Participants: Danny Milenkov
Series Code: FGW
Program Code: FGW000024A
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00:26 I would like to welcome you once again
00:28 to the Search for Certainty. 00:30 It's good to see you all here today. 00:33 And I also want to welcome those 00:35 who are watching from far and wide, 00:36 wherever you may be. 00:38 Welcome along to this fourth episode 00:41 in the Search for Certainty. 00:43 Thus far for those that may not have joined us, 00:46 thus far we have been looking at the signs of Jesus' coming. 00:50 We have discovered that Jesus is indeed coming 00:54 very, very soon. 00:56 We have discovered that Jesus gave us signs. 00:59 Signs in the political world, 01:01 He gave us signs in the world of nature. 01:03 He gave us signs in the social world, 01:06 signs in the economic world, signs in the religious world, 01:09 and the greatest and final sign that He gave us 01:12 that would usher in the grand climax of human history 01:16 was the preaching of what? 01:17 The everlasting gospel to all the world. 01:20 These are the most important signs, 01:23 in particular this final sign 01:25 is the most important sign of all 01:27 that prepares the world for the second coming of Jesus. 01:30 Now why did Jesus give us these signs? 01:33 It was simply to enable us 01:35 to be ready for His soon return. 01:38 So that when we see all these things come to pass, 01:41 as Jesus said in John 14:29 that we may believe. 01:45 There would be nothing worse than being unprepared 01:50 for a great event or for a stupendous crisis. 01:54 And as we have discovered 01:55 this world is heading toward a great stupendous crisis 01:58 that will climax and culminate in the second coming of Jesus. 02:02 And so Jesus has given us these signs 02:05 so that we can be ready, we can watch and be ready, 02:08 and we can also help others to be ready. 02:11 Now today we want to continue 02:13 to look at this all important sign, 02:15 the preaching of the gospel to all the world 02:18 as Jesus said in Matthew 24:14, 02:20 and this gospel will be preached 02:22 in all the world is a witness to how many nations? 02:25 To all nations and then the end will come. 02:29 Today we want to in particular look at the everlasting gospel. 02:34 We want to take a look at what Jesus has done 02:36 for each and every person so that none may perish, 02:40 but that all might come to repentance 02:42 and receive everlasting life through Christ Jesus, our Lord. 02:47 I've entitled this fourth presentation 02:50 Rescue from Above. 02:53 Before we move into this most beautiful 02:56 and most dramatic story of the gospel, 03:00 as we journey with Christ from Gethsemane 03:03 all the way to Golgotha. 03:05 I would like to take us on another journey 03:07 and reflect on another inspiring event that took place 03:11 not so many years ago. 03:13 Some of you may remember back in 2010, 03:18 August 5 to be exact 03:20 when the San Jose gold and copper mine 03:24 there in Copiapo, 03:26 Chile suffered a massive caving. 03:30 There were 33 miners that were trapped 03:32 700 meters below the earth surface, 03:36 whilst they were going about their work. 03:38 The youngest being 19 and the elder being 63. 03:42 And so the world didn't know 03:43 whether they were alive or whether they were dead. 03:47 And so there was anxiety 03:49 not just there in Chile but around the world, 03:52 and many wondered would these miners 03:55 add to the statistics of more deaths 03:58 in this very precarious industry of mining. 04:02 So the families came together and they began to gather 04:06 from far and near, 04:07 and as they were gathering from far and near, 04:09 two days after the initial collapse, 04:13 another collapse as the rescuers were trying 04:16 to get to these miners 04:18 700 meters below the earth surface 04:20 another collapse which put pay to them 04:24 being rescued in a very short space of time. 04:28 Day after day the families prayed, 04:32 prayed and prayed for a miracle. 04:34 Would there be a miracle? 04:37 Day after day went past, two days, three days, 04:41 a week, two weeks, no sign of the miners. 04:45 People began to lose hope, 04:47 but the families they didn't, they continue to pray 04:50 and then finally after 17 long days, 04:56 a message from the miners came to the surface 05:00 and it was a piece of paper 05:04 and it had red letters in Spanish. 05:07 And the message 05:08 and I'll read it to you in English, 05:10 "We are all well in the shelter all 33 of us." 05:15 Can you imagine the excitement? 05:18 Can you imagine the explosion of energy amongst the families 05:22 that had gathered there 05:24 praying and hoping and pleading with God for a miracle? 05:28 The whole world erupted in joy that the miners, 05:33 that they were all alive. 05:34 But now the big problem 05:36 had to bring them back to the surface. 05:39 And so the Chilean government 05:41 spoke to a number of other governments 05:43 in order to find out what was the best way 05:45 to try and get these miners 05:48 from where they were to where they needed to be. 05:51 And so they spoke to governments 05:53 as well as to NASA. 05:54 And they finally came up with a plan, 05:58 they came up with a capsule, 06:00 and that capsule was became known as Fenix 2. 06:03 It was just big enough for one individual to go down. 06:08 And so after 68 days, after 68 long days 06:15 the capsule was ready to go down. 06:19 And so the first rescuer went down as a guinea pig 06:24 to see if this capsule would work. 06:26 Everyone watched and wondered 06:29 and then finally after sometime, 06:32 the first miner came to the surface. 06:35 It was 24 hours later when the final miner, 06:39 the foreman himself came to the surface. 06:42 The whole world erupted in celebration. 06:45 After 69 long days talk about a long shift, 06:51 after 69 long days 06:54 they finally made their way to the surface, 06:57 reunited with their families. 07:00 As I think about that story, 07:03 I cannot help but think of another rescue effort. 07:06 Another rescue effort that took place 2000 years ago 07:11 where this world was in a position 07:14 just like those miners 07:15 where we could not rescue ourselves. 