WEBVTT 00:00:00.420 --> 00:00:07.480 We're going to start a new series together on the idea of Easter and what it represents, or somebody might refer 00:00:07.480 --> 00:00:10.620 to it as resurrection Sunday, and what it represents for us. 00:00:11.040 --> 00:00:17.940 I would say for the Christian life, the resurrection of Jesus is the pinnacle of Christianity. 00:00:18.000 --> 00:00:20.480 In fact, it is the greatest event in all of history. 00:00:21.900 --> 00:00:22.240 Yeah. 00:00:22.380 --> 00:00:25.930 I think personally, I like to see old battlefields. 00:00:26.120 --> 00:00:33.480 Last year I remember I went to Montana to just see Custer's, visit a friend, but I went to where Custer's last stand was, and 00:00:33.480 --> 00:00:37.410 it was incredible just to see that layout of how that battle took place. 00:00:37.960 --> 00:00:43.020 And it didn't go so well for Custer, but to be present on those battlefields is something incredible to see. 00:00:43.020 --> 00:00:46.680 What was won, what was lost, just the historical event there. 00:00:47.100 --> 00:00:54.420 But you study the battles of history, there's no greater battle that was fought than what Jesus did for 00:00:54.420 --> 00:00:59.980 your soul on the cross, and that was the greatest battle in all of history. 00:01:00.040 --> 00:01:07.280 In fact, the Apostle Paul says in First Corinthians 15 that if Jesus wasn't resurrected from the grave, we're the most 00:01:07.280 --> 00:01:09.480 pity that of all people on the earth, followers of Jesus. 00:01:10.140 --> 00:01:13.220 His resurrection is the pinnacle of Christianity. 00:01:14.580 --> 00:01:22.000 And in fact, when you study the early disciples, when Jesus went to the cross, the disciples all ran away scared except 00:01:22.120 --> 00:01:23.910 for John, the youngest of the disciples. 00:01:24.620 --> 00:01:25.440 He was there at the cross. 00:01:25.540 --> 00:01:27.020 But the rest all ran away, scared. 00:01:27.480 --> 00:01:32.900 And then all of a sudden they come back with this fire for their faith in the Lord. 00:01:33.160 --> 00:01:37.990 And the reason for that is because they couldn't deny the fact that they had seen a dead man walking. 00:01:38.060 --> 00:01:42.060 They saw Jesus come back from the grave and they lost their lives. 00:01:42.160 --> 00:01:44.060 They were martyred for that proclamation. 00:01:44.460 --> 00:01:45.900 They could not deny that truth. 00:01:46.280 --> 00:01:53.700 The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus becomes the pinnacle of our faith and the hope of our own resurrection because of what Jesus has done. 00:01:53.700 --> 00:02:00.920 And so over this series together, we're going to look at the significance of the cross and especially what Jesus says from the crosses, his words from 00:02:00.920 --> 00:02:01.400 the cross. 00:02:02.220 --> 00:02:09.560 When we talk about Easter season, historically Christianity has tried to do things to help 00:02:09.560 --> 00:02:13.020 us recognize the significance of what has taken place here. 00:02:13.620 --> 00:02:18.240 In fact, I mean we've done it as a church, I just told you about the invite on Easter Sunday. 00:02:18.260 --> 00:02:19.210 Invite your friends and family. 00:02:19.280 --> 00:02:19.870 Here's a card. 00:02:20.350 --> 00:02:21.150 We're going to have a cookout. 00:02:21.420 --> 00:02:25.360 Make it a big deal because this is the biggest deal on our calendar right? 00:02:25.800 --> 00:02:28.440 And the church has tried to respond that way. 00:02:28.500 --> 00:02:35.820 In fact, in the fourth century, the church started, not every church, but Christianity started to celebrate something that's 00:02:35.880 --> 00:02:42.160 called Lent, happens 40 days before, it begins 40 days before Easter, The resurrection of Jesus. 00:02:42.660 --> 00:02:48.620 And the reason for this is because they wanted people to prepare their hearts for the significance of what Easter was. 00:02:49.480 --> 00:02:55.780 And I'll tell you the purpose of Lent has kind of molded and changed over the years and people's intentions behind it aren't always good. 00:02:56.310 --> 00:02:59.230 People have Lent season come around and they're like... 00:03:00.040 --> 00:03:06.580 The encouragement during Lent is to get rid of something that distances you from your relationship with God, but people don't really use it for that. 00:03:06.620 --> 00:03:08.660 Sometimes they're like, "Okay, I do bad things. 