Celebrating Transformation: The Power of Baptism and the Cross
Summary
In the mighty name of Jesus, we gather today to celebrate one of the most profound expressions of faith: baptism. Baptism is not just a ritual; it is a public declaration of a heart transformed by Christ. It is a moment where individuals stand before their community to proclaim that Jesus lives in their hearts and that they are committed to living for Him. Today, we witness the baptism of several individuals, each with their unique journey to this moment of faith. From Channing and her mother Tara, who have experienced significant life changes since joining our church, to Kinsley, Abigail, Haley, Kara, and Josh, each person has a story of transformation and commitment to share.
As we celebrate these baptisms, we also reflect on the significance of Jesus' crucifixion. Skeptics may argue that Jesus' death was exaggerated or politically motivated, but historical evidence and scripture affirm that His crucifixion was a necessary and prophetic act. Jesus' death was not just a historical event; it was the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, fulfilling over 300 prophecies and establishing a new covenant between God and humanity. His crucifixion was not a tragedy but a substitutionary act of love, offering redemption and reconciliation with God.
The cross is central to our faith because it represents the fulfillment of God's plan for salvation. Jesus' death and resurrection are not just theological concepts but historical realities that demand a response from us. As we approach Easter, we are reminded of the hope and new life that Jesus' resurrection brings. It is a call to examine our own lives and consider our relationship with Christ. Whether you are new to faith or have walked with Jesus for years, His sacrifice on the cross is an invitation to live a life transformed by His love and grace.
Key Takeaways:
- Baptism is a powerful declaration of faith, symbolizing a heart transformed by Jesus. It is a public commitment to live for Christ and a celebration of new life in Him. [00:00]
- Jesus' crucifixion was not just a political execution but a prophetic fulfillment of God's plan for salvation. His death was necessary to atone for our sins and establish a new covenant with God. [39:23]
- The historical evidence of Jesus' death is undeniable, with both secular and religious sources affirming His crucifixion. This reality challenges us to consider the significance of His sacrifice in our own lives. [22:37]
- Jesus' death on the cross was an act of love, offering redemption and reconciliation with God. It fulfilled the Old Testament law and created a new way for us to approach God directly. [01:14:01]
- As we celebrate Easter, we are reminded of the hope and new life that Jesus' resurrection brings. It is an invitation to examine our relationship with Christ and live a life transformed by His love and grace. [25:15]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:30] - The Significance of Baptism
- [02:15] - Channing's Baptism
- [05:00] - Tara's Baptism
- [08:00] - Kinsley's Baptism
- [10:30] - Abigail's Baptism
- [13:00] - Haley's Baptism
- [15:30] - Kara's Baptism
- [17:42] - Josh's Baptism
- [22:37] - The Necessity of Jesus' Crucifixion
- [25:15] - Historical Evidence of Jesus' Death
- [39:23] - Prophetic Fulfillment of the Cross
- [01:14:01] - The Invitation of Easter
- [01:16:30] - Closing Prayer and Invitation
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Mark 15:19 - "And they struck him on the head with a reed stick, spit on him, and dropped to their knees in mock worship."
2. John 19:32-35 - "So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn’t break his legs. One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out."
