MATTHEW: THE KING HAS COME, WEEK 187

TITLE: THE MIRACLES OF THE CROSS, PART II

TEXT: MATTHEW 27:51b-56

INTRODUCTION: (1) SCRIPTURE RECORDS A NUMBER OF SUPERNATURAL PHENOMENA THAT OCCURRED WHILE JESUS HUNG ON THE CROSS.

* NOW THESE EVENTS CONSTITUTED GOD’S OWN SUPERNATURAL COMMENTARY ON THE CROSS.

** AND THEY ARE FURTHER PROOF OF THE EXTRAORDINARY IMPORTANCE OF WHAT WAS OCCURRING THAT DAY JUST OUTSIDE JERUSALEM ON A HILL CALLED GOLGOTHA OR CALVARY.

*** NOW IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT MIRACLES ACCOMPANIED THE DEATH OF JESUS SINCE THEY ALSO ACCOMPANIED HIS BIRTH.

**** MIRACLES LIKE THE VIRGIN BIRTH, THE ANGEL VISITATIONS, THE STAR THAT GUIDED THE WISE MEN. AND WE ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THEM AND SEEMINGLY TALK ABOUT THEM AROUND CHRISTMAS.

(2) YET, WE DO NOT PAY MUCH ATTENTION TO THE MIRACLES THAT TOOK PLACE AT THE CROSS.

* AND THERE IS PROBABLY A GOOD REASON FOR THAT, FOR CHRIST’S DEATH WAS FOLLOWED BY HIS RESURRECTION, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MIRACLES OF ALL, AND WE FOCUS ON THAT EVENT, AS WE SHOULD.

** BUT NEVERTHELESS, IT IS STRIKING THAT MATTHEW’S GOSPEL RECORDS 7 MIRACULOUS EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE AT THE TIME JESUS WAS ON THE CROSS AND WHEN HE DIED.

*** AND THOSE MIRACLES COMMUNICATE MUCH ABOUT THE MEANING AND MESSAGE OF THE CROSS AND FORM ALMIGHTY GOD’S OWN COMMENTARY OF THE CROSS.

**** AND ALTHOUGH JERUSALEM ON THAT DARK DAY WAS BUSY WITH CARRYING OUT IT’S RELIGIOUS CELEBRATION, THE PASSOVER, THE REAL PASSOVER LAMB WAS BEING KILLED ON A CROSS.

(3) AND THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE MISSED THE MEANING AND MESSAGE OF THE CROSS THAT DAY, SOME “GOT IT”.

* FOR EVEN NATURE WAS AFFECTED MIRACULOUSLY WITH WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY.

** FOR MIRACLE NO. 1 THE SUN WAS DARKENED FOR 3 HOURS AS GOD THE FATHER PULLED THE WINDOW SHADES OF HEAVEN ON THAT DAY OF JUDGMENT FOR SIN.

*** THEN IN MIRACLE NO. 2, JESUS CRIES OUT TO HIS FATHER, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?” AS JESUS BECAME THE SIN OFFERING AS THE FURIOUS WRATH OF THE FATHER WAS POURED OUT ON THE SINLESS SON, WHO IN MATCHLESS GRACE BECAME SIN FOR HIS PEOPLE.

**** AND FOR THE FIRST AND ONLY TIME IN ETERNITY THE FATHER AND SON WERE SEPARATED. GOD WAS SEPARATED FROM GOD, GOD DIED FOR GOD AND HIS PEOPLE.

(4) AND THIS IS BOTH A MYSTERY AND A MIRACLE WHICH LEADS US TO MIRACLE NO. 3.

* AND MIRACLE NO. 3 IS JESUS DIED AT THE EXACT MOMENT HE DECIDED, HE YIELDED UP HIS SPIRIT.

** HE WAS OBEDIENT UNTO DEATH, EVEN THE DEATH OF THE CROSS.

*** AS AUGUSTINE SAID, “HE GAVE UP HIS LIFE BECAUSE HE WILLED IT, WHEN HE WILLED IT, AND AS HE WILLED IT.” (END QUOTE)

**** AND JESUS LAID DOWN HIS LIFE ON HIS OWN INITIATIVE, NO ONE TOOK HIS LIFE FROM HIM.

(5) JESUS WAS NOT A VICTIM BUT A VICTOR. IT WAS THE MIRACLE OF A VICTORIOUS DEATH, TO GIVE HIS LIFE A RANSOM FOR MANY, MATTHEW 20:28.

