 Let's open our Bibles together to Mark chapter 15. We're going to share a little bit out of chapter 15 tonight as has already been mentioned. You know it, we weren't able to get together last year and you know we did in a way I went on online and I stood up here behind this pulpit and even put on a suit to speak to my staff and pretended that they were the church, but they're all fired now. They're not, maybe they're watching tonight, but you know it's just nice to have you here. You know God bless you. I'm glad you're here with us tonight to celebrate together. I really really miss, I miss these kinds of things you know and this upcoming Easter Sunday service truly looking forward to it and you'll see that something the Lord has laid on my heart at this time is is really being provoked by the reality that in this time of what has been called a pandemic in this time of COVID and all the fear that it has has released from the hearts of many people and many people are in bondage to it and my heart goes out to them, those who are but the bottom line is you know God hasn't given to us a spirit of fear. He's given us a spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind and Jesus Christ is you know he has conquered and so even though many of us you know came down with this particular virus and all of that, but one of the things that happened is churches began to empty. I was listening just the other day to a news report that stated that 25% of the churches in the United States closed the doors forever. 25% of the churches in the United States due to this last year of COVID and all closed their doors forever and that to me is a heartbreak and another fact that they're bringing out is that in the 60s and 70s and all you know 50 years or so ago if you were to take a survey amongst Americans and would ask them if they had a faith and the majority of those Americans who say that they did would say they had a Christian faith, well there were over 70, 80% of those who were surveyed regularly, those would be the stats and and now there are less than 50% in the United States who claim to have a faith in in in anything other than you know not just Christians but just basically we have become a secularized nation and so I think what has taken place in this COVID is for some the fact that they they may very well not have had a genuine faith in Christ at all perhaps their their religious exercise included on occasion going to church and and it seems to me that in some ways not not in every case of course and I don't want to come off harshly in this at all but it seems to me that in some ways the church has been sifted by the Lord himself and and that there are those who who who finally just realized that you know this walking with God thing isn't for me and you know for for me it was a sad awakening I'll be honest with you it was a sad awakening to to see those things taking place but in the recent weeks now the Lord has been just inspiring me and encouraging me because I really believe that when when you love the Lord you're willing to do pretty much anything to be close to him and that would include fellowshiping not forsaken the assembly of yourselves together as a matter of some is and and and I came to realize that that there are people who will stand in line to see a concert and and stand in line to go and see a favorite star who's going to be walking the this particular red carpet or whatever they'll stand in line sometimes they'll even they'll even camp out in order that they might be first to get tickets and all or go to a particular game and it kind of woke me up to the fact that that the church has been asleep the church has been asleep but you know what I I don't know if I'm I should say it this way but this on my heart I got I have great hope because I I believe that the church is going to wake up and be stronger than it ever has before I believe the purging has been taking place But God is going to do a new and a fresh work and I'm so encouraged in that and I'm so believing that because I know God wants to do work I have no doubt in my mind and with that said you know I'm happy that you're here and I'm blessed that there are those who are watching online right now We love you God bless you and I do hope to see you who are watching online I hope to see you this upcoming sunday if you're in the area and are able to come and if not Well watch us online again this upcoming sunday. The worship is going to be amazing I'm just looking forward to our Easter sunday. We didn't have a chance last year together But this year we do and I'm looking forward so much to gathering together and worshiping God and with that said We're going to look tonight at some of the things related to the good friday Good friday that worse. We are actually observing even right now and so in marx gospel chapter 15 I'm going to begin by reading verse 33 and I'm going to take you through several verses and share with you a few things about what took place on good friday Now obviously we're not going to look through all of the events. I'm going to actually pick up during The events that have already transpired and so verse 33 reads when the sixth hour had come There was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour So as we begin at this point Jesus has been crucified and he's been on the cross For three hours If you were to look at chapter 15 of mark verse 25 It tells us that he was crucified at 9 a.m. And and now as we pick up the story. It's noon Now at this time something very unusual has happened luke 23 44 says It was about the sixth hour and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour So from noon until three in the afternoon. There was darkness as luke says