3. Isaiah 53:5 - "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."
Observation Questions:
1. What does the act of baptism symbolize according to the sermon? [17:42]
2. How does the sermon describe the process and brutality of Roman crucifixion? [39:23]
3. What evidence does the sermon provide to affirm the historical reality of Jesus' crucifixion? [25:15]
4. How does the sermon explain the significance of Jesus' death in fulfilling Old Testament prophecies? [39:23]
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the sermon interpret the significance of Jesus' crucifixion as more than just a political execution? [39:23]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that Jesus' death was a fulfillment of prophecy and a necessary act for salvation? [39:23]
3. How does the sermon address the skepticism surrounding the historical evidence of Jesus' death and resurrection? [25:15]
4. What does the sermon imply about the personal response required from believers in light of Jesus' sacrifice? [01:14:01]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own baptism or the decision to be baptized. How does it serve as a public declaration of your faith, and how can you continue to live out that commitment daily? [17:42]
2. The sermon emphasizes the historical evidence of Jesus' crucifixion. How does this evidence impact your faith and understanding of Jesus' sacrifice? [25:15]
3. Consider the prophetic fulfillment of Jesus' death. How does this deepen your appreciation for the Old Testament and its connection to the New Testament? [39:23]
4. The sermon challenges us to examine our relationship with Christ. What steps can you take this week to strengthen your relationship with Him and live a life transformed by His love and grace? [01:14:01]
5. How can you share the significance of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection with someone who may be skeptical or unfamiliar with the Christian faith? [25:15]
6. As Easter approaches, how can you use this time to reflect on the hope and new life that Jesus' resurrection brings? What specific actions can you take to embody this hope in your daily life? [01:14:01]
7. The sermon mentions the importance of community in supporting one's faith journey. How can you actively participate in your church community to encourage and support others in their walk with Christ? [17:42]
Devotional
Day 1: Baptism as a Declaration of Transformation
Baptism is a profound declaration of faith, symbolizing a heart transformed by Jesus. It is not merely a ritual but a public commitment to live for Christ and a celebration of new life in Him. When individuals stand before their community to be baptized, they are proclaiming that Jesus lives in their hearts and that they are committed to living for Him. This act of faith is a powerful testament to the transformative power of Christ's love and grace. As we witness the baptism of individuals like Channing, Tara, Kinsley, Abigail, Haley, Kara, and Josh, we are reminded of the unique journeys each person has taken to reach this moment of faith. [00:00]
Colossians 2:12 (ESV): "Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead."
Reflection: Think about your own journey of faith. How can you publicly declare your commitment to Christ in your daily life today?
Day 2: The Crucifixion as Prophetic Fulfillment
Jesus' crucifixion was not just a political execution but a prophetic fulfillment of God's plan for salvation. His death was necessary to atone for our sins and establish a new covenant with God. Historical evidence and scripture affirm that Jesus' crucifixion was a necessary and prophetic act, fulfilling over 300 prophecies. This act was not a tragedy but a substitutionary act of love, offering redemption and reconciliation with God. As we reflect on the significance of Jesus' crucifixion, we are challenged to consider the impact of His sacrifice in our own lives. [39:23]
Isaiah 53:5 (ESV): "But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed."
Reflection: Consider the prophecies fulfilled by Jesus' crucifixion. How does understanding this fulfillment deepen your appreciation for His sacrifice?
Day 3: The Historical Reality of Jesus' Death
The historical evidence of Jesus' death is undeniable, with both secular and religious sources affirming His crucifixion. This reality challenges us to consider the significance of His sacrifice in our own lives. Jesus' death on the cross was an act of love, offering redemption and reconciliation with God. It fulfilled the Old Testament law and created a new way for us to approach God directly. As we approach Easter, we are reminded of the hope and new life that Jesus' resurrection brings. [22:37]
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (ESV): "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures."
Reflection: Reflect on the historical evidence of Jesus' death. How does this evidence strengthen your faith and understanding of His sacrifice?
Day 4: The Cross as an Act of Love
Jesus' death on the cross was an act of love, offering redemption and reconciliation with God. It fulfilled the Old Testament law and created a new way for us to approach God directly. The cross is central to our faith because it represents the fulfillment of God's plan for salvation. Jesus' death and resurrection are not just theological concepts but historical realities that demand a response from us. As we celebrate Easter, we are reminded of the hope and new life that Jesus' resurrection brings. [01:14:01]
Ephesians 2:13-14 (ESV): "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility."
Reflection: Think of a specific area in your life where you need to experience God's love and reconciliation. How can you invite Jesus into that area today?
Day 5: Easter as an Invitation to Transformation
As we celebrate Easter, we are reminded of the hope and new life that Jesus' resurrection brings. It is an invitation to examine our relationship with Christ and live a life transformed by His love and grace. Whether you are new to faith or have walked with Jesus for years, His sacrifice on the cross is an invitation to live a life transformed by His love and grace. This Easter, let us reflect on the hope and new life that Jesus' resurrection brings and consider how we can live out this transformation in our daily lives. [25:15]
2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV): "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
Reflection: As Easter approaches, what is one specific way you can embrace the new life that Jesus offers and live out this transformation in your daily life?
