Faith vs. The Odds
We live in a society where we make decisions numerous times a day.
Many times the decisions are minor and it doesn’t really matter if you make the wrong choice or not “where to eat at after church, what show to watch on TV” you get the picture.
Then other times we are asked to make some pretty big choices. “Who to marry, what job to apply for, what church to attend, what house to buy, where to live – understand the difference?
Well with most big choices we start to weigh the odds out by pros vs. cons.
Isaiah 30:21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."
But when we hear His voice, we must be willing to follow it!
While the Christian life can be very adventuresome and exciting, it should not be a "hope-for-the-best, luck-of-the-draw, or shot-in-the-dark" string of decisions. Every decision can be made with the confidence that God is in control.
Isaiah 30:21 is just one of many promises of navigational help that God has given us in His Word.
This verse assures us that when we come to decisions concerning compass headings in life, the Lord will tell us which way to go: "This is the way; walk in it."
The Holy Spirit lives in us, and we have the promise that God will "never leave us nor forsake us" (Hebrews 13:5), so we can be assured that the Lord will guide us whether to "turn left or turn right" when it comes to decision-making!
We may not literally hear the voice of the Lord speaking behind us, but we can be sure that God will not leave us "up for grabs” when it comes to the decisions we must make in life.
Gideon was a man who was asked to make a decision. The story of Gideon is found in Judges 6-7.
Gideon feared that his own limitations would prevent God from working through him. He was from weakest clan and was the least in his entire family.
God spoke to him and promised to be with him and together they will destroy the Midianites.
“I will be with you” God told Gideon, and God promised to give him the strength he needed to overcome the opposition. In spite of this clear promise for strength, Gideon made excuses. Seeing only his limitations and weaknesses, he failed to see how God could work through him.
Like Gideon, we are called to serve God in specific ways. Although God promises us the tools and strength we need, we often make excuses. But reminding God of our limitations only implies that He does not know all about us or that He has made a mistake in evaluating our character. Don’t spend time making excuses. Instead, spend it doing what God wants.
God told Gideon he was going to defeat the Midiantes who were said to have 15,000 men in their army.
Gideon was weighing out his faith vs. the odds and wasn’t too happy with the outcome so he asked God for a sign.
Judges 6:36-40:
36 Then Gideon said to God, “If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, 37 prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised.” 38 And that is just what happened. When Gideon got up early the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out a whole bowlful of water.
39 Then Gideon said to God, “Please don’t be angry with me, but let me make one more request. Let me use the fleece for one more test. This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew.” 40 So that night God did as Gideon asked. The fleece was dry in the morning, but the ground was covered with dew.
Was Gideon testing God, or was he simply asking God for more encouragement? In either case, though his motive was right (to obey God and defeat the enemy); his method was less than ideal.
Gideon seems to have known that his requests might displease God and yet he demanded two miracles, even after witnessing a previous miracle. It is true that to make good decisions, we need facts.
Gideon had all the facts, but he still hesitated. He delayed obeying God because he wanted even more proof. Demanding extra signs was an indication of unbelief.
Fear often makes us wait for more confirmation when we should be taking action. Visible signs are unnecessary if they only confirm what we already know is true.
Today the greatest means of Gods guidance is His Word, the Bible. Unlike Gideon, we have Gods complete, revealed Word. If you want to have more of Gods guidance, don’t ask for signs: study the Bible.
Putting out fleeces is poor decision making method. Those who do this put limitations on God. They ask him to fit their expectations.
The results of such experiments are usually inconclusive and thus fail to make us any more confident about our choices. Don’t let a fleece become a substitute for Gods wisdom that comes through Bible study and prayer.
2 Corinthians 5:7:
7(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
This morning I want to share with you the seven C’s when faced with a decision.
The "Seven C's" are the means God uses to show us which way to turn in the decision-making process.
1. Communication is by far the most important of the seven C's. The primary way in which God communicates with us is through His Word and the way we communicate with God is through prayer.
Scripture not only contains the navigational charts, it also guards and supports the other "C's." When it comes to making decisions, most of what we need to know is quite obvious from black and white Scripture. Such as questions like whether or not to lie on a job application shouldn’t require an in-depth, decision-making process because the answers are easy to find--right on the surface of Scripture.
When it comes to decisions about which job applications we should fill out the Bible continues to help us by giving us guidelines. While the answer may not be in black and white Scripture, there are still numerous biblical guidelines, found in Scripture that will lead us in to the right decisions.
For example, the biblical guidelines found in Deuteronomy 6:7 and Hebrews 10:24-25 would clearly indicate that you should not apply for a job which would prevent you from fulfilling your family and church responsibilities.
Needless to say, prayer, the other side of communication, is also vital for making decisions. In 1 Peter 5:7 we are told to "cast all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you." Does this anxiety include concern about making the right decisions?
Of course it does. If God has promised us over and over again in Scripture that He cares about our well-being, certainly will answer our prayer requests for help in making decisions about such things as jobs, colleges, careers, homes, churches, marriages, families, ministries, finances and whatever else demands our decisions. But He wants us to pray!
2. Convictions of the Holy Spirit, another important "C" of decision-making, must be closely examined. Every Christian will have these convictions because the Holy Spirit lives in every believer. The convictions from the Holy Spirit will always be in line with God's perfect will for us and are therefore crucial when it comes to making right decisions. (See 1 John 2:27 But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.
Christ lives in us through the Holy Spirit, and we also live in Christ. This means that we place our total trust in Him, rely on Him for guidance and strength.
3. Common Sense is a “C" that we generally take for granted, and yet it is definitely a means that God has given us to make decisions. In fact, most decisions in life are "small" and are made primarily by using common sense. God does not require Christians to kiss their brains goodbye upon conversion! Does He expect us to use up a lot of time and spiritual energy praying about what particular pair of shoes to wear or whether to brush our teeth? Of course not! Use your common sense! God has blessed us with common sense and it's our responsibility, as much as possible, to use it for wise decision-making about the common, everyday matters of life. "Sanctified common sense" is part of the navigational system that God has given us!
4. "How God made us" is what the "C" of Composition is all about. The way in which God sovereignly put us together as to likes and dislikes, looks and brains, abilities and spiritual gifts is actually a means that God uses to guide us. For example, would the Lord be guiding your decision to become a singer or a pianist for His glory if He hasn't blessed you with natural singing or musical ability? Probably not! By the same token, however, God may be guiding you to say "yes" to an opportunity to be involved in a youth ministry if you like kids and have the natural ability to relate to and communicate with children or teenagers.
1 Peter 4:10 tells us that we should use "whatever gift we have received to serve others, administering God's grace in its various forms.
Our abilities should be faithfully used in serving others: none are for our own exclusive enjoyment. Some people well aware of their, believe that they have the right to use their abilities as they please.
5. The Counsel of other believers is another one of the seven C's that God uses in helping us make decisions. Proverbs 11:14 says that "many advisors make victory sure." One person’s perspective and understanding is severely limited: he or she may not have all the facts or may be blinded by bias, emotions, or wrong impressions. We need to seek the counsel of others and be open to their advice. Then after considering all the facts make your decision. Mature, godly Christians can point us in the right direction and help us make right decisions. The key for helpful counsel in decision-making is to consult a number of godly men and women who have some experience themselves in navigating the area where you need to make a decision. This is the way the Body of Christ should work, and it is a primary way in which God guides us in making decisions. As various body parts of your physical body help your hand, for example, "decide" what and how to do something, so the different members of the Body of Christ function as facilitators for each other.
6. Circumstances are obviously another one of the Seven C's of God's guidance system. If you believe that God is sovereign, all-knowing, all-powerful and everywhere at the same time, is there any circumstance that escapes His notice or is out of His control? Of course not! There is nothing that happens by mere chance, and that includes every last detail of our lives. If our all-wise and loving heavenly Father is completely sovereign, can He not control circumstances in such a way so as to lead us to make right decisions? Of course He can!
Those proverbial "open doors" and "closed doors" that believers talk about really do exist! They are not just a naive "Christian view" of circumstances, but rather a working definition of one of the C's that God has given to help us in Life. But here again we must be very careful about making decisions based only on circumstances.