over the land Now it's interesting to note that the sun shines brightest at noon But instead of bright light, there's nothing but darkness And as you think about that think of it in this way on the night that jesus was born the sky Was filled with supernatural light In luke chapter 2 verses 8 and 9 It reads there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields Keeping watch over their flock by night Behold an angel of the lord stood before them and the glory of the lord shone around them And they were greatly afraid And so on the night that jesus was born the sky was filled with supernatural light And on that night the sky was filled with light because jesus is the light of the world And that's what he spoke of himself. That's what he said of himself in john 8 12 Jesus said on the light of the world he who follows me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life So jesus is the light of the world and because he is the light of the world It's fitting that his birth was accompanied by light Yet on the day he died at noon when the sun is at its brightest the sky became dark Now why would that happen? Why did the sky become dark? But when you read your bible you'll note that very often in the bible darkness is a symbol of judgment You see that in both the old and the new testament For example in exodus chapter 10 verses 21 and 22 it says the lord said to moses Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness will spread over egypt darkness that can be felt So moses stretched out his hand toward the sky and total darkness covered all egypt for three days So in the old testament darkness can be used as a symbol of judgment As we've been going through the book of revelation on sunday mornings. Remember revelation 16 verse 10 When we had the fifth bowl judgment well Anti christ kingdom in that bowl judgment became full of darkness So darkness helps us to understand that the cross was a place of judgment The sins of the world were poured out vicariously on the son of god jesus christ The supernatural darkness was the visible expression of god's response to sin god never takes pleasure in sin And god does not ignore its presence as a matter of fact the bible teaches us he completely rejects it In the old testament book of hibacca in chapter 1 verse 13 The prophet said you are of purer eyes than to behold evil and cannot look on wickedness And so this darkness takes place god hates evil Darknesses shrouds and it may be a picture of the spiritual darkness that is enshrouding those who crucified jesus The darkness of their souls was portrayed by the darkness Of the earth and the bible makes it very clear that when you don't have the light of life you walk in darkness In second carinthians 4 verses 3 and 4 paul said it like this. He said even if our gospel is veiled It is veiled to those who are perishing The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers So they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of christ Who is the image of god? So those who don't know christ walk in darkness jesus said if you know me you're walking in light And so that helps us to understand jesus's purpose. Why did you come to earth? He would say to bring the light to bring the light of life In matthew 4 16 it says the people living in darkness have seen a great light On those living in the land of the shadow of death A light is dawned And so perhaps the light when it resumes after three hours Some writers said that that resumption of light would foreshadow the resurrection And so at verse 33 the six hour had come there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour And verse 34 at the ninth hour jesus cried out with a loud boy saying Eloi Eloi lama sabbaktani Which is translated my god my god Why have you forsaken me? Eloi Eloi lama sabbaktani is in a language called aramaic In matthew's account in matthew 27 verse 46 Matthew Gave us the Hebrew It's interesting how that when jesus cries out That that is one of the few times that he actually speaks while on the cross When you begin to look at what had been called the seven last sayings of christ You'll see that the gospel writers have recorded a variety of things, but Seven things were recorded related to his last words In luke chapter 23 verse 34 for example, jesus said father forgive them For they know not what they do In luke 23 verse 43 He said to that thief who was next to him assuredly i say to you Today you will be with me in paradise In john 19 26 and 27 John records when jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing by He said to his mother woman behold your son and he said to the disciple Behold your mother And so jesus spoke and he gave us insights into his kingdom and and things related to it, but the question has to be asked Why did jesus cry out? Why have you forsaken me? My god my god, why have you forsaken me? Well, he was crying out with the anguish The anguish of separation An anguish that came from the separation that he was experiencing because he's in anguish Related to that You see the baptist had called jesus the lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world And as the Passover lamb jesus became the sin offering on our behalf The bible says in second Corinthians 5 21 that he made him who knew no sin to be sinned for us that we might become the righteousness of god in him And so all christians throughout history have known and believed that jesus is our sin offering And that god intended jesus to take our punishment But also to give us something we didn't have his righteousness In Philippians 3 9 paul desired to gain christ he says and to be found in him Not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law But that which is through