This is the fourth in a series that looks at the last words of Jesus Christ. This message was delivered at Hillcrest Baptist Church on the evening of September 2, 2012.. This message deals with darkness, and the fact that Jesus was forsaken so that we don’t have to be. This contains an audio recording of my message, along with my sermon notes. Please note that the sermon notes are not a full transcript, because I typically add to my notes as I preach. For the entire message please listen to the audio.
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SERMON NOTES:
Matthew 27:45-46
Before we look at the statement, lets look at the conditions surrounding it.
From the 6th hour (12 noon) to the 9th hour (3pm) there was a darkness over the whole earth.
This is the Greek word “skotos”, it means: darkness; evil world; abode of evil spirits; gloomy hell; become blind.
At that time, when God looked away, darkness had to fall, for God is light.
God had to pull away, because no one would be able to kill this man who was God, unless God withdrew from Him. Unless this had happened, Jesus’ death would have been impossible.
In that brief time, all of the world’s sin, past, present and future, were brought to bear on Jesus. Darkness had to ensue.
We can only imagine the state of the world during that time, but with all that sin, it must have been a scary place, the very essence of evil!
This, undoubtedly, was a total darkness, in which blindness ensued.
Why did this have to happen?
Let’s start at the beginning. It is important to note that this was setting the stage for something very positive.
When God began His work of creation, before the earth was prepared for habitation by man, it was covered in darkness.
Genesis 1:2
It was out of that darkness that God completed His perfect work.
Likewise, at this point, God was preparing to redeem this creation.
The perfect creation was marred by sin. When Adam and Eve sinned, what they did affected the entire creation.
The ground was cursed, it now brought forth thorns and thistles.
Adam had to work for his food.
Childbearing became painful.
Death came onto the scene, all of the creation was suffering because of their sin.
Romans 8:22
We were in desperate need of a savior.
Sin is all-consuming, and we cannot escape it ourselves.
Jesus took on this sin, He drew it all to Himself, He became sin.
2 Corinthians 5:21
This sin couldn’t defeat Jesus, Satan has no power against Him.
Jesus released us from the clutches of this sin, and offered salvation to all who would accept.
We don’t have to be blinded and enslaved by it anymore.
Out of this darkness, redemption would come.
IT WAS A SOLEMN TIME:
The just died for the unjust.
The innocent Lamb of God died for guilty sinners.
Exodus 10:21 describes three days of darkness that were so thick, that they could be felt.
These three days of darkness preceded the final judgment of the Passover, and the killing of the firstborn.
I believe that God was saying that this was a time of solemn judgment.
John 12:31-32
Jesus’ death on the cross was a very solemn, serious and holy event – the Lamb dying for our sins.
Without this is the eternal darkness of hell!
During these three hours, Jesus was carrying out a work that only He alone could accomplish.
JESUS SPEAKS:
He was silent for three hours, and then He spoke.
Jesus was alone on the cross, a loneliness that He had never experienced.
There is nothing that you can go through in this life that God does not understand, not even loneliness. He has been there.
This is what sin does, it isolates, it separates man from God.
Likewise, for the first time, it separated the man Jesus from God. Yet God has never forsaken you.
If He did, even for one second, you would die
Acts 17:28
But, He won’t forsake you, just as He promised to Joshua.
Joshua 1:5
It’s a promise from God, so you can count on it.
God was with Joseph in his trials, He was with Daniel, He was with David, He was with Paul, but His own Son was forsaken, why?
He was forsaken so that we never will be.
He went through isolation for us.
John 15:13
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Posted on September 18, 2012
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