00:03:08.660 --> 00:03:15.540 I want to do good things." And if you just view life as doing bad things and wanting to do good things, you can do that all day long and never get closer to God, right? 00:03:15.540 --> 00:03:18.460 So I'm not telling you to observe Lent or not observe Lent. 00:03:18.500 --> 00:03:19.480 I frankly, I don't care. 00:03:19.740 --> 00:03:26.560 What I would really rather you do is in your heart, find ways to pursue Jesus for all that he is and all that he means to your life, right? 00:03:26.580 --> 00:03:30.470 And so if you want to call that Lent and make it last 10,000 days, I don't care. 00:03:31.180 --> 00:03:35.340 But the point is to remove things in your life that just create that distance from you and God. 00:03:35.340 --> 00:03:37.860 But unfortunately some people make it about bad and good. 00:03:37.900 --> 00:03:44.920 "I want to do good and not bad." And so they're like, "Okay, I need to diet, or I'm on my smart phone way too much, or 00:03:44.920 --> 00:03:52.240 I'm watching too much TV and so I'll cut all the bad things to not do those things," but the reality is you may not ever get closer to God, right. 00:03:53.240 --> 00:04:00.960 When I think about this Easter season though, and I think about maybe the idea of Lent or just drawing near to God, let's 00:04:00.960 --> 00:04:07.960 say if there's one thing I think I could hope for us that we could find ourselves getting rid of to really appreciate 00:04:09.580 --> 00:04:16.860 what Easter is, I would say you would make the most out of Easter if what we would give up 00:04:17.860 --> 00:04:18.880 is our guilt and shame. 00:04:20.740 --> 00:04:25.520 And we would embrace the very purpose for which Jesus went to the cross for us. 00:04:26.520 --> 00:04:33.820 I can't think of a better way to embrace the grace that's demonstrated to us than the forgiveness of the guilt and shame we have 00:04:33.820 --> 00:04:37.820 in our lives and because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross. 00:04:39.440 --> 00:04:46.440 To really appreciate the cross, I think for us rather than just talk about a holiday or Lent or 00:04:46.440 --> 00:04:53.720 Easter, we should just look at the cross itself, and to find out exactly what Jesus has 00:04:53.920 --> 00:04:54.600 done for us. 00:04:55.740 --> 00:05:03.160 When you think about the Cross of Christ, it tells us in John Chapter 19 verse one that Jesus was 00:05:03.160 --> 00:05:03.810 scourged. 00:05:03.960 --> 00:05:07.010 He was flogged, he was lashed for us. 00:05:07.720 --> 00:05:14.980 And so his punishment begins with this scourging, which eventually leads to the crown of thorns on his head and being beaten and ultimately 00:05:14.980 --> 00:05:15.760 to the cross. 00:05:15.880 --> 00:05:22.960 But when the Jews would lash somebody, their law said that there would be 00:05:22.960 --> 00:05:25.400 lashed up to 39 times, save one. 00:05:25.460 --> 00:05:30.060 So 40 was considered, a person would die, 39 they could endure it and still survive. 00:05:30.400 --> 00:05:33.120 So the Jews would lash someone 39 times, save one. 00:05:33.860 --> 00:05:36.200 However, Jesus wasn't scourged by the Jews. 00:05:36.360 --> 00:05:39.660 He was scourged by the Romans and the Romans didn't have such a law to govern them. 00:05:41.020 --> 00:05:48.060 In fact, when Jesus was sentenced by Pilate in John Chapter 19 verse one for the Romans to take Him out of the room and soldiers take 00:05:48.060 --> 00:05:53.980 Him out in the scourge Him, the people that carried out that duty were really professional executioners and torturers. 00:05:55.120 --> 00:06:02.190 And that was their job in the Rome, and they had become experts on torturing someone to the point of an inch of their life and then relenting. 00:06:03.420 --> 00:06:09.380 Well, I say that, but reality is history tells us that about half of those that were scourged die just from the scourging. 00:06:11.180 --> 00:06:18.240 You can imagine when Jesus was being scourged that by the time he walked away from this moment or someone drug him away from this moment, that his back, 00:06:18.960 --> 00:06:21.220 shoulders, sides were just shredded. 