faith in christ the righteousness that comes from god on the basis of faith So in taking upon himself the sin of the world Jesus experienced the isolation that sin produces Sin makes separation Sin separates human beings From one another Sin will cause that separation When sin is involved in friendship It can break up friendships when sin is involved in marriage It can break up marriages when sin is involved in any human relationship It can make a separation sin makes separation It separates us from fellow humans, but it especially separates us from god isiah the prophet in isiah 59 verse 2 said it like this he said Your iniquities have separated you from your god your sins Have hidden his face from you So that he will not hear And so as jesus is there on the cross suffering he is experiencing man's separation from god That misery that man feels because man is separated from his his creator You see the separation jesus experienced when he was on the cross was a broken fellowship with his father Someone said jesus had a taste Of such broken communion the first and last he ever experienced In those desolate hours when darkness lay upon the earth and upon his soul Jesus was our forerunner in every kind of experience Even to the feeling of god's frown of disapproval on sin That he might become our high priest understanding all our infirmities And being tempted in all points like as we apart from sin He felt the way a lost sinner feels without himself having sined A separation Before you come to faith in christ and have a relationship with god and and we've been made fun of christians have been Ridiculed for this phrase i'm about to use but but we have what has been called a personal relationship with god You know and people like to joke they say oh yeah christians double date with god and jesus and they they say look at they have personal relationship I've heard so many things over the years that i've followed him But what we're trying to say when we say a personal relationship is simply this that that we can know beyond a shadow of a doubt That we have a relationship with god You know religious systems give you a promise that you might be able to experience that but jesus christ Gave you that that that promise himself and said no if you turn from your sinning you turn to me I will come into you and we will have fellowship one with another We can have a relationship with god you can know that you can know that you're saved You can know that you have a relationship with god It isn't something that you say well, maybe i hope or perhaps or when i die we'll find out Now it's something you can know right now It's something that you can have right now a relationship with god through jesus christ He took upon himself your sin He experienced your separation so that you don't have to be separated from god So that you can have a relationship with god for eternity so that when you close your eyes here You'll open your eyes there and you'll see him face to face That's why jesus christ came and that's why he's crying out he's crying out in the way that we cry Oh god i'm separated from you. Why have you forsaken me? But you know what in jesus christ we there is no separation in jesus christ We come to faith in him and we have a relationship with his father and in that we should rejoice because that's why jesus came That's what makes good friday so good You see he didn't cry out when he was accused He didn't cry out when he was crucified But he did cry out when he was separated My god my god. Why have you forsaken me? Well, some of those who stood Stood by when they heard that said look He's calling for elisha and someone ran and filled the sponge full of sour wine Put it on a read and offered it to him to drink saying Let him alone. Let us see if elisha will come to take him down So this is a reaction of mocking if you will This wasn't out of curiosity. This wasn't out of religious fear. What they were doing is they were twisting his words into a cry for elisha And not for god You see there was a prophecy that elisha would introduce messiah to the nation of israel is found in malachi chapter three At verse one where god said i will send my messenger and he will prepare the way before me And the lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple Even the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight The holy is coming says the lord of hosts And so they mocked this as if elisha were to come and formally introduce jesus to them Well, as this is taking place in verse 36 It says someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine and put it on a read and offered it him to him to drink Say and let him alone. Let us see if elisha will come and take him down Well, john lets us know that this occurred After jesus had said something And jesus had said In john 1928 it says knowing that all things were now accomplished scripture might be fulfilled. He said jesus said I thirst And so that's an act of mercy Perhaps done by a roman military guard And this sour wine that was given to him was high in water and low in alcohol It was actually something that was used to quench thirst and it was very similar To vinegar And so when that happened it fulfilled a scripture concerning jesus and his crucifixion For the psalmist in psalm 69 verse 21 said they they also gave me gall for my food and for my thirst They gave me vinegar to drink So as a man jesus was dehydrated and he was thirsty He had a physical need And the fact that he went through physical needs ought to help us to understand that he understands ours too He knows our needs. He experienced many of the same things that we did But the response was well, let's see if elisha comes to save him The response was