07:18 And so God sent His only son Jesus Christ to this world 07:23 to perform the greatest rescue effort 07:26 this universe has ever seen. 07:29 Today we want to take a look at this rescue from above, 07:33 the greatest rescue of all. 07:36 As we discover the good news of the everlasting gospel. 07:40 Before we get to the story of the gospel 07:45 that we have in the powerful scriptures, 07:48 I want us to think about that movie 07:51 that came out not so long ago, 07:54 produced by Mel Gibson, The Passion of Christ. 07:57 How many of you had an opportunity to see that? 07:59 Okay, a couple of you have. 08:02 The Passion of Christ where Mel Gibson try to, 08:06 tried as best he could 08:08 through the lenses of Hollywood to capture 08:11 what Jesus went through from Gethsemane 08:15 all the way through to Golgotha. 08:17 Now today we are not going to go 08:19 to the lenses of Hollywood, 08:22 today instead we're going to go to the holy word. 08:25 The holy word because today 08:26 we will discover that God's word is able to take us 08:31 where no camera in the world will take us. 08:34 Today we will go together 08:36 to the very heart of God's heart. 08:39 The very heart of the gospel message and discover 08:42 what it is that Jesus Christ did for us. 08:46 But before we open up God's word, what must we do? 08:49 We must pray, and ask the God that inspired 08:52 the pages of this book to illuminate our minds 08:55 and warm our hearts with the good news of Jesus 08:59 and His love, so let's just pause and pray. 09:02 Loving Father in heaven, 09:04 we want to thank You for this opportunity 09:06 to open Your word. 09:07 Father, we could be doing a whole bunch of things 09:10 right now, 09:11 but Father there is one thing that we want to be doing 09:14 more than anything else 09:16 and that is opening Your word and in particular, 09:19 opening the pages of Your word 09:21 that specifically point us to Jesus 09:24 and His great love for us on Calvary. 09:27 So Father as we open Your word please 09:30 through your Holy Spirit open our hearts and our minds 09:33 that we may be willing to receive 09:36 these precious truths from your word 09:38 is our prayer in Jesus' name, amen and amen. 09:43 I want to go to a scripture 09:44 that we have looked at thus far a beautiful scripture 09:48 in John 12:32 where Jesus said, 09:51 "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, 09:54 will draw all peoples to Myself." 09:56 Jesus said that if He is lifted up, 10:00 He will draw all people to Himself. 10:02 It's a powerful statement. 10:03 What's Jesus here is saying? 10:05 Jesus is saying that if we look to Him, 10:07 if we look to His sacrifice, 10:09 if we look to Calvary that has the power, 10:13 that has the force to drawer us to Himself. 10:17 And I want to put it to you my dear friends 10:20 that if the sacrifice of Christ 10:22 does not draw you to the heart of God, 10:25 nothing else will in this world. 10:27 This is the greatest power 10:29 that we have to drawer us to Christ Himself. 10:33 And so as we go to the very heart of God, 10:36 we want to go to the old city of Jerusalem. 10:40 The old city of Jerusalem, 10:42 there were the final hours of Jesus' life 10:46 here on the earth 10:47 before His crucifixion took place. 10:51 Notice, before Jesus went to the cross, 10:56 He prayed this all important powerful prayer 11:00 there gathered together with His disciples 11:03 on that Thursday evening, 11:04 that Passover first day evening. 11:07 Notice the prayer that Jesus prayed. 11:09 We have it in John 17:1, 11:12 "Father, Jesus is praying, the hour has come. 11:15 Glorify Your Son, 11:17 that Your Son may also glorify You." 11:19 What was Jesus here praying? 11:22 Jesus here was praying 11:23 that the Father would glorify Himself through the Son. 11:28 What's the glory of God? 11:29 The Bible tells us in the Book of Exodus, 11:31 that the glory of God 11:33 is a revelation of His character. 11:34 It was time for the character of God to be showcased 11:40 before the whole universe, 11:42 the truth about God, the truth about His love. 11:44 You see before this point, 11:47 God's reputation had been place through the dirt 11:50 especially by His own people. 11:52 God was seen as someone to be afraid of, 11:55 not someone to be a friend of. 11:57 God was seen as someone who was stern, 12:00 and someone who is harsh, 12:01 but it was time now for the whole world, 12:03 for the universe to see 12:05 what the love of God truly was like. 12:08 The hour has come. 12:12 The hour had come for that plan of salvation 12:15 to be put into place. 12:17 That plan of salvation 12:18 that God gave to Adam and Eve at the very beginning, 12:21 when He told them that a Savior would come 12:24 to pay the price for their sins 12:26 to reunite them with God, 12:30 and that Savior would be none other than 12:32 their creator Jesus Christ. 12:34 As we go together to the Garden of Gethsemane, 12:38 the Garden of Gethsemane. 12:40 The word Gethsemane means oil press. 12:43 We'll discover that this is indeed 12:45 where the very heart of Jesus Christ 12:47 was pressed out, 12:49 because of what He was going through the sins, 12:52 the burdens that He was experiencing. 12:54 I've had the opportunity 12:56 of going to the Garden of Gethsemane 12:57 and that was one of the most powerful, 13:00 one of the most precious experiences in my life. 13:04 Notice what Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. 13:08 We have these words in Matthew 26:36-39, 13:13 this is Matthew, one of Jesus disciples 13:15 recounting what Jesus prayed 13:18 and what took place there in Gethsemane. 13:20 "Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, 13:24 and said to the disciples, 13:25 'Sit here while I go and pray over there.' 13:28 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, 13:31 that would be James and John. 13:33 And He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. 13:36 Then He said to them, 13:38 'My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, 13:40 even to death. 13:42 Stay here and watch with Me.' 13:44 "Jesus' soul was exceedingly sorrowful even to death. 13:49 We'll discover what those words mean in just a moment. 