What looks at first like a closed door may actually be a door waiting to be knocked on and opened. (See Matthew 7:7.) 7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.
And an apparently open door may not really be open. A job offer with a higher salary does not necessarily mean that God is directing us to pick up and move to a new location--we may have forced our own interpretation on that circumstance! It's even possible for Satan to manipulate certain circumstances--this would certainly be part of his scheming strategy to blow us off course. (See 2 Corinthians 2:11 and 11:14.) 2 Corinthians 2:11:11 so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes.
2 Corinthians 11:14:
14 But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. But let's not let these danger signals make us afraid to prayerfully analyze the circumstances around us. God definitely uses circumstances in His navigational system.
7. Finally, there are times when God steps in and takes Control of the decision-making process in no uncertain terms. In some situations there is no question that God is indicating what decision He wants us to make. In the normal decision-making process, for example, a good offer on our house may or may not be an indication that God wants us to move. But if our house just "happens" to burn to the ground, we can be sure that God wants us to move--regardless of the cause of the fire! Although that isn't a very pleasant illustration, it does make the point that sometimes the Lord takes the decision-making process completely out of our hands. Sometimes God steps in and controls our decision because some of the other C's seem to be pointing us in a certain direction, but God wants us to go in a different direction. For example, God used the "C" of control in the life of the apostle Paul in Acts 16:6-10. At others times God controls our decision because He knows of some impending danger or a future unlikely turn of events that a common sense decision-making approach would miss completely.
And sometimes God just graciously chooses to use the "C" of Control to deliver us from the dilemma of doubt in the decision-making process.
When facing overwhelming odds we sometimes will be afraid. God understands this fear but it doesn’t excuse us from doing God’s will. God will give you the strength you need. We must listen to God and be ready to take the first step. Only after we begin to obey God will we find the courage to move ahead.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Where is your focus?
Haggai 1
A Call to Rebuild the Temple
1 On August 29 of the second year of King Darius’s reign, the Lord gave a message through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Jeshua] son of Jehozadak, the high priest.
2 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: The people are saying, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.’”
3 Then the Lord sent this message through the prophet Haggai: 4 “Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins? 5 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you! 6 You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes!
7 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you! 8 Now go up into the hills, bring down timber, and rebuild my house. Then I will take pleasure in it and be honored, says the Lord. 9 You hoped for rich harvests, but they were poor. And when you brought your harvest home, I blew it away. Why? Because my house lies in ruins, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, while all of you are busy building your own fine houses. 10 It’s because of you that the heavens withhold the dew and the earth produces no crops. 11 I have called for a drought on your fields and hills—a drought to wither the grain and grapes and olive trees and all your other crops, a drought to starve you and your livestock and to ruin everything you have worked so hard to get.”
Obedience to God’s Call
12 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of God’s people began to obey the message from the Lord their God. When they heard the words of the prophet Haggai, whom the Lord their God had sent, the people feared the Lord. 13 Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave the people this message from the Lord: “I am with you, says the Lord!”
14 So the Lord sparked the enthusiasm of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the enthusiasm of Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the enthusiasm of the whole remnant of God’s people. They began to work on the house of their God, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, 15 on September 21[c] of the second year of King Darius’s reign.
After opposition put progress to a halt, no further work was done for many years.
Haggai encouraged the people to finish rebuilding the temple regardless to the opposition they were facing and encouraged them not to get discouraged and neglect the Temple and thus neglect God.
God asked his people how they could live in luxury when His house was lying in ruins.
Instead of rebuilding the Temple, the people put their energies into their own selfishness.
However, the harder the people worked for themselves, the less they had, because they ignored their spiritual lives. The same happens to us. If we put God first, He will provide for our deepest needs.
If we put him in any other place, all our efforts will be futile.
Because the people had not given God first place in their lives, their work was not fruitful or productive. Because they concentrated on their own selfish needs God’s blessing was withheld because they no longer put him first.
Judah’s problem was confused priorities. Like Judah, our priorities involving occupation, family, and Gods work are often confused. Jobs, homes, vacations, and leisure activities may rank higher on our list of importance than God. What is most important to you? Where is God on your list of priorities?
A Call to Rebuild the Temple
1 On August 29 of the second year of King Darius’s reign, the Lord gave a message through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Jeshua] son of Jehozadak, the high priest.
2 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: The people are saying, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.’”
3 Then the Lord sent this message through the prophet Haggai: 4 “Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins? 5 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you! 6 You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes!
7 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you! 8 Now go up into the hills, bring down timber, and rebuild my house. Then I will take pleasure in it and be honored, says the Lord. 9 You hoped for rich harvests, but they were poor. And when you brought your harvest home, I blew it away. Why? Because my house lies in ruins, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, while all of you are busy building your own fine houses. 10 It’s because of you that the heavens withhold the dew and the earth produces no crops. 11 I have called for a drought on your fields and hills—a drought to wither the grain and grapes and olive trees and all your other crops, a drought to starve you and your livestock and to ruin everything you have worked so hard to get.”
Obedience to God’s Call
12 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of God’s people began to obey the message from the Lord their God. When they heard the words of the prophet Haggai, whom the Lord their God had sent, the people feared the Lord. 13 Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave the people this message from the Lord: “I am with you, says the Lord!”
14 So the Lord sparked the enthusiasm of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the enthusiasm of Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the enthusiasm of the whole remnant of God’s people. They began to work on the house of their God, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, 15 on September 21[c] of the second year of King Darius’s reign.
After opposition put progress to a halt, no further work was done for many years.
Haggai encouraged the people to finish rebuilding the temple regardless to the opposition they were facing and encouraged them not to get discouraged and neglect the Temple and thus neglect God.
God asked his people how they could live in luxury when His house was lying in ruins.
Instead of rebuilding the Temple, the people put their energies into their own selfishness.
However, the harder the people worked for themselves, the less they had, because they ignored their spiritual lives. The same happens to us. If we put God first, He will provide for our deepest needs.
If we put him in any other place, all our efforts will be futile.
Because the people had not given God first place in their lives, their work was not fruitful or productive. Because they concentrated on their own selfish needs God’s blessing was withheld because they no longer put him first.
Judah’s problem was confused priorities. Like Judah, our priorities involving occupation, family, and Gods work are often confused. Jobs, homes, vacations, and leisure activities may rank higher on our list of importance than God. What is most important to you? Where is God on your list of priorities?
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Requirements for God's Work
Each day across the USA 50,000 people quit their jobs. In a recent survey of workers across the USA, nearly 85% said that they could work harder of the job. More than half claimed they could double their effectiveness "if (they) wanted to."
The sign in the store window read: NO HELP WANTED. As two men passed by, one said to the other, "You should apply--you'd be great."
Requirements for God’s W-O-R-K
Micah 6:8:
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, and to love kindness and mercy, and to humble yourself and walk humbly with your God?
People have tried all kinds of ways to please God but God has made his wishes clear. He wants his people to do what is right, love, mercy, and walk humbly with him. In your efforts to please God, examine these areas on a regular basis. Are you fair in dealing with people? Do you show mercy to those who wronged you? Are you learning humility?
God’s work is the most important. Christians please him when they accept responsibility in his vineyard.
The Apostle Paul tells Christians to do all things without complaining (Phil. 2:14), and the epistle of Jude places complainers in the same category as ungodly sinners who will inherit judgment: “...to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds... These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts...” (Jude 1:15-16). Complaining is common-place in the lives of unbelievers who have no trust in God, but Christians should be people of faith, filled with gratefulness and thanksgiving.
1. W-illing Workers
1 Timothy 6:18:
that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
A. Failure to do God’s work or doing his work begrudgingly (to give or concede reluctantly or with displeasure) - both are patterns of behavior displeasing to God.
B. To love God is too willingly serve him, whether by attendance at worship services, with our tithes and offerings, or by relaying his love to our fellow man. As we have opportunity.
C. God loves willingly workers. If we love him we would do his work with joy and enthusiasm. It is our privilege 1 Corinthians 3:9: for we are laborers together with God.
God’s work involves many different individuals with a variety of gifts and abilities. There are no superstars in this task, only team members performing their own special roles. We can become useful members of God’s team by setting aside our desires to receive glory for what we do. Don’t seek the praise that comes from people-it is comparatively worth less.