00:06:22.380 --> 00:06:26.140 In fact, beyond that, the Gospels just record what happened with Jesus. 00:06:26.160 --> 00:06:33.160 It says in John 19, Pilate Jesus, had him scourged, in verse two the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put that 00:06:33.160 --> 00:06:33.760 on his head. 00:06:34.140 --> 00:06:41.200 In Mark 14 verse 65 some begin to spit at him and to blindfold him and to beat him with their fists and 00:06:41.200 --> 00:06:42.520 to say to him prophecy. 00:06:43.160 --> 00:06:45.810 And the officer's received him with slaps in the face. 00:06:46.120 --> 00:06:53.160 Isaiah 52 verse 14 describes this, what Jesus looked like prophetically, before this event happened, but it says this, "His appearance was 00:06:53.160 --> 00:06:55.040 marred more than any man. 00:06:56.360 --> 00:06:59.100 He was unrecognizable." And this was before the cross. 00:07:01.420 --> 00:07:09.900 Let me ask, if you were in those, in this similar position, how 00:07:09.900 --> 00:07:11.020 would you respond in this situation? 00:07:13.000 --> 00:07:20.160 Now, I know the Roman soldiers likely had some sort of expectation for the type of response that they would receive from people. 00:07:21.340 --> 00:07:25.660 Cursing, threats, screaming. 00:07:26.720 --> 00:07:33.920 If you were about to lay me down and nail me to a cross, I don't think I would be like, "Oh, here you go, right?" I'll turn into 00:07:33.920 --> 00:07:35.040 a vicious animal. 00:07:35.200 --> 00:07:37.860 If you put your arm near me, I will bite it off, man. 00:07:38.090 --> 00:07:40.620 There's nothing calm about this moment. 00:07:40.860 --> 00:07:47.200 So the soldiers had an expectation as to what they would receive from individuals in which they would torture or execute. 00:07:49.280 --> 00:07:51.380 But Jesus didn't react in that way. 00:07:52.940 --> 00:07:57.640 Instead of screaming, threatening, or cursing, Jesus did the unimaginable. 00:07:59.700 --> 00:08:05.820 His reaction might leave one to think that he was intentionally going to the cross. 00:08:07.800 --> 00:08:14.140 When Jesus goes to the cross, he provides for us seven statements in the Gospels. 00:08:16.520 --> 00:08:19.520 Short statements, but I would say world statements. 00:08:21.920 --> 00:08:29.080 Jesus, in this moment, knowing it's the greatest battle fought in history for your soul, "The world will 00:08:29.080 --> 00:08:33.919 remember this day." And what he says is important. 00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:38.780 Words carry power. 00:08:38.799 --> 00:08:41.820 Like James tells us that, the tongue has power. 00:08:43.240 --> 00:08:48.680 And there are particular times within our lives when we recognize that the words that we say carry even more weight. 00:08:50.380 --> 00:08:52.680 Like a child's first words. 00:08:54.100 --> 00:09:00.580 I can think with our three kids, the first two, I was all about getting them to say, "Dad" first, and then they did, right? 00:09:00.640 --> 00:09:08.000 And then we have a third one, and I'm like, "Okay, I got to throw my wife a bone here." So with the third kid every chance I get, I'm like, "Mom, mom, 00:09:08.020 --> 00:09:15.060 mom, mom, mom." And lo and behold, his first word comes out and he says, "Dad." And it's like, "Oh man, I have horrible." The 00:09:15.060 --> 00:09:19.060 first words you remember from your kid or even last words. 00:09:22.040 --> 00:09:29.180 You'll set up a bedside vigil next to a loved one just to hear those dying words that they express from 00:09:29.180 --> 00:09:30.040 their heart. 00:09:31.680 --> 00:09:39.180 And here in the Gospels, the Gospel writers record Jesus's last words, not 00:09:39.180 --> 00:09:41.980 lengthy, but important. 00:09:43.820 --> 00:09:50.920 Last words as if to invite you to lean in, to understand exactly what's on Jesus's heart as he gives his life 00:09:50.920 --> 00:09:52.100 on the cross. 00:09:53.660 --> 00:10:01.560 And to the shock of the soldiers, to the shock of the world, rather than curse, rather 00:10:01.740 --> 00:10:05.160 than fight, Jesus embraces the cross. 00:10:07.000 --> 00:10:08.270 What does he say in Luke chapter 23? 