* AND THEN THE LAST MIRACLE WE LOOKED AT LAST SUNDAY, MIRACLE NO. 4 WAS THE TEARING OF THE HUGE VEIL OF THE TEMPLE IN TWO FROM TOP TO BOTTOM.

** AND THAT CURTAIN SEPARATED THE HOLY PLACE FROM THE HOLY OF HOLIES, THE INNER SANCTUARY, WHERE GOD DWELT IN HIS SYMBOLIC PRESENCE IN THE JEWISH TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM.

*** AND BY RENDING THE TEMPLE VEIL, GOD WAS SAYING IN EFFECT, “IN THE DEATH OF MY SON, THERE IS TOTAL ACCESS INTO MY HOLY PRESENCE FOR JEW AND GENTILE.”

**** AND THERE IS NO MORE NEED FOR SACRIFICE, FOR JESUS BECAME AND WAS THE FINAL PASSOVER LAMB.

(6) WHICH LEADS US TO OUR TEXT TODAY, WHERE WE’LL SEE MIRACLES 5 THROUGH 7 WHICH WILL BE OUR OUTLINE TODAY.

* AND UNDER MIRACLE NO. 7, WE’LL ALSO LOOK AT SOME MINISTERING WOMEN. SO WE’LL LOOK AT MIRACLES 5 THROUGH 7 AND SOME MINISTERING WOMEN UNDER THE MIRACLES OF THE CROSS, PART II.

** AND WITH THAT IN MIND, LOOK AT MIRACLE NO. 5 IN V. 51, SPECIFICALLY V. 51B, BUT WE’LL READ THE WHOLE VERSE. LOOK AT V. 51 PLEASE.

I. MIRACLE NO. 5, (READ V. 51)

A. NOW THE 5TH MIRACLE THAT OCCURRED WAS A SUPERNATURALLY CAUSED EARTHQUAKE.

* NOW YOU MIGHT BE THINKING, HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT THIS EARTHQUAKE WAS SUPERNATURAL, RAY, FOR EARTHQUAKES ARE NOT UNCOMMON?

** WELL, YES EARTHQUAKES THEMSELVES ARE NOT MIRACULOUS, BUT THE TIMING OF THIS ONE WAS.

*** FOR THIS EARTHQUAKE OCCURRED AT THE TIME OF JESUS’ DEATH, CONCURRENT WITH THE DEATH OF CHRIST. IT TOOK PLACE AT THE PRECISE MOMENT OF JESUS’ DEATH.

**** FOR IF YOU LOOK BACK TO V. 50, WHEN JESUS YIELDED UP HIS SPIRIT AND DIED, 3 THINGS HAPPENED IMMEDIATELY THAT FOLLOWED!

1. NO. 1 THE VEIL OF THE TEMPLE WAS TORN IN TWO, AND THE EARTH SHOOK AND THE ROCK WAS SPLIT, V. 51. THEN IN V. 52 THE TOMBS WERE OPENED IN THE AREA.

* SO THIS POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE TOOK PLACE WHEN JESUS DIED.

** AND I SAY POWERFUL BECAUSE THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS QUAKE SPLIT ROCKS AT THE END OF V. 51.

*** ROCKS WERE DIVIDED, SPLIT, BROKEN AS A RESULT OF THE POWER OF THIS EARTHQUAKE, WHICH PROBABLY BROUGHT THE ENTIRE CITY OF JERUSALEM TO A HALT FOR A WHILE.

**** AND MATTHEW DOESN’T GIVE US A DAMAGE REPORT, BUT IT WAS POWERFUL ENOUGH TO REND, TO SPLIT ROCKS.

2. NOW WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? WELL, THE TIMING OF THIS QUAKE DEFINITELY SAYS SOMETHING, ALTHOUGH IT DOESN’T SAY SPECIFICALLY.

* BUT UNDERSTAND EARTHQUAKES IN SCRIPTURE ARE OFTEN USED LIKE DARKNESS TO SIGNIFY A GRAPHIC DISPLAY OF DIVINE JUDGMENT.

