Place: I.Hall 6:4:97 Reading: Mark 15:16-38 " WHY CHRIST DIED " Many years ago in the depth of the winter the French Army pressed on all sides by the Cossacks, had to cross a river. The enemy had destroyed all the bridges and Napoleon was almost at his wits end. Suddenly came a order that a bridge of some sort must be thrown across the river and the men nearest the water were the first to carry out the almost impossible task. Several were swept away by the furious tide. Others, after a few minutes, sank through cold and exhaustion, but more came, and the work proceeded as fast as possible. At last the bridge was completed and the army reached the opposite bank in safety. Then followed the most dramatic scene, and one of the most touching recorded in the annals of history. When the men who had built the bridge were called to leave the water not one moved. Clinging to the pillars, they stood silent and motionless, frozen to death. The distance had been spanned but only through death. The Veil that hung in the Jewish Tabernacle and later in the Jewish Temple shows us that the distance between God and Man is very great. The Temple was a series of obstructions, a series of walls. If you were a Gentile you could go to the Court of the Gentiles, but then there was a wall, and you couldn't go any farther unless you were a Jew. After that there was the Court of the Women. If you were a Jewish woman you could come there, but then there was a wall and only Jewish men could go beyond that wall. After that there was another wall and only the priest could go into the Holy Place with its hugh veil... sixty feet high, thirty feet wide, thick as the palm of a hand. Now that Veil seperated the priest from the Holy of Holies, where the Mercy Seat was, the place where God dwelt. ( Ps 80:1 99:1) It was this Veil that barred man's access into the Presence of God. The ONLY WAY into the Presence of God was by the Veil, and the ONLY ONE allowed in the Presence of God was the High Priest, and the ONLY TIME he was allowed was on the Day of Atonement, and the ONLY THING that gave him permission to enter the Presence of God was the Blood of Sacrifice. ( Heb 9:6-7) The Veil was a reminder of the fact that the distance between God and Man was great on account of sin. But when Christ cried from the Cross, " It is finished," the unseen hand of God took that veil and tore it in two. Mark gives details of the Saviour's death by " the hour." He informs us that the Saviour was crucified at the third hour... 9.00am ( 15:25) Darkness came on the scene at the sixth hour... noon. ( 15:33) But it was at the ninth hour... 3.00pm ( 15:34) that Christ cried out with a loud voice, " It is finished." In that precise moment, the ninth hour, the Veil of the Temple was rent in twain from top to bottom. It was precisely at this hour that the priests were ministering in the Temple. You can imagine as they stood before the altar of incense, ( Exod 30:6) suddenly and dramatically, they heard an almighty roar, as this curtain was ripped in two from top to bottom.
And as the Mercy Seat became visible, many priests looked on it for the first time. Is it any wonder that when the apostles preached the gospel that many priests believed the message. ( Acts 6:7) They had seen the effect of the finished work of Christ. The Veil was rent in twain, the way to God was opened. My... was this not, WHY CHRIST DIED? " That He might bring us to God." ( 1 Pet 3:18) As we think a little about " the Veil of the Temple," ( 15:38) I want you to think about: (1) THE DESIGN OF THE VEIL Why was the curtain or veil of the Temple hanging there at all? And why was it rent from the top to the bottom at that particular moment? What was the design, the intention, the purpose of the Veil? The word for " Veil," comes from a Hebrew word which means " to seperate." A veil is used to conceal something. It hides what is behind it. This Veil hid God from the sight of those who served in the Tabernacle. My... in that Veil which barred man's entrance into the Presence of God we can see two truths. First we see: (a) THE PRIDE OF MAN REBUKED BY GOD: Did any man think he had the right to approach God? Did any man think he had the right to have fellowship with God? My... the Veil of the Temple spoke its message in unmistakable terms, " No Entry." The road into the presence of God was blocked and barred.only once a year ( Lev 16:2) the High Priest was allowed to go into the Holy of Holies, the very presence of God. ( He 9:6) Why did he go? To deal with the problem of sin. You see the great lesson on the Day of Atonement was that God is Holy and Man is Sinful, and