Quotes
"We're getting ready to move into one of my favorite things to be able to do as a pastor And that's baptize people Because here's the thing about baptism I'm excited when I see a heart change But when somebody makes the public declaration of their faith in Jesus That is one of the coolest things to me And all of you friends and family that are here today I'm excited that you're here And you're here to support your people Come support them every Sunday I'd love to see you Shameless plug, 10 .30 every Sunday" [00:11:37]
"There we go I'm helping you out Here in just a second This is Channing If you don't know, this is Channing And her mom, Tara, is back here in line too And I think she's got a whole host of people here to support this morning Yes Channing and her mom are some of the first people we met when we moved to Tennessee We just stumbled into their store one day and met them And had an instant connection Now it took me a year to convince them to come to church here But they started coming And one of the coolest things I've seen is just God working their lives And God moving in their lives And the change that's taking place in their lives I'm excited to watch this family grow And the things God's doing in them Channing, you got anything you want to say to the crowd this morning? No? All right Well, cool I'm going to ask you two questions And then we'll have you get on your knees I'm not going to, you know, hold you under too long, I promise Only like ten seconds You got ten seconds in you? I'm just kidding The first question I ask anybody who's getting baptized Channing, does Jesus live in your heart? Do you confess He's your Lord and Savior? Yes And by getting baptized What you're telling everybody is that Hey, Christ is the Lord of my life Do you promise that from this day forward You live for Him with everything in you? Yes All right Come on, get down on your knees Oh, man" [00:14:53]
"Because what it is Is it's that declaration of them saying Hey, there's something going on in my life And I want to tell everybody about it Man, it's exciting to get to baptize people And it's exciting because the friends and family come and support them And I get one service If they never come back I get one service to try and tell you about Jesus But here's the thing Next Sunday, 1030 It's Easter You need to come back A lot of our regular folks that are out of pocket this week We got a lot of regular folks out of pocket this week And we still got a good crowd in here Next week is Easter Sunday I want to see you all again back here on Easter Next Saturday, my wife mentioned it We have our Easterpalooza Right?" [00:33:05]
"And we have dug in the last couple weeks And we've started looking at things like Was Jesus even real? Did he even exist? We asked the question of Was he a king? Last week we asked the question of Is he not only the Son of God But God himself? And what we did is we dug in From a detective type standpoint And we started looking at Was Jesus real? Week one And history tells us that Jesus is real Secular scholars tell us that he was real Even pagans tell us that Jesus was real There is historical evidence From records kept by the Jews And by the Romans That Jesus was a real man The next week we looked at Was Jesus a king?" [00:36:26]
"Because people who don't believe in Jesus Skeptics will tell you Jesus is not or He really wasn't a king He was just some dude Well we began to dig into that a little bit And we got to looking at His genealogy Both from his dad, Joseph His adopted father And from Mary, his mom And legally through Joseph He had a right to the throne of David And according to the bloodline of Mary He had a right to the throne of David So we proved he was a king Last week we asked the question Was he God? Not just the Son of God Or not just a man But was he actually God? Because the skeptics will try to tell you That he was just a good moral teacher That he wasn't God That he was not divinity But as we began to dig in And look at the evidence We found that he is God He made statements that Defined himself as God He did things that Only God could do And so this week As we kind of come in We're going to ask the last question Did Jesus really die?" [00:37:04]
"And if so Was his crucifixion necessary? Did Jesus really die? And if so Was his crucifixion necessary? So let's start With how we've been starting And look at what The skeptics say What do the skeptics say? The skeptics will say Jesus' crucifixion Was either exaggerated It was unnecessary Or it was a political execution With no spiritual meaning There are people that say Jesus didn't actually die He faked his own death And he revived later on And left the tomb He really wasn't dead When they put him in there They argued that his death Had no real purpose And the idea of being him A sacrifice for sin Was a theological invention Later on In history Skeptics will use Something called The swoon theory Have you ever heard Of the swoon theory?" [00:38:20]
