THE MORNING WAS COME
Matthew 27:1 When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: 2 And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. 35 And they crucified him, … 45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
This was a singularly unique morning. There had been no morning like it since the creation of the world. And there never would be another morning like this morning, to dawn upon the earth! It was a morning that was in the mind of the Holy God from the very foundation of the world, however! Revelation 13:8 … of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. For the eternal Son of God stood in absolute subjection to the Father, from the foundation of the world, concerning the Father’s love for those chosen in him. And this, in order to bring their redemption. Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
But this morning was the very morning of the offering up of himself for the accomplishment of that eternal redemption! It was “his hour!” John 2:4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. John 7:30 Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come. John 8:20 These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.
John 12:23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. John 12:27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.
John 13:1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. John 17:1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
The coming into the world of the Person of this hour would hereafter set the world’s calendars. Yet on this actual day, the world would go about its usual business, never knowing what an astounding thing was transpiring in the little nation of Israel! For on this day, “Christ the mighty Maker would die for man, the creature’s sin!”
Tiberius Augustus (AD14-37), would start his day as usual, ruling over the nations of the Mediterranean rim. He had appointed Pilate to govern Judaea, but this unbelievable event would not fill his mind, nor the agenda for his day. Rome’s senators would have their breakfast as usual and prepare themselves for whatever governing matters awaited their attention.
The Hun Dynasty of China with its 57,641,400 citizens would have no awareness of the world of the redemption in Jerusalem. Although wise councilors came from the east to attend his birth, none would come for his death!
For the Hun Dynasty was prosperous and absorbed in its own affairs. They had invented the nautical steering rudder. Their government had issued its own coinage. And they were already using negative numbers in their mathematics.
The Japanese had expanded their land holdings to even occupy present day Tokyo. All the rest of the earth was caught up in its own involvements, knowing nothing about that which would set the destinies of every soul in the entire world! Colossians 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
But the prophets of God had known of it! They had faithfully proclaimed it – even describing the hour of darkness! Amos 8:9 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day: 10 And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.
There would be no day like this day, as all that in the old economy of Israel would be changed. For after this sacrifice, no animal was to be sacrificed again! Hebrews 10:5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. 9:26 … but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
The way for the Gentile church to come into the holiest of God would be established on this day! Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Matthew 27:51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; Hebrews 9:8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:
Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
And this would be the last day the world would ever see him until he returns in his final and highest degree of glory! John 14:19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
But the Lord’s sheep would see him by the eye of faith! 1 Peter 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Matthew 13:16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
For neither Pilate, nor Herod, nor the high priest, nor the Sanhedrin, nor any other unbeliever ever laid eyes on him again! Here is a listing of those that saw the Lord Jesus after his resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15:5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
Jesus Christ came into the world, but the Holy Spirit only comes into the believers! And because the world cannot see the Spirit either, they also will not believe in him! John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
God-granted faith is that alone which evidences the spiritual and invisible things of God. It alone gives one the perception of Him in believing and saving faith! Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. John 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
2 Corinthians 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
And this would be the day that THE faith, once delivered to the saints, would be originated! Jesus Christ alone is the author of faith! And he is also the finisher of faith. Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Faith will be finished once all the redeemed are glorified. Then there will be no need for faith or hope! Romans 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity (love).
Above, in Hebrews 11:6 it states that without faith one cannot please God! And we have evidence, from the Father’s own mouth that His Son had faith, for he said of Him, in whom I am well pleased!” (Matt. 3:17).
Then we read that it was prophesied by King David that Christ would have faith in the Father that he would not allow him to see corruption at the time of his death. Acts 13:35 Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: 37 But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption. Therefore the man Christ Jesus gave up his spirit in death, trusting the Father to raise him again before bodily corruption began! THAT is faith! And that faith, originating at the cross, worked backward into the past, as well as into the future for all believers! Galatians 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
And that faith, like the application of his provided redemption, acted on those under the shadows of the law under his suretyship! Hebrews 7:22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. Romans 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; For as the Old Testament believers approached God with sins dealt with – as it were – on the credit, so they also had an acceptable faith based on Christ coming to both cleanse them from sin, and permanently establish their faith.
The true believers live not just by faith “in” the Lord, but by the faith “of” the Lord! For it is his faith that dwells within them. Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Then this was a most unique day in the result of that which occurred when evil hands tried to kill the resurrection and the life! For the resurrection is not just an event, but the Resurrection is a Person! John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Matthew 27:50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; 52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. 54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
When the evil hands set upon the Person of the Resurrection, all sorts of resurrections occurred! For you can’t kill THE Life. John 5:26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; Nor can you have death to hold down THE Resurrection! Acts 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
People who were dead and buried came walking back into town! Jews were going to funeral home directors asking for refunds! “I thought you buried Grandpa! Here he is on my front porch!” We talk about Lazarus – and well we should – quite a miracle that! But this! What about this?!? Even when the hardened Roman Centurion saw it, he feared greatly and confessed Jesus as the very Son of god! And his witness shall rise up in judgment against all who have seen their relatives resurrected in saving grace, coming to live new spiritual lives in Christ, but have not confessed Christ with the same reverential fear. Old things, old habits, old words of cursing and criticism have passed away, and these friends and relatives have begun to live as if resurrected to live in heavenly places in Christ Jesus! Wonder of wonders that sinners should take on the disposition of gracious creations in Christ!
His life is their life! John 14:19 …because I live, ye shall live also. 2 Corinthians 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. 16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Pastor Gene Breed
May 16, 2015