13:53 "He went a little farther and fell on His face, 13:55 and prayed, saying, 13:56 'O My Father, if it is possible, 13:58 let this cup pass from Me, nevertheless, 14:01 not as I will, but as You will.' 14:05 "He went back after visiting with His disciples 14:08 over a sleep, 14:09 He went back to the same spot and Matthew continues on 14:13 and he says He prayed," 14:15 Again, a second time, 14:17 He went away and prayed, saying, 'O My Father, 14:20 if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, 14:24 Your will be done.' 14:25 " And then one more final time the Bible says, 14:29 "So He left them, went away again, 14:31 and prayed the third time, saying the same words." 14:35 Father, let this bitter cup pass from my lips, 14:40 nevertheless not My will, but Your will be done. 14:44 What was filled in that cup 14:46 that Jesus was invited to drink by His Father? 14:50 It was the sins of the entire world. 14:53 All the sins that had been committed 14:55 for the past 4000 years up until that point, 14:57 and all the sins that would be committed 14:59 by every single individual 15:01 all the way to the second coming of Jesus. 15:04 Jesus said, if there is a plan B, 15:06 Father, please, I'm willing to take plan B, 15:09 but the Father said, no My Son. 15:11 No My Son, there is no plan B. 15:15 You must drink that cup, 15:17 if My children will come back home to where they belong, 15:22 to where I wanted them to be at the very beginning of time. 15:25 I can just picture in my minds I, 15:27 what was going through Jesus' mind, 15:29 the temptations that He was experiencing 15:32 right there and then. 15:33 I can just imagine 15:35 the devil himself was there in the garden 15:38 tempting Jesus with the thought that if He drank that cup, 15:42 the separation of sin would be so great, 15:45 the gulf would be so enormous that it would separate 15:48 Him from His heavenly Father forever. 15:51 You and I, we cannot even begin to comprehend 15:53 what that must have meant for Jesus Christ. 15:57 That had never been separated, 15:58 from all eternity they had been one, 16:01 and now Jesus had to make a choice 16:06 whether He would be willing to drink that cup. 16:11 Sin, sin separates us from God, 16:15 would He be willing to experience that utter 16:18 and total separation from His Father, 16:21 that we would forever be united with our heavenly Father. 16:25 Would He be willing to take on board what we deserve? 16:30 I can just imagine 16:31 what the devil was sharing with Him, 16:33 you've come to Your own people 16:35 and Your own people have rejected You. 16:38 Your disciples, they will all forsake you. 16:42 Your most zealous disciple in a few short hours 16:46 will deny ever knowing you. 16:48 He will heap down curses from heaven, 16:51 in order to make it clear that he doesn't know You, 16:54 he doesn't have any idea who You are. 16:56 One of your disciples has gone 16:58 to fulfill that final act in betraying You. 17:03 Don't do it, you will never see your heavenly Father again. 17:07 Notice Luke, Dr. Luke, 17:09 he gives us an inside as to what was taking place 17:13 there in the Garden of Gethsemane. 17:14 Notice these words. 17:16 He is a physician and he brings these 17:18 very powerful point across, in Luke 22:44, 17:21 "And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. 17:25 Then His sweat became like great drops of blood 17:28 falling down to the ground." 17:31 I used to think once upon a time that Luke, 17:33 Dr. Luke was using high proverbially 17:36 that Jesus was sweating so profusely that it, 17:40 it appeared like drops of blood. 17:42 Little did I realize that 17:44 you can actually sweat real blood. 17:50 Until I did some research 17:52 and I discovered that it is possible 17:54 and people have sweated blood. 17:57 Notice the term for sweating blood, 18:00 real blood is hematidrosis. 18:04 "It's an extremely rare condition 18:06 characterized by the sweating of blood, 18:08 which is said to occur when a person is facing death 18:12 or other highly stressful events. 18:14 It has been seen in prisoners before execution 18:17 and occurred during the London Blitz, 18:19 during World War II. 18:20 Hematidrosis is attributed to rupture of the capillaries 18:25 surrounding sweat glands, 18:26 with oozing of blood into the glands 18:28 and out of the sweat ducts." 18:30 So what was going on with Jesus? 18:33 What was going on with Jesus is this, 18:35 Jesus was experiencing such pain, 18:39 emotional pain, emotional stress 18:42 that you and I, we cannot begin to comprehend. 18:45 The separation that He was beginning to experience 18:48 with His heavenly Father was literally, literally 18:52 squeezing the very life out of Him. 18:55 And my friends, the truth is, 18:58 the truth is that unless 19:00 the God the Father intervened in the Garden of Gethsemane, 19:04 Jesus would never have made it to Golgotha. 19:08 He never would have made it. 19:09 He would have died there and then 19:12 in the Garden of Gethsemane. 19:13 But notice what God did, 19:15 notice what God did in Luke 22:43, 19:19 Luke goes on and he says, 19:20 "Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, 19:24 strengthening Him." 19:26 Oh, Jesus would not die in the darkness 19:29 of the Garden of Gethsemane on His own. 19:32 No, that was not the plan of salvation 19:34 that God had prepared 19:35 before the foundations of the earth. 19:37 Jesus said and we read the words earlier 19:39 in John 12:32, 19:41 if I am what? 19:42 Lifted up from the earth, 19:44 I will draw all peoples to Myself. 19:47 Jesus had to be lifted up 19:48 before the whole universe for all to see. 19:52 So there would be no doubt, 19:55 why Jesus died and how Jesus died 19:57 which we will get to in just a little bit. 20:00 It was not time for the Son to die 20:03 although He could well have died there in the garden, 20:06 but the Father sent His angel 20:10 and the angel strengthened Jesus, 20:13 in His time of trial. 20:15 That's good news for me 20:17 and that ought to be good news for all of us. 20:18 Why? 20:20 That is because that same angel 20:21 God will sent to you during your time of trial, 20:25 during your hour of anguish, 20:27 and nothing will take place in your life 20:31 unless God allows that, 20:33 and it's always for His honor and glory. 20:36 And so you and I can rest 20:38 knowing that the same Father that loved His Son 20:42 is the same Father that loves us supremely. 