Instead seek approval from God.
2. O-bedient Workers
Acts 26:19:
I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
A. Obedience to God is shown by yielding our way to his and by pursuing spiritual maturity rather than personal gain
B. Obedient workers seek God’s will, through prayer and studying the Bible. They act upon what God tells them to do.
C. We cannot be in bondage to self- will and also seek to obey God and do that which is pleasing to him.
1 John 3:22:
And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.
You will receive if you obey and do what pleases him because you will then be asking in line with God’s will.
3.R-dedicated Workers
Romans 12:1:
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable.
God wants us to all offer ourselves as living sacrifices- daily, laying aside our own desires to follow him, putting all our energy and resources at his disposal and trusting him to guide us.
God has good, pleasing, perfect plans for his children. He wants us to be transformed people with renewed minds, living to honor and obey him. Because he wants only what is best for us, and because he gave his son to make our new life possible, we should joyfully give ourselves as living sacrifices for his service.
A. Neglect of God’s work is a product of today’s greedy world. Lives are engulfed in personal interests and fancies.
B. Christians who rededicate themselves to doing God’s work discovered that their own needs are supplied as they give God first place in their lives.
Philippians 4:19:
And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
God gives the birds their food, but He doesn't throw it into their nests.
We can trust that God will always meet our needs. Whatever we need on earth he will always supply. We must remember, however, the difference between our wants and our needs. We may not get all that we want but trusting in Christ, our attitudes and appetites can change from wanting everything to accepting his provision and power to work for him.
4. K-ingdom Workers
Matthew 25:34:
inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.
“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’
This parable describes acts of mercy; we can all do every day. These acts do not depend on wealth, ability, or intelligence: they are simple acts freely given and freely received. We have no excuse to neglect those who have deep needs , Jesus demands our personal involvement in caring for others needs.
A. Christians sometimes becomes involved in God’s work for personal gain- social or political. If so, they have received their reward
B. When we sincerely work for God we may receive criticism from others, but we must be faithful in doing our best, leaving the outcome to God
C. We must be Kingdom workers, assisting the poor and the needy, visiting the sick and the lonely, and seeking to bring the lost to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 10:7:
7 Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.
8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!
32 “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.
Jesus gave the disciples a principle to guide their actions as they minister to others: give as freely as you receive, because God has showered us with his blessings, we should give generously to others are times, love, and possessions.
When we come to church with an attitude and readiness to serve God and our brethren...
a. We will get more out of any service we attend
b. For the more one puts into something, the more they get out of it
c. And as Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" - cf. Ac 20:35
Have you found God through faith and obedience to His Son? If so, are you willing to work and serve for God and His children both in and out of the of this church...? Are you willing to go out and beyond the church and be a blessing in your community? Are you willing to serve?
What A Mighty God We Serve
WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE
WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE
ANGELS BOW BEFORE HIM HEAVEN AND EARTH ADORE HIM
WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE
GOD'S REQUIREMENTS
1. Read and Study your Bible - Psalm 119:11, 105
2. Have a daily prayer life - 1 Thessalonians 5:17
3. Attend a good Bible believing church - Hebrews 10:24-25
4. Give money to the Lord's work - 2 Corinthians 8:11-12; Deuteronomy 16:17
5. Give yourself to some phase of the Lord's work - Romans 12:1
6. Refuse to partake in the old sins which God has delivered you from - Romans 12:2
7. Get to know Christ because too many Christians know about Him but they do not know Him intimately - Matthew 11:28-30
Some Realities of the Christian Life we must Face:
1. We will be rejected by some people - Matthew 12:14
2. Not every Christian will be in agreement - Acts 15:36-41
3. Satan will tempt us but God will give us a way of escape - 1 Corinthians 10:13
4. We will be misunderstood - John 3:3-7
5. All your problems will not go away but sometimes they intensify - Philippians 2:7
Are you willing to work for God today, will you answer the call that He has placed on your life? What is holding you back? That is the question we have to ask ourselves this morning.
The sign in the store window read: NO HELP WANTED. As two men passed by, one said to the other, "You should apply--you'd be great."
Requirements for God’s W-O-R-K
Micah 6:8:
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, and to love kindness and mercy, and to humble yourself and walk humbly with your God?
People have tried all kinds of ways to please God but God has made his wishes clear. He wants his people to do what is right, love, mercy, and walk humbly with him. In your efforts to please God, examine these areas on a regular basis. Are you fair in dealing with people? Do you show mercy to those who wronged you? Are you learning humility?
God’s work is the most important. Christians please him when they accept responsibility in his vineyard.
The Apostle Paul tells Christians to do all things without complaining (Phil. 2:14), and the epistle of Jude places complainers in the same category as ungodly sinners who will inherit judgment: “...to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds... These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts...” (Jude 1:15-16). Complaining is common-place in the lives of unbelievers who have no trust in God, but Christians should be people of faith, filled with gratefulness and thanksgiving.
1. W-illing Workers
1 Timothy 6:18:
that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
A. Failure to do God’s work or doing his work begrudgingly (to give or concede reluctantly or with displeasure) - both are patterns of behavior displeasing to God.
B. To love God is too willingly serve him, whether by attendance at worship services, with our tithes and offerings, or by relaying his love to our fellow man. As we have opportunity.
C. God loves willingly workers. If we love him we would do his work with joy and enthusiasm. It is our privilege 1 Corinthians 3:9: for we are laborers together with God.
God’s work involves many different individuals with a variety of gifts and abilities. There are no superstars in this task, only team members performing their own special roles. We can become useful members of God’s team by setting aside our desires to receive glory for what we do. Don’t seek the praise that comes from people-it is comparatively worth less.
Instead seek approval from God.
2. O-bedient Workers
Acts 26:19:
I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
A. Obedience to God is shown by yielding our way to his and by pursuing spiritual maturity rather than personal gain
B. Obedient workers seek God’s will, through prayer and studying the Bible. They act upon what God tells them to do.
C. We cannot be in bondage to self- will and also seek to obey God and do that which is pleasing to him.
1 John 3:22:
And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.
You will receive if you obey and do what pleases him because you will then be asking in line with God’s will.
3.R-dedicated Workers
Romans 12:1:
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable.
God wants us to all offer ourselves as living sacrifices- daily, laying aside our own desires to follow him, putting all our energy and resources at his disposal and trusting him to guide us.
God has good, pleasing, perfect plans for his children. He wants us to be transformed people with renewed minds, living to honor and obey him. Because he wants only what is best for us, and because he gave his son to make our new life possible, we should joyfully give ourselves as living sacrifices for his service.
A. Neglect of God’s work is a product of today’s greedy world. Lives are engulfed in personal interests and fancies.
B. Christians who rededicate themselves to doing God’s work discovered that their own needs are supplied as they give God first place in their lives.
Philippians 4:19:
And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
God gives the birds their food, but He doesn't throw it into their nests.
We can trust that God will always meet our needs. Whatever we need on earth he will always supply. We must remember, however, the difference between our wants and our needs. We may not get all that we want but trusting in Christ, our attitudes and appetites can change from wanting everything to accepting his provision and power to work for him.
4. K-ingdom Workers
Matthew 25:34:
inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.
“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’
This parable describes acts of mercy; we can all do every day. These acts do not depend on wealth, ability, or intelligence: they are simple acts freely given and freely received. We have no excuse to neglect those who have deep needs , Jesus demands our personal involvement in caring for others needs.
A. Christians sometimes becomes involved in God’s work for personal gain- social or political. If so, they have received their reward
B. When we sincerely work for God we may receive criticism from others, but we must be faithful in doing our best, leaving the outcome to God
C. We must be Kingdom workers, assisting the poor and the needy, visiting the sick and the lonely, and seeking to bring the lost to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 10:7:
7 Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.
8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!
32 “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.
Jesus gave the disciples a principle to guide their actions as they minister to others: give as freely as you receive, because God has showered us with his blessings, we should give generously to others are times, love, and possessions.
When we come to church with an attitude and readiness to serve God and our brethren...
a. We will get more out of any service we attend
b. For the more one puts into something, the more they get out of it
c. And as Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" - cf. Ac 20:35
Have you found God through faith and obedience to His Son? If so, are you willing to work and serve for God and His children both in and out of the of this church...? Are you willing to go out and beyond the church and be a blessing in your community? Are you willing to serve?