** AND IN PARTICULAR, EARTHQUAKES SIGNIFY GOD’S WRATH IN PSALM 18:7 WHERE IT SAYS: “THEN THE EARTH SHOOK AND QUAKED; AND THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE MOUNTAINS WERE TREMBLING AND WERE SHAKEN, BECAUSE HE WAS ANGRY.”

*** ALSO NAHUM 1:3-5, HEBREWS 12:25-29 AND IN REVELATION 6:12-17 SIGNIFY DIVINE JUDGMENT.

**** SO IT APPEARS THAT A SUPERNATURAL EARTHQUAKE SUGGESTED BY THE TIMING OF THIS EARTHQUAKE AT THE CROSS, SIGNIFIES THE WRATH OF GOD.

3. AND THIS MIRACULOUS EARTHQUAKE COMING AT THE CULMINATING MOMENT OF CHRIST’S ATONING WORK WAS A KIND OF DIVINE PUNCTUATION MARK, SIGNIFYING THE IMPORTANCE AND THE JUDGMENT OF SIN AT THE CROSS.

* FOR CHRIST SATISFIED THE FATHER’S WRATH AGAINST SIN. GOD’S JUDGMENT FOR SIN WAS SATISFIED BY THE JUDGMENT THAT JESUS ENDURED, AS JESUS BECAME THE PROPITIATION FOR ISIN.

** AND THE EARTHQUAKE AND IT’S TIMING WAS MIRACLE NO. 5, WHICH LEADS US TO MIRACLE NO. 6, LOOK AT V. 52 PLEASE.

II. MIRACLE NO. 6, (READ V. 52)

A. NOW OF ALL THE GOSPEL WRITERS, ONLY MATTHEW MENTIONS THIS EVENT.

* AND THIS MIRACLE IS CLOSELY RELATED TO MIRACLE NO. 5, FOR NO DOUBT THIS POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE OPENED THE TOMBS AROUND JERUSALEM WHICH WERE HOLLOW STONE SEPULCHERS CARVED OUT OF ROCK.

** NOW THIS WAS NOT A MIRACLE IN ITSELF, BUT A RESULT OF THE EARTHQUAKE, THE MIRACLE WAS THAT MANY BODIES OF SAINTS WHO HAD DIED BEFORE JESUS, WHAT WE WOULD CALL O.T. SAINTS WERE RAISED, RESURRECTED.

*** NOW MATTHEW DOESN’T TELL US EXACTLY HOW MANY SAINTS ROSE FROM THE DEAD, BUT SAYS MANY.

**** AND MATTHEW DOESN’T TELL US WHO THEY WERE, BUT THAT THEY WERE SAINTS WHO HAD DIED, SAINTS MEANING O.T. CHRISTIANS, ONES WHO LOOKED FORWARD TO THE SAVIOR COMING IN FAITH WHO WERE MADE HOLY BY CHRIST AT HIS DEATH.

1. AND MORE DETAILS ARE GIVEN IN V. 53. LOOK AT V. 53 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 53. NOW THERE IS SOME DEBATE ABOUT V. 53 OF THE TIMING WHEN THESE SAINTS WERE RAISED FROM THE DEAD.

* FOR SOME SAY THESE O.T. SAINTS WERE RAISED AT THE MOMENT JESUS DIED AND SOME SAY THEY WERE RESURRECTED AFTER CHRIST’S RESURRECTION ON SUNDAY, AND THERE IS A 3’D INTERPRETATION WHICH I’LL GIVE YOU.

** NOW NO. 1, IT DOESN’T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME THAT THEY WERE RESURRECTED AT CHRIST’S DEATH, BUT CAME OUT OF THE TOMBS 3 DAYS LATER.

*** SO THEY HUNG AROUND THEIR TOMB UNTIL SUNDAY, THEN CAME OUT.

**** INTERPRETATION NO. 2 IS THEY WERE RESURRECTED AFTER JESUS’ RESURRECTION, AND CAME OUT OF THEIR TOMBS AT THAT TIME AND WENT INTO JERUSALEM.

