IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

The Death of Jesus

Date: Mar. 26, 2016

Passage

Matthew 27:45-66  (ESV)

45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 47 And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” 48 And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.

51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

55 There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.

62 The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 27:46

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

First, "surely he was the Son of God!" (45-56). As Jesus hung on the cross, darkness covered the land from noon till 3pm. Darkness was the time when God hid his face from his Son. It was the time of anguish in his soul when he was forsaken from his loving Father as he bore our sins. With a loud voice, he gave up his spirit (he committed his spirit into his father's hand, Luke 23:46). An earthquake followed and the bodies of holy people were raised to life. His death is not defeat but will be swallowed up by his resurrection. When the centurion and those who were guarding Jesus exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!"

Second, Jesus' burial (57-66). Joseph was no longer afraid to identify himself as a disciple of Jesus. He was bold enough to get Pilate's permission to bury Jesus' body in his own new tomb. The religious leaders tried to stop the good news of his resurrection, but would only help to prove it.

Prayer: Lord, you were forsaken so that I may be accepted. And you died so that I may live. Praise Jesus the Son of God!

One Word: Jesus died for us

Daily Bread

God’s Wrath and Justice

Revelation 6:1-17

Key Verse: 6:17

for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

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Intro Daily

Today's Question

What does God require from us to escape His anger and curse, which we deserve for our sin?

See answer and references