What Do We See At The Cross?

Matthew 27:45-53

Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. (Matthew 27:45)

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1. We see the wrath of God depicted in supernatural darkness.

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From 12 noon to 3 in the afternoon, the land became dark instantaneously.

The darkness at the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ represents God’s divine judgment.

The cross was the place for the pouring out of His wrath.

The darkness at the cross is His judgment of sin.

And the Lord Jesus Christ was the recipient of divine judgment.

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And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46)

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2. We see the holiness of God when He turned His back on His Son.

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After experiencing the fury of God, the Lord Jesus Christ cried out as He was separated from God.

God the Father turned His back on the Lord Jesus Christ because He can’t look on sin.

When God the Father turned His back on the lord Jesus Christ, He was confirming that the Lord Jesus Christ was bearing our sin.

The Lord Jesus Christ bore the weight of all the sin of all the ages.

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And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. (Matthew 27:50)

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3. We see the Lord Jesus Christ voluntarily gave up His life.

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The Lord Jesus Christ has power over death and life.

No one took His life from Him; He freely gave it.

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Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51a).

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4. We see total access to God's holy presence.

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When the Lord Jesus Christ died, the veil was ripped from top to bottom.

At that very moment, the temple would have been filled with pilgrims and priests performing sacrifices.

Suddenly, to the horror of everyone, the Holy of Holies was exposed.

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The Lord Jesus Christ had paid the penalty for sin.

God throws His arms wide open to sinners.

We now can rush into the presence of God.

The separation no longer exists.

Te death of the Lord Jesus Christ removed it.

The barrier is no more.

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And the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, (Matthew 27:51b).

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We see a guarantee of God’s future Judgment.

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At the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Father brought about a devastating earthquake in Jerusalem that split open rocks and created fissures in the ground.

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When God shook the earth at the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, He was giving the world a taste of what will happen in the future when the King returns.

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And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. (Matthew 27:52-53)

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6. We see a guarantee of the resurrection of all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

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It was a real resurrection of bodies, not just spirits.

Not all bodies were raised, only select Old Testament saints.

They went into the holy city to testify to believers.

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The cross is the greatest hope for resurrection.

The Lord Jesus Christ had paid for our sin on the Cross.

We are free from death and free to live.

And in His kingdom we will have glorified bodies like His.

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What do you see at the cross?