1. BUT THE 3’D INTERPRETATION TO ME MAKES SENSE AND FITS BEST IN THIS CONTEXT, AND THAT INTERPRETATION IS MADE CLEAR FROM THE NIV TRANSLATION WHICH SAYS: “THEY CAME OUT OF THE TOMBS, (COMMA) AND AFTER JESUS’ RESURRECTION THEY WENT INTO THE HOLY CITY AND APPEARED TO MANY PEOPLE.”

* MEANING THEY WERE RESURRECTED WHEN JESUS DIED AND IMMEDIATELY CAME OUT OF THEIR TOMBS AND WHERE THEY WENT IT DOES NOT SAY.

** BUT THEY WAITED TO GO INTO THE HOLY CITY WHICH IS JERUSALEM UNTIL AFTER JESUS WAS RAISED.

*** AND THIS INTERPRETATION MAKES THE MOST SENSE.

**** AND THESE RISEN SAINTS MOST LIKELY CAME FORTH FROM THE DEAD IN GLORIFIED BODIES ALREADY FIT FOR HEAVEN.

2. AND THEY APPEARED TO MANY, AND TO HOW MANY IS NOT SPECIFIED, BUT EVIDENTLY THERE WERE ENOUGH EYEWITNESSES TO VERIFY THE MIRACLE.

* NOW MATTHEW DOESN’T SAY WHAT BECAME OF THESE RISEN SAINTS, BUT IN CONJECTURE I WOULD SAY THEY ASCENDED TO GLORY AT SOME POINT, MAYBE AT CHRIST’S ASCENSION, WE DON’T KNOW FOR SURE.

** BUT THE MAIN QUESTIONS IS, WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS MIRACLE?

*** WELL, THE APPEARANCE OF THESE RESURRECTED SAINTS IN JERUSALEM PROVED THAT CHRIST PAID FOR SIN BY HIS DEATH AND CONQUERED DEATH BY HIS RESURRECTION, NOT MERELY FOR HIMSELF, BUT FOR ALL SAINTS.

**** AND ONE DAY “ALL WHO ARE IN THE GRACE WILL HEAR HIS VOICE AND COME FORTH.”

3. THOSE IN HIM, THE SAVED, TO THE RESURRECTION OF LIFE, AND THOSE WHO HAVE REJECTED HIM TO A RESURRECTION OF JUDGMENT, JOHN 5:28&29.

* AND CERTAINLY THIS MIRACULOUS EVENT AT THE CROSS PREFIGURES THE RESURRECTION OF THE JUST, THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN JUSTIFIED BY HIS GRACE THROUGH FAITH.

** FOR JESUS IS THE DEATH CONQUEROR, AND AS DEATH WAS CONQUERED FOR THESE SAINTS, ONE DAY IT WILL BE CONQUERED FOR ALL SAINTS.

*** AND THAT IS ALWAYS SET BEFORE US AS AN ENCOURAGEMENT, A COMFORT, AND A VICTORY NOTE, READ I CORINTHIANS 15:19-22.

**** I CORINTHIANS 15:23 – “BUT EACH IN HIS OWN ORDER: CHRIST THE FIRST FRUITS, AFTER THAT THOSE WHO ARE CHRIST’S AT HIS COMING.”

4. THEN READ I THESSALONIANS 4:16-18 AND I CORINTHIANS 15:51-58 AND COMMENT.

* NOW WHAT VICTORY, WHAT ENCOURAGEMENT, AND WHAT A MOTIVATION TO SERVICE!

** CHRIST DIED AND AROSE AND ONE DAY WE WILL BE RESURRECTED AND RECEIVE NEW BODIES LIKE HIM, GLORY TO GOD!

*** AND IT APPEARS THAT MIRACLE NO. 6 AT THE CROSS PREFIGURES THIS VICTORY, WHICH LEADS US TO MIRACLE NO. 7. LOOK AT V. 54 PLEASE.

III. MIRACLE NO. 7, (READ V. 54)

A. NOW LET ME BEGIN THIS POINT BY SAYING THAT NOT ALL AGREE THAT A MIRACLE TOOK PLACE IN V. 54.

* AND WHEN I SPEAK OF A MIRACLE HERE I’M TALKING ABOUT THE GREATEST MIRACLE, THE MIRACLE OF SALVATION FOR THIS CENTURION AND SOME OF THE GUARDS WITH HIM.