20:45 And we can rest in the assurance that 20:47 He loves us with an everlasting love. 20:52 Jesus was whipped mercilessly. 20:57 I was about to say mercifully. 20:59 There is nothing merciful about the whipping 21:01 that Jesus experienced. 21:02 The Romans were experts at whipping. 21:06 Thirty-nine lashes 21:08 and I won't go through all the details. 21:11 Those of you who have seen the movie, 21:14 you well know what a prisoner experienced 21:17 during this time of whipping, 21:20 where that whip that had lead 21:22 and glass embedded at the end of the whip 21:26 would just take flesh and just rip it away 21:28 and the prisoner would be blooded 21:31 and it would be a terrible mess. 21:33 Many didn't even survive the whipping. 21:36 They didn't survive the 39 lashes. 21:40 The Bible says in Isaiah 50:6, 21:43 words written by the Prophet Isaiah 21:45 700 years before Christ. 21:48 "I gave my back to those who struck Me, 21:50 and My cheeks to those who plucked out My beard, 21:53 I did not hide My face from shame and spitting." 21:57 Wow! 21:58 Jesus was willing to be spat upon, 22:03 willing to experience that bitter shame 22:06 in order that you and I may bask in the glory 22:11 and in the grace of God. 22:14 Jesus traded places with us. 22:17 That's the gospel, that's the everlasting gospel 22:20 that has been true about God throughout all eternity. 22:25 Jesus was here demonstrating, demonstrating, 22:29 so there would be no doubt whatsoever has to who God was, 22:33 what the character of God was, 22:35 and ultimately how much God loves us 22:38 the entire human race that put a crown on Jesus forehead. 22:44 That head, 22:48 that deserved only the crown of glory, 22:51 received a crown of shame and pain. 22:56 The Bible tells us in Psalm 22:16 23:00 David writing a thousand years before the time of Christ. 23:05 "They pierced My hands and My feet." 23:08 Psalm 22:16, 23:10 how did David know that is how Christ would die. 23:16 Crucifixion hadn't even been invented 23:19 a thousand years before Christ. 23:20 It was invented about 500 years after this period. 23:26 But Jesus was crucified, crucified. 23:29 Crucifixion was reserved by the Romans 23:32 for the worst of the worst. 23:33 In fact if you were a Roman citizen, 23:35 you couldn't be crucified. 23:37 Only non Roman citizens, 23:40 the worst of the worst were crucified 23:43 in order to make them 23:45 a public example to the rest of what will happen to you, 23:49 if you put a foot wrong in the Roman Empire. 23:53 Jesus was crucified. 23:56 It was very painful, very painful. 24:00 More painful than you and I can even 24:02 begin to imagine. 24:04 Can you imagine those hands 24:06 that brought sight to the blind, 24:09 those hands that healed the lepers, 24:12 those feet that walked endless miles, 24:15 endless kilometers to bring hope 24:18 and happiness and joy 24:20 to hundreds and thousands of people, 24:22 those feet that brought life to the dead, 24:25 they were now crucified, they were now pierced. 24:30 The Bible says in Psalm 22:18, 24:32 "They divided My garments among them, 24:34 and for My clothing they cast lots." 24:37 Here David once again, 24:39 he is prophesying concerning Christ. 24:43 No artist in their right mind 24:47 would picture Jesus on the cross, 24:50 without any clothing whatsoever, 24:52 but the reality of the situation is 24:56 that most who were crucified 25:00 we crucified completely naked. 25:06 Now was that the case with Jesus? 25:07 I don't know, the Bible doesn't say. 25:09 But could it be that our savior 25:11 was willing to be completely shamed 25:14 in order that we may receive that robe of righteousness. 25:19 That's one thing I do know, 25:21 that is one thing that I'm certain of, 25:23 Jesus was willing to be shame 25:25 that I may have that robe of righteousness 25:27 and we do know, 25:29 we certainly do know that 25:30 His seamless robe was taken off Him 25:33 and that was gambled by the soldiers. 25:38 I have nakedness, you have nakedness, 25:41 we all have great nakedness, because we're all sinners. 25:44 We've all fallen short of the glory of God. 25:46 We've all fallen short of what God's ideal is for us. 25:51 We all deserve to be ashamed, but no, God says, 25:56 I will not that you have that shame that belongs to you, 26:00 I will place that shame upon My Son. 26:02 Jesus says, I will take on board that shame. 26:05 I'm willing receive that shame 26:08 that My children may be clothed, 26:10 that they may walk 26:13 with that beautiful robe of righteousness. 26:15 Matthew goes on in chapter 27 and verse 31, 26:20 Matthew writes, 26:22 "And when they had mocked Him, 26:23 they led Him away to be crucified." 26:27 Now today we don't quite understand crucifixion. 26:31 Having said that I have seen and heard of disturbing news 26:38 that in some parts of the world even today 26:40 they're practicing crucifixion. 26:41 Are you aware of that? 26:43 Some of you may have even come across some news 26:45 items and news articles. 26:47 I won't say too much more about that. 26:50 But crucifixion was a common practice 26:52 back in the day of Jesus. 26:54 In fact, the word crucifixion 26:57 comes from the Latin word excruciates. 27:01 What English word that we get from excruciates? 27:05 Excruciating. 27:07 It was excruciating pain. 27:09 Why is that? 27:10 That's because an individual who was crucified, 27:13 they would often remain 27:17 suspended between heaven and earth 27:19 for hours and even days on end. 27:22 An individual could live if you want to call it that 27:27 up to three to seven days. 27:30 Why is that? 27:31 Because their vital organs were not affected 27:35 through the crucifixion 27:37 and so natural instinct would kick in 27:40 and you would breathe just instinctively. 27:43 And it wasn't until finally 27:47 your energy level is just completely dropped away 27:51 and then asphyxiation took place 27:54 that the prisoner died, 27:55 or if the soldiers were merciful 27:58 and they broke your knees, they smashed your legs 28:02 and you couldn't raise yourself up to breathe 28:05 and then you would die. 28:07 If they're willing to perform that act of mercy towards you. 28:12 But Jesus didn't die after three days, 28:16 after two days or even after one day. 28:18 The Bible says Jesus died after being on the cross 28:21 for six hours, 28:23 unlike those the two that were on either side of Him. 28:27 Why is that? 28:29 We're going to get to that in just a little bit. 28:31 But as we think about the cross, 28:33 as we think about the cross, 28:35 today in Christianity the cross is the main symbol. 