00:10:10.140 --> 00:10:17.160 His final statements, his last words as Jesus, this is the first statement that he makes on the cross out of the 00:10:17.160 --> 00:10:17.900 seven statements. 00:10:17.960 --> 00:10:21.020 But his first statement of his last statements, it's a prayer. 00:10:22.500 --> 00:10:22.890 And here's what he says. 00:10:23.300 --> 00:10:30.660 "Jesus was saying, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.'" In this moment, 00:10:30.660 --> 00:10:37.860 being tortured, unjustly, being perfect and having people come against him and the thought on Jesus's mind is 00:10:37.860 --> 00:10:39.500 a prayer of forgiveness. 00:10:40.620 --> 00:10:48.360 Now when Jesus utters this prayer, I want us to know in this particular context, Jesus 00:10:48.360 --> 00:10:52.760 is giving this statement, I think to specific people around him. 00:10:54.620 --> 00:11:01.860 But when it comes to these words, I want us to know these words that we should never stop in the struggle of making these 00:11:01.860 --> 00:11:05.760 words personal to us, and living these words out. 00:11:05.820 --> 00:11:08.980 For many of us we're probably familiar with this statement, right? 00:11:10.140 --> 00:11:17.380 And Jesus in the immediate context he is expressing this to people around him, but in a larger context, it 00:11:17.380 --> 00:11:20.920 carries so much more weight than just the immediate crowd around him. 00:11:21.740 --> 00:11:27.580 And for you as a believer and reading these words, I mean, it's in the text of scripture for more than just the particular context. 00:11:28.340 --> 00:11:35.600 And struggling with what this phrase means and making this personal and living it out, it becomes the challenge of really demonstrating 00:11:35.600 --> 00:11:36.200 our lives. 00:11:36.520 --> 00:11:43.640 If we understand what Easter is about, and I'll explain all that, unpack all that in just a minute, but in this is immediate context, Jesus is 00:11:43.640 --> 00:11:46.720 making this directly to the people around him. 00:11:46.720 --> 00:11:53.900 He is praying this on behalf of the people around him and the reason I know that is because the next verse, it says this, "And the people stood by looking on." Not really 00:11:53.900 --> 00:11:54.760 doing anything about it. 00:11:55.620 --> 00:11:57.580 I'll say he's referring to the crowd here. 00:11:57.580 --> 00:11:59.980 In this crowd, most of the people are against him, right? 00:12:00.280 --> 00:12:07.320 I mean, this is the crowd that in Jesus's Triumphal entry a week ago said, "Hosanna blesses he who comes in the name of the Lord," and then 00:12:07.320 --> 00:12:14.380 just a few hours ago are chanting, "Crucify him." But within this crowd, there are a few people that love 00:12:14.380 --> 00:12:14.780 Jesus. 00:12:15.020 --> 00:12:18.100 There's John the Apostle is there. 00:12:18.200 --> 00:12:21.040 Jesus's mother is there, right? 00:12:21.040 --> 00:12:28.100 But for the most part the crowd is against Jesus and even the rulers that says were sneering at him saying, "He saved others. 00:12:28.420 --> 00:12:29.520 Let him save himself. 00:12:29.640 --> 00:12:36.640 If this is the Christ of God, His chosen one," the soldiers also mocked him, coming up to him, offering him sour wine and saying, 00:12:36.800 --> 00:12:43.420 "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself." It goes on just a couple of verses later and says, even the criminals crucified on either side of Jesus are mocking Jesus. 00:12:45.340 --> 00:12:47.220 And so Jesus is giving this prayer. 00:12:49.500 --> 00:12:54.100 He's doing it on behalf of those who are crucifying him. 00:12:55.060 --> 00:13:03.240 I even think Jesus is likely praying this prayer for those who should have been there that had abandoned him, his disciples, right? 00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:09.420 But when you read this passage, I think the context is much bigger than the general audience that's around Jesus. 00:13:09.480 --> 00:13:13.480 In fact, scripture that takes it further in that forest. 00:13:13.520 --> 00:13:20.760 In fact, Peter and reflecting on this moment said this in chapter two verse 24, "He himself bore our sins," talking about all of us, "in 00:13:20.760 --> 00:13:25.250 his body, on the cross that we might die to sin and live for righteousness. 