** FOR YOU SEE THERE IS DEBATE ON THE TRANSLATION OF THE PHRASE, “TRULY THIS WAS THE SON OF GOD”.

*** FOR IT CAN BE TRANSLATED, “TRULY THIS WAS A SON OF GOD OR A SON OF A GOD” AND SOME OF YOUR BIBLES HAVE A NOTE OR A FOOTNOTE ABOUT THAT.

**** AND THAT’S WHERE THE DEBATE BEGINS. IS THIS A PAGAN ACKNOWLEDGING ANOTHER DEITY, ANOTHER GOD?

1. OR HAS THIS MAN WHO WAS SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF HIS SOLDIERS ACCORDING TO MARK 15:39, AND SOME OF HIS SOLDIERS FOLLOWING HIS LEAD, TRULY COME TO SAVING FAITH?

* WELL, LET’S LOOK AT THE VERSE MORE CLOSELY AND SEE. NOW FIRST OF ALL THE WORD CENTURION (FROM THE LATIN WORD FOR 100) WAS A TITLE GIVEN TO A MILITARY OFFICER IN CHARGE OF 100 MEN, THE BASIC BUILDING BLOCK OF A ROMAN LEGION.

** AND CENTURIONS WERE USUALLY CAREER OFFICERS, HARDENED MEN OF WAR.

*** NOW BECAUSE THIS PARTICULAR OFFICER WAS WITH THOSE GUARDING JESUS, IT APPEARS HE IS THE VERY ONE WHO HAD BEEN GIVEN CHARGE OF OVERSEEING AND CARRYING OUT THE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST AND PROBABLY THE CRUCIFIXION OF THE TWO THIEVES AS WELL.

**** AND MOST LIKELY HE AND HIS MEN WERE CLOSE EYEWITNESSES TO EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED SINCE JESUS WAS TAKEN TO THE PRAETORIUM.

2. AND IF THAT’S TRUE, THEY HEARD PILATE SAY JESUS WAS INNOCENT, THEY KNEW THAT HIS CLAIM WAS THAT HE WAS THE SON OF GOD, AND SAW HIS SILENCE IN THE COURT AND HOW HE DID NOT DEFEND HIMSELF.

* AND NO DOUBT THESE SOLDIERS HAD BEEN AROUND MANY DEATH PENALTY CRIMINALS AND KNEW WHAT THEY WERE LIKE, FOR THEY PROBABLY OVERSAW HUNDREDS OF CRUCIFIXIONS!

** REMEMBER ROME CRUCIFIED MORE THAN 30,000 VICTIMS IN AND AROUND JUDEA UP TO THE TIME OF CHRIST.

*** BUT THESE MEN WERE NEVER AROUND A PERSON LIKE JESUS NOR HAD THEY EVER SEEN THE EVENTS THAT SURROUNDED THE DEATH OF JESUS.

**** CHRIST WAS UNIQUE. THEY HEARD HIM PRAY FOR HIS KILLERS, THEY SAW THE NOBLE WAY HE SUFFERED. THEY HEARD WHEN HE CRIED OUT TO HIS FATHER.

3. THEY EXPERIENCED 3 HOURS FULL OF SUPERNATURAL DARKNESS. AND WHEN THE DARKNESS WAS FOLLOWED BY AN EARTHQUAKE AT THE VERY MOMENT OF CHRIST’S DEATH, THE SOLDIERS COULD NO LONGER IGNORE THE FACT THAT CHRIST WAS INDEED THE SON OF GOD.

* AND V. 54 SAYS THEY WERE VERY FRIGHTENED BY THE THINGS THAT WERE HAPPENING BUT IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THEY WERE FRIGHTENED OF MUCH MORE THAN THE DARKNESS AND THE EARTHQUAKE.

** FOR I BELIEVE THEY SENSED THAT THOSE AWESOME NATURAL PHENOMENA HAD A SUPERNATURAL ORIGIN, AND THEIR PRIMARY FEAR WAS NOT OF THOSE EVENTS THEMSELVES, BUT OF THE DIVINE POWER BEHIND THEM.