Sinful Man cannot come into the Presence of a God who is Holy! ( Lev 16:21) My... do you see why they were barred from coming into the Presence of God? It was because of sin. Do you see why you are barred from coming into the Presence of God? Its because of your sin and sin is a failure to meet the Divine Standard. Ill: Two men went to the recruiting officer in London to join a guards regiment. The standard height for a guardsman was a minimum of six feet. One man was taller than the other but when they were measured officially both were disqualified. The shorter of the two measured 5 feet 7 inches and was far too short, his friend measured 5 feet 11% inches and stretch to his utmost as he did he did not make the standard. Nor did his plea's avail. It did not matter that his father was a guardsman, it did not matter that he already knew army regulations by heart. He was short of the standard. My... do you realise that you're short of God's standard? Do you recognise that you've broken God's Law? Do you see that you are a sinner and your sin bars you from coming into the Presence of God? You see as look at that Veil we see (a) and then we see: (b) THE PRICE OF BLOOD REQUIRED BY GOD:
For the Veil was not always drawn. As we have already noted once a year the High Priest was allowed to enter... although even he dared not go alone as he was. He went bearing the Blood of Atonement. And that Blood was sprinkled ON and BEFORE the Mercy Seat for the ONLY THING that stood between the broken law that man could not keep and the righteous wrath of God was the Blood of the Lamb. ( Lev 16:14) My... it was not living animals that paid the price for sin, it was dead animals offered as sacrifices, for the blood had to be shed. For " without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin." ( He 9:22) My... do you realise that its not the Coming of Christ that saves you? Do you see that its not the perfect life of Christ that saves you? Only the Blood of Christ can deal with the sin question in your life. " What can wash my sin, nothing but the blood of Jesus... " My... for you to get to God this VEIL which speaks of Christ's flesh ( He 10:20) had to be removed that's why I want you to notice: (2) THE DESTRUCTION OF THE VEIL This is what took place when the Lord Jesus died on the Cross. ( Matt 27:50-51: Lk 23:45 Heb 10:19) Mark says " And the veil of the temple... the bottom." ( 15:38) Now the Veil represented the Body of the Lord Jesus, and the Rending of the Veil represented the Death of the Lord Jesus, and you will notice that the Death of Christ and the Rending of the Veil took place at the same time. Notice that the Veil was rent from the top. In other words the Veil: (a) WAS DIVINELY RENT: " From the top to the bottom." ( 15:38) Tradition tells us that the Veil of the Temple was an handbreadth in thickness or 4 inches and that two teams of oxen pulling in opposite directions could not tear this Veil apart. Obviously no man could. It was the hand of God that did it. My... when you read the story of the Cross you become conscious of the way so many were involved in the crucifixion. There was the hatred of the scribes and Pharisee's: the treachery of Judas: the weakness of Pilate: and they all seemed to be doing things. But at the Cross God was also doing something. Isaiah said, " It pleased the Lord to bruise Him." ( Is 53:10) Paul said, " He made Him who knew no sin, to be sin for us... in Him." ( 2 Cor 5:21) My... the Lord Jesus experienced the Wrath of God that you might enjoy the Love of God. He was forsaken that you might never be forsaken. Yes, the Veil was (a) But it: (b) WAS ENTIRELY RENT: " From the top to the bottom." ( 15:38) It was not half rent. A complete rending of the Veil took place. Not a single thread remained unbroken to bar man's approach to God. Did you notice the hour when this took place? Mark tells us in ( 15:37) " And Jesus cried with a loud voice." What did He cry? Just one word, " Finished." ( Jn 19:30) The work of man's redemption was complete " And the Veil of the Temple... from the top to the bottom." ( 15:38) My... the work of Christ is a finished work. It never can be, it never needs to be, and thank God it never will be repeated