What A Mighty God We Serve
WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE
WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE
ANGELS BOW BEFORE HIM HEAVEN AND EARTH ADORE HIM
WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE
GOD'S REQUIREMENTS
1. Read and Study your Bible - Psalm 119:11, 105
2. Have a daily prayer life - 1 Thessalonians 5:17
3. Attend a good Bible believing church - Hebrews 10:24-25
4. Give money to the Lord's work - 2 Corinthians 8:11-12; Deuteronomy 16:17
5. Give yourself to some phase of the Lord's work - Romans 12:1
6. Refuse to partake in the old sins which God has delivered you from - Romans 12:2
7. Get to know Christ because too many Christians know about Him but they do not know Him intimately - Matthew 11:28-30
Some Realities of the Christian Life we must Face:
1. We will be rejected by some people - Matthew 12:14
2. Not every Christian will be in agreement - Acts 15:36-41
3. Satan will tempt us but God will give us a way of escape - 1 Corinthians 10:13
4. We will be misunderstood - John 3:3-7
5. All your problems will not go away but sometimes they intensify - Philippians 2:7
Are you willing to work for God today, will you answer the call that He has placed on your life? What is holding you back? That is the question we have to ask ourselves this morning.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
The kind of religion we need today
In 2001 76.5% claimed to be Christians in the U.S. alone just because they claim it doesn’t mean they live it.
The Kind of Religion We Need Today
James 1:27:
27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means … refusing to let the world corrupt you.
Greater is He that is with me than he that is in the world.
To keep ourselves from letting the world corrupt us, we need to commit ourselves to Christ’s ethical and moral system, not the worlds.
We are not to adopt to the worlds value system, which is based on money, power, and pleasures.
True faith means nothing if we are contaminated with such values.
This morning I would like to equip you with the kind of religion we need today.
1. Personal Religion
John 3:3:
3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
The kingdom is personal, not national or ethic and its entrance requirements are repentance and spiritual rebirth.
A. Many in today’s world profess religion but have never experienced a spiritual and personal encounter with Jesus Christ.
Saul had a personal encounter with God. Read Acts 9 someday.
It will change you having a personal encounter with God.
We must live a life that demands an explanation.
B. We must be “born again” through repentance and faith. When God forgives our sins, He receives us into the family of God.
Romans 8:17:
17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
In Roman culture, the adopted person lost all rights in his old family and gained all the rights of a legitimate child in his new family. He became a full heir to his father’s estate.
Likewise, when we became a Christian we gain all the privileges and responsibilities of a child in God’s family.
We are the master’s children; we share in great treasures as co-heirs. God has already given us his best gifts: His Son, His Holy Spirit, forgiveness, and eternal life: and He encourages us to ask Him for whatever we need.
In order to share in such an inheritance we must have a personal religion.
2. Purifying Religion
1 John 1:7:
7 … and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.
In Old Testament times believers symbolically transferred their sins to an animal, and then sacrificed it, the animal died in their place to pay for their sins.
Real cleansing from sin came with Jesus “the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” He will wash our sins and make them as white as snow.
A. Many Christians have never totally committed their lives to Jesus Christ. They falter because they persist in having their own way.
Light and darkness cannot co- exist, one cannot be a little bit pregnant, we must be sold out to Christ 100%.
B. We must surrender our will unreservedly to God’s will. Doing so brings cleansing and the presence of the Holy Spirit (not my will but yours)
1 Thessalonians 5:23:
23 Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.
The spirit, souls, and body refer not so much to the distinct parts of a person as to the entire being of a person. We must have God involved in every aspect of our life.
Christ must control all of us, not just a religious part.
By surrendering our all to Him will give us a purifying religion.
3. Positive Religion
Who’s going to Heaven?
A. There is a lack of sureness in today’s religion. Many are vague and uncertain about their spiritual state. They declare, “I guess so or I hope so.
B. We can be positive, for we “know in whom we have believed. No argument can refute the “I know”, or “I have” response.
2 Timothy 1:12:
12 …for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.
Have you ever known something for a fact and someone was questioning you and you said I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am right and it doesn’t matter what they said you were certain… well that’s how we need to be with God.
To have a positive religion is simple we just have to believe.
2 Kings ch 5 story about a great hero named Naaman, who was used to getting respect.
- Had leprosy, -went to Elisha for a healing,-Elisha just sent a massager told him to go dip in the Jordan River, a very small and dirty river.
- Naaman was outraged thought Elisha should of met him and performed some magically thing.
- he was a hero and expected some heroic cure
- Full of pride and self will, Naaman could not accept the simple cure of faith.
- Sometimes people react to God’s offer of forgiveness in the same way.
-just to believe in Jesus Christ somehow doesn’t seem significant enough to bring eternal life.
- Just as Naaman had to humble himself to wash away his leprosy we must humble ourselves and allow God to wash away our sins.
Once are sins are washed away we need to be positive and know beyond this world that we will one day spend eternity with Jesus Christ.
Regardless the lies that Satan would try to tell you.
4. Powerful Religion
1 Peter 1:5:
5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power …
A. Much modern religion makes no claims concerning its power to save, sanctify, and sustain. It is a powerless religion.
B. The need is for a religion with power- God’s power. He is able to forgive sins, cleanse hearts, heal the sick, and “keep that which we have committed unto him..
2 Timothy 1:12:
12 That is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.
No matter what setbacks or problems we face, we can trust fully in God, because we serve a powerful God who is able to do immeasurable more than we could ever ask or imagine.
5. Productive Religion
John 15:16:
16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.
A. Many Christians fail to work diligently for God. Some are unconcerned: some are neglected. Others are spiritually lazy.
B. We must be about the Master’s business. Jesus is coming soon. We should pray for the needs of others, assist the less fortunate, and share Christ with the unsaved.
Acts 1:8:
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Matthew 9:37-38:
37 He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. 38 So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”
Jesus commands us to pray that people will respond to this need for workers. Often when we pray for something, God answers our prayers by using us.
Isaiah 6:8:
8 Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?”
I said, “Here I am. Send me.”
Will you be productive and answer the call?
The Kind of Religion We Need Today
James 1:27:
27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means … refusing to let the world corrupt you.
Greater is He that is with me than he that is in the world.
To keep ourselves from letting the world corrupt us, we need to commit ourselves to Christ’s ethical and moral system, not the worlds.
We are not to adopt to the worlds value system, which is based on money, power, and pleasures.
True faith means nothing if we are contaminated with such values.
This morning I would like to equip you with the kind of religion we need today.
1. Personal Religion
John 3:3:
3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
The kingdom is personal, not national or ethic and its entrance requirements are repentance and spiritual rebirth.
A. Many in today’s world profess religion but have never experienced a spiritual and personal encounter with Jesus Christ.
Saul had a personal encounter with God. Read Acts 9 someday.
It will change you having a personal encounter with God.
We must live a life that demands an explanation.
B. We must be “born again” through repentance and faith. When God forgives our sins, He receives us into the family of God.
Romans 8:17:
17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
In Roman culture, the adopted person lost all rights in his old family and gained all the rights of a legitimate child in his new family. He became a full heir to his father’s estate.
Likewise, when we became a Christian we gain all the privileges and responsibilities of a child in God’s family.
We are the master’s children; we share in great treasures as co-heirs. God has already given us his best gifts: His Son, His Holy Spirit, forgiveness, and eternal life: and He encourages us to ask Him for whatever we need.
In order to share in such an inheritance we must have a personal religion.
2. Purifying Religion
1 John 1:7:
7 … and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.
In Old Testament times believers symbolically transferred their sins to an animal, and then sacrificed it, the animal died in their place to pay for their sins.
Real cleansing from sin came with Jesus “the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” He will wash our sins and make them as white as snow.
A. Many Christians have never totally committed their lives to Jesus Christ. They falter because they persist in having their own way.
Light and darkness cannot co- exist, one cannot be a little bit pregnant, we must be sold out to Christ 100%.
B. We must surrender our will unreservedly to God’s will. Doing so brings cleansing and the presence of the Holy Spirit (not my will but yours)
1 Thessalonians 5:23:
23 Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.