mocking In psalm 22 verses 15 through 17 the psalmist said my strength is dried up like a potsard And my my tongue clings to my jaws You've brought me to the dust of death For dogs have surrounded me the congregation of the wicked having closed me They pierced my hands and my feet I can count all my bones They look And stare at me And so in verse 37 jesus cried out with a loud voice And he breathed his last cried out You see the vinegar moistened his throat and now he's capable of crying out with strength Now what is it that he cried out? bible tells us He cried out what are called his two final statements from the cross First john 1930 says When he had received the drink jesus said It is finished That's a single greek word to tell us dying And the word simply means Paid in full He cried out As he took that moistening in his lip And he was able to quench a bit of the thirst He cried out paid in full The terrible cost of redemption has been paid for And we need to understand something about redemption. The cost is very high Psalm 49 verse 8 says redemption does not come so easily For no one can ever pay enough Now that's one of the reasons that god sent his son to planet earth To provide redemption Remember mark 1045 how it says even the son of man didn't come to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many Jesus and john 15 13 said greater love has no one than this Then to lay down one's life for his friends So the price of redemption is costly And jesus paid that price on the cross In Ephesians 1 7 it says in him we have redemption through his blood The forgiveness of sins According to the riches of his grace So when the full price was completed Jesus cried out He cried out redemption is accomplished It's paid in full All man now needs to do Is to believe and to receive It's not by works of righteousness which we have done It's not some good work that I can do We are saved by grace Not by our works I think that's where many people even those who profess to be christian That's where many have have failed to understand That the cost of redemption is high who can pay it No matter how many good works you try to do no matter no matter how many good works I had tried to do that my my sins will always outweigh My goodness always has Because I am at the core without christ just pure evil And so even the good things that I have done before christ have have really been tainted with self-interest It's when you come to faith in christ when you say god be merciful to me a sinner I have nothing to add to salvation other than the sins that you're going to forgive me for god be merciful to me I'm a sinner jesus you on that cross cried out and you said paid in full I believe that you paid my account in full. I believe that your blood washed me and purified me and made me as white as snow I believe that you did it for me And I just wanted to thank you and I received by faith what you offer Because jesus when you on that cross And you had these people there your mom and and john and others who had been watching you and And and seeing what was taking place You did it for me And he cries out He cried out paid in full It is said that jesus died with the cry of the victor on his lips This is not the moan of a defeated Of the defeated nor the sigh Of patient resignation It's the triumphant recognition That he has now fully accomplished the work That he came to do It is finished And then the second thing is found in luke 23 46 jesus called out with a loud voice father Into your hands I commit my spirit These words are taken from a psalm Psalm 31 verse 5 into your hand I entrust my spirit I commit my spirit I find this interesting to note that These words were part of the evening prayers for centuries for jewish believers And it may have been so for jesus himself It's touching that jesus prayed this prayer As he was laying his head On the cross As a little boy growing up into young manhood it may be very possible that That would have been part of his prayers as he went to sleep at night And he would say father into your hands I commit my spirit And that's how the children were taught to go to sleep, you know today You know some some kids don't get prayers at all, but sometimes parents have said things to them at night, you know That probably isn't a good prayer, you know, if I should die before I wake I pray the lord my soul to take are you kidding me? I'm not going to go to sleep You know if I'm going to die in the middle of the night, you know, my mom used to tell us the kukui would get us, but you know But you know when you think of uh Let me tell you a story about that. It just came just came to mind a lot of you understand the boogie man You know, we just call him the kukui. I don't know why I'm doing this. I was giving you a bible study and now I Its old mind is traveling down a dirty road a dirt road not a dirty road a dirt road But as a little boy I believed that there was somebody living under my bed I really did the kukui the boogie man And so what I would do is I would stand at the light switch And I I'd kind of precision myself like always in the race. This is true story I'm not making this up and I would put my hand on the light switch Because I could make it to my bed in two no more than three steps And every night for a long I did it last night. No every night I would I would stand there and I'd get in a in a racing thing I'd turn the light off the light would be dark because kukui grabs your feet So I would run and I would jump in the air and dive onto the pillow every night So anyway, I'll get back to the bible study But my mind just started traveling down that old road there because You know the children during christ's time Were taught what faith is