"What the swoon theory says Is that Jesus Never actually died That He appeared dead And later Revived He just fainted Or he went into Some coma like state Now Listen This theory Is a theory That's been debunked Multiple times In history And it doesn't Hold a lot of water Most theologians Most historical scholars Will say Hey the swoon theory Is not true But there's still A lot of people That'll hold to that They'll say that Jesus was just A failed revolutionary That skeptics Will say his death Was a political execution By Rome Not a divine sacrifice He was only killed Because of political purposes There was no real reason For his death Past politics Nobody's ever Disappeared over politics Today right I'm not going there That's a different That's a different place The idea of his death Being an atonement For sin Was invented later And some claim Jesus' crucifixion Had no spiritual significance And was not A fulfillment Of Jewish law But what did we talk About the other week When we talked about Fulfillment of the Jewish law Jesus fulfilled over 300 prophecies Right An improbable mathematical statistic That he could fulfill Just a few of them And he fulfilled over 300 Some people say As many as 500 But skeptics will say Hey Jesus didn't do anything He did not fulfill that law He didn't do anything for us So we're going to dig into Some of these claims this morning And we're going to answer The question Was Jesus' crucifixion Necessary Did he die And was it necessary Lord I pray that For the next few minutes You would open our ears And open our hearts To hear and to receive What you have for us today God I'm so thankful For what you already did today And you're doing In the lives of those That got baptized God I pray that you would Continue to do that Lord in this word today And we just give you The praise for it In Jesus name Amen So did Jesus really die And does his crucifixion Mean anything Let's look at a couple Things here Mark 15 19 says And they struck him On the head With a reed stick Spit on him And dropped to their knees In mock worship How does crucifixion work Crucifixion Historically Was one of the most Gruesome ways Someone could die The Romans If you know anything About the Romans They were trained Assassins They were trained In the art Of execution The idea that Jesus could have Survived crucifixion Ignores the brutality Of what the crucifixion Really looked like Roman flogging Which is what Happened to Jesus Before he hung on the cross Was many times A lethal way To kill somebody Right They died Most of the time From the flogging Before they ever Went to a cross There was recorded History Multiple times From Roman Historians Telling where people Died From the flogging Now if you know Anything about flogging It was done With the cat Of nine tails A cat of nine tails Was a whip That had nine strands And in those nine strands Were fragments of bone And pottery And metal Whatever else They could embed Into that cat Of nine tails And when They flogged Somebody They would hit them With this cat Of nine tails And the bone And the glass And the metal Would literally Dig into somebody's skin And when they Ripped that whip Back off Many times Chunks of skin Would come off With it It wasn't like They just hit them With a ruler Some of us Got our hands Smacked by a ruler When we were kids Can't do that In school now But I got my hands Smacked more than once In school It wasn't like Getting smacked And you get the little Whelp on top Of your hands It wasn't like When my dad Took a belt To my rear end And I might have Had a whelp or two We're talking about Thing that would Rip the flesh From your skin The Roman flogging Was nothing Short of brutal It was one of the Most severe forms Of punishment You could receive And not just for Jesus This was a regularly Done punishment This wasn't something Special they did For Christ Anyone who was Flogged was flogged This way And recorded history Shows that many Of the victims Died from the flogging Alone before Ever reaching The cross And this was done Under Roman law It was permitted By Roman law And Rome Reserved this Treatment for Non -Roman citizens So they wouldn't do it To their own people Right They would only do it To non -Roman citizens Jews Anybody who wasn't A Roman citizens Right And the typical way That it was done Was that the person Being scourged Was stripped naked They were tied To a low pillar So that they could Bend over it Or they would be Chained to an upright Pillar so that they Could be stretched out And then two Roman guards Sometimes more Would take turns Beating the person With the cat of nine tails There was no limit To how many times They could hit a person Either It was up to The people Actually doing the scourging They could hit them Ten times They could hit them Twenty times They could hit them Until they couldn't Swing anymore It was up to The Roman guards Doing the scourging" [00:38:33]