The spirit, souls, and body refer not so much to the distinct parts of a person as to the entire being of a person. We must have God involved in every aspect of our life.
Christ must control all of us, not just a religious part.
By surrendering our all to Him will give us a purifying religion.
3. Positive Religion
Who’s going to Heaven?
A. There is a lack of sureness in today’s religion. Many are vague and uncertain about their spiritual state. They declare, “I guess so or I hope so.
B. We can be positive, for we “know in whom we have believed. No argument can refute the “I know”, or “I have” response.
2 Timothy 1:12:
12 …for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.
Have you ever known something for a fact and someone was questioning you and you said I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am right and it doesn’t matter what they said you were certain… well that’s how we need to be with God.
To have a positive religion is simple we just have to believe.
2 Kings ch 5 story about a great hero named Naaman, who was used to getting respect.
- Had leprosy, -went to Elisha for a healing,-Elisha just sent a massager told him to go dip in the Jordan River, a very small and dirty river.
- Naaman was outraged thought Elisha should of met him and performed some magically thing.
- he was a hero and expected some heroic cure
- Full of pride and self will, Naaman could not accept the simple cure of faith.
- Sometimes people react to God’s offer of forgiveness in the same way.
-just to believe in Jesus Christ somehow doesn’t seem significant enough to bring eternal life.
- Just as Naaman had to humble himself to wash away his leprosy we must humble ourselves and allow God to wash away our sins.
Once are sins are washed away we need to be positive and know beyond this world that we will one day spend eternity with Jesus Christ.
Regardless the lies that Satan would try to tell you.
4. Powerful Religion
1 Peter 1:5:
5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power …
A. Much modern religion makes no claims concerning its power to save, sanctify, and sustain. It is a powerless religion.
B. The need is for a religion with power- God’s power. He is able to forgive sins, cleanse hearts, heal the sick, and “keep that which we have committed unto him..
2 Timothy 1:12:
12 That is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.
No matter what setbacks or problems we face, we can trust fully in God, because we serve a powerful God who is able to do immeasurable more than we could ever ask or imagine.
5. Productive Religion
John 15:16:
16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.
A. Many Christians fail to work diligently for God. Some are unconcerned: some are neglected. Others are spiritually lazy.
B. We must be about the Master’s business. Jesus is coming soon. We should pray for the needs of others, assist the less fortunate, and share Christ with the unsaved.
Acts 1:8:
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Matthew 9:37-38:
37 He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. 38 So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”
Jesus commands us to pray that people will respond to this need for workers. Often when we pray for something, God answers our prayers by using us.
Isaiah 6:8:
8 Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?”
I said, “Here I am. Send me.”
Will you be productive and answer the call?
Saturday, April 3, 2010
He is Risen
John text
John 20:1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.
John 20:2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!"
John 20:3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb.
John 20:4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.
John 20:5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in.
John 20:6 Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there,
John 20:7 as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen.
John 20:8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.
John 20:9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)
John 20:10 Then the disciples went back to their homes,
John 20:11 but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb
John 20:12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
John 20:13 They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?" "They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him."
John 20:14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
John 20:15 "Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him."
John 20:16 Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).
John 20:17 Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"
John 20:18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.
The greatest words to man are- Christ is Risen!
Many thought death was the end of Christ and His Ministry. However, He rose from the dead as He promised.
John 11:25:
25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.
This morning we want to look at The Risen Christ first as..
1. The Person
“ I am the resurrection and the life”
Jesus has the power over life and death as well as power to forgive sins. This is because he is the Creator of life.
He who is life can surely restore life. Whoever believes in Christ has a spiritual life that death cannot conquer or diminish in any way.
When we realize his power and how wonderful his offer to us really is, how can we not commit our lives to him? To those of us who believe, what wonderful assurance and certainty we have. John 14:19:
19 …Since I live, you also will live.
A. Salvation
2 Corinthians 5:17:
17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
Christians are brand- new people on the inside. At conversion we do not merely turn over a new leaf, we begin a new life under a new Master.
With salvations comes a complete change in our outlook.
It requires a new way of looking at all people and all of creation. Does your life reflect this new perspective?
B. Sustainer
Not only does he save us from sin He keeps us from falling away from Him.
Jude 1:24:
24 Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault.
To be sinless and perfect will be the ultimate condition of believers when we finally see Christ face to face. Coming into Christ’s presence will be more wonderful than we could ever imagine.
2. The Plan
“ He that believeth in me”- man must believe in his heart
Romans 10:9-10:
9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.
When we do this we will be practicing the teachings of Christ.
A. Practice by having faith
Hebrews 11
1 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.
The beginning point of faith is believing in God’s character: He is who he says. The end point is believing in God’s promises: He will do what he says.
When we believe that God will fulfill his promises even though we don’t see those promises materializing yet, we demonstrate true faith.
B. Practice by being faithful
The Bible warns us to be faithful until death.
Revelation 2:10:
10 … But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.
We remain faithful by keeping our eyes on Christ and on what he promises us now and in the future.
C. Practice by fellowship
We must have fellowship with the Lord as well as with one another.
1 John 1:7:
7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.
He paid the penalty for our sins, and His blood has purified us. Just as Christ rose from the grave, we will rise to a new life of fellowship with Him.
3. The Promise
“ Though he were dead, yet shall he live”
A. A life of happiness
Psalm 16:11:
11 You will show me the way of life,
granting me the joy of your presence
and the pleasures of living with you forever.
Happiness can be achieved only by being satisfied. Man cannot be satisfied until he knows Christ.
B. A life of Hope
Romans 6:23:
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Though the wages of sin is death, God’s gift is eternal life. Death is not the end to the Christian- it’s the start of eternal life.
Eternal life is a gift from God. If it is a gift then it is not something that we earn, nor something that must be paid back.
The Only appropriate response to God’s gift is a graceful acceptance with gratitude.
We need to accept with thanksgiving the gift that God has freely given us.
4. The Power
“ And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die”
A. The provision
Isaiah 53:5:
5 But he was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.
Christ death brought life to mankind
B. The promise
John 5:24:
24 “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.
Eternal life- living forever with God begins when we accept Jesus Christ as Savior.
At that moment, new life begins in us. It is a completed transaction. We still will face physical death, but when Christ returns again, our body will be resurrected to live forever.
By believing in Christ we pass from death to life.
Faith in Christ means we will not stand with the condemned at judgment.
Revelation 20:11-15:
The Final Judgment
11 And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. 12 I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. 14 Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. 15 And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.
C. The plan
Isaiah 55:7:
7 Let the wicked change their ways
and banish the very thought of doing wrong.
Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them.
Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.
Man must be willing to abandon wickedness and trust in Christ.
There’s an old song that says ,” you ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.”
When He lives within us we will have peace
John 14:27:
27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
We will have a peaceful mind
Philippians 4:7:
7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
When Christ is with us we need not be afraid Psalm 23:4:
4 Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
1 Corinthians 15:55:
55 O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?
Satan seemed to be victories in the Garden of Eden and at the cross of Jesus but God turned Satan’s apparent victory into defeat when Jesus Christ rose from the dead.
This, death is no longer a source of dread or fear. Christ overcame it, and one day we will also.
Death has been defeated and we have hope beyond the grave because of The Risen Christ.
John 20:1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.
John 20:2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!"
John 20:3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb.
John 20:4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.
John 20:5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in.
John 20:6 Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there,
John 20:7 as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen.
John 20:8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.
John 20:9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)
John 20:10 Then the disciples went back to their homes,
John 20:11 but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb
John 20:12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
John 20:13 They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?" "They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him."
John 20:14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
John 20:15 "Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him."
John 20:16 Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).
John 20:17 Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"
John 20:18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.
The greatest words to man are- Christ is Risen!
Many thought death was the end of Christ and His Ministry. However, He rose from the dead as He promised.
John 11:25:
25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.
This morning we want to look at The Risen Christ first as..
1. The Person
“ I am the resurrection and the life”
Jesus has the power over life and death as well as power to forgive sins. This is because he is the Creator of life.
He who is life can surely restore life. Whoever believes in Christ has a spiritual life that death cannot conquer or diminish in any way.