again. " When he from His lofty throne, Stooped to do and die All the work was fully done, Listen to His cry, It is finished, yes indeed, finished every jot, Sinner this is all you need, tell me is it not? My... do you believe this... that the work of Christ is a finished work? Could it be that you're trying to add to it by your church attendance? Good works? Baptism? Reformed life? " It is finished," and all you have to do is to accept the pardon that Christ has purchased for you. Yes, the Veil was (a) (b) But the Veil (c) WAS PUBLICLY RENT: Luke says, " And the sun was darkened, and veil of the temple was rent in the midst," ( 23:45) testifying to the public nature of the death of the Lord Jesus. My... His death was not a private execution. It was out in the open. It was in the midst before many witnesses. Paul told Agrippa that the death of Christ did not place in a corner. ( Acts 26:26) " And the Veil of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom." It: (d) WAS CENTRALLY RENT: The word " twain," literally means " in the midst." The effect was to divide the Veil into two equal parts. My... the Cross of Christ is the Great Divide. History is divided by it. Times past looked forward, these last days look back and the gaze of both converge in the Cross. Humanity is divided by it. Two others were crucified with Christ and these two are representative of all. The lives they lived were identical but the deaths they died were different. One died in his sins while the other died in faith. For the Cross divides Humanity! My... which thief will you be like? Ill: During a Gospel Mission the evangelist saw a young man who looked somewhat concerned. He asked, " Are you ready to die? " " No, I'm not ready I hope to get saved some day remember the dying thief." The evangelist replied, " Which one?" The young fellow looked startled, " Oh, I've forgotten there were two." " Yes," replied the evangelist, " One was saved and one was lost, which one are you going to be like?" My... can I ask you the same question, which one will you be like? The One who went to heaven, or the one who went to hell? " And the Veil of the Temple... bottom." ( 15:38) My... are you beginning to grasp the meaning of it all? Do you see now how the barrier that kept man out was removed and the way into the presence of God was now wide open. But what is:
(3) THE DEMAND OF THE VEIL Well, in ( Heb 10:19 ) we read these words, " Having therefore, brethren boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh... let us draw near." My... the Veil demands that we: (a) COME TO GOD THROUGH CHRIST: And through Christ alone. This Christ who is called, " The Friend of sinners." ( Lk 15:2) This Christ who said, " Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out." ( Jn 6:37) My... unsaved... you are assured of a royal welcome. I tell you the writer to the Hebrews see's so much in the Lord Jesus. He is the torn and rent Veil: ( 10:20) He is the Sacrifice that atones: ( 9:12) He is the High Priest who enters within the Veil: ( 9:11) HE IS ALL THAT GOD DEMANDS AND HE IS ALL THAT MAN REQUIRES! So the CROSS which leads me to the CURTAIN leads me to the CHRIST and Christ will lead me to GOD! Ill: Someone has said so truly, " There are thousands ways to Christ, but only one to God... through Him." Ill: In the grounds of Hampton Court Palace there is a maze built of hedges. In the middle of the maze is a seat where those who are tired of finding their way back out can rest and think things over. There is also a bell there. By ringing that bell the lost person can summon aid. A man will appear, a man who knows the way. Follow him and soon the perplexing paths will resolve into an orderly way. The solution lies in the man. My... the Bible says, " there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus." ( 1 Tim 2:5) Have you a desire to be reconciled to God? To be right with God? To be righteous before God? Well, then you need to come to Christ. ( Jn 14:6) (a) (b) COMMUNE WITH GOD THOUGH CHRIST: As AT puts it " In virtue of what the blood of Jesus has done for us, let us approach the presence of God." It was the sin of a man that drove him out from that presence, it was the death of Christ that brings him back. My... Christian... this is the Presence in which we may live. Isn't this wonderful? That you and I walking about the streets: sitting behind a desk: driving along the roads can live in the Presence of God. That's what we are saved FOR: thats what the Cross is for: to bring us Back: to bring us In: and to bring us Home. WHY DID CHRIST DIE? What is the meaning of the Cross? My... if somehow or other you can close your eyes and listen with your ears, you will hear coming away back down the corridor of time the sound of tearing cloth. " And the Veil of the Temple... " ( 15:38) Thats why the Saviour died! So that you and I might find our way in! The question is: are you in? Are you in Christ? Are you in a right relationship with God? You can be! How? The hymn writer says: " There's a way back to God... " Will you come... now?