28:41 The main symbol that Christians cling to 28:45 that is the symbol of who they are. 28:47 We have crosses in churches, 28:50 we have crosses in our homes, 28:54 we have crosses on the Bible, 28:57 we even wear crosses around our necks, 29:00 but it was not so in the day of Christ. 29:04 The cross was a symbol of shame, 29:08 it was a symbol of pain, 29:09 it was a symbol of the Roman yoke 29:13 that the people were under, and ultimately 29:16 and most importantly in the day of Jesus Christ, 29:19 the cross was a symbol that you were cursed of God, 29:24 cursed of God. 29:27 Notice these words that the Apostle Paul writes. 29:30 In Galatians 3:13, 29:33 "Christ has redeemed us from the" what? 29:35 "From the curse of the law, having become a" what? 29:39 "A curse for us, for it is written." 29:41 And now he is quoting from the Book of Deuteronomy. 29:45 "Cursed is everyone having been hanged on a" what? 29:49 "On a tree." 29:51 As far as the Jewish mind was concerned, 29:54 to be hung on a tree 29:56 was to experience the curse of God. 30:00 The Jews didn't practice crucifixion 30:04 as their form of capital punishment. 30:06 The Jews practice stoning 30:09 and there is a number of situations there in the Bible, 30:11 in the New Testament were stoning was the choice 30:16 of capital punishment. 30:18 And so why did they ask for Jesus to be crucified, 30:22 why not stone Jesus? 30:24 It's because they wanted to make it clear to all, 30:28 especially Jesus Christ 30:30 the one who claimed to be the Messiah, 30:32 that He because He claimed to be one with God 30:36 deserved to have the curse of God upon him. 30:40 And so when Jesus hung on the cross, 30:44 He hung in the sight of all the people 30:48 who believed based on what they understood 30:51 this all to mean, 30:53 He was suffering the curse of God. 30:56 Jesus experienced our curse 31:00 that we may experience His blessing. 31:03 We deserve the curse, 31:05 I deserve to be cursed, isn't that right? 31:07 Because of my sins. 31:09 Jesus committed no sin the Bible says, 31:12 He was perfect, he was pure, 31:15 and yet He took on board Himself the curse of God. 31:19 He was willing to drink that bitter cup 31:22 filled with the pain, and the shame and the sin 31:25 that belongs to you and me and to every other person 31:28 that has ever lived on planet earth. 31:30 Notice what the Apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:21, 31:35 "For He that is God, made Him that is Christ, 31:38 who knew no sin to be sin for us, 31:41 that we might become the" what? 31:43 "The righteousness of God in Him." 31:46 Can you try and grasp 31:50 the gravity of these words of the Apostle Paul? 31:54 As he's writing to the believers 31:57 there in Corinth, 31:58 there in ancient Greece, 32:01 who are living in a city that is filled with sin 32:07 and immorality and all things 32:11 in opposition to God and His character, 32:13 and he says to them, 32:14 he says Christ was willing to trade places. 32:18 Christ was willing to be cursed from God. 32:21 Christ was willing to experience the bitter shame. 32:24 Christ was willing to experience 32:27 the penalty of unrighteousness 32:29 that we may be called the righteousness of God. 32:36 Talk about trading places, 32:38 there has never been a better offer 32:41 that this world has ever received, isn't that right? 32:44 Can you come up with a better offer than that? 32:46 I certainly can't. 32:48 That is the gospel, 32:50 that's why Jesus said this gospel, this good news, 32:53 and that's what the word gospel means. 32:55 That means good news, good news about what? 32:57 Good news that Jesus took on board my punishment, 33:00 He took on board your punishment. 33:02 He took on board the punishment of the world, 33:05 so that we may experience 33:08 the blessings of righteousness of God. 33:14 Isaiah 53:5, 33:17 he writes these words, 33:19 "He that is Christ, was wounded for our transgressions, 33:22 He was bruised for our iniquities, 33:24 the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, 33:28 and by His stripes we are healed." 33:32 We receive healing 33:35 through and by the stripes of Christ. 33:39 We receive healing though the sacrifice of Jesus Christ 33:43 that is where we go to be healed, 33:46 that's why I like to say to the people 33:48 that come to church, I share with them, 33:50 don't stop coming to church, why? 33:53 Because the church is a hospital. 33:56 A hospital for who? 33:57 A hospital for sinners. 33:59 We go there every week 34:01 to receive the medication that we so desperately need 34:05 and that medication flows from Calvary. 34:09 It's the medication that Jesus gives through His sacrifice. 34:15 A hospital for sinners, by His stripes we are healed. 34:20 That is the good news of the gospel. 34:23 Jesus was tempted, 34:25 He was tempted to come down from the cross 34:27 and save Himself. 34:29 If you read the accounts there in the gospels, 34:33 you discover that Jesus was tempted 34:35 to come down from the cross 34:39 by the unruly rabble that had cried out crucify, 34:43 and crucify Him by the religious leaders, 34:45 by the Roman soldiers, 34:48 and by one of the thieves on the cross. 34:52 If you are the Son of God, why didn't You come down, 34:56 and save Yourself and us, cried the thief. 34:59 Notice these words that were shared 35:03 or that were directed at Christ 35:06 in order to inflict even greater pain and suffering, 35:10 Matthew 27:42, 35:12 "He saved others, Himself He cannot" what? 35:16 "He cannot save." 35:18 These words were designed to inflict pain, 35:23 more pain to the heart of Jesus Christ. 35:28 But little did they know, 35:30 little did they know those who utter these words 35:33 that they were actually speaking 35:36 the gospel in a nutshell. 35:39 This is the gospel in a nutshell. 35:42 Why is that? 35:43 That is because God could not save His Son 35:48 and save you and me at the same time. 35:51 Jesus could not save Himself 35:54 and also save us at the same time. 35:57 Someone had to pay the price, for the Bible is very clear, 36:02 in Romans 6:23, it tells us, 36:04 "For the wages of sin is" what? 36:06 "Is death." 