Low in the Grave He Lay -- 3/23/08 (Sunrise)

Sunday, March 23, 2008 SUNRISE SERVICE

LOW IN THE GRAVE HE LAY

Ps. 30:5, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”
Earlier this morning we sang…
Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior;
Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord.

I don’t know all the hymn writer had in mind, when he used the word “low.” He could have simply written, “There in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior.” Instead, he wrote, “Low in the grave He lay.” Surely it was no accident that he used that word “low.”

I like that because it captures a great truth. When Jesus was laid in that grave, He was as low as He could get. You can’t get any lower than Jesus was. Think about it with me…

… He was crucified as a common criminal. We read from Luke 23:32-33, "And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. 33. And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left." The word “malefactor” simply means criminal. In the eyes of the world, Jesus was one of three criminals crucified that day. Yes, low in the grave He lay.

… He was despised by Herod. You will remember that Governor Pilate tried to pass the buck by having Jesus sent to Herod. We read from Luke 23:7-11…
And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time. 8. And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. 9. Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing. 10. And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. 11. And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate." Jesus’ very life lay in the balance, and all selfish Herod cared about was seeing some miracle. Despised by Herod, low in the grave He lay.

… He was refused by Pilate. Pilate knew Jesus wasn’t guilty of anything worthy of death. The more Pilate dealt with Jesus, the more he was impressed with Him. No less than four times did Pilate say about Jesus, “I find no fault in him” (Luke 23:4,14; Jn. 19:4,6). Nevertheless, he delivered Jesus over to be crucified. Low in the grave He lay.

… He was ridiculed by the Jewish leaders. We read in Luke 23:35, "And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God." Most translations render the “derided” of the KJV as “sneered at him.” Amplified has in parenthesis, “turned up their noses at him.” They had nothing but contempt for Jesus. Low in the grave He lay.

… He was mocked by the soldiers. Luke 23:36-37, "And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, 37. And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself." For sport, they gambled for His clothing. Low in the grave He lay.

… Rejected by the people. You will recall that there was a custom on the occasion of the Passover Pilate would release a Jewish criminal, showing his kindness to them. When Pilate asked them if he should release Jesus, they said, “No, but release Barabbas.” When Pilate then asked what should be done with Jesus, they cried out, “Crucify Him. Crucify Him.” Low in the grave He lay.

… He was left alone by His own apostles. We know, of course, that Peter denied Jesus three times. But it wasn’t just Peter. Mark 14:50, “And they all forsook him, and fled.” These were the men into whom He had poured His life for three years. Nevertheless, they left Him to face His trials alone. Low in the grave He lay.

… He was betrayed by one of His own. Yes, Judas sold Him out for 30 pieces of silver. Low in the grave He lay.

… He was forsaken by His Father. Understand that this is not on a par with the other things I have mentioned. Nothing is parallel to the fact that Jesus was forsaken by God the Father. Nevertheless, we read the words which Jesus cried out from the cross: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” For all eternity the Father and the Son had enjoyed perfect fellowship. They gloried in one another. But now, having cried out, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me,” Jesus died and was buried. Low in the grave He lay.

What about you? Have you experienced it? Low in the grave you lay…
… sinfilled and hopeless
… dead in your trespasses and sins
… no life whatsoever
… having no hope and without God in the world
… Even your deeds of “righteousness” were as filthy rags.
… You were as an unclean thing, fit for nothing but the hell God prepared for the devil and his angels.

Someone could have said of you, “Let God deliver him, if He will have him” (see Matt. 27:43). But why would God have you? What does life have to do with death, the King of glory with the chief of sinners?

But then we sang… UP FROM THE GRAVE HE AROSE

“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Weeping may endure for a night, or for two or three nights, but joy comes in the morning. Don’t you know that all heaven stood to its feet when Jesus broke forth from that tomb! And it wouldn’t be long until His own people would raise a shout from the earth as well. And we’re still rejoicing today, this very morning.

The greater appreciation we have for the darkness of the night, the greater our joy in the morning. The more we realize our hopelessness before coming to Jesus, the greater our rejoicing in Him, who rose for us!
Low in the grave we lay, Hopeless and sin-stained,
Waiting a better day, Should such be gained.

Chorus: Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes;
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Vainly they watch us now, We who in Christ do rest,
Spellbound thy wonder how, We are so blessed.

Chorus

Death now has lost its sting, Conquered by Jesus’ cross;
His praises we now sing, And count all but loss.

Chorus

Though sorrow we still feel, While trusting in His Word;
But now His presence real, Jesus our Lord!

Chorus

Are you low today? Do you feel like you have to pretend to rejoice in Christ’s resurrection? Are you filled with doubts and fears? Does it seem like the Lord has forgotten you? Do you feel powerless to stand against the wiles of the devil? Are you disgusted with yourself, wondering how you can become so cold and hard? Does the Lord’s presence seem far away?

Listen to me. If you belong to the God of glory, the God who raised Jesus from the dead, you can never be as low as you were then, before you passed from death unto life (Jn. 5:24). You were blind, but now you see. You could only see hopelessness, but now we look for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ (Tit. 2:13). “For our citizenship is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body…” (Phil. 3:20-21).

Are you low this morning? Remember the Word of our God: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Praise God for the good news in Jesus Christ, who rose from the dead. Paul talks about that good news, as he recounts how he was separated unto the gospel. Rom. 1:1-4…
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2. (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 3. Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; 4. And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

Rom. 8:32-39…

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36. As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39. Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.