"It was totally Didn't kill them Then the crucifixion Made sure that they Were dead The crucifixion In the Roman empire Was designed To ensure death There was no doubt When they got off Of that cross That that person Was dead Victims were nailed Through their wrists And their feet And that would cause Them to be weak And not be able To breathe And they would die Of suffocation You imagine Hanging somewhere With nails Through your wrists And through your feet And trying to pull Yourself up To take a breath It's hard to do I can't imagine it I can't imagine it At all Because all of your weight Is on those nails And a person Would literally Suffocate To death And the soldiers To confirm That the person Was dead Or to speed up death Would then come And break their legs So that they couldn't Push up on their legs And get a breath But the Bible says That when they came To Jesus He was already dead Well pastor I don't know That the Bible's true I don't know That that's real I don't know If we can trust What the Bible says Well if you were here In week one You know We looked And history And historians Tell us That the Bible Is a reliable source Secular historians Tell us That it's a reliable source And so if it's In the Bible We can trust What it says Because it's not Just Christians Saying that the Bible Is true History tells us That there are Reliable sources That wrote the Bible And we can trust What it says And so it says That Jesus Was already dead When they came To him John 19 Verse 32 Through 33 Says So the soldiers Came and broke The legs Of the two men Crucified with Jesus But when they Came to Jesus They saw that He was already Dead So they didn't Break His legs If you read Down into 34 and 35 And it says One of the soldiers However Pierced his side With a spear And immediately Blood and water Float out This is the report From an eyewitness Giving an accurate Account He speaks the truth So that you also May continue To believe What the spear Did Was confirmed His death When they came Up to Jesus And saw that Jesus was dead To confirm He was dead They pierced His side With the spear And scripture Says that Water and blood Flowed from the Wound That they Pierced him With Where they Pierced him There was another Evidence That Jesus Was dead Because fluid Only builds up Around your heart And lungs For two reasons Asphyxia Or hypovolemic shock I think I said That right Right Asphyxia And hypovolemic shock Due to blood loss The only reasons Medically you get Build up around Your heart And lungs Of fluid And if you Have that build up You are Dead Medically Dead Now remember Jesus hung on the cross Before we had The miracle Of modern medicine That we have Today And most people Today That if they Were to come Into a hospital And there was A build up Of fluid Around their Heart and lungs From aphyxia Or hypovolemic shock The chance of them Surviving is very slim And in Jesus time It wasn't happening Jesus was not Going to survive this He died So the claim That Jesus Never died Isn't true Here's the thing The Romans Were professional Executioners They didn't let People survive The crucifixion They were not Going to let Jesus fake it They were going To make sure Before they took Him off the cross That he was dead And in the case Of Jesus There were two Separate groups Of soldiers To confirm He was dead So it wasn't Like a normal Crucifixion Where we made Sure Shannon's dead They brought in A second set I know She's looking At me like Why are you Using me As your Because you Was staring At me" [00:45:28]
"They brought In a second Set of soldiers To make sure That Jesus Died And they put Them at the Tomb To make sure He didn't Come out Of there They made Sure he Was dead So the Claim that Jesus Faked his Death Couldn't Possibly Be True Right Do you Know that Jesus Also fulfilled Two prophecies On the cross That day Two prophecies The first Is in Exodus 12 46 Numbers 9 12 And Psalms 34 20 And it Speaks Of the Unbroken Passover Lamb And God's Care for Israel's Righteous King We just Read it A while ago That they Came up And they Broke the Legs Of the Two Criminals Beside Him But Jesus Was already Dead So they Didn't Break His Legs Prophecy Said That he Would be Unbroken For us The second Fulfillment Of prophecy That day Is found In Zechariah Chapter 12 Verses 10 Through 14 Where we See the Piercing Of his Side Fulfilled So all The fulfillment To in a Matter of Moments Right there On the Cross Here's what Jesus' Death on The cross Did It did It sealed His Love For Us The Romans Insured Jesus Was dead That there Was no Survival And that There Was only Death So for Them to Say Jesus Faked it Or that The swoon Theory Was what Happened There's Nothing To prove That Because Physically And medically There was No way That Jesus Could have Faked His Own Death He was Killed By men Who were Highly Trained And Skilled In Taking Someone's Life And they Would Never Let His Body Come Off The cross Unless They knew He Was Dead So to Say that Jesus Faked His Death And later On Was Revived That's Not how It worked Because History Records His Death We We Talked About Historians A few Weeks Ago And Some Of The Pagan Writers A few Weeks Ago That Talk About Jesus Death And He Wasn't Just Crucified And Killed But It Was Done Publicly There Were Witnesses To His Death Mark 15 39 Says That When The Roman Officers Who Stood Facing Him Saw How He Died He Exclaimed This Man Truly Was The Son Of God If Jesus Didn't Really Die Then Why Do So Many Independent Sources Affirm His Crucifixion Because Roman And Jewish Records Confirm His Death Tacitus Or Tacitus I'm Not Sure I'm Saying That Right Was A Roman Historian In A .D. 116 And He Wrote That Christus Suffered The Extreme Penalty Under Pontius Pilate Josephus Who Was A Judas Historian Recorded That Jesus Was Condemned To The Cross By