Last week, we followed Jesus’ arrest, the apostles’ desertion, Christ’s abuse at the hands of the Sanhedrin and from Pontius Pilate (see part 6).
Friday (cont.)
When Pilate refused to continue to be a part of Jesus’ death sentence, the Roman soldiers took Him back into Pilate’s residence. There, they clothed Him in a scarlet robe, put a reed in His right hand and kept the crown of thorns on His head.
Then, they ridiculed Jesus – bowing before Him and saying:
“Hail, King of the Jews!” Mt. 27:29 NKJV
They spat upon Him and beat His head with the reed. Next, they made Jesus carry His own cross towards a place called ‘Golgotha,’ (meaning ‘place of a skull;’ also called ‘Calvary’).
Along the way, Christ became too weary to bear the cross, so the soldiers forced a man named ‘Simon,’ to carry it for Him. A large crowd followed the procession, among them women who were crying over His plight. Jesus turned to them and said:
“Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days are coming when they will say, ‘Fortunate indeed are the women who are childless, the wombs that have not borne a child and the breasts that have never nursed.’
People will beg the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and plead with the hills, ‘Bury us.’ For if these things are done when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?’ Lk. 23:28 – 31. NLT
[The Jews had an expression that compared a good man to a green tree, and a bad one to a dry tree. Jesus is using it to get them to see that if God allows His sinless Son’s crucifixion, what kind of wrath will He send to this sin-ridden nation,) which did take place when the Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D)].
All the events that have progressed so far, happened in the early morning. It is now 9:00 a.m., whereupon Christ is crucified, along with two criminals on crosses of their own. Over the head of Jesus’ cross was written: ‘THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS’ (Mt. 27:37). Jesus speaks:
“Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.” Lk. 23:34 CSB
At this point, the Jews and priests are walking past Him, mocking – saying that if He was the Son of God, He should be able to save Himself. Even one of the crucified criminals reiterated that opinion.
However, the other criminal rebuked him, saying:
“Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Lk. 23:39 – 42. NLT
Jesus replied:
“Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Lk. 23:43 NKJV
Standing by the cross was Mary, Jesus’ mother, her sister, Mary Magdalene, and the apostle John. Jesus called out to His mother:
“Dear woman, here is your son.” Jn. 19:26 NLT
Likewise, He cries out to John:
“Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home. Jn. 19:27 NLT
From noon until 3:00 p.m., the sun darkened. Jesus knew His death was imminent. In this moment, He had to bear all the sins of humankind throughout time – taking upon Himself Jehovah’s wrath, that He would have hurled at all the perpetrators.
He had to taste death and separation from His Father for the first and last time. In that moment, Jesus had to feel, with every ounce of His soul and flesh, what every condemned human being would feel. He cried out (from His flesh):
“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” Mt. 27:46 NLT
And then:
Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” Jn. 19:28 NLT
(My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead. Ps. 22:15 NLT)
(…they offer me sour wine for my thirst. Ps. 69:21 NLT)
Indeed, Jesus was offered a wine-soaked sponge to slake His thirst.
Realizing His work was complete, Christ declared:
“It is finished!” Jn. 19:30 NLT
Jesus then uttered His final words as His incarnate self:
“Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last. Lk. 23:46 NLT
(Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last [absolute Deity, the Son of God], and the Ever-living One [living in and beyond all time and space]. I died, but see I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of [absolute control and victory over] death and of Hades (the realm of the dead). Rv. 1:17, 18. AMP)
Simultaneously, the veil of the Temple in Jerusalem [the curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies)], split in two. The veil was approximately 60 feet high, 30 feet wide, and 4 inches thick. Tearing it was beyond all human capability.
The significance of the veil was that it separated humankind (represented by the high priest), who carried out his duties in the Holy Place) from God, whose Spirit resided in the Most Holy Place – where the priest was only allowed to enter on the annual Day of Atonement.
Tearing the veil eliminated that barrier, because God and humankind were now directly connected through Jesus Christ.
(So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. With his own blood – not the blood of goats and calves – he entered the Most Holy Place once and for all time and secured our redemption forever. Heb. 9:11, 12. NLT)
There was also a great earthquake that unearthed many graves of believers, who were resurrected and went into the city.
A Roman centurion, watching these events unfold, was filled with fear, as he exclaimed:
“Truly this man was the Son of God!” Mt. 27:54 CSB
Pilate gave permission to a disciple of Christ, named Joseph, permission to bury Him. He was assisted by Nicodemus, (whom you might recall was the member of the Sanhedrin that came to Jesus, who laid the concept of baptism upon him). Obviously, he had a change of heart.
Finally, the Roman soldiers sealed the opening of the tomb.
Saturday
The chief priests and the Pharisees asked the Roman soldiers to guard the tomb’s entrance until the 3 days elapsed that Christ had claimed would culminate in His resurrection. They were afraid that Jesus’ apostles would steal the body and fake His revivification.
Sunday
Early in the morning, Mary Magdalene, and Mary (the mother of the disciple James, not Jesus’ brother) came to the tomb:
Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was white as snow. The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint.
Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying.” Mt. 28:2 – 6. NLT
(Easter Sunday is thought to have been celebrated as far back as the second century A.D. The word ‘Easter’ is said to be derived from Eostre or Eostrae, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and fertility. Others claim it was derived from the Babylonian goddess Astarte, Ashtoreth, of Ishtar. Both claims are highly suspect.
Nevertheless, if you are serious about evangelism, you need to meet your potential converts where they are at. They know Easter. Legalism just puts up barriers.
Easter is the day of the highest significance for the followers of Jesus – the day that He arose to seal our salvation once and for all, redeeming us to God through forgiveness of our sins by His shed blood. Through this grace, we can take our promised place in eternity.)
The angel continues:
“And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there.” Mt. 28:7 NLT
Filled with both fear and joy, the women run to tell the apostles, but along the way they run smack dab upon the resurrected Christ Himself, who simply says “Rejoice!” Mt. 28:9 NKJV
They fall to their ground, clinging to His feet, worshiping Him. Jesus says:
“Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.” Mt. 28:10 NLT
Jesus’ time on earth is limited – only 40 more days before His ascension. So, He gives the girls a little nudge to get them on their way:
“Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” Jn. 20:17 NLT
While the women were making their way to the apostles, the Roman guards at the tomb regained consciousness, and ran to the chief priests to report the empty tomb, who in turn bribed them into telling everyone that the apostles stole Jesus’ body.
The women told the apostles the good news, but they didn’t believe them. However, Peter and John decided to go check for themselves – only to find the burial clothes. Hope began to take root.
Sunday afternoon, two of Jesus’ disciples (not the apostles) were traveling to a village near Jerusalem. Along the way, they lamented Christ’s death. Suddenly, Jesus appears to them, but renders Himself unrecognizable. He asks them why they appear so sad.
They told Him that He must be the only person that hasn’t heard about Jesus’ death. They said that they heard that He was risen, but they doubted it, beginning to think He was not the Messiah.
Jesus admonished them for their lack of faith in all of what the Prophets wrote about His path that He had to take:
“You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” LK. 24:25, 26. NLT
Christ then interpreted all the Messianic prophecies and accompanied them to their destination, where He broke bread with them. And at that very moment, He revealed Himself and vanished from their sight.
That evening, these same 2 disciples went to the apostles, who, (except for Thomas), were gathered behind locked doors (being afraid of persecution by the Jews). Exactly when they received the news of the resurrected Christ, He appears in the room, saying:
“Peace be with you.” Jn. 20:19 NKJV
The apostles panic, thinking they are seeing a ghost. Jesus allays their fear:
“Why are you frightened?” he asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt? Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.” Lk. 24:38, 39. NLT
Still not convinced, He shows them His nail holes from the crucifixion, and He eats in front of them. They finally believed and were elated. Jesus commissions His apostles:
“Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” The he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” Jn. 20:21 – 23. NLT
Jesus is not saying that the apostles or any other clergy can forgive sins. What He is saying is that once you deliver the gospel message, the recipient can choose Him and receive forgiveness or reject Him and have forgiveness withheld.
Eight days later, all 11 apostles gather, and Jesus appears as well. This time, Thomas is present and after handling His wounds, believes. Christ uses this juncture to give him a lesson on faith:
“You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.” Jn. 20:29 NLT
Christ spent another 40 days on earth before returning to His Father. During that time, there were approximately 500 sightings of our Lord. Within that time, 7 of the apostles were fishing all night with no luck. Debarking, they see Jesus on the shore, but don’t recognize Him.
He tells them to cast their nets once more and the boat was overflowing with fish. They realize it is Jesus, and He had breakfast with them.
Afterwards, He asked Peter if He loved Him. Peter affirms that He does. Jesus responds:
“Then feed my lambs.” Jesus repeats His question. Peter answers the same. He says, “Then take care of my sheep.” Jesus repeats Himself a third time. Peter answers the same. Jesus finishes with “Then feed my sheep.” Jn. 21:15-17. NLT
(Remember that Peter had denied Christ 3 times. Here, Jesus is giving Peter 3 opportunities to recommit himself to His Savior and to spreading the Gospel.)
Jesus then told the apostles to meet Him on Mount Olivet in Galilee, where He delivers His ‘Great Commission:’
“I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Mt. 28:18 NLT
“Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned.” Mk. 16:15, 16. NLT
Then Jesus opened their minds so that they each had a complete grasp of the Scriptures. And He told them to remain in Jerusalem until they received the ‘Promise of the Father,’ which would be the endowment of the Holy Spirit. He said:
“…in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses…to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:5 & 8. NLT
Immediately after these words, Jesus was drawn up to heaven. While the apostles were watching the ascent, 2 angels appeared and said to them:
“…why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!” Acts 1:11 NLT
Jesus ascended for a temporary leave of absence. As He promised, Christ will return to usher you into eternity. Yet, He is with you even now, through the Spirit, when you invite Him in…
Praise Jesus!
Goodnight and God bless.