When we realize his power and how wonderful his offer to us really is, how can we not commit our lives to him? To those of us who believe, what wonderful assurance and certainty we have. John 14:19:
19 …Since I live, you also will live.
A. Salvation
2 Corinthians 5:17:
17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
Christians are brand- new people on the inside. At conversion we do not merely turn over a new leaf, we begin a new life under a new Master.
With salvations comes a complete change in our outlook.
It requires a new way of looking at all people and all of creation. Does your life reflect this new perspective?
B. Sustainer
Not only does he save us from sin He keeps us from falling away from Him.
Jude 1:24:
24 Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault.
To be sinless and perfect will be the ultimate condition of believers when we finally see Christ face to face. Coming into Christ’s presence will be more wonderful than we could ever imagine.
2. The Plan
“ He that believeth in me”- man must believe in his heart
Romans 10:9-10:
9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.
When we do this we will be practicing the teachings of Christ.
A. Practice by having faith
Hebrews 11
1 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.
The beginning point of faith is believing in God’s character: He is who he says. The end point is believing in God’s promises: He will do what he says.
When we believe that God will fulfill his promises even though we don’t see those promises materializing yet, we demonstrate true faith.
B. Practice by being faithful
The Bible warns us to be faithful until death.
Revelation 2:10:
10 … But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.
We remain faithful by keeping our eyes on Christ and on what he promises us now and in the future.
C. Practice by fellowship
We must have fellowship with the Lord as well as with one another.
1 John 1:7:
7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.
He paid the penalty for our sins, and His blood has purified us. Just as Christ rose from the grave, we will rise to a new life of fellowship with Him.
3. The Promise
“ Though he were dead, yet shall he live”
A. A life of happiness
Psalm 16:11:
11 You will show me the way of life,
granting me the joy of your presence
and the pleasures of living with you forever.
Happiness can be achieved only by being satisfied. Man cannot be satisfied until he knows Christ.
B. A life of Hope
Romans 6:23:
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Though the wages of sin is death, God’s gift is eternal life. Death is not the end to the Christian- it’s the start of eternal life.
Eternal life is a gift from God. If it is a gift then it is not something that we earn, nor something that must be paid back.
The Only appropriate response to God’s gift is a graceful acceptance with gratitude.
We need to accept with thanksgiving the gift that God has freely given us.
4. The Power
“ And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die”
A. The provision
Isaiah 53:5:
5 But he was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.
Christ death brought life to mankind
B. The promise
John 5:24:
24 “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.
Eternal life- living forever with God begins when we accept Jesus Christ as Savior.
At that moment, new life begins in us. It is a completed transaction. We still will face physical death, but when Christ returns again, our body will be resurrected to live forever.
By believing in Christ we pass from death to life.
Faith in Christ means we will not stand with the condemned at judgment.
Revelation 20:11-15:
The Final Judgment
11 And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. 12 I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. 14 Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. 15 And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.
C. The plan
Isaiah 55:7:
7 Let the wicked change their ways
and banish the very thought of doing wrong.
Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them.
Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.
Man must be willing to abandon wickedness and trust in Christ.
There’s an old song that says ,” you ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.”
When He lives within us we will have peace
John 14:27:
27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
We will have a peaceful mind
Philippians 4:7:
7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
When Christ is with us we need not be afraid Psalm 23:4:
4 Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
1 Corinthians 15:55:
55 O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?
Satan seemed to be victories in the Garden of Eden and at the cross of Jesus but God turned Satan’s apparent victory into defeat when Jesus Christ rose from the dead.
This, death is no longer a source of dread or fear. Christ overcame it, and one day we will also.
Death has been defeated and we have hope beyond the grave because of The Risen Christ.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Jesus' Last Week
Jesus’ Last Week
Matthew 21:1-27:60
The last week of Jesus' life was crammed with events, as we follow him from his glorious entry into Jerusalem on Sunday until his death on Friday. In the days in between, he preached, taught, presided over the Passover supper, stood trial, and was condemned to death.
Jesus Enters Jerusalem
8 Many people spread clothes in the road, while others put down branches which they had cut from trees. 9 Some people walked ahead of Jesus and others followed behind. They were all shouting, "Hooray for the Son of David! God bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Hooray for God in heaven above!" 10 When Jesus came to Jerusalem, everyone in the city was excited and asked, "Who can this be?"11 The crowd answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."
After his warm welcome into Jerusalem, Jesus taught in the Temple for a few days.
Jesus in the Temple
12 Jesus went into the temple and chased out everyone who was selling or buying. He turned over the tables of the moneychangers and the benches of the ones who were selling doves. 13 He told them, "The Scriptures say, 'My house should be called a place of worship.' But you have turned it into a place where robbers hide."
The Plot to Kill Jesus
When Jesus had finished teaching, he told his disciples, 2 "You know that two days from now will be Passover. That is when the Son of Man will be handed over to his enemies and nailed to a cross."
3 At that time the chief priests and the nation's leaders were meeting at the home of Caiaphas the high priest. 4 They planned how they could sneak around and have Jesus arrested and put to death. 5 But they said, "We must not do it during Passover, because the people will riot."
At Bethany
6 Jesus was in the town of Bethany, eating at the home of Simon, who had leprosy. 7 A woman came in with a bottle of expensive perfume and poured it on Jesus' head. 8 But when his disciples saw this, they became angry and complained, "Why such a waste? 9 Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing for me. 12 She has poured perfume on my body to prepare it for burial.
Judas and the Chief Priests
14 Judas Iscariot was one of the twelve disciples. He went to the chief priests 15 and asked, "How much will you give me if I help you arrest Jesus?" They paid Judas thirty silver coins, 16 and from then on he started looking for a good chance to betray Jesus.
The Last Supper
26 During the meal Jesus took some bread in his hands. He blessed the bread and broke it. Then he gave it to his disciples and said, "Take this and eat it. This is my body." 27 Jesus picked up a cup of wine and gave thanks to God. He then gave it to his disciples and said, "Take this and drink it. 28 This is my blood, and with it God makes his agreement with you. It will be poured out, so that many people will have their sins forgiven. 29 From now on I am not going to drink any wine, until I drink new wine with you in my Father's kingdom." 30 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus Prays
36 Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane. When they got there, he told them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray."37 Jesus took along Peter and the two brothers, James and John. He was very sad and troubled, 38 and he said to them, "I am so sad that I feel as if I am dying. Stay here and keep awake with me."39 Jesus walked on a little way. Then he knelt with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, don't make me suffer by having me drink from this cup. But do what you want, and not what I want."40 He came back and found his disciples sleeping. So he said to Peter, "Can't any of you stay awake with me for just one hour? The time has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to sinners. 46 Get up! Let's go. The one who will betray me is already here."
The clinical term is “hematohidrosis.” “Around the sweat glands, there are multiple blood vessels in a net-like form.” Under the pressure of great stress the vessels constrict. Then as the anxiety passes “the blood vessels dilate to the point of rupture. The blood goes into the sweat glands.” As the sweat glands are producing a lot of sweat, it pushes the blood to the surface - coming out as droplets of blood mixed with sweat.
What was the source of Jesus great stress and anguish? Clearly he was in intense spiritual agony. Being the Son of God, he would have in detail everything that was about to happen to him. He knew that he was physically facing one of the most horrible forms of capital punishment there has ever been. His body was human, and he would feel everything at least as intensely as we would. Was this the source of his severe stress? It is doubtful.
The really great weight upon Jesus was the knowledge that he would soon bear the terrible trauma of taking the guilt for all of our sins upon him—my sins and yours. He knew that under this weight of sin, the Father would forsake him and thus he would endure a form of hell itself for lost sinners.
Jesus Is Arrested
47 Jesus was still speaking, when Judas the betrayer came up. He was one of the twelve disciples, and a large mob armed with swords and clubs was with him. They had been sent by the chief priests and the nation's leaders. 48 Judas had told them ahead of time, "Arrest the man I greet with a kiss."49 Judas walked right up to Jesus and said, "Hello, teacher." Then Judas kissed him.50 Jesus replied, "My friend, why are you here?" The men grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 55 Jesus said to the mob, "Why do you come with swords and clubs to arrest me like a criminal? Day after day I sat and taught in the temple, and you didn't arrest me." All of Jesus' disciples left him and ran away.