Pilate And Even The Jewish Talmud On Page 42 I'll Give You The Page Number On Page 42 Confirms That Jesus Was Executed And It Says That Jesus Was Crucified One Day Before The Passover Now I Want You To Understand All Of These Sources Are Independent Sources And Not Christian Sources Every Single One Of Those Sources And There's More I Could Give You More Pliny The Younger Synaceous Thallus Phlegon Lucian Of Sommissota All Referred To The Crucifixion Of Jesus In Their Writings And Every One Of These People Were Pagan Or Secular Historians Who Record The Death Of Jesus How Do You Record The Death Of Jesus You Were There Or You Interviewed People That Were Physically There Eyewitnesses Watched Him Die John 19 25 Through 27 Standing Near The Cross Were Jesus Mother And His Mother Sister Mary The Wife Of Clopas And Mary Magdalene And When Jesus Saw His Mother Standing There Beside It The Disciple He Loved He Said To Her Dear Woman Here Is Your Son And He Said To This Disciple Here Is Your Mother And From Then On The Disciple Took Her Into His Home Mary John And The Other Women Stood At The Foot Of The Cross And You Can Read In Mark" [00:50:27]
"chapter 14 where Roman soldiers handled his body and confirmed he was dead that's why there were two groups and in Matthew 27 the Pharisees and the chief priests knew he was dead and they demanded his tomb be guarded not because they thought he faked his death because they didn't want his followers stealing his body why would you demand someone to guard a dead person right to try and stop the fulfillment of what Jesus did there was a sacrificial purpose to why Jesus died his death was documented his death was undeniable independent sources both friend and foe confirm that Jesus died on the cross and so the question is why did Jesus have to die well Paul says it in 3 13 but Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law what is that curse death and when he was hung on the cross he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing for it is written in the scriptures cursed is everyone who hung on a tree if Jesus death was just another execution why did his followers see it as the ultimate sacrifice for sin why did the Jews have his tomb guarded why did they do everything to silence him and to hush him from what he was saying and what he was doing because his crucifixion and his death was not just another death his crucifixion and his death was the ultimate sacrifice for you and for me the crucifixion was not political as they try to say but the crucifixion was prophetic because it had to happen for you and I to be free the Old Testament law said that the shedding of blood had to take place so that you could be redeemed and Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice for that now sure there was political reasons why Jesus was killed you got to think about the time they lived in the Jews didn't like the Romans and the Romans ruled over them and they were trying their hardest to keep an insurrection from being from rising up and so Jesus was killed for a political reason because the Romans didn't want to battle on their hands with the Jews but what they didn't realize is that it was more than that it was a prophetic event that took place Isaiah 53 5 says 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 Psalms 22 16 but my enemies surround me like a pack of dogs an evil gang closes in me they have pierced my hands and feet mark 8 31 then Jesus began to tell them that the son of man must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders the leading priests and the teachers of religious law he would be killed but three days later he would rise from the dead yes there were political motives to Jesus's death but his death was more than that it was prophetic his death had to happen to fulfill the prophecy that he was who he said he was Jesus death fulfilled prophecy but then it fulfilled the law and created a new covenant in the old testament we talked about this last week when someone needed to be redeemed from their sins or they messed up and they needed things changed and to be made right with God they had to sacrifice and in the old testament they had to sacrifice for everything I mean for everything but Jesus came and fulfilled the requirement of the sacrifice and the requirement for death for us to have freedom no longer are we required to have to go to God and put a sacrifice on an altar before a priest to be redeemed but now we can come boldly to Christ ourselves and we can enter in and we can walk up to him and we can be forgiven of our sins because he made the ultimate sacrifice on the cross that day Leviticus 17 11 says for the life of the body is in its blood I have given you the blood on the altar to purify you making you right with the Lord it is the blood given in exchange for a life that makes purification possible the old testament required a sacrifice forgiveness Hebrews 9 22 says in fact according to the law of Moses nearly everything was purified with blood for without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness but Jesus was the final sacrifice fulfilling the entire Jewish system of atonement the cross was a substitution not a tragedy Jesus didn't die for his own sins he died for ours