36:08 And we're not talking about 36:10 dying the way we understand dying, 36:11 the Bible calls that the first death. 36:14 The death that Apostle Paul speaks over in Romans 6:23 36:17 is the second death according to scripture. 36:19 The death where there is no more coming back. 36:23 There is no more coming into the arms 36:25 of your loving heavenly Father 36:27 where it is separation from God the Father forever 36:31 and ever and ever. 36:34 Jesus could not save you 36:38 and me and Himself all at the same time. 36:42 Someone had to drink 36:44 that bitter cup of eternal separation, 36:48 and Jesus chose to be separated 36:50 from His heavenly Father forever, 36:54 in order that we might be reunited 36:57 with our heavenly Father and live with Him forever. 37:01 That's the gospel, that's the good news. 37:04 If that doesn't drawer us to Jesus, what will? 37:07 What will? 37:08 Can God demonstrate His love 37:12 in a more profound manner? 37:15 I certainly can't think of another way. 37:18 Notice what we read in Luke 23, 37:22 Luke, he goes on, 37:24 and he shares with us 37:25 what was taking place there at Calvary, 37:27 Luke 23:46, 37:30 "And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, 37:33 He said, 'Father, into Your hands 37:36 I commit My spirit.' 37:37 Having said this, He breathed His last." 37:41 Father into thy hands I commit My spirit, 37:44 what did Jesus cry out in a loud voice 37:48 before He uttered those final words? 37:51 He cried out the words, it is finished. 37:56 According to John 19:30, "It is finished." 38:02 Those same words are translated 38:05 in 1 John 4:8, 38:07 "God is love." 38:11 God is love. 38:13 Jesus paid the price. 38:16 Jesus won the victory. 38:19 He claimed the victory on our behalf. 38:21 Those same three words 38:23 we heard them at the very beginning in the garden, 38:26 when God went looking for Adam and Eve. 38:29 And He said, where are you? 38:34 Where are you? 38:37 God's ultimate rescue plan 38:40 completed at Calvary. 38:45 Jesus rested in His Father's care and keeping. 38:49 Jesus could not see His Father's face 38:53 as we'll get to in just a moment. 38:54 But He rested by trusting in His heavenly Father. 38:59 He rested not by sight, not by feeling, but by faith. 39:04 And He was able to cry out My dear Father, 39:07 My Father into Your hands, I commit my spirit. 39:12 Jesus died after being on the cross for only six hours 39:17 as I've already shared. 39:19 Why is that? 39:20 Why did Jesus die after being on the cross 39:23 for only six hours? 39:24 Matthew in his gospel gives us a powerful insight. 39:28 Notice these words, 39:30 "Now from the sixth hour until the ninth 39:33 there was darkness all over the land. 39:36 And about the ninth hour 39:37 Jesus cried out with a loud voice..." 39:40 That word there, loud is the word mega. 39:43 This is not a whisper, not a whimper. 39:46 This is a loud cry, this is a shriek. 39:50 "Cried out with a loud voice saying, 39:52 "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" 39:55 that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" 40:00 Why was Jesus on the cross for only six hours? 40:04 It was because He died not of the pain, 40:08 not of the suffering, not of asphyxiation 40:10 but Jesus died of a broken heart. 40:13 Really? Jesus died of a broken heart. 40:17 Are you trying to tell me Danny that that's the truth? 40:20 Absolutely, notice these words that were prophesied 40:22 about Jesus Christ in the Book of Psalm 13:1, 40:28 "How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? 40:33 How long will You hide Your face from me?" 40:36 This is your David prophesying 40:38 what Jesus would be experiencing 40:42 on Calvary's mount. 40:46 It goes on Psalm 69:20 and 21, 40:50 "Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness, 40:55 I looked for someone to take pity, 40:57 but there was none. 40:59 And for comforters, but I found none. 41:01 And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink." 41:04 Notice those first few words, reproach has done what? 41:09 Broken my heart. 41:11 Reproach has broken my heart, 41:14 so what effect 41:17 did the Father having to turn His face 41:20 away from His Son have on the Son of God 41:23 that broke His heart. 41:25 That's why the Bible says 41:27 there was darkness all over the earth 41:29 from midday to 3:00 p.m., there was darkness. 41:33 The Father had to turn away from His Son, 41:36 and why did the Father have turn away from His Son? 41:39 It was simply this, 41:40 Jesus had to pay the price of sin. 41:45 The Bible says sin separates us from God, 41:49 and Jesus had to experience 41:51 that separation from His Father. 41:55 He had to go through everything 41:58 that sadly those who do not accept 42:00 the good news of the gospel 42:01 will have to experience themselves at the end of time. 42:05 Jesus drank that cup filled with sin 42:09 which is separation from God. 42:12 The Bible says in the end sadly those who reject the cup 42:17 that Jesus drank on their behalf, 42:19 the price that Jesus paid for them, 42:22 they sadly will drink that cup themselves 42:25 and they will experience 42:27 their final and ultimate separation 42:30 from their heavenly Father. 42:32 Reproach has broken my heart. 42:34 I wanted to do a little bit of research 42:36 and find out whether you can actually die of a broken heart. 42:40 We're heard of young people, teenagers, talking about, 42:44 "Oh, you broke my heart. 42:46 Oh, I'm shattered. 42:47 Oh, I cannot live and so on and so forth. 42:50 And we kind of think that's all just 42:52 part of being a romantic teenager 42:55 or a romantic 20 something 42:57 or a romantic 30 something or whatever the case might be. 43:00 But I discovered that you can actually die 43:02 of a literal broken heart. 43:05 I went to the famous 43:08 and world leading hospital 43:11 and research institute Johns Hopkins, 43:14 and I punched in the words 43:19 a broken heart. 43:21 Frequently asked questions 43:23 about a broken heart syndrome came up. 43:26 And notice the words 43:28 from this particular website, from Johns Hopkins. 