"1-2-3" 3-31-24

Overview

When God Counted to Three

The number three runs throughout Scripture: we worship one God in three persons; Noah had three sons; Daniel prayed three times a day; Satan tempted Jesus three times; Peter denied his Lord three times; Paul endured three shipwrecks and pleaded three times for the thorn in his flesh to be removed. Most importantly, Jesus repeatedly foretold that on the third day He would rise. In Matthew 16:21, Matthew 17:22-23, Mark 10:33-34, and Luke 18:33, Jesus told His disciples plainly that He would suffer, be killed, and on the third day rise again. Even the chief priests remembered His words when they appealed to Pilate.

When Jesus cried "It is finished" from the cross and bowed His head, heaven began to count. One: Friday, as Joseph of Arimathea wrapped the body and laid it in the tomb Matthew 27:57-60. Two: the Sabbath, the long day of silence and despair. The women came to the tomb in Matthew 28:1 carrying spices Luke 24:1 and tears John 20:11, expecting only the worst. This was a far cry from the triumphal entry of Matthew 21:9 or the joy of the feeding of the five thousand. Three: the first day of the week dawned, the earth shook, the angel rolled back the stone, and the word came—"He is not here, for he has been raised, as he said" Matthew 28:2-6. When God reached three, everything changed.

Because of our sin—our words, our deeds, our thoughts, all we have done and left undone—we should have been counted out. Instead, God counted to three. The empty tomb is the validation that the Savior's blood, shed for the sin of the world, was accepted by the Father. Death has been overcome. In the waters of Baptism, you have been washed clean and named God's own child, held in His hand for eternity, joining the song of heaven and earth: "Worthy is the Lamb."

So when the days feel bleak and you find yourself counting your problems, your obstacles, and your fears, trust the One who counted to three. Friday's despair did not have the final word, and neither does yours. Sunday came—and Sunday still comes. He lives, and because He lives, you live in Him. Hallelujah.

Transcript

Would you open please your Scriptures to the 28th chapter of the gospel of Matthew? 3s

You'll find a copy of Holy Scriptures in the Pew Rack in front of you or underneath you. 9s

The 28th chapter of the gospel of Matthew is found in the New Testament page 29 in your 14s

Three. 33s

There are quite a few numbers in Holy Scripture. 38s

They're rather prolific. 42s

And what are the most common numbers of them all is the number three? 44s

We worship the triune God, one God, three persons, not three gods, one God, three persons. 50s

Bible tells us that Noah had three sons that Daniel prayed three times a day. 63s

Bible tells us that Satan tempted our Lord three times and Jesus responded, 71s

it is written, it is written. 80s

Bible tells us that Peter denied the Lord three times. 84s

That Mary went to visit Elizabeth and stayed for three months. 90s

That Paul went to Ephesus and he preached boldly for three months. 96s

That Paul cried out for a healing of the Thorn in the flesh three times. 101s

The Bible tells us that Paul experienced three shipwrecks. 110s

The Bible tells us that Moses's mother hid him for three months on and on and on. 115s

It goes, this number three just keeps popping up. 124s

In the Bible. 132s

And also on a practical way, that number three comes up, doesn't it? 135s

I remember when I was a boy, when I wasn't exactly following the instructions of my parents, 143s

they would start the count. 151s

Perhaps you're experienced it yourself. 154s

There was a cadence to it. 157s

They would count one, two and three. 160s

I knew when they had started the count. 163s

They would say it calmly. They would say it quietly, but they would start the count. 166s

I never did a thing on one. 174s

Never. Didn't have to. 177s

Because I knew I had two. 181s

But when you get to two, that's when you start to kick in the decision making. 184s

Will I continue in my present course and once again learn the lesson that I never win this? 193s

Will I continue in the present course or will I allow them to go to three? 200s

Because if I allowed them to go to three, 206s

will I would lose the toy or I would lose the privilege? 209s

One, no action, two, starting to think. 215s

Because when my parents would get to three, 222s

things changed at three. 227s

Why did you like the couple who had planned the trip? 231s

They had read all the brochures, they had gone online and studied it. 239s

And they had learned about this rock formation that they could climb. 243s

And at a certain part of the rock formation was a ledge. 248s

And they could walk out on the ledge and then they could jump into the wonderful tropical waters below. 252s

They were so excited for this. 259s

When they arrived, they realized that the ledge was a little bit higher than they had anticipated. 262s

But they had spent an awful lot of money here. 268s

So they climbed up, they went on the ledge, they were holding hands, they looked at each other, 272s

and they went one, two, and on three, they leapt. 278s

And landed in the waters below. 288s

Or the little girl. 293s

Where the family leads her into the family room. 295s

They've all chipped in for a magnificent gift. 299s

And they tell her to close her eyes, but to open them on the count of three. 302s

And the family, as she comes into the family room with her eyes closed, 310s

the family goes one, two, and then three, her eyes open. 314s

When you get to three, when you get to three, 328s

things change. 336s

That first Easter morning there was despair in the beginning. 340s

Look at verse one with me, please, chapter 28. 346s

The scripture says, after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, 350s

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 355s

The other Mary is the mother of James and Joseph. 359s

She's the wife of Clopus. 363s

When they go, they're not expecting an empty tomb. 366s

They're not expecting a resurrected Christ. 371s

They're expecting the worst because the worst has happened. 374s

Can we see the resemblance sometimes in our own lives? 379s

When things look bleak and we can anticipate the worst. 383s

Luke 24 tells us that they took spices, that they had prepared. 390s

John 20th chapter tells us, but Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. 395s