*** IT APPEARS THAT THEIR EMOTIONAL FRIGHT SOON TURNED TO SPIRITUAL, REVERENTIAL AWE, AS TESTIFIED BY THE FACT THAT THEY DID NOT RUN FOR THEIR LIVES OR TRY TO FIND A PLACE OF SAFETY, BUT RATHER DECLARED, “TRULY THIS WAS THE SON OF GOD!”

**** AND WHAT ADDS WEIGHT TO THIS TRANSLATION IS THE WORD TRULY, MEANING OF A TRUTH, IN REALITY OR MOST CERTAINLY, AN EXPRESSION OF A CONVICTION.

4. BUT EVEN MORE WEIGHTY IS THAT LUKE SAYS OF THE CENTURION AT THIS TIME IN HIS PARALLEL COMPANION TEXT IN LUKE 23:47 THIS:

* “NOW WHEN THE CENTURION SAW WHAT HAD HAPPENED, HE BEGAN PRAISING GOD, SAYING, CERTAINLY THIS MAN WAS INNOCENT.”

** AND THE WORD INNOCENT IS TRANSLATED RIGHTEOUS IN THE KJV, THE NKJV AND IN THE NIV.

*** AND ALL OF THESE THINGS POINT OUT TO ME THAT THE CENTURION AND SOME OF HIS SOLDIERS WERE CONVERTED, THE MIRACLE OF SALVATION TOOK PLACE.

**** MEANING THE CROSS BEGAN TO DO ITS WORK AT ONCE, THE FIRST CONVERTS AFTER CHRIST’S DEATH. WHAT A MIRACLE TO SOFTEN THESE HARDENED, COLD HEARTS, PRAISE GOD!

5. DURING THE VERY PROCESS OF HIS CRUCIFIXION, JESUS CHRIST BECAME THE OBJECT OF THE FAITH OF HIS CRUCIFIERS!

* WHICH LEADS US TO OUR LAST TWO VERSES TODAY WHERE WE’LL SEE THE FAITH OF MINISTERING WOMEN. LOOK AT V. 55 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 55. NOW UNLIKE THE SOLDIERS, WHO WENT FROM UNBELIEF TO BELIEF, THE MANY WOMEN WHO WERE THERE AT A DISTANCE FROM THE CROSS WERE ALREADY BELIEVERS.

* AND THESE WOMEN WHO WERE FROM GALILEE, WHO WERE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS – BELIEVERS, WERE NOT AT A DISTANCE FROM THE CROSS BECAUSE OF FEAR, BUT MOST LIKELY BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT BEAR TO OBSERVE THE SUFFERING OF THEIR LORD SO CLOSELY.

** I DON’T BELIEVE THEY WERE ASHAMED OF BEING IDENTIFIED WITH JESUS, BUT THEY WITHDREW BECAUSE THEY WERE DEVASTATED AT THE SUFFERING AND DEATH OF THE ONE THEY HAD LOVED SO DEARLY.

*** THEIR GRIEF WAS DEEP AND THEIR HOPE SEEMED SHATTERED BUT THEIR COURAGE WAS UNDAUNTED.

**** I MEAN AT LEAST THEY WERE AT THE CROSS FROM A DISTANCE, WHERE WERE THE OTHER 10 MEN, THE DISCIPLES? THEY WERE NOT AROUND, ONLY JOHN IS RECORDED IN BEING AT THE CROSS WITH MARY THE MOTHER OF JESUS IN JOHN 19:26&27.

1. AND GET THIS IN JOHN 19:25, TWO OF THE OTHER MARYS MENTIONED IN V. 56 WERE THERE. SO THEY JUST PROBABLY BACKED OFF BECAUSE THEY COULDN’T STAND IT.

* AND TO SHOW YOU THEIR COURAGE, SOME OF THEM WILL BE THE FIRST ONES TO THE TOMB ON SUNDAY.

** AND THESE WOMEN OF COURAGE, IT SAYS IN V. 56, MINISTERED TO JESUS.

*** AND THE VERB MINISTERED HERE IS THE VERB DIACONEO FROM WHICH WE GET OUR ENGLISH WORD DEACON, MEANING SERVANTS.

**** AND THESE WOMEN WERE SERVANTS OF THE LORD, SERVING HIM, THEIR MINISTRY AS GODLY WOMEN HAD GREAT SIGNIFICANCE.

2. AND GODLY WOMEN ALWAYS HAVE A MINISTRY OF GREAT SIGNIFICANCE IN THE CHURCH. THEY ARE NEVER IN SECONDARY POSITION, THEY JUST HAVE A DIFFERENT ROLE IN THE FAMILY AND THE FAMILY OF FAMILIES.

