God Tears the Veil Aside
How the Death of Jesus Opened Unhindered Access to God
Sermon Summary
This sermon addresses human separation from God caused by sin, revealing how the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ tore the temple veil and satisfied divine justice. Believers are called to reject fear and approach God's throne with confident faith, unceasing prayer, and wholehearted worship.
Introduction
For centuries, the heavy temple veil stood as a solemn reminder of human guilt and divine distance. Only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place, and only once a year with sacrificial blood. Yet at Golgotha, as Jesus breathed His last, God intervened directly from heaven. The veil was torn in two from top to bottom, signaling that the barrier between holy God and sinful humanity was forever dismantled through the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Main Scripture
Mark 15:33-39
When the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. At the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “ Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? ” which is, being interpreted, “ My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? ” Some of those who stood by, when they heard it, said, “ Behold, he is calling Elijah.” One ran, and filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “ Let him be. Let ’s see whether Elijah comes to take him down.” Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and gave up the spirit. The veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. When the centurion, who stood by opposite him, saw that he cried out like this and breathed his last, he said, “ Truly this man was the Son of God! ”
Mark 15:33-39 serves as the dramatic climax of Mark's Gospel, where cosmic darkness, the death of Jesus, the tearing of the temple curtain, and the confession of a Roman centurion converge. This passage directly explains how Christ's substitutionary death opened direct communion with God for all people.
Main Sermon Points
1. Christ Endures the Judgment of Darkness
When the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. At the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “ Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? ” which is, being interpreted, “ My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? ”
The three hours of darkness over the land symbolized divine judgment poured out upon Jesus as He bore the punishment for human rebellion.
Jesus drank the cup of divine wrath on our behalf so that we might never experience eternal abandonment from God.
When facing guilt or feeling distant from God, stop relying on self-justification. Run to the cross, confessing your sins and resting in the reality that Christ bore your full penalty.
Quick Insights
- Cosmic darkness marked the solemn reality of divine judgment on sin.
- Jesus endured real abandonment so believers would receive eternal acceptance.
- The cross demonstrates both God's holy justice and His infinite love.
2. The Wall of Separation Is Destroyed
Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and gave up the spirit. The veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom.
The tearing of the thick temple curtain from top to bottom demonstrates an act originating in heaven, declaring the Old Covenant sacrificial system complete.
Human effort could never tear down the wall of sin, but God tore it down from above through the death of His Son.
Examine your life for religious barriers or feelings of unworthiness that keep you from drawing near to God. Abandon ritualistic legalism and accept the open door God provided through Christ.
Quick Insights
- God tore the veil from top to bottom to show heaven initiated our access.
- Human tradition cannot restrict what Christ's blood has made free.
- The torn curtain marks the end of spiritual isolation for all believers.
3. Enter the Presence of God Boldly
The author of Hebrews explains that Christ's flesh was the true veil, opened through His suffering to allow believers persistent entrance into God's presence.
Access to God is no longer restricted by location, lineage, or ceremonial purity, but granted through faith in Christ.
Transform your regular prayer life by approaching God without hesitation or fear. Bring your genuine burdens, honest confessions, and bold requests to Him daily in private and corporate prayer.
Quick Insights
- Boldness in prayer is rooted in Christ's finished work, not human perfection.
- Every believer now enjoys direct access to the heavenly Father.
- Prayer is living inside the Holy of Holies through faith in Jesus.
4. Acknowledge the Crucified Son of God
When the centurion, who stood by opposite him, saw that he cried out like this and breathed his last, he said, “ Truly this man was the Son of God! ”
A hardened Roman executioner recognized divine glory not in military triumph, but in the sacrificial death of the Savior.
True faith sees the Son of God revealed clearly through the humility and majesty of the cross.
Proclaim the crucified and risen Christ boldly in your family, workplace, and community. Live as a transformed witness whose daily integrity and love draw others to confess Jesus as Lord.
Quick Insights
- The cross reveals the true character and majesty of God's Son.
- Saving faith recognizes Jesus as Lord even in His deepest humiliation.
- A genuine encounter with the crucified Savior leads to bold public confession.
Bottom Line
When Jesus yielded His spirit on Golgotha, God tore the temple veil from top to bottom, removing every barrier between Himself and humanity forever.
Memorable Quote
God tore the veil from top to bottom because heaven reached down to welcome us when earth had no way up.
Theological Point
The doctrine of penal substitutionary atonement and the inauguration of the New Covenant, where Christ's death satisfies divine justice and abolishes the Old Covenant sacrificial barriers, granting believers immediate access to God.
Prayer Guide
- Thank God for tearing the veil and opening direct access to His holy presence through Jesus Christ.
- Ask God to forgive hidden sins and cleanse your heart as you draw near to Him in daily prayer.
- Pray for courage to live with bold faith, refusing to let fear or guilt keep you from God's altar.
- Seek God's help to share the good news of Christ's finished work with family, neighbors, and colleagues.
Responding to God’s Word
Returning to 'God Tears the Veil Aside,' we are reminded that salvation is entirely God's sovereign work. The ripped veil calls us away from distant religion into deep, personal communion with the living Father. Through Jesus Christ, the ultimate Sacrifice and eternal High Priest, the way into the Most Holy Place stands open. Let us cast aside all hesitation, repent of self-reliance, and step boldly into God's presence with worship, obedience, and enduring hope.