That first Easter morning it started with despair, didn't it? 404s

It's a far cry, right? 409s

It's a far cry from the triumphantry into Jerusalem. 412s

Matthew 21st chapter records the crowds at what a hit of him and that followed were shouting, 417s

Hosanna to the son of David, blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord, 423s

Hosanna in the highest heaven. 431s

It was a far cry on that first Easter morning from the feeding of the five thousand. 436s

Remember how Jesus took the little boys, meager, sack lunch, and multiplied that sack lunch, 444s

and fed five thousand so that they were so full, they could not eat one more bit. 451s

There was leftovers and they loved it. 459s

They were enamored by this. 463s

They loved what Jesus had done for them. 466s

And the scripture says, they wanted to make him king. 469s

That first Easter morning, that despair, it was a far cry from the hushed wonder of the 475s

on that silent night, holy night. 502s

It's silent that first Easter morning, only dispersed by the sobs. 511s

But when Jesus on the cross, when Jesus on the cross said, it is finished. 526s

When he bowed his head and when he died, has one author puts it, 532s

heaven just started to count. 544s

So often, Jesus would come with the passion predictions. 555s

In Matthew the 16th chapter, it says from that time on, 560s

Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering 565s

at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and on the third day be raised. 573s

In Matthew the 17th chapter, it says, as they were gathering in Galilee, 582s

Jesus said to them, the son of man is going to be betrayed into human hands and they will kill 588s

him and on the third day he will be raised. In Mark the 10th chapter, Jesus said of himself, 594s

they will mock him and spit upon him and flog him and kill him and after three days, 603s

he will rise again. In Luke the 18th chapter, Jesus said of himself, on the third day, 612s

he will rise again. Why even the chief priests and the Pharisees, they turned to pilot and they say, 622s

sir, we remember what that imposter said while he was still alive. After three days, 630s

I will rise again. And when Jesus said, it is finished on the cross. 638s

When he bowed his head, God started to count Friday, Matthew 27 verse 57, 648s

when it was evening, there came a rich man from Aramathia named Joseph, who was also a disciple of 676s

Jesus. He went to pilot and asked for the body of Jesus, then pilot ordered it to be given to him. 684s

So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, 694s

which he had hewn in the rock. He then rolled a great stone in the door of the tomb, 699s

and went away. One, 710s

Saturday comes, the Sabbath. In ancient day, the rabbis would have two strings. One was a 724s

light string and one was a dark string. And they would hold up those two strings as the sun was setting. 731s

And when the rabbis was unable to distinguish the light string from the dark string, they would 739s

reverse the procedure to declare that the Sabbath was over. And so the rabbis would have 751s

held up the strings. Two. Matthew 28 verse 1 says, after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week 760s

was dawning, three. And when God got to three things changed. 778s

Verse 2 tells us, and suddenly there was a great earthquake for an angel of the Lord, 803s

descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, 808s

and his clothing white as snow, for fear of him. The guards shook and became like deadmen. 816s

But the angel said to the women, do not be afraid. I know that you're looking for Jesus who is 824s

crucified. He's not here. For he's been raised as he said, come see the place where he lay. 831s

Then go quickly and tell his disciples. He has been raised from the dead. And indeed, he is going 839s

ahead of you to Galilee. There you will see him. When Jesus said on the cross, it is finished. 847s

When Jesus bowed his head. When Jesus died, when all was lost and darkness filled the land, 859s

God started to count. And when he got to three things changed. You see, we should have been counted out. 876s

We were down for the count because of our sin. All of our words and all of our deeds and 894s

all of our thoughts and all that we've done and all that we've left undone. He should have counted 902s

us out. But instead of counting us out, he started to count. He started to count to three. 908s

And that empty tomb of our Lord, the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ is the guarantee. It is the 919s

validation that the shedding of the Savior's blood on the cross for the sin of the world was accepted. 927s

When Jesus died on the cross, He took your sin and He took my sin upon Himself. 934s

And when He was raised from the dead, death was overcome. It is God's way of saying, 941s

the sacrifice is accepted. That's why we sing. I know that my redeemer lives. What comfort 948s

this sweet sentence gives. He lives. He lives. Who once was dead. He lives my ever-living head. 959s

That's why we sing. The strife is or the battle done. Now is the victories. Try one. 969s

Now be the song of praise, begun, aleluia. That's why we sing. Vine is the glory, risen 978s

conquering sun. Endless is the victory. Now or death has one. Your sins are forgiven. 988s

You have been washed clean in the waters of baptism. God has taken that word of victory and put 999s

with the tangible and has washed you in it. God has called you His own. You are God's child. 1007s

God has made His decision about you. And He holds that decision and He holds you in His hand 1018s

for all of eternity and the church on earth and the church in heaven saying, worthy, worthy, 1028s

is the Lamb. worthy is the Lamb. 1043s

Until that day, until that day when we join the heavenly choir, God holds all of our days, all of them. 1053s

And as we walk this side of heaven, as we walk on this side of heaven with those days 1071s

that we count to our problems trust in the one that counted to three. 1079s

When we walk in these days this side of heaven and we count our challenges and we count our obstacles, 1091s

trust in the one that counted to three. When we go through those bleak times, 1098s

when we go through those days, when we're just expecting the worst, trust in the one who counted 1109s

to three, because when he got to three, when he got to three things changed, 1119s

and it was Sunday, it was Sunday. It was Sunday. 1133s

Trust him, trust him, trust him. 1147s

Hallelujah. Hallelujah. 1159s

Hallelujah. 1170s

Amen. 1177s