and it's very possible Commentators are not a hundred percent in accord with this. That's why it's possible That that phrase out of the psalm would have been a psalm that jesus himself would pray at night Father into thy hands I commit my spirit And then they would put the head or they have their head on the pillow And they would go to sleep Well jesus is praying a prayer Father into thy hands I commit my spirit And he lays his head down on the pillow of the cross And he prayed that prayer For the last time into thy hands I commit my spirit And he laid his head down He died with a song on his lips songs are songs He died with a song in his lips And he willingly and gently and peacefully Died he breathed his last Matthew tells us in chapter 27 verse 50 that jesus had cried with the loud voice And he yielded up his spirit You see verse 37 simply says here in mark that he breathed his last well He yielded up and that word yielded when matthew was inspired to use that word It speaks of dismissing or sending it away It's a way of saying jesus said spirit Begone He dismissed it Normally when human beings are taking their last breaths if they have any consciousness They're struggling for the last breath They're they don't want it. They don't want to take that last breath. So they fight They fight for one last breath But jesus didn't it is finished father into thy hands. I commit my spirit Spirit be gone He dismissed his spirit And as this happens The bible tells us in verse 38 the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom This is a veil that separated the holy place from the holiest of holies This particular veil that is spoken of when you think of a veil you may be thinking of something that is is thin Sometimes when the women used to wear veils and all of that some still to this day will wear a veil This is not that kind of veil. What this is speaking about is something that was was was enormous It was 60 feet long. It was 30 feet broad it was As thick as a palm breath a few inches. That's how big this veil was And and what this veil separating the holy place from the holy of holies It was it was actually a reminder It was is intended to remind man that that that he is separated from god In in he verse nine six and seven the priests would enter regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry But only the high priest entered the inner room And that only once a year and never without blood Which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance So that veil is a reminder of separation And that veil was torn and the bible tells us very clearly that it was torn from the top to the bottom It was torn not from the bottom, but like god's mighty hands just rip that veil open And the holy place the most holy place is open to all who come through jesus christ And that's why we're able now to enter into the presence of god through jesus You see when his flesh was torn and his blood was shed the veil was removed in hebrus 10 19 and 20 We have confidence to enter the most holy place by the blood of jesus by anew and living way Open for us through the curtain that is his body At one time for all time That's how he died one time for all time And jesus bridged that gap He tore that veil if you will and now we come through christ himself I could not have fellowship with god If i were a high priest i had to have blood there had to be a sacrifice jesus's blood is that sacrifice And now i can i can have boldness to enter into the presence of god I can enter in and speak to him i can speak to him as as he's my father And i don't have to go through a lot of id checks i don't have to go through a lot of Of hoops, you know in the past when i had been given opportunity years ago now to go into um They have meetings that were set apart for clergy to pastors to to to be briefed on presidential things and When bush was was president i was given opportunity on on a few occasions My wife and i were to go into they have whether they called presidential briefings and all in order to get in You had to give your id you had to pass The fei had to do a background on your variety of things And then we were finally able to be ushered into a small room and and the president or representative would come and speak to you But you know that was for a president, but i don't have to have that now I don't have to have this check You know i've already got access to him through jesus christ the blood of christ makes it possible for me to just speak to him As a son to a father i can speak to god i can say father i need and father could you and father Will you and and and and that's something that we have the privilege of doing because of what jesus has done for us I don't have to go through another man. I go through jesus christ That's how it works and that's why he died and as this happens in verse 39 There's a centurion And it says so when the centurion who stood opposite him saw that he he cried out like this and breathed his last He said truly this man Was a son of god This this centurion the word centurion speaks of a century a centurion was a non commissioned officer who had Responsibility to command a hundred man unit. That's why he's called a centurion and in this particular Instances this non commissioned officer Is one who was overseeing the crucifixion and he had some soldiers with him and as he's observing the death of christ And he watches and this is an individual undoubtedly who who has seen many die He saw the two thieves that were dying alongside of christ and how they were acting and what they were doing He heard jesus when jesus spoke to the one thief who who who had said to him Remember me when you enter into your kingdom and he had heard jesus when jesus