43:33 "Stress cardiomyopathy, Stress cardiomyopathy, 43:38 also referred to as the "broken heart syndrome, 43:41 "is a condition in which intense emotional 43:44 or physical stress can cause rapid 43:46 and severe heart muscle weakness, 43:49 cardiomyopathy. 43:51 This condition can occur 43:53 following a variety of emotional stressors 43:55 such as grief, 43:57 that is the death of a loved one, 43:58 fear, extreme anger, and surprise." 44:01 Jesus died of a broken heart, why? 44:05 Because He experienced that extreme emotional trauma 44:10 that you and I cannot even begin to comprehend 44:13 when the Father had to separate Himself from His Son. 44:19 That is why Jesus Christ cried out, My God, My God, 44:24 why have You forsaken Me? 44:27 He felt completely abandoned. 44:31 That is the consequences of sin. 44:34 The consequences of sin 44:37 are that we completely abandoned, 44:40 we're completely separated from God, 44:43 and that's why Jesus came to bridge that gulf 44:46 that we could never bridge. 44:48 We needed a rescuer 44:49 and we needed a rescue from above, 44:51 that was our only hope. 44:53 Jesus was willing to be forsaken, my friends, 44:57 in order that we may be forgiven. 45:01 Not only did Jesus cried out, 45:03 "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" 45:05 But Jesus also cried out, Father forgive them, 45:10 for they don't know what they're doing, 45:11 forgive them all. 45:13 Forgive them. 45:15 Why would you want to turn your back on such a gift? 45:19 Why would you want to say no to such an invitation? 45:25 Father forgive them, it's for you, it's for me, 45:27 it's for all of us wherever we may be watching, 45:30 wherever you may be watching, in a palace, in a prison, 45:35 somewhere in between the gospel is for all, 45:39 for God is not willing that any should perish, 45:42 but that all should to come to repentance 45:44 and receive that wonderful gift of salvation. 45:48 John 3:16 puts it in the most beautiful way possible, 45:53 "For God so loved the world..." 45:56 Well, let's say this together, we've got to say this together, 45:58 don't we? 45:59 Let's say it together. 46:01 "For God so loved the world that He gave 46:04 His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him 46:08 should not perish but have" what? 46:10 "Everlasting life." 46:12 There is the gospel. 46:13 Whoever believes in Him will never have to perish, 46:18 will never have to experience the second death 46:21 that Jesus Christ experienced. 46:22 And I have people say to me but Danny, 46:24 didn't Jesus say that He would rise again, 46:27 didn't He know that He would rise again? 46:30 Yes, it's true. 46:31 He did say that, and He did know that 46:33 He would rise again, 46:35 but the truth of the matter is the Bible tells us that 46:37 Jesus Christ was not only the divine Son of God, 46:42 He was also the Son of man. 46:44 He was both the Son of God and the Son of man. 46:47 And His humanness, if I could put it that way, 46:51 in His humanness He experienced that complete separation, 46:57 in His humanness He could not see beyond the tomb, 47:00 in His humanness He experienced everything associated 47:03 with being forsaken, 47:04 but in His divine Godly strength and nature 47:11 He was both, God and man, He continued to put His faith 47:16 and trust in the heavenly Father who was there with Him 47:20 by his side even though in His humanness 47:24 He could not see or experience it. 47:29 That is how we need live, my friends. 47:32 That is how we need live in this final end times. 47:36 The Bible says that Joshua lived by faith. 47:38 The Bible says in the Book of Revelation 47:41 that God's people, they keep the commandments of God 47:45 and they have the faith of Jesus, 47:47 they have faith in Jesus, 47:48 they had the same faith that Jesus had, 47:50 that's Revelation 14:12. 47:52 God's people at the end of time 47:54 will experience pain and anguish, 47:56 God's people at the end of time 47:59 will experience the temptations of separation, 48:06 but God's people will need to put their faith and trust 48:09 in God's word. 48:11 In the promises of God's word and not in how they feel. 48:14 Today sadly we're living in a day and age 48:16 where even in Christian circles people are making decisions 48:22 on how they feel, what the God is telling them 48:25 rather than what God's word says. 48:28 Doest matters not how you wake up in the morning, 48:31 whether you wake up happy or sad, 48:33 that matters not as far as how much God loves you. 48:37 How much God wants to save you the plans that God has for you. 48:42 We need to put our faith and trust in God's word 48:44 and live by faith, not by sight. 48:48 The everlasting gospel needs to go to all the world. 48:52 It needs to go to all the world. 48:54 This message of God's love needs to go to all the world. 48:58 The truth about what God was willing to do 49:02 needs to go to all the world. 49:03 The truth that God was willing to empty out heaven 49:08 with the greatest and the best gift of all. 49:13 The truth is, my friends, 49:14 God was willing to bankrupt heaven when He gave Jesus. 49:20 I know that's something you and I can't really comprehend, 49:23 so don't even try. 49:24 I've tried and I'm not getting very far at all. 49:27 But the truth of the matter is that in giving Jesus Christ, 49:33 God risked bankrupting heaven. 49:36 You think about that. 49:37 What would heaven be like without Jesus Christ? 49:41 It wouldn't be a place worth living in, isn't that right? 49:44 I wouldn't want to be in heaven without Jesus? 49:48 Who cares about the streets of gold? 49:50 Who cares about the mansions? 49:52 If Jesus isn't there, I don't want to be there. 49:56 The darling of heaven, 49:58 the desire of all the ages that someone once put it. 50:03 God was willing to risk never seeing His Son again 50:09 in order to bring us back to Himself. 50:13 That is why thousands and millions 50:19 of the followers of Christ 50:20 had been willing to live out their final days 50:23 in dark and dank prisons. 50:26 Have been willing to be tortured and beaten, 50:31 that is why thousands upon millions 50:34 have been willing to be torn apart by wild beasts, 50:39 because of what Christ has done for them. 50:42 Willing to give everything and anything. 