Invisible Eyes
Pastor Dave Martin ~ Cross Creek Community Church ~ April 8, 2007
“The Eyes of Calvary”
Welcome to Resurrection Sunday… to our Easter worship service… looking around, you really look good!
Title this morning is “The Eyes of Calvary” - “Eyes” – an organ of vision, focus of attention, the entrance to the mind
Studies show, we learn and remember… 85% through the eyes - 11% through the ears - 4% through other senses
· The “eye” gate into our souls is very important… today we must guard what we see…
· Let’s go on a journey back in time… Witness the “eyes of Calvary”, the “heart of Christ”, the “life of resurrection”… so lets go 2000 years back in time to a town called Jerusalem to a hill called Golgotha, the place of the skull…to an event that literally rocked the world, changed history & countless lives…
· What would it have been like as an eyewitness to the crucifixion? Wonder if you were present…
· Climax of the Son of God, the Creator of the universe… lifted between heaven and earth for all to see.
· And see they did… We could recount what it must have been like to see through the eyes of Peter, Mary, Pilate, two thieves, high priest, Nicodemus, Simon, Centurion soldier, Herod, Lazarus, Mary Magdalene, Barabbas, or even Pilate wife (have nothing to do with this innocent man)…
I. Eyes of Calvary…
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Invisible Eyes |
Matthew 4:11 (At the temptation)Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. (Demon/angelic world)
Mark 1:24 "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!"
Luke 22:43 (In the garden) An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.
Matthew 26:53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
Isaiah 53:10 Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
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Spirit world highly energized… God’s angelic angels looking in disbelief… Satan and his demonic hoards cheering the whole proceedings onward |
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Look closely, do you see the tears in the Father’s eyes as He watched His Son? |
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Crowd’s Eyes |
Matthew 27:39-40 39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, "You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!"
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The crowds went from praising to piercing… Hallelujahs to hatred… from Crowning to Crucifying |
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People “caught up” in the frenzy… now they’re seeing Jesus hanging on the cross… Wonder?? |
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Religious Eyes |
Matthew 27:41-43 41 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42 "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, 'I am the Son of God.'"
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The pious, self-righteous, religious but lost Jews… boasted of their standing with God… in reality they were more concerned about their tradition than their true Messiah… |
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Standing around in their beautiful garments… now very smug and pleased… they tried for a long time to kill Jesus who was a threat to their cozy relationship with the Roman Gov’t |
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Witnessing the veil of the temple ripped apart by God Himself… what must they have thought?? |
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Disciples Eyes |
Luke 23:49 But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
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They watched in disbelief… few days earlier, the people went wild in welcoming Israel’s King… now they stood at a distance watching their King undergo Roman crucifixion… the most brutal form of capital punishment known to man. |
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Seeing Leper’s cleansed, dead raised… Their faith must have been rocked to the core |
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Political Eyes |
Matthew 27:54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!"
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Pilate found Jesus innocent of all charges and “wash his hands”… The Roman Centurion standing at the foot of the cross commanding 100 soldiers, highly trained in warfare & executions were terrified… Surely Jesus was the Son of God, I never seen such things before… Not just another day on the job… |
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Sinless / Perfect Eyes |
1 John 3:5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.
Luke 23:42-43 42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
Luke 23:34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
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From the cross Jesus feeling the rejection & pain…looked down over the scene… knowing who He was – the Perfect Sinless Son of God… responding to the thief, today you will be with me in paradise (heaven)… suffering the savage beating, cruel mocking, driving of the nails thru His hands & feet, feeling His crown of thorns… Literally giving His cheeks… Jesus Cries out… Father forgive them, they don’t know what they are doing… |
I. Eyes of Calvary, now the heart of Christ
II. Heart of Christ…
ü Perfect Love
1 John 4:10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
ü Perfect Sacrifice
Matthew 27:45-46 45 From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. 46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice… "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
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Only time recorded in scripture Jesus referred to His Father in heaven as God |
ü Perfect Accomplishment
John 19:30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
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Perfect love, the perfect sacrifice (innocent dying for the guilty)… Jesus shed His blood… |
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The completed finished work of salvation… mission accomplished… It is finished! |
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God completed everything for our salvation… Jesus died – He gave up His spirit - last breath… |
God’s Word tells us the Son of God was buried in a borrowed tomb…
Matthew 27:57-60 57 As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59 Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away.