said to him You know i say to you today you shall be with me in paradise and that that centurion heard this and and i'm sure He oversaw Executions of others in the past and And how they would die When when a person was crucified during the time of christ, they didn't always die quickly There are accounts of of the The way some died there are historic accounts How they would take the the prisoner and and they would Pull his arms as tight as they could to the point of dislocation or close to it How they would impale it with those sick nails through the wrist. There's a bone in your wrist bone There's an opening there that you can actually drive a nail between And These people would be twisted into a serpentine or like an s On this cross that their arms outstretched and their bodies distorted And they would have a bench seat. That was actually a A piece of wood that had been sharpened to be like a very sharp pencil And They would take their legs and twist them and then drive the nail between the bones on their On their legs and their ankles so that they were contorted and twisted And in order for them to to breathe they would have to draw themselves up And as they drew themselves up that sharpened Bench would actually lacerate their backs Every time he took a breath He had to lean into that sharpened object And his back became hamburger Jesus had already received 39 lashes His back was already open Some commentators said like hamburger His back was already bleeding. He was already weak from loss of blood He had been going and breathing breathing and yet in the midst In the midst of all his pain He's ministering to his mother Woman behold your son He wasn't saying look at me He was saying john Because he says to john Behold your mother. What was he doing? He was honoring his mother His his brothers and sisters were not believers at this time They didn't believe in him according to john chapter seven So he was not going going to entrust his mother into the care of those who didn't believe in him So he entrusted his mom Into the care of a disciple who did So he was acting out the role of honoring your father and your mother And this centurion is watching him He heard him when when jesus said father forgive them For they know not what they do And he's watching Because men would die Historic accounts. They would die. This is a quote raving lunatics The pain the dehydration the cramps because their their bodies were dehydrating on the cross and And so the muscles were spasming And christ was drawing breath and as he's doing so his legs because they're twisted Are are are being worked to the point where he's got all of these muscle spasms And the centurion watches Truly this man was the son of god No man dies like this With a prayer on his lips Dismissing a spirit truly This man is the son of god Someone said he had observed him through those weary hours. He had noticed the meekness and the dignity of the sufferer He had heard those words so deeply impressed upon the faith and reverence of christians Which fell from him from time to time as he hung there And then at last he heard the piercing cry so startling so unexpected Which escaped him Just before he yielded up his spirit And he could come to no other conclusion than this That he was in very deed God's son in verse 40 There were also women looking on from afar among whom were mary magland Mary the mother of james the last in jesus and salame Who also followed him and ministered to him when he was in galilee and many other women who came up with him To jesuslim so these are devoted disciples or ministering or serving the lord By now john has taken mary away Which left these women who loved and followed jesus there And as you look at this notice something with me None of jesus's men were there They all had fled for fear of the jewish authorities But these women were willing to stand there and be identified with him even if it possibly cost them their own lives And finally in verse 42 an evening had come because it was preparation day That is the day before the sabbath joseph of eramathia A prominent council member who was himself waiting for the kingdom of god Coming and taking courage went into pilot and asked for the body of jesus pilot marveled that he was already dead And summoning the centurion he asked him if he'd been dead for some time So when he found out from the centurion he granted the body to joseph Then he bought fine linen took him down wrapped him in the linen And he laid him in a tomb Which had been hewn out of the rock and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb Mary madeline and mary the mother of joseph's observed Where he was laid joseph of eramathia He came to ask for the body of jesus jesus died at three in the afternoon Evening or sabbath began at six so he was taken off the cross And was buried before the six o'clock deadline You see the jews didn't want jesus to remain on the cross into the sabbath because the law said That it is forbidden for a dead body to remain on a tree overnight So joseph was a prominent council member a sanhedrinist He's a very rich man, but he was a secret disciple of christ And in doing this he's making making an open confession of faith Well when he comes and speaks to pilot pilot marvels that he's already dead because it could take up to three days For someone to die on the cross and jesus died in a relatively short time Well when joseph comes and asks for the body, he's actually identifying with christ It's it's like an open confession of faith, but but pilot is marveling and As a result in verse 46 he he bought fine linen took him down and wrapped him in the linen There was another disciple another secret disciple named nicodemus who helped him