Jesus Is Questioned by the Council
57 After Jesus had been arrested, he was led off to the house of Caiaphas the high priest. The nation's leaders and the teachers of the Law of Moses were meeting there. 58 But Peter followed along at a distance and came to the courtyard of the high priest's palace. He went in and sat down with the guards to see what was going to happen.59 The chief priests and the whole council wanted to put Jesus to death. So they tried to find some people who would tell lies about him in court. 60 But they could not find any, even though many did come and tell lies. At last, two men came forward 61 and said, "This man claimed that he would tear down God's temple and build it again in three days."
62 The high priest stood up and asked Jesus, "Why don't you say something in your own defense? Don't you hear the charges they are making against you?"
63 But Jesus did not answer. So the high priest said, "With the living God looking on, you must tell the truth. Tell us, are you the Messiah, the Son of God?"64 "That is what you say!" Jesus answered. 65 The high priest then tore his robe and said, "This man claims to be God! We don't need any more witnesses! You have heard what he said. 66 What do you think?" They answered, "He is guilty and deserves to die!" 67 Then they spit in his face and hit him with their fists.
69 While Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, a servant girl came up to him and said, "You were with Jesus from Galilee."70 But in front of everyone Peter said, "That isn't so! I don't know what you are talking about!" 71 When Peter had gone out to the gate, another servant girl saw him and said to some people there, "This man was with Jesus from Nazareth."72 Again Peter denied it, and this time he swore, "I don't even know that man!" 73 A little while later some people standing there walked over to Peter and said, "We know that you are one of them. We can tell it because you talk like someone from Galilee."74 Peter began to curse and swear, "I don't know that man!" Right then a rooster crowed, 75 and Peter remembered that Jesus had said, "Before a rooster crows, you will say three times that you don't know me." Then Peter went out and cried hard.
Jesus Is Taken to Pilate
Early the next morning all the chief priests and the nation's leaders met and decided that Jesus should be put to death. 11 Jesus was brought before Pilate the governor, who asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" "Those are your words!" Jesus answered. 12 And when the chief priests and leaders brought their charges against him, he did not say a thing.13 Pilate asked him, "Don't you hear what crimes they say you have done?" 14 But Jesus did not say anything, and the governor was greatly amazed.
15 During Passover the governor always freed a prisoner chosen by the people. 16 At that time a well-known terrorist named Jesus Barabbas was in jail. 17 So when the crowd came together, Pilate asked them, "Which prisoner do you want me to set free? Do you want Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?" "Barabbas!" they replied.22 Pilate asked them, "What am I to do with Jesus, who is called the Messiah?" They all yelled, "Nail him to a cross!"23 Pilate answered, "But what crime has he done?" "Nail him to a cross!" they yelled even louder.24 Pilate saw that there was nothing he could do and that the people were starting to riot. So he took some water and washed his hands in front of them and said, "I won't have anything to do with killing this man. You are the ones doing it!" 26 Pilate set Barabbas free. Then he ordered his soldiers to beat Jesus with a whip and nail him to a cross.
Pilate believed Jesus was innocent, but because he was afraid that the crowds might riot, he allowed the Jewish court of elders to make the decision to execute Jesus. The crucifixion, however, was done by Pilate's soldiers, because the Temple guards who reported to Caiaphas did not have the power to put anyone to death by crucifixion.
The Romans had several methods of executing criminals. Crucifixion, in which people slowly suffocated from the burden of their own weight on their chests, was both the most painful and the most humiliating.
Jesus Is Nailed to a Cross
35 The soldiers nailed Jesus to a cross and gambled to see who would get his clothes. 36 Then they sat down to guard him. 37 Above his head they put a sign that told why he was nailed there. It read, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews." 38 The soldiers also nailed two criminals on crosses, one to the right of Jesus and the other to his left.39 People who passed by said terrible things about Jesus. They shook their heads and 40 shouted, "So you're the one who claimed you could tear down the temple and build it again in three days! If you are God's Son, save yourself and come down from the cross!"
One of his arms is already tied down and a workman pounds the round-headed square iron nail through the Savior's hand while a soldier holds down the feet of Christ as his body writhes in agony.
The Death of Jesus
5 At noon the sky turned dark and stayed that way until three o'clock. 46 Then about that time Jesus shouted, "My God, my God, why have you deserted me?" 50 Once again Jesus shouted, and then he died. 55 Many women had come with Jesus from Galilee to be of help to him, and they were there, looking on at a distance. 56 Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of James and John were some of these women.
History tells us that on the instant Jesus gave up his mortal life, thunder crashed, lightning split the clouds and a tremendous earthquake shook the land with a roar. The solid stone of Calvary split wide and the Babylonian Veil in the temple was split from top to bottom. People abandoned the burning sacrifices and ran screaming into the streets. A darkness like midnight came down upon Jerusalem at three o'clock and lasted for the rest of the day. The frightful impact of the wrath of God was voiced by the Roman Centurion Abenadar when he bowed his head and murmured, "Assuredly, this man was the Son of God."
57 That evening a rich discipl7e named Joseph from the town of Arimathea 58 went and asked for Jesus' body. Pilate gave orders for it to be given to Joseph, 59 who took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth. 60 Then Joseph put the body in his own tomb that had been cut into solid rock and had never been used. He rolled a big stone against the entrance to the tomb and went away.
Christ was born to die. Without his blood there could be no forgiveness of sins.
Heb 9:22.. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.
He gave his own life to pay our penalty for us so that we might live.
In remembrance
Jesus asked the disciples to eat the broken bread to remember him. He wanted them to remember his sacrifice the basis for forgiveness of sins.
In Old testament times God agreed to forgive peoples sins if they would bring animals for the priest to sacrifice.
Jesus instituted a new covenant(agreement) between God and his people. Under the new agreement, Jesus would die in place of sinners. His blood would remove the sins of all who put their faith in Him.
John the Baptist called Jesus the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Aren’t who so grateful for his amazing grace.
Matthew 21:1-27:60
The last week of Jesus' life was crammed with events, as we follow him from his glorious entry into Jerusalem on Sunday until his death on Friday. In the days in between, he preached, taught, presided over the Passover supper, stood trial, and was condemned to death.
Jesus Enters Jerusalem
8 Many people spread clothes in the road, while others put down branches which they had cut from trees. 9 Some people walked ahead of Jesus and others followed behind. They were all shouting, "Hooray for the Son of David! God bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Hooray for God in heaven above!" 10 When Jesus came to Jerusalem, everyone in the city was excited and asked, "Who can this be?"11 The crowd answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."
After his warm welcome into Jerusalem, Jesus taught in the Temple for a few days.
Jesus in the Temple
12 Jesus went into the temple and chased out everyone who was selling or buying. He turned over the tables of the moneychangers and the benches of the ones who were selling doves. 13 He told them, "The Scriptures say, 'My house should be called a place of worship.' But you have turned it into a place where robbers hide."
The Plot to Kill Jesus
When Jesus had finished teaching, he told his disciples, 2 "You know that two days from now will be Passover. That is when the Son of Man will be handed over to his enemies and nailed to a cross."
3 At that time the chief priests and the nation's leaders were meeting at the home of Caiaphas the high priest. 4 They planned how they could sneak around and have Jesus arrested and put to death. 5 But they said, "We must not do it during Passover, because the people will riot."
At Bethany
6 Jesus was in the town of Bethany, eating at the home of Simon, who had leprosy. 7 A woman came in with a bottle of expensive perfume and poured it on Jesus' head. 8 But when his disciples saw this, they became angry and complained, "Why such a waste? 9 Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing for me. 12 She has poured perfume on my body to prepare it for burial.
Judas and the Chief Priests
14 Judas Iscariot was one of the twelve disciples. He went to the chief priests 15 and asked, "How much will you give me if I help you arrest Jesus?" They paid Judas thirty silver coins, 16 and from then on he started looking for a good chance to betray Jesus.