* BUT NEVER AN INSIGNIFICANT ROLE, JUST A DIFFERENT ONE IN THE ORDER OF AUTHORITY IN THE CHURCH AND THE HOME.

** AND IT IS SIGNIFICANT TOO THAT MATTHEW BRINGS THIS UP HERE. WHERE ARE THE MEN? WHERE ARE THE OTHER 10 APOSTLES?

*** WELL, A SHORT TIME EARLIER THEY FORSOOK JESUS AND FLED, EXCEPT JOHN THE BELOVED DISCIPLE.

**** AND THE NAMES OF SOME OF THESE WOMEN ARE GIVEN IN V. 56, LOOK AT V. 56 PLEASE.

C. READ V. 56. NOW ACCORDING TO JOHN’S GOSPEL, THE MOTHER OF JESUS, MARY, WAS PROBABLY WITH JOHN.

* BUT 3 OF THE MANY WOMEN FROM GALILEE WHO FOLLOWED AND SERVED JESUS ARE IDENTIFIED.

** NO. 1 MARY MAGDALENE, THE ONE FROM WHOM JESUS HAD CAST OUT SEVEN DEMONS ACCORDING TO LUKE 8:2.

*** AND MAGDALENE WAS NOT PART OF HER FAMILY NAME BUT SIMPLY INDICTED SHE WAS FROM THE TOWN OF MAGDALA, ON THE WESTERN SHORE OF THE SEA OF GALILEE, JUST SOUTH OF CAPERNIUM.

**** NOW NO. 2 THIS 2’D WOMAN IDENTIFIED WAS MARY THE MOTHER OF JAMES AND JOSEPH. AND THIS JAMES WAS ONE OF THE APOSTLES AND WAS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS JAMES THE LESS IN MARK 15:40 OR JAMES THE SON OF ALPHAEUS IN MATTHEW 10:3 AND ACTS 1:13.

1. AND JOHN IDENTIFIES THIS MARY AS THE WIFE OF CLOPAS IN JOHN 19:25.

* AND THEN THE THIRD WOMAN IS IDENTIFIED AS SALOME IN MARK 15:40, BUT IS REFERRED TO BY MATTHEW SIMPLY AS THE MOTHER OF THE SONS OF ZEBEDEE.

** AND THE SONS OF ZEBEDEE WERE JAMES AND JOHN. AND THESE THREE WOMEN WERE SPECIAL SERVANTS OF CHRIST, ONES WHO SERVED HIM IN MINISTRY.

AND IN CLOSING: (1) ALL OF US THAT ARE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST ARE TO BE SERVING HIM.

* THAT IS OUR CALLING. THAT’S WHY WE ARE LEFT HERE AFTER OUR SALVATION, TO SERVE AND GLORIFY CHRIST.

** AND AS WE DO THAT, WE ARE JUST MODELING THE ONE WHO DIED FOR US, FOR WHAT DID JESUS SAY IN MATTHEW 20:26-28? (READ THEM).

*** AND BELIEVER, IF YOU WANT TO PLEASE THE ONE WHO BOUGHT YOU AND DIED FOR YOU, WHICH YOU SHOULD, YOU MUST BE A SERVANT, MINISTERING FOR CHRIST, SERVING CHRIST IN EVERYTHING YOU DO.

**** AND WE’VE TALKED ABOUT THE MOTIVATION OF THE CROSS FOR US FOR OBEDIENCE AND SACRIFICIAL SERVICE, BUT ALSO ONE OF THE RESULTS OF OUR SALVATION, WILL BE OUR RESURRECTION ONE DAY.

(2) AND EARLIER WE TALKED ABOUT THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF THAT BEING, “ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN THE WORK OF THE LORD” IN I CORINTHIANS 15:58.

* AND BELOVED, MAY THAT BE OUR PURPOSE, WITH THE CROSS AND THE HIGH COST OF OUR SALVATION BEING THE MOTIVATION. LIVE TO SERVE! (LET’S PRAY)

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