Miracle of Earthquake & Rent Rocks

In this part of the sermon: Building on the previous sermon about the torn veil, Martin focuses on the second and third miracles recorded only by Matthew: the earthquake and the rending of rocks. He…

Martin recounts speaking with friends who experienced a recent earthquake in California, noting their inability to adequately describe the terrifying, unhinging experience of the earth shaking, to convey the profound impact of such an event.

I have read enough and I have spoken to enough people including our dear friends Chip and June Youngens. Who were out in California. Very near to the recent earthquake to know that I've yet to meet a person who has passed through an earthquake who is felt that any combination of words in any degree can begin to describe the horrible frightening almost experience feeling the earth beneath one's feet rumbling rocking trembling. And beginning to see.

14:27 - 15:10 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Building on the previous sermon about the torn veil, Martin focuses on the second and third miracles recorded only by Matthew: the earthquake and the rending of rocks. He…

He uses the Delaware Water Gap as an example of natural rock formations with visible strata, asking the audience to imagine seeing a split directly across the grain, at right angles, to emphasize the unnatural and attention-grabbing nature of the rent rocks at Golgotha.

Discernible to the human eye. And unusual structure of rock in the place that may be Golgotha where entirely contrary to the natural lines of the ordinary straight up of the rock years as though they were split across the grain. Those of you who've made the trip out to the Delaware water gap. I trust you never cease to be amazed as I.

17:28 - 17:56 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin provides scriptural examples (Exodus 19, 1 Kings 19, Haggai 2, Acts 4, Acts 16) to demonstrate that earthquakes and similar phenomena in the Old and New Testaments often…

Referring to the earthquake in Acts 16, Martin describes it as 'God's tailor-made earthquake,' engineered precisely to open prison doors and loosen bonds without collapsing the building, illustrating God's sovereign control and specific purpose in miraculous events.

so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's bands were loosed I like to look upon this as God's tailor made earthquake he so engineered every tremor that the house didn't cave in just the doors flew open the walls just the mortar that held people's bands got loose enough that they were all freed mighty God you talk about an open universe

41:53 - 42:27 Read in full sermon

Driving home: And as soon as his ears hear the cry into thy hand, my spirit, God says I want to speak my amen and says I have come to add my amen to the shout of triumph of my son. And it is finished. It is finished. I have come pledg…

He uses the analogy of being in a 'time capsule' shot back 2000 years to Golgotha to emphasize that the message of God from that event is as real and relevant today as it was to the eyewitnesses, even without a physical earthquake.

and see them rent and torn but my friend listen God is saying something to you and me as real and as relevant and as authoritative as though you and I were standing this morning upon Golgotha if we could be put in a time capsule and shot backward two thousand years so that we could beneath our feet and we could see the swaying of physical objects and we could God is saying something to us whether we stop our voice fingers in our ears and refuse to hear his voice is another thing but God is speaking

50:43 - 51:23 Read in full sermon

The point: Cling to the cross of Christ, the Rock of Ages, for refuge from sin's guilt and power.

Martin quotes the hymn 'Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me' to illustrate the sinner's need to find refuge in Christ, connecting the rent rocks at Golgotha to Christ as the ultimate refuge from God's wrath.

but who was there that sinners like you and me might have a refuge. Rock of ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee. Let the water and the blood from thy wounded side which flowed be of sin the double cure. Save me from its guilt and power.

62:37 - 63:07 Read in full sermon