Saturday, December 03, 2011

Daily Gospel Devotional: December 3

Mark 15:33-39 / Matthew 27:51-54…

Amazing signs…

And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. This was no natural event. The darkness reflected the truth that this was the time when the Son of God was suffering the wrath of a just and holy Father God against sin. It was the Lamb of God, Jesus, in our place (Isaiah 53:10-11 / 2 Corinthians 5:21).

And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The veil that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place in the temple (Exodus 26:31-35) was large (60 feet long and 30 feet wide), and as thick as a man’s hand. Christians see this event as a sign that we can all now enter into the presence of God. Jesus is our High Priest (Hebrews 9:3-12, 10:19-23).

The tombs also were opened. Jesus is the proof of the principle of resurrection. The destruction of death was foreshadowed by this powerful evidence, when many holy people were raised from their graves to testify about Him, that Jesus would be the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep (1 Corinthians 15:20).

Everyone who has ever lived will actually live forever. But not all have a saving faith in Jesus Christ. The truth is that all will be resurrected at some point, some to eternal life, and some to suffer the second death, which is eternal damnation (John 5:28-29 / Acts 24:15). Death will be dead (1 Corinthians 15:26 / Revelation 20:5-6, 13-15).

And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last…The centurion in charge of this crucifixion could clearly see that Jesus was different, and the darkness and earthquake that accompanied Jesus’ death clearly indicated that He was divine.

What say you to these amazing signs?

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