flesh. And we read in the Gospel of
John that when our Lord Our Lord said it's finished when he died
too. It's finished. He bowed the head
and gave up the ghost. It's finished. He finished the
work of redemption for his people. Finished. For his elect. How? He purchased them with his
own precious blood. If you're a believer, he purchased
you with his own precious blood. And he did it willingly. He laid
his life down for you. And our Lord said, Father, into
thy hands I commend my spirit. And he died. And then let's look
at verses 50 to 56. And behold, there was a man named
Joseph, a counselor. And he was a good man and a just. The same had not consented to
the counsel and deed of them. He was of Arimathea, a city of
the Jews, who also waited for the kingdom of God. This man
went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he took
it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that
was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that
day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on. And the
woman also which came with him from Galilee followed after,
and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And they
returned, and prepared spices, and ointments, rested the Sabbath
day according to the commandment. Take note in these verses of
the boldness of Joseph of Arimathea. He is a member of the Sanhedrin.
He's going to Pilate, begging the body of Jesus and burying
it in his own tomb. And in John's account, we read
Nicodemus, whom the Lord had told, you must be born again.
He was also a member of the Sanhedrin. He helped Joseph. He helped Joseph. And you see that in John's account. So in our text so far, we've
seen the death, and now the burial, and now let's look at the resurrection.
Let's look at the resurrection. Look at Luke 24, verses 1 to
12. Now upon the first day of the
week, very early in the morning, came unto the sepulchre, bringing
the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And
they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they
were much perplexed, thereabout, behold, two men stood by them
in shining garments. And as they were afraid, and
bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why
seek ye the living among the dead? Remember, they're in a
graveyard. Why seek ye the living among
the dead? He is not here, but is risen. Remember how he spake unto you
when he was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of Man must be delivered?
into the hands of sinful man and be crucified the third day
and the third day rise again and they remembered his words
they remembered his words and returned from the sepulcher and
told all these things unto the eleven and to all the rest it
was Mary Magdalene and Jonah and Mary the mother of James
and other women that were with them which told those things
these things unto the apostles. And the words seemed to them
as idle tales, and they believed them not. Then rose Peter and
ran into the sepulcher, and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes
laid by themselves, and departed, wondering himself at what had
come to pass. I'll take note that after they
had rested on the Sabbath day, that these women went to the
tomb where the Lord Jesus Christ was buried. One was Mary Magdalene,
one was Joanna, and one was Mary, the mother of James. Now these
women were true followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. They manifested
a sincere love for the master by preparing spices to anoint
Christ's body. And that love was manifested
in their early dedication, their early dedication to that specific
task. that they went to accomplish
on Sunday morning. Now we know that Christ is every
believer's Sabbath, isn't he? He's our rest. He's our Sabbath. And we see in our text that the
woman had rested on Sabbath day according to the law of Moses,
not yet knowing that Christ, who is their Sabbath, had perfectly
honored all of God's law for them. Christ is our Sabbath, beloved.
He's our rest. He's our rest. God created everything
in six days, and on the seventh day, he rested from all his works.
Just as the Lord Jesus laid down his life for the sheep, he uttered
the final words, it is finished. It's finished. Laying down his
life just before the beginning of the Sabbath day was purposed
by God himself, showing us that Christ, our Savior, entered into
eternal rest after he had finished the work which his Father sent
him to do. And as God ceased from his own
works of creation and rested on the seventh day, Christ ceased
from his own works and entered into eternal rest. And every
believer ceases from our own labors, don't we? We cease from
our own labors and we've entered in to the rest of Christ. We've
entered into the rest of Christ. He's our blessed Redeemer. He's
our Sabbath. He's our rest. Verses one to four, scriptures
proclaim that these women came to the tomb and they found it
empty. And the stone which covered the entrance of the tomb was
rolled away. It says, Now upon the first day
of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher,
bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others
with them. And they found the stone rolled
away from the sepulcher, and they entered in, and found not
the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they
were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them
in shining garments. Take note also that these that
this verse 3 is an important witness to the humanity of Christ, which was challenged by an early
heretical movement called Gnosticism. But we see that these women fully
expected to find Jesus' physical body there. He was really a man. He was really a man. And they
were perplexed. when they did not see it. In
the Greek, this means to be thoroughly perplexed, to be in much doubt. Hesitate greatly. Have you ever
had something happen in your life and you're real hesitant
to go and check what's there? That's how they were. They were
hesitant. Let's read verses 4 to 9 here,
too. Look at this. And note the wondrous words.
He's risen. He's risen. He's not there. He's risen. And
it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold,
two men stood by them in shining garments. And as they were afraid
and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them,
why seek ye the living among the dead? Why seek ye the living among
the dead? You ever think of this? I remember an old grace preacher
telling me this years ago. I love it. He said, when a believer
dies and go to glory, they leave the land of the dead and go to
the land of the living. They go to the land where people
are dead in trespasses and sins, and they go to the land of the
living, beloved. To the land of the living. Oh,
my. He's risen. Why seek ye the living
among the dead? He's not here, but He's risen. Remember how He spake unto you
when He was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of Man must be delivered
into the hands of sinful men and crucified, and the third
day rise again? And they remembered His words,
and returned from the sepulcher, and told all these things unto
the eleven, and all the rest. He's not here. He's risen. He's
risen. We know from the scriptures,
why was he risen? For our justification. For our
justification. He's sinless. He's spotless.
He's the perfect lamb of God. He's willingly given his life
up, totally sinless, for sinners. My, what a savior. And notice the angels didn't
say, well, take our words for it. He's not here. Notice that? They didn't say that, did they?
No. They were true messengers of
God. And take note of what they said. They reminded these women
what the Lord had said to them. What the Lord had said to them.