00:13:25.860 --> 00:13:33.020 By his wounds, you have been healed." So Peter's recognizing this, that we belong to the kingdom of darkness, the Kingdom of sin, but he bore our sins 00:13:33.020 --> 00:13:40.470 that we could live for the kingdom of light, the kingdom of righteousness, and because of his wounds and accepting our punishment on this cross, 00:13:40.600 --> 00:13:42.120 by his wounds, you have been healed. 00:13:43.840 --> 00:13:50.840 In fact, Peter wanting us to see the significance of this moment is quoting all the way from Isaiah chapter 53 to 00:13:50.840 --> 00:13:58.040 help us recognize that God didn't just plan this off the cuff, that this has been God's intentions from the beginning for your soul, this battle taking 00:13:58.040 --> 00:13:58.840 place. 00:13:58.900 --> 00:14:06.020 Isaiah 53, "Surely he took upon our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, 00:14:06.040 --> 00:14:09.440 stricken by him and afflicted, but he was pierced for our transgressions. 00:14:10.180 --> 00:14:12.000 He was crushed for our inequities. 00:14:12.220 --> 00:14:20.560 The punishment that brought us peace was on him and by his wounds we have been healed." As 00:14:20.600 --> 00:14:21.160 if to say this. 00:14:23.420 --> 00:14:30.110 If God can forgive those that put him on the cross, surely he can forgive you. 00:14:31.920 --> 00:14:37.260 I mean simply put, this moment on the cross, I think, demonstrates to us two powerful thoughts. 00:14:39.900 --> 00:14:44.100 One is the great expense of our sin. 00:14:46.260 --> 00:14:47.840 I mean, look what our sin led to. 00:14:50.720 --> 00:14:52.160 It's the crucifixion of God himself. 00:14:54.320 --> 00:15:03.360 God becomes flesh and dies for you and for me the 00:15:03.420 --> 00:15:04.780 greatness of our sin. 00:15:06.560 --> 00:15:13.700 In fact, the Apostle Paul says in Galatians chapter two verse 21, "And those that fail to recognize the significance of this moment 00:15:13.700 --> 00:15:20.560 for their soul." He says, "If righteousness could be achieved through the law, then Christ died needlessly." Meaning, don't undermine this moment. 00:15:20.660 --> 00:15:21.760 Don't make light of this moment. 00:15:21.800 --> 00:15:25.080 Don't think you can go out of this world and live religiously and satisfy God. 00:15:25.340 --> 00:15:26.060 It's not possible. 00:15:26.060 --> 00:15:33.240 If it were possible, Jesus would've never died, but because Jesus came and Jesus died, Jesus is demonstrating to 00:15:33.240 --> 00:15:36.340 us the significance of what this moment represents for your life. 00:15:36.920 --> 00:15:42.540 If there were another way, Paul is making the argument at the very last verse in Galatians two, then God would have led us to that other way. 00:15:42.620 --> 00:15:47.950 But there was no other way, because if righteousness could be achieved through the law, then Christ would have died needlessly. 00:15:51.320 --> 00:15:58.440 When we call Jesus the Savior, we're not going to recognize the significance of that word 00:15:58.440 --> 00:16:05.340 savior or salvation until we see the desperation that rests for our soul. 00:16:08.440 --> 00:16:09.420 We need him. 00:16:12.380 --> 00:16:19.460 Not like you lack the basic essentials of life, even deeper 00:16:19.460 --> 00:16:19.940 than that. 00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:27.000 Your soul, you're created as a being with a soul designed for God. 00:16:27.000 --> 00:16:27.920 You need him. 00:16:28.900 --> 00:16:35.980 One of the incredible verses I think in scripture that helped me see this, the Apostle Paul in First Timothy 00:16:35.980 --> 00:16:42.040 chapter one verse 15, I used to read this verse and I want to be honest and just say, I used to read it wrong. 00:16:44.060 --> 00:16:51.120 I'll read you this verse and it says this: "It's a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance that Christ Jesus came in the world to save sinners among whom I am 00:16:51.120 --> 00:16:54.660 foremost of all." I used to read the verse in the, yeah, Paul was a bad sinner. 00:16:55.060 --> 00:16:55.820 Good thing God saved him. 00:16:56.040 --> 00:16:57.540 He ended up becoming the most incredible Christian ever. 00:16:57.560 --> 00:16:58.460 He was a bad sinner, right? 