50:44 And today, today, today as we sit here today, 50:49 as we watch wherever we may be watching, 50:51 there are people, men and women, boys and girls, 50:54 who are giving up their lives for Jesus Christ. 50:58 Why? 50:59 That is because Jesus gave everything for them. 51:03 When you recognize how much God loves you, 51:06 when you recognize what God was willing to give to save you, 51:10 you're willing to give everything for God. 51:13 Nothing is too much, nothing is too great a sacrifice, 51:18 because you recognize, 51:19 you recognize the truth that Jesus had to die 51:24 a death without hope, 51:27 where as you and I we die a death with hope. 51:31 That's the difference between 51:33 the sacrifice of Christ and the death of the martyr. 51:37 The martyr dies with the blessed hope. 51:42 The Apostle Paul said very clearly 51:45 that he was about to die and he said, 51:48 the crown of life which the Lord the righteous judge 51:52 has for me. 51:53 He was assured of his salvation. 51:55 He was assured that he would see Jesus. 51:57 There was no darkness that surrounded the Apostle Paul, 52:00 there was only glorious light, 52:03 but not so with Jesus, not so with Jesus. 52:07 That is why even today there are those 52:10 who are willing to go to the utter ends of the earth 52:14 to share this good news of the gospel. 52:16 That is why we're sharing his message via this telecast 52:20 the three angels' messages. 52:23 What are the three angels' messages? 52:25 Revelation 14:6 tells us 52:27 that it's the everlasting gospel, 52:29 writes John that has to go to every nation, 52:32 kindred, tongue, and people. 52:34 The good news of the gospel, 52:35 the good news that Jesus loves the world 52:38 and He is here to save. 52:40 He was at the cross, and he saw Jesus. 52:44 He was an eye witness to Jesus. 52:47 John the Revelator, the beloved John, 52:50 notice these words that he writes in 1 John 3:1, 52:54 "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, 52:59 that we should be called the'' what? 53:01 "The children of God!" 53:03 John, I can just picture him in my minds eye, 53:07 he's grappling, he's trying to find words 53:10 to express the love of God and he can't. 53:14 Human language is inadequate and all he can say is behold. 53:19 Look, wonder. 53:22 What love of the Father 53:26 that we are to be called children of God. 53:29 So the question is how can I become a child of God? 53:33 How can I become a child of the King of kings 53:37 and Lord of Lord's? 53:39 Notice these words from the same John. 53:41 John 1:12 who by the way was willing to give up his life 53:48 for his savior. 53:50 Notice these beautiful words, John 1:12, 53:52 "But as many as received Him, 53:55 to them He gave the right to become children of God, 53:58 to those who believe in His name." 54:01 It's a simple as that. 54:03 As many as received Him, 54:05 as many has received Him, it's a gift from God. 54:08 That's what the gospel is, it's a gift. 54:11 You come to Jesus just as you are. 54:13 He takes you as your are, 54:14 and then He begins to transform you day by day, 54:17 more and more into His image. 54:20 You come just as you are. 54:22 I want to take you finally to the interaction 54:27 that Jesus had in Luke 23:42, 54:31 with one of those that was on his side, 54:35 one of the thieves on his side, 54:36 notice what took place, Luke here records. 54:39 "Then he said to Jesus, 54:41 "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." 54:44 And Jesus said to him, 'Assuredly, I say to you, 54:48 today you will be with Me, where? 54:51 In Paradise." 54:52 ' Jesus assured this thief, this thief that deserve to die, 54:57 He recognize that. 54:59 He said we deserve this, 55:01 but here is one who is pure, who is holy, 55:04 who doesn't deserve this. 55:07 And he saw in Jesus, not a common criminal, 55:12 but he saw in Jesus the Lord. 55:15 He saw in Jesus the Lord and he cried out, 55:19 remember me when You come, and Jesus said, 55:21 yes I'm telling you the truth today, 55:24 write it down, my friend, 55:25 I'm telling you the truth today. 55:26 When I come in all My glory, 55:29 you will be with me forever more, 55:31 because I'm here today to pay the price for your sins 55:35 that you may be with me in glory. 55:39 That's not where the story ends, 55:40 the story ends with an open tomb, 55:43 an open tomb. 55:45 He is alive, He is alive 55:49 and this is the risen Christ with a final invitation 55:54 there in the Book of Revelation, 55:55 the last book of the Bible, 55:56 and I want to end with this powerful invitation 55:59 from Jesus Christ. 56:00 Behold, in Revelation 3:20, "Behold, says Jesus, 56:05 these are the words of Jesus Himself. 56:07 I stand at the door and" what? "Knock. 56:09 If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, 56:11 I will come in to him and dine with him, and He with Me." 56:15 What an invitation? What an invitation? 56:19 Jesus says, behold, I'm standing, I'm knocking, 56:22 I'm knocking. 56:24 Is that your decision today, my friend? 56:26 Do you want to invite Jesus into your heart? 56:30 Do you want to say yes to the good news of the gospel? 56:34 Do you want to say yes, Lord, 56:35 I want to be rescued and I recognize 56:39 that my only rescue is from above, 56:42 from the one who came down to pay for my sins. 56:46 If that's your decision, if you want to right now 56:48 either accept Jesus Christ for the first time, 56:52 or recommit your life to Christ, 56:54 or you have may be wandered away from Christ, 56:56 but today is the day to respond to the knock 57:01 on your heart by Jesus. 57:03 Why don't you just raise your hand with me as we pray, 57:06 Father in heaven, 57:07 we want to thank You so much 57:08 for the good news of the gospel. 57:10 Oh, Father, words cannot express 57:14 our gratefulness. 57:17 Oh, Father, 57:18 may we not so much in words say thank You 57:21 but through our lives, 57:22 lives lived for the glory of God. 57:25 Oh, Father, I pray for each person 57:27 who is watching those who are here. 57:30 Father, enter their hearts through the Son, 57:33 through Your Son Jesus Christ and bless each one 57:36 until that great day when we see you in the clouds, 57:39 is our prayer in Jesus' name, and everybody say it amen, 57:43 and amen, and amen. |
Revised 2016-12-19