He's not here, but is risen. Remember how He spake unto you
when He was yet in Galilee, verse 6, saying, now they're going
to tell them, they're going to tell them what the Lord said
to them, saying, the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands
of sinful man, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. A true messenger from God knows
it's not man's words that set the prisoner free. As our Lord proclaimed, you shall
know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. The truth,
the truth that salvation's only in Christ, in Christ alone. truth
that he made a full complete atonement for the sins of his
people on calvary's cross the truth that all our sins are absolutely
forgiven fully paid in full full pardon nothing nothing will ever
be bought against us hallelujah what a savior what
a savior The gospel preacher must preach the truth. We must
take those who come to hear, right to the word of God. Right
to the word of God, which proclaims, thus saith the Lord. What does
the word of God say? Salvation's of the Lord. It also
says that Christ is the alpha and the omega, the beginning
and the end of your salvation. That he's the author and the
finisher of your salvation. Not man, but God. God. Turn, if you would, to Mark 10
and listen to, let's look at what the Lord told the disciples
over here in Mark 10 verses 33 to 34. Look what he says to them
right here. Mark chapter 10 verses 33 to 34. The scriptures declare, the Lord
said, saying, behold, in verse 33, We go up to Jerusalem, and
the Son of Man shall be delivered unto the chief priests and unto
the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver
him to the Gentiles. And they shall mock him, and
scorch him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him. In the
third day, he shall rise again." See, these women had heard those
words. And the scriptures tell us in Luke 24, 8, they remembered
his words. They remembered his words. They remembered his words. Beloved,
their sorrow was turned to joy. Their sorrow was turned to joy.
Just like when God reveals Christ to us, our sorrow and our fear
of, oh my, I'm a sinner. When we're born again by the
Holy Spirit of God, Our souls turn to joy, isn't it? Knowing
that we have full, free forgiveness in Christ, in Christ alone. Their soul was turned to joy.
They're no longer perplexed. They're no longer hesitant. They're
no longer filled with fears and doubts. They went and they told
the apostles what had happened. Oh, look at verse nine. And they
returned from the sepulcher and told all those things unto the
eleven. and to all the rest. So we have seen today set forth
before us in the scriptures the death, burial, and resurrection
of our Lord. Now let us close with four words
which will help us to define this blessed work which we've
looked at, the blessed work of salvation in and through Christ
alone that he accomplished for his people when he laid down
his life for his sheep. The first word is sovereignty,
sovereignty. Our Lord's act of redemption
was an act of divine sovereignty. He laid down his life for his
sheep. It was an act of divine sovereignty,
beloved. He voluntarily laid down his
life for his people. And you know why? Because it
was his free and sovereign pleasure to do so. To do so. Christ, the sovereign God, determined
that he would die He determined how he would die. He determined
where he would die. He determined when he would die. He determined who his murderers
would be. And he even determined for whom he'd die for. And he determined what the results
of his death would be. And then he came and accomplished
it, all by his sovereign power. Second word is success. Sovereignty,
success. Because of who our Redeemer is,
the eternal sovereign Son of God, we are assured, we are assured,
we who are His people, we who are born again by the Holy Spirit
of God, purchased by His blood, we are assured that His death
and His redemptive work for the atonement of our sins is a perfect
success, beloved. A perfect success. prophecy has
been fulfilled, he shall not fail, and he obtained eternal redemption
for his people. Next word is substitution, substitution. The Lord Jesus Christ died as
a substitute for a particular people when he said, I lay down
my life for the sheep. all those people for whom Christ
stood as substitute and died on Calvary's cross as substitute,
bearing their sins and enduring the wrath of God in their place,
they will never perish. They will never perish. They
are redeemed. They are redeemed. So sovereignty,
success, substitution, and the last word is satisfaction. Satisfaction. Satisfaction. Our blessed Savior
His one substitutionary sacrifice for our sins has completely and
perfectly satisfied the wrath and justice of God that was against
us. And God says, I will remember
their sins no more. What a Savior! What a Redeemer
is Jesus Christ our Lord. His sacrifice was full, complete,
and totally satisfying to God. And every sinner who believes
on the Lord Jesus Christ is freely justified by the grace of God,
beloved, by the grace of God, fully pardoned of all their sins,
how? Through the propitiatory sacrifice
of the Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary's cross by the shedding of his
precious blood to redeem our eternal souls. And again, the
law and the justice of God are satisfied. God is both just and
the justifier of his people and there is therefore now no
condemnation to those in Christ Jesus praise God what a Savior
if you're one of his rejoice there is therefore now no condemnation
to those who who are in Christ Jesus. Praise God. Praise God
for the death, the burial, and the resurrection of our great
Savior. What a Savior. Oh, what a Savior. May God give
you grace. If you don't know him, may God give you grace to
flee to Christ, the only Savior of sinners, the only Savior of
sinners. Heavenly Father, we thank you
for allowing us again to come together, to gather together,
to look in thy word. And oh, wonder of wonders, Lord,
as we looked at your death, your burial, and praise God, your
resurrection, knowing that it's your death, by your death, by
the shedding of thy precious blood and paying for all our
sins, that we are redeemed, purchased, purchased, O Lord. And we know
that by your being buried, that death has no sting for us, because
you're risen again. You're risen again, and where
the head is, the body shall soon follow, O Lord, we'll one day
be with you in your presence, we who are your people. Glory
to your name, Lord, in Jesus' name, amen. Won't you take your hymnals and
turn with me for our closing song this morning? Number 138,
Christ Arose. Number 138, let's stand. Greeting the coming day, Jesus
my Lord. Rise up and pray. He arose with a mighty triumph
o'er his foes. He arose a victor from the dark
domain. And he lives forever with his
saints to reign. He arose! He arose! Alleluia, Christ arose! Lately he watched his head,