and in place of ours when Jesus hung on the cross it wasn't because they didn't like him which they didn't and it wasn't for political reasons which part of it was but the ultimate reason he died on the cross was for you and I to have access to God without going through all the red tape and jumping through the hoops right I don't know how many of you have ever had to go to a government institution but you got to jump through a lot of hoops to get accomplished what you need to get accomplished and the Jewish law was much the same their institution said there were things you had to do but when Jesus hung on that cross he did away with all the red tape so we had open access to the father second Corinthians 5 21 said for God made Christ who never sinned to be the offering for our sin so that we could be made right with God through Christ his death reconciled us to God and it made salvation possible the cross completed the covenant the covenant that God made in the beginning with Adam and Eve if you go all the way back to the garden of even Eden God began unfolding his plan of redemption the minute Adam and Eve sinned the very minute they began to sin God started his plan of redemption why God could have just wiped Adam and Eve out right and started over but it goes to prove to you the kind of God he is he just doesn't do away with you when things don't go right he doesn't just do away with you when you mess up because if we're honest every one of us in this room today have messed up we've done things we're not proud of if I started laying out my list of sins y 'all look at me like boy this I don't know about him" [00:54:05]
"we've all got mess every single your pastors got mess y 'all I've talked about it plenty of times in this pulpit don't get in the car with me and go to Nashville I might show you my mess don't drive 30 in a 45 in front of me you might see my mess don't look at Brad 15 years ago you see some mess the fact of the matter is Jesus died for that mess thank God he doesn't take us out when we mess up because if that was the case would none of us be here today wouldn't none of us be walking wouldn't be none of us breathing today because I guarantee you there's going to be something I do this week because I'm human not that I'm going to go out and look for the sin but there's going to be something this week that I'm going to have to stop and say God help me with this" [01:01:05]
"we see it all through the Old Testament where we see humanity's need for redemption as sin and brokenness destroy the relationship between God and his people yet even in the darkness there are glimpses of hope and promise right we see it in the story of Joseph in Genesis who's sold into slavery by his brothers and later is elevated to a position of power in Egypt ultimately saving his family and reconciling with them God over and over saving his people let me tell you something God's people are messed up when you read in Old Testament scripture they were forever worshiping false gods and doing things that displeased God but God made a plan for them every time every time you see it in Ruth where Boaz acts as a kinsman redeemer to Ruth and Naomi marrying Ruth and providing for her and Naomi you see it in Jonah we all know the story of Jonah where God told him to go to Nineveh and he said I ain't doing it I don't like them people they're evil they're wicked they don't deserve to be saved he tried to go the other way he gets tossed off a boat he gets swallowed by a big fish whether it was a whale it was a tuna I don't know the Bible says he got swallowed by a fish three days later spit him up on the dry ground and God said alright Jonah you gonna go Jonah relents and goes he gives a message to the people of Nineveh still acting a fool because he didn't think they deserved it what did God do? He saved a whole country through Jonah and even after he saved a whole country Jonah went and sat on a hill and sulked and pouted about it just to show you that God will still use us in spite of us we" [01:02:24]
"see it all through the Old Testament especially in Isaiah 53 where the prophecy foretells of the coming of a Messiah who will redeem humanity from sin and restore their relationship with God Jesus' death on the cross wasn't some tragic accident but it was a deliberate sacrifice orchestrated by God for our salvation Jesus knew when he came to this earth what he had to do in the garden when he prays he says these words not my will God if there's any way that this could happen without me dying on the cross please do it some other way but he said not my will but yours Jesus knew what he came to do from the moment of his birth his life was marked by the single purpose to save the lost by offering himself as a ransom what does he say in Mark 10 45 for even the son of man came not to be saved but to serve others and to give him life give his life as a ransom for many through his blood shed on the cross Jesus paid the penalty of our sin and it satisfied the demand of justice from the law he triumphed over sin he triumphed over death and eternal darkness and it's through his resurrection that Jesus secured redemption for all who believe in him" [01:04:40]
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