Havasu Christian Church
October 30, 2022
“Scary things that happened when Jesus was crucified”
INTRO: Usually when we focus on the Crucifixion of Jesus, we take a deep dive into the pain He endured, the death He suffered, and the Salvation that all of that brought to us!
Today, in keeping with our “Scary stories in the Bible” theme, we’re going to focus more on what happened WHILE Jesus was being crucified. There was really some scary stuff going on!
(I) One of these things happened before Jesus died.
a. 3 hours of darkness
i. Matthew, Mark & Luke all record this.
1. Most of us have been through an eclipse.
a. It gets gradually darker, then lighter again. It’s really strange.
b. This doesn’t seem to be anything like an eclipse.
Matthew 27:45 Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour.
Mark 15:33 When the sixth hour came, darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour.
Luke 23:44-45 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour, because the sun was obscured; and the veil of the temple was torn in two.
i. This seems to be instantaneous, not gradual darkening…
ii. It seems to be dark, but not total darkness. “the sun was obscured”
iii. The darkness “fell over the whole land.”
2. This is not a normal thing… This is a supernatural event.
a. “Supernatural: “Relating to or attributed to phenomena that cannot be explained by natural laws.
(II) Some of these things happened as Jesus was dying.
a. The veil of the temple was torn in two!
Matthew 27:51 And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split.
Mark 15:38 And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
Luke 23:45 because the sun was obscured; and the veil of the temple was torn in two.
i. This curtain was tough!
1. According to Jewish commentators on the Old Testament, the curtain was about 30 feet tall, 60 feet wide and as thick as the width of a man’s hand. (4 inches..)
ii. This curtain was ripped, top to bottom.
1. If the Jewish commentators are right, this is quite an accomplishment.
a. If it occurred naturally, it would have ripped bottom to top, from its own weight.
b. Instead, it is torn like you would tear a piece of paper… top to bottom.
i. God ripped it in half!
b. There was an earthquake!
Matthew 27:51 And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split.
i. This was in addition to the tearing, not the cause of the tearing.
1. Rocks split, the earth shakes!
a. This is pretty powerful stuff!
i. If it doesn’t scare you, there’s something wrong with your brain!
(III) Two final things happened after Jesus died.
a. The tombs were opened, dead Saints were raised!
Matthew 27:52-53 The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.
i. If everything else didn’t get your attention, this certainly would have!
CHRYSOSTOM. “When He remained on the cross they had said tauntingly, He saved others, himself he cannot save. But what He would not do for Himself, that He did and more than that for the bodies of the Saints. For if it was a great thing to raise Lazarus after four days, much more was it that they who had long slept should now shew themselves alive; this is indeed a proof of the resurrection to come. But that it might not be thought that that which was done was an appearance merely, the Evangelist adds, And came out of the graves after his resurrection., and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.”
ii. What happened to these people?
1. Apparently they died again at some point. Maybe right away, maybe they lived long after?
a. Some writers even suggested that they went on to Heaven at some point.
i. These folks also said they wouldn’t have raised till after Jesus did. He is the “first fruits” of the resurrection!
b. The witnesses to Jesus death were profoundly affected.
i. The Centurion
Matthew 27:54 Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
Mark 15:39 When the centurion, who was standing right in front of Him, saw the way He breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
Luke 23:47 Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he began praising God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent.”
1. He may not understand WHO Jesus is or WHAT Jesus is.
a. Maybe he does.
i. If he’s been in Israel for any length of time, he’s at least heard about Jesus.
b. Even if he doesn’t
i. He has seen the darkness
ii. He has heard the mockers
iii. He has seen Jesus’ response to the two men crucified with Him.
iv. He has seen Jesus’ concern for His mother.
v. He has felt the earthquake.
ii. The crowd who “came to see the spectacle.”
Luke 23:48 And all the crowds who came together for this spectacle, when they observed what had happened, began to return, beating their breasts.
1. They have witnessed all the same things as the Centurion.
a. They may also have heard about what happened at the temple.
2. There is no record of what they said, only their actions are recorded.
a. They are leaving the scene
i. I’m sure they all had stories to tell!
b. They are beating their breasts.
i. There is sorrow here.
1. Perhaps there is repentance?
2. Maybe it’s more “sorry I got caught.”
a. Among them undoubtedly are some who were making fun of and insulting Jesus as He hung on the cross.
b. A “mob mentality can easily change from one extreme to another.
c. Now they appear to be ashamed of what they have done and what they have witnessed.
d. They are no doubt wondering what God has in store for them after all of this!
CONCLUSION: What can we draw out of this event, scary as it was, that will apply to our lives?
* Let’s think about the 3 hours of darkness.
God is showing in a powerful way, that the murder of His Son is absolutely WRONG!
Jesus said from the Cross “My God My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
Perhaps this is a way that God was showing that He had turned away from the Sin that Jesus is now carrying.
* Let’s think about the torn curtain…
God was separated from men by our sin. Sin that could not be removed by animal sacrifice.
No animal could truly be a “perfect” sacrifice because an animal is sinless because he doesn’t even know what sin is.
Jesus WAS the perfect sacrifice. He was “one of us” yet remained sinless.
This is because even though He gave up everything that made Him God, He did not give up His CHARACTER!
Because of the death of Jesus, the Christian can now enter directly into the presence of God!
There is no need for any priest but Jesus!
* Let’s think about the dead being raised.
Jesus is the “first fruits” of the resurrection. “First fruits” were what was presented at the temple to God, while the crop was still in the field.
1 Corinthians 15:20–23 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming
Jesus’ resurrection is PROOF that we will one day be raised!
* Let’s think about the reactions of the Centurion and the Crowd.
They were all profoundly affected. But only the Centurion appears to voice the obvious… That this was the innocent Son of God.
He may not have understood it all, but he knew enough to praise God and tell the truth.
Did he ever surrender his life to this Jesus? We will never know this side of eternity. But I like to think that he did!
* Let’s think about us!
How are we affected by the death of Jesus Christ?
We weren’t there to see it ourselves… we didn’t feel the earthquake, or see the darkness, but we will be affected by this event!
We will either be grateful, or look for excuses not to be.
We will either follow Jesus, or turn away!
We will either be saved, or not!
