We all know of the power of Jesus in His 3 years of ministry here on earth. The Gospel documents 37 miracles that He performed and that is only what was recorded. The Bible clearly states that there were countless other miracles that He did that were not recorded. John 20:30 states “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples that are not written in this book.”
All 4 gospels document the death and resurrection of Jesus, but if you notice, there is one particular verse that is only found in Matthew and not documented by Mark, Luke, or John. It’s an amazing verse that we would like to open up to you to help you discover the 5 miracles of His death and resurrection.
Matthew 27:50 -53 starts with, “And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit. At that moment the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” In biblical times, the curtain in the temple represented a separation between those who were with sin and the Holy of Holies. Only the priest who was cleansed could go beyond the curtain. When Jesus died all that changed. It was to show that there was no longer any separation. We had access to the Father through Jesus who cleansed all our sins. Today, we know that no level of good works or burnt offerings can take away any of our sins. It is only the blood of Jesus that can wash us clean. All we need to do is come to Him in repentance. ONLY JESUS CAN SET US FREE FROM ALL SIN.
As we read further, “And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His Spirit. At that moment the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook”. The death of Jesus not only has an effect on our spiritual lives but also on the natural world. The entire earth responded to His death because God controls all things. The sky, the air, and the water, everything submits to the name of Jesus. A shaking causes breaking and when something is broken it has to be replaced with something new. In our lives, we may sometimes go through a season of shaking. It is not to punish us but shaking leads to breaking, and breaking gives way for new things to be formed in our lives. LEAN ON GOD IN YOUR SHAKING.
The verse goes on further, “And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His Spirit. At that moment the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split”. We all know that a rock is not a living organism. It does not have a mind of its own to decide what it wants to do. In other words, it cannot split itself. What seems strong and firm and can hold structures together can crumble into pieces in the name of Jesus. We know people with a strong mindset, strong belief, or strong addiction. They may be “as hard as a rock” but never stop praying for them. PUSH IN PRAYER UNTIL THE ROCK SPLITS!!
As we read on more, we find the 4th miracle, “And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit. At that moment the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open”. Now, we need to understand that tombs in biblical times are totally different from how we understand them today. Today we think of a coffin under the ground. But in biblical times tombs were in caves. The tombs were made up of 3 sections, namely the entrance-way, the weeping room, and the burial chamber. The entrance of the cave had a huge boulder that weighed more than 100 kg, impossible to move with human strength. In our lives, perhaps it’s good to look at what has been stagnant for some time. It may be a stagnant job, career, relationship, or mindset. Be open to change. TRUST GOD TO OPEN DOORS OF CHANGE.
The final part of this verse is the most exciting but many people would have missed it. “And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His Spirit. At that moment the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split, the tombs opened. The bodies of many people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’s resurrection and they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.” The power of Jesus’s resurrection is that this was a foretaste of His second coming where we will rise with Him. Matthew was clear to say that “many”, not all, rose with Him. It is only those who have accepted Him as Lord and Saviour who will receive eternal life. Eternal life is a gift available for all. We who are believers should be Christ-honouring, sin-hating, and soul-winning believers. HE WHO WINS SOULS IS WISE – PROV 11:30
Our prayer is that this will be a reminder to all of us of how powerful His life, death, and resurrection are, even until today. The name of Jesus is above all things in our lives, so let’s share it with others.
About the Ryans: Ps. Justin Ryan & his wife Ps. Jacquie are the founders of One Voice Ministries, established in 2008. It is a missions and training ministry focused on reaching the 10/40 Window. To date they have ministered in 9 nations, teaching and training pastors and leaders as well as evangelising many of the unreached peoples groups. Here in Malaysia, One Voice has an established work with the Orang Asli.
In 2013, the Lord has led them to found Issachar Academy where they provide training specifically for missions in a hospitable environment. Through the academy, the Ryans also help Christians recognise and move in their seasons with God.For more details please visit them at www.onevm.net
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