And it's interesting to note that the disciples who had openly followed jesus during his lifetime ran away at the end But the two who had kept their faith secret while he was alive Came forward publicly to give him an appropriate burial and then finally Verse 46 a large stone was rolled against the door of the tomb Now that that that stone was in the shape of a wheel it would go down a ramp and it would seal the tomb It would prevent animals from desecrating the body. It also Prevented thieves entrance And so as this is taking place mary madeline and mary the mother joseph's observe While they intend to return They want to complete his burial and they want to give him more honor They heard the sound of the stone As it rolled down that ramp They heard the dull thud as it settled in the groove And as they saw that Put yourself in their place for just a moment as they saw that as they heard that as they experienced that as they're standing there watching You hear that heavy stone it weighed two or three tons rolled down and and and Then everything that they believed about jesus up to that point that they understood Was sealed inside that tomb We thought that he was the son of god We thought that he was establishing his kingdom But we saw We saw him carrying his cross We saw When they nailed him to it We heard the sound of it when it Fell into that hole You could hear him groan as The thud shaking of his body that was so torn and we watched him We heard his words And we saw him breathe this last and mary Saw her son die These men and these women who followed him As far as they were concerned That's over We thought We believed We really wanted But he's dead Many of us in this room have gone to more than one funeral and you know the finality of That dirt when it goes over the casket When they place the casket in the ground And the body of your beloved grandmother or father or mother Is covered up with dirt and they tamp it down And you stand there And your mind begins to Remember and then you realize when that dirt hit that casket It's over. They're gone I won't see them again Until I go to heaven. This is it. I bet that was Friday Sundays coming our father we bless you and we thank you For the fact of the resurrection Our faith Is not built on stories But on actual Scriptural events Jesus We the church We want to take the Example of these faithful ones Even though their faith was Was was not fully formed Because at this moment as we close this They knew you were dead But they forgot that you said After three days, I will be raised from the dead And so lord this time of sorrow of their heart the pain That drove them to come there on that Easter morning When that sorrow was replaced with joy For tears last for a night, but joy comes In the morning Lord, we would ask that we would not take for granted the work of jesus christ on that cross how he the lamb of god Took away our sin how he became That sacrificial atonement And how that we lord Through faith and what he has done on our behalf can be given new life. Thank you lord We celebrate that and we would not take it for granted Thank you jesus for loving us. Thank you for giving up your life for us, but had you remained in that grave We would still be in our sins, but you You were resurrected you You rose from the dead And because you live we live in you Thank you lord And that has made a difference in our life and the power of your spirit who lives within us Has transformed us And as we have loved your word and grown in understanding and obedience You have changed us and for this we're grateful So lord I ask that we would have an attitude of expectation as we gather to celebrate the reality of What our faith is founded on this upcoming sunday morning. May we just have the joyful celebration Reality of who you are and what you've done for us And even at this moment for just a moment perhaps there are some in this room or watching online who have never given your heart to christ And you know you're Filled with sin and you need to be washed and cleansed I would ask you to understand that jesus died for you That he actually took upon himself your sin. He is the the lamb that takes away the sin of the world And he bore your sin paid a price you couldn't pay So that you might have a relationship with his father So you might know him By confessing your sin and asking god to forgive you he says he will cleanse you If you need to get right with the lord if you're watching online right now You can open your heart to christ If you're in this room right now and you need prayer Before I close would you raise your hand? Let me pray for you right now If you need to get right with the lord right now just raise your hand that I might see you And pray for you Father you see these hands that are going up in this place right now lord in jesus name I pray that you would reach down and you would touch every person whose hand is raised And father for those who may be watching online right now and opening their hearts that you might speak to them to But as we yield ourselves to you right now, would you wash us and cleanse us lord? Would you would you make us new? And lord from this point on By your holy spirit that we welcome into our life that we might be the temple of your spirit We ask that you would just give us life Strengthen us and work through us And give us hope and peace lord and joy and and may the blood of christ cleanse us from all sin And may we walk lord as those who are new from this moment on We yield ourselves to you And we receive from you now lord and we bless you. Thank you lord Thank you. You can put your hands down And jesus i asked that you would continue to move in all of us And i asked this in your name amen