00:17:00.050 --> 00:17:05.500 But here's the thing: It never says Paul was a sinner. 00:17:07.560 --> 00:17:15.400 What Paul says, it says, "I am a sinner." Paul sees his 00:17:15.540 --> 00:17:18.060 present condition apart from God as sinful. 00:17:20.500 --> 00:17:23.859 And when I think about Paul, I used to read this and think, "Paul was, he was a bad sinner. 00:17:23.980 --> 00:17:25.460 He persecuted the church. 00:17:25.480 --> 00:17:28.300 I mean, he's responsible for killing Christians, putting Christians in jail. 00:17:28.300 --> 00:17:35.400 He was a bad sinner." In fact, in Galatians chapter one verse 23 it says about Paul that the people knew that the one who used to persecute the 00:17:35.440 --> 00:17:38.900 faith is now become a follower of Christ and that's encouraging people to follow Jesus. 00:17:40.160 --> 00:17:49.700 Paul was a bad sinner, but when Paul talks about his life here, he doesn't just say that he was a bad sinner, he says, "I am the chief of sinners." If 00:17:49.820 --> 00:17:54.640 Paul calls himself a sinner, what does that make me? 00:17:57.360 --> 00:18:03.520 I would say it like this: If the biggest sinner you know isn't you, then you don't know yourself very well. 00:18:06.160 --> 00:18:13.220 When Jesus tried to get us to identify this when he preached the sermon on the Mountain, Matthew five to Matthew seven because people in this day believed they could live religious law and 00:18:13.220 --> 00:18:20.320 live it righteously, and Jesus shows up and he's like, "Look, the law's not given to you to understand that you can live righteously." In fact, while it's giving you, condemn you, and here's 00:18:20.320 --> 00:18:21.280 how Jesus explains it. 00:18:21.360 --> 00:18:28.380 He says this, he says, "Unless you live a life more righteous than the Pharisees, you can't attain eternal life." And 00:18:28.380 --> 00:18:34.720 at that time, people were thought themselves, "Who in the world could live more holy than Pharisees?" Because they were the religious leaders at the time. 00:18:34.720 --> 00:18:37.400 And Jesus goes on, he says this, "You've heard it said, do not kill. 00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:39.990 But if you've had anger in your heart that makes you a murderer. 00:18:40.380 --> 00:18:43.920 You've heard it said, to not commit adultery, but if you've had lust in your heart, you've committed adultery. 00:18:44.720 --> 00:18:47.240 The problem isn't your behavior." The problem is your heart. 00:18:48.580 --> 00:18:55.860 And you and I know when you're by yourself, the thoughts 00:18:55.860 --> 00:19:00.210 that you consider, the things that you think. 00:19:03.260 --> 00:19:10.660 What if in the quietness of your own heart, your personal thoughts and intentions weren't able to be hidden anymore? 00:19:10.660 --> 00:19:12.240 What if it were exposed to the world? 00:19:15.960 --> 00:19:16.380 God sees that. 00:19:19.520 --> 00:19:21.020 God sees that heart. 00:19:22.820 --> 00:19:26.720 And that's what Paul is wrestling with in this verse, that he is a sinner. 00:19:26.720 --> 00:19:29.400 Now he's saved by Christ, but he is a sinner. 00:19:29.460 --> 00:19:33.200 Now you can look at the thought of being a sinner and say, "Okay, thanks Nathaniel. 00:19:33.420 --> 00:19:34.870 I thought you wanted me to get rid of guilt and shame. 00:19:34.900 --> 00:19:39.940 Remember, well, this is what Easter's about and we're getting rid of guilt and shame and so far off to the start. 00:19:39.940 --> 00:19:47.200 Here we are, and now all we're talking about is my guilt and shame, right?" Now, just hold on for a second because I want us to recognize this because if 00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:52.480 we don't talk about guilt and shame and sin in these moments, we're never going to see the significance of what Jesus does in our own lives. 00:19:52.700 --> 00:19:59.800 But seeing the significance of what Jesus has done over your life and the battle he fought for you, placed tremendously in how you demonstrate a life 00:19:59.800 --> 00:20:01.120 of pursuing Jesus in this world. 00:20:02.540 --> 00:20:08.700 And so the guilt and shame becomes an important part to recognizing what God then desires to do in it through the cross. 