· The chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate and requested the tomb be sealed & guards posted.
· Because Jesus made previous claims that He will rise from the dead in three days! (Mt 27:61-64)
· The religious Jews were happy it was all over – now they could keep on doing “their own” religious things, they just couldn’t understand why the veil in their temple was ripped in two from top to bottom…
· The Crowds were amazed at all the recent events… darkness for 3 hours, earthquake, resurrected saints...
· The Disciples, followers of Jesus were devastated, empty, fearful, confused, bewildered… Jesus is dead…
· Pilate and his officials were glad to get Jerusalem back under control again… life goes on…
· The angelic world stood in amazement, Son of God, our Creator…slaughtered on a old wooden cross…
· The demonic world was cheering… He’s dead and gone… we won… Satan defeated God’s Son at Calvary
One day – Friday, two days – Saturday, three days have passed – early Sunday morning…
A morning like no other… The sun starting to pierce the darkness with it’s first rays… beautiful hues of color filled the sky… <SONG & PPT BEGINS> Soldiers milling around the tomb… birds began to sing their choruses of praise… earth beginning to wake up to a brand new day… just then… leaves on the trees starting to quiver… a low rumble was heard from deep in the earth… listen can you hear it???
Play – “Arise, My Love” (NewSong) He is not here ~ He has risen! (Mt 28:6) He’s Alive! He’s Alive!
WHAT A GOD WE HAVE! Because Jesus LIVES we can LIVE also…
Resurrection of Jesus Christ…
1 Peter 1:3-4 What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we've been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, 4 including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! MSG
· Perfect Love – Perfect Sacrifice – Perfect Accomplishment… Death, Burial, Resurrection = Brand New Life
· What difference does the resurrection make? No resurrection = still lost in sin, no hope (1Co 15:12-19)
· Jesus’ resurrection promises a new life to those who believe. What does a brand new life look like?
I. Eyes of Calvary… II. Heart of Christ…
III. Life of Resurrection… (Experience the Resurrection Life)
Ø Peace that Smashes Despair!
Psalms 29:11 The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.
§ Peace - serenity, contentment, harmony between mind & soul… in midst of the storm
§ Despair – hopelessness, rejection, deep down in the dumps – 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed… why? Because of the Resurrection Life!
Ø Forgiveness that Trumps Sin!
Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace
§ Forgiveness of sin – the guilt & penalty of sin is taken away…Because of The Resurrection Life!
Ø Courage that Defeats Fear!
Acts 4:13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
§ Courage – confidence, boldness in the face of fear and adversity… The Resurrection Life!
Ø Purpose that Overcomes Emptiness!
Colossians 1:16 For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible… everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. MSG
§ Without Christ we have no hope, no forgiveness, we have a God sized hole in our hearts.
§ Purpose – why on earth am I here? Why do I exist? God Almighty has super plans for your life!
§ Jesus Christ comes into our lives and gives us a purpose for living… The Resurrection Life!
Ø Life that Conquerors Death!
1 Peter 1:3-4 3 What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we've been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, 4 including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! MSG
§ Back to our verse from 1Pet… WHAT A GOD WE HAVE… Do you know Him? The Resurrection Life!
§ Life conquerors Death… LIFE ETERNAL… Future in heaven – and the future starts NOW!
This Easter allow Jesus Christ to change your life!
Experience Forgiveness, Peace, Courage, Purpose, Life Eternal!
· Everyone stands at a crossroad…Do you know Jesus Christ as your Savior?
· How can I experience new Resurrection life in Jesus Christ?
· The great writer C.S. Lewis wrote: “You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse ... You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon; or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God.”
· I invite you to trust Jesus Christ as your Savior this morning…
Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my heart and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Forgive my sins, take control of my life, and allow me to cross over from death to life and be the person you want me to be. Amen.