The Last Supper
26 During the meal Jesus took some bread in his hands. He blessed the bread and broke it. Then he gave it to his disciples and said, "Take this and eat it. This is my body." 27 Jesus picked up a cup of wine and gave thanks to God. He then gave it to his disciples and said, "Take this and drink it. 28 This is my blood, and with it God makes his agreement with you. It will be poured out, so that many people will have their sins forgiven. 29 From now on I am not going to drink any wine, until I drink new wine with you in my Father's kingdom." 30 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus Prays
36 Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane. When they got there, he told them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray."37 Jesus took along Peter and the two brothers, James and John. He was very sad and troubled, 38 and he said to them, "I am so sad that I feel as if I am dying. Stay here and keep awake with me."39 Jesus walked on a little way. Then he knelt with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, don't make me suffer by having me drink from this cup. But do what you want, and not what I want."40 He came back and found his disciples sleeping. So he said to Peter, "Can't any of you stay awake with me for just one hour? The time has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to sinners. 46 Get up! Let's go. The one who will betray me is already here."
The clinical term is “hematohidrosis.” “Around the sweat glands, there are multiple blood vessels in a net-like form.” Under the pressure of great stress the vessels constrict. Then as the anxiety passes “the blood vessels dilate to the point of rupture. The blood goes into the sweat glands.” As the sweat glands are producing a lot of sweat, it pushes the blood to the surface - coming out as droplets of blood mixed with sweat.
What was the source of Jesus great stress and anguish? Clearly he was in intense spiritual agony. Being the Son of God, he would have in detail everything that was about to happen to him. He knew that he was physically facing one of the most horrible forms of capital punishment there has ever been. His body was human, and he would feel everything at least as intensely as we would. Was this the source of his severe stress? It is doubtful.
The really great weight upon Jesus was the knowledge that he would soon bear the terrible trauma of taking the guilt for all of our sins upon him—my sins and yours. He knew that under this weight of sin, the Father would forsake him and thus he would endure a form of hell itself for lost sinners.
Jesus Is Arrested
47 Jesus was still speaking, when Judas the betrayer came up. He was one of the twelve disciples, and a large mob armed with swords and clubs was with him. They had been sent by the chief priests and the nation's leaders. 48 Judas had told them ahead of time, "Arrest the man I greet with a kiss."49 Judas walked right up to Jesus and said, "Hello, teacher." Then Judas kissed him.50 Jesus replied, "My friend, why are you here?" The men grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 55 Jesus said to the mob, "Why do you come with swords and clubs to arrest me like a criminal? Day after day I sat and taught in the temple, and you didn't arrest me." All of Jesus' disciples left him and ran away.
Jesus Is Questioned by the Council
57 After Jesus had been arrested, he was led off to the house of Caiaphas the high priest. The nation's leaders and the teachers of the Law of Moses were meeting there. 58 But Peter followed along at a distance and came to the courtyard of the high priest's palace. He went in and sat down with the guards to see what was going to happen.59 The chief priests and the whole council wanted to put Jesus to death. So they tried to find some people who would tell lies about him in court. 60 But they could not find any, even though many did come and tell lies. At last, two men came forward 61 and said, "This man claimed that he would tear down God's temple and build it again in three days."
62 The high priest stood up and asked Jesus, "Why don't you say something in your own defense? Don't you hear the charges they are making against you?"
63 But Jesus did not answer. So the high priest said, "With the living God looking on, you must tell the truth. Tell us, are you the Messiah, the Son of God?"64 "That is what you say!" Jesus answered. 65 The high priest then tore his robe and said, "This man claims to be God! We don't need any more witnesses! You have heard what he said. 66 What do you think?" They answered, "He is guilty and deserves to die!" 67 Then they spit in his face and hit him with their fists.
69 While Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, a servant girl came up to him and said, "You were with Jesus from Galilee."70 But in front of everyone Peter said, "That isn't so! I don't know what you are talking about!" 71 When Peter had gone out to the gate, another servant girl saw him and said to some people there, "This man was with Jesus from Nazareth."72 Again Peter denied it, and this time he swore, "I don't even know that man!" 73 A little while later some people standing there walked over to Peter and said, "We know that you are one of them. We can tell it because you talk like someone from Galilee."74 Peter began to curse and swear, "I don't know that man!" Right then a rooster crowed, 75 and Peter remembered that Jesus had said, "Before a rooster crows, you will say three times that you don't know me." Then Peter went out and cried hard.
Jesus Is Taken to Pilate
Early the next morning all the chief priests and the nation's leaders met and decided that Jesus should be put to death. 11 Jesus was brought before Pilate the governor, who asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" "Those are your words!" Jesus answered. 12 And when the chief priests and leaders brought their charges against him, he did not say a thing.13 Pilate asked him, "Don't you hear what crimes they say you have done?" 14 But Jesus did not say anything, and the governor was greatly amazed.
15 During Passover the governor always freed a prisoner chosen by the people. 16 At that time a well-known terrorist named Jesus Barabbas was in jail. 17 So when the crowd came together, Pilate asked them, "Which prisoner do you want me to set free? Do you want Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?" "Barabbas!" they replied.22 Pilate asked them, "What am I to do with Jesus, who is called the Messiah?" They all yelled, "Nail him to a cross!"23 Pilate answered, "But what crime has he done?" "Nail him to a cross!" they yelled even louder.24 Pilate saw that there was nothing he could do and that the people were starting to riot. So he took some water and washed his hands in front of them and said, "I won't have anything to do with killing this man. You are the ones doing it!" 26 Pilate set Barabbas free. Then he ordered his soldiers to beat Jesus with a whip and nail him to a cross.
Pilate believed Jesus was innocent, but because he was afraid that the crowds might riot, he allowed the Jewish court of elders to make the decision to execute Jesus. The crucifixion, however, was done by Pilate's soldiers, because the Temple guards who reported to Caiaphas did not have the power to put anyone to death by crucifixion.
The Romans had several methods of executing criminals. Crucifixion, in which people slowly suffocated from the burden of their own weight on their chests, was both the most painful and the most humiliating.
Jesus Is Nailed to a Cross
35 The soldiers nailed Jesus to a cross and gambled to see who would get his clothes. 36 Then they sat down to guard him. 37 Above his head they put a sign that told why he was nailed there. It read, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews." 38 The soldiers also nailed two criminals on crosses, one to the right of Jesus and the other to his left.39 People who passed by said terrible things about Jesus. They shook their heads and 40 shouted, "So you're the one who claimed you could tear down the temple and build it again in three days! If you are God's Son, save yourself and come down from the cross!"
One of his arms is already tied down and a workman pounds the round-headed square iron nail through the Savior's hand while a soldier holds down the feet of Christ as his body writhes in agony.
The Death of Jesus
5 At noon the sky turned dark and stayed that way until three o'clock. 46 Then about that time Jesus shouted, "My God, my God, why have you deserted me?" 50 Once again Jesus shouted, and then he died. 55 Many women had come with Jesus from Galilee to be of help to him, and they were there, looking on at a distance. 56 Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of James and John were some of these women.
History tells us that on the instant Jesus gave up his mortal life, thunder crashed, lightning split the clouds and a tremendous earthquake shook the land with a roar. The solid stone of Calvary split wide and the Babylonian Veil in the temple was split from top to bottom. People abandoned the burning sacrifices and ran screaming into the streets. A darkness like midnight came down upon Jerusalem at three o'clock and lasted for the rest of the day. The frightful impact of the wrath of God was voiced by the Roman Centurion Abenadar when he bowed his head and murmured, "Assuredly, this man was the Son of God."
57 That evening a rich discipl7e named Joseph from the town of Arimathea 58 went and asked for Jesus' body. Pilate gave orders for it to be given to Joseph, 59 who took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth. 60 Then Joseph put the body in his own tomb that had been cut into solid rock and had never been used. He rolled a big stone against the entrance to the tomb and went away.
Christ was born to die. Without his blood there could be no forgiveness of sins.
Heb 9:22.. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.
He gave his own life to pay our penalty for us so that we might live.
In remembrance
Jesus asked the disciples to eat the broken bread to remember him. He wanted them to remember his sacrifice the basis for forgiveness of sins.
In Old testament times God agreed to forgive peoples sins if they would bring animals for the priest to sacrifice.
Jesus instituted a new covenant(agreement) between God and his people. Under the new agreement, Jesus would die in place of sinners. His blood would remove the sins of all who put their faith in Him.
John the Baptist called Jesus the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Aren’t who so grateful for his amazing grace.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