00:20:09.100 --> 00:20:16.300 So at the cross we see the great expense of our sin, but even better than that, we see the even greater love of 00:20:16.300 --> 00:20:17.080 our God. 00:20:18.500 --> 00:20:21.130 What drove him there? 00:20:22.280 --> 00:20:23.300 Jesus loves you. 00:20:25.900 --> 00:20:27.350 Yes, Jesus loves you. 00:20:29.240 --> 00:20:30.840 In the midst of your sin, Jesus loves you. 00:20:30.920 --> 00:20:37.900 In fact, the Apostle John was the only disciple we know that was at the cross, right? 00:20:38.500 --> 00:20:45.540 In First John chapter four he starts to reflect on this morning, in fact, in verse eight he says, "God is love." And then in verse nine he 00:20:45.540 --> 00:20:48.680 then takes that thought into the cross as he describes them all. 00:20:48.680 --> 00:20:54.640 He says this, "But this, the love of God was manifested." So if you want to know how God is love, this is how we know God is love. 00:20:54.860 --> 00:21:01.340 It was made known to us that God has sent his only begotten son into the world so that we might live through him. 00:21:02.040 --> 00:21:04.980 So in the death of our sin, we now have life in Jesus. 00:21:05.040 --> 00:21:05.960 In this is love. 00:21:06.200 --> 00:21:11.060 Not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins. 00:21:11.400 --> 00:21:16.300 Look, he's saying like this, "In your sin, your demonstration of sin means you reject the kingdom of God. 00:21:16.540 --> 00:21:24.580 You don't love God, but in that lack of love on your behalf, Jesus still loves you." So 00:21:24.580 --> 00:21:30.200 while you look at the cross and see the greatness of your sin, you can also look at the cross and see the even greater love of your God. 00:21:31.780 --> 00:21:35.020 No sin you've ever done could outdo the love and grace of God over your life. 00:21:36.540 --> 00:21:37.340 That's the power of this cross. 00:21:37.740 --> 00:21:39.760 That's why this becomes the anthem of the church. 00:21:39.880 --> 00:21:46.920 This is why this battle is so important, that no matter how dark you may feel, you have been in your life, or are in your life, Jesus's love 00:21:46.920 --> 00:21:47.980 is greater still. 00:21:49.460 --> 00:21:55.000 And when you experience love like that, the welling up within your soul is to love in response. 00:21:55.080 --> 00:22:02.160 So let me tell you like this, when Jesus goes to the cross, he goes to the cross to put your sins behind you that you can experience his love in 00:22:02.160 --> 00:22:02.440 this moment. 00:22:05.430 --> 00:22:13.280 So that he becomes the propitiation for our sins, the expense of our sin, and 00:22:13.320 --> 00:22:19.140 the love of our God met in one word: forgiveness. 00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:21.340 This is what Jesus said on the cross, right? 00:22:21.340 --> 00:22:27.860 "Father, forgive them." And to be forgiven, someone must bear the costs. 00:22:28.120 --> 00:22:31.840 The forgiver bears the cost in order to forgive. 00:22:32.940 --> 00:22:34.710 And that's what this word propitiation demonstrates. 00:22:35.180 --> 00:22:37.180 It's satisfying the wrath of God. 00:22:37.180 --> 00:22:44.360 He's bearing the consequences of the cost of your sin so that you can be free in him and free to experience 00:22:44.360 --> 00:22:45.540 his love. 00:22:47.240 --> 00:22:52.080 Forgiveness allows us to walk in the newness and experience the purpose for which we were created. 00:22:53.600 --> 00:22:55.840 Forgiveness is a hallmark of our faith. 00:22:57.420 --> 00:23:00.060 That's what they say in First Corinthians five right? 00:23:01.480 --> 00:23:02.250 "You become a new creation. 00:23:03.700 --> 00:23:05.420 Behold, all things are passed away. 00:23:06.260 --> 00:23:13.880 All things have become new." So while Paul describes himself as a sinner, yes, yes, 00:23:15.400 --> 00:23:23.100 but he's also new in Jesus because God's love on the cross has covered his 00:23:23.100 --> 00:23:23.300 sin. 00:23:25.100 --> 00:23:32.310 When the Lord looks at you, God sees the goodness of Christ over you. 00:23:33.100 --> 00:23:40.120 So it tells us in First Corinthians five 21, "He became sin who knew no sin that you might become 00:23:40.120 --> 00:23:47.700 the righteousness of God in him." Jesus takes on your sin so that when God looks at you, He sees the 00:23:47.960 --> 00:23:49.550 perfection of Jesus. 00:23:50.460 --> 00:23:56.760 At the cross, we see the greatness of our sin, but we see an even greater love in our God. 00:23:57.120 --> 00:23:58.480 Most of us are familiar with this story. 00:24:00.120 --> 00:24:01.350 So let me ask you this then. 00:24:02.120 --> 00:24:07.460 In the application of it, how do you know if you grasp God's forgiveness in your life? 00:24:10.560 --> 00:24:12.520 How do you really know that you can make this application? 00:24:13.860 --> 00:24:15.220 Huh? 00:24:15.560 --> 00:24:23.560 I think when Luke was recording this for us because he's recording this as more than just words to think or to intellectually know, but 00:24:23.560 --> 00:24:30.640 rather he's recording this as a life in which we now emulate and live because if Jesus is our savior and king and we pursue him, then 00:24:30.640 --> 00:24:31.940 we live this type of life. 00:24:32.680 --> 00:24:32.840 How? 00:24:33.220 --> 00:24:36.500 How do we know that we really grasped God's forgiveness in our life? 00:24:37.020 --> 00:24:37.480 Ready for it? 00:24:39.980 --> 00:24:41.000 And how will you forgive others? 00:24:44.700 --> 00:24:49.660 You grasped the forgiveness of God in your own life and you demonstrate how well you forgive others. 00:24:50.620 --> 00:24:57.580 Let me show you because in First John Chapter four verse 11 John goes on from here to make the application of God's love. 00:24:57.680 --> 00:24:58.690 How then should we respond? 00:24:59.000 --> 00:25:04.880 Verse 11 he starts to tell you, it says it's beloved meaning he's now identifying you as the love because God has loved you. 00:25:04.900 --> 00:25:09.200 "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another". 00:25:10.700 --> 00:25:12.260 No one has seen God at any time. 00:25:13.180 --> 00:25:13.660 Okay, that's important. 00:25:14.340 --> 00:25:15.240 No one has seen God. 00:25:15.380 --> 00:25:22.460 First Timothy chapter six verse 16, John chapter one [inaudible 00:25:18], chapter two verse nine, no one has seen God, right? 00:25:22.680 --> 00:25:28.960 But then he goes on and says this, "If we love one another, God abides in us and His love is perfected in us. 00:25:29.220 --> 00:25:34.200 By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us." No one has seen God at any time. 00:25:34.260 --> 00:25:34.680 But look at this. 00:25:35.020 --> 00:25:36.220 You're made in the image of God. 00:25:37.360 --> 00:25:44.440 And when you gather together to worship God and in worship God, you choose to love one another, you're emulating the goodness of this God to each other. 00:25:44.500 --> 00:25:51.340 God's love becomes tangible to us because we're made in his image and in his image we desire to love or we should love because God is love. 00:25:52.540 --> 00:25:54.360 If God is love, his people love, right? 00:25:55.800 --> 00:26:00.140 If you love, as God calls you to love, you love the things that God loves, and what God loves is people. 00:26:01.920 --> 00:26:05.120 And so when we talk about modeling this in our lives, we love. 00:26:06.540 --> 00:26:07.500 This is the way we reflect it. 00:26:07.500 --> 00:26:11.220 Now, let me tell you this, in case you caught it, you may have already identified this. 00:26:11.580 --> 00:26:12.960 This says nothing about forgiveness. 00:26:15.000 --> 00:26:22.220 Why in the world am I telling you that the way that you recognize in your life, if you grasp God's forgiveness in your life is by how 00:26:22.220 --> 00:26:23.120 you forgive others? 00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:27.650 When First John in replying to the cross isn't even talking about forgiveness? 00:26:27.700 --> 00:26:29.000 How in the world can I make that leap? 00:26:30.100 --> 00:26:31.460 That's a good question. 00:26:31.460 --> 00:26:31.840 I'm glad you asked. 00:26:34.040 --> 00:26:34.380 Let me explain. 00:26:37.140 --> 00:26:43.940 You're never going to love the way God calls you to love when you walk in unforgiveness. 00:26:46.180 --> 00:26:47.040 It's impossible. 00:26:49.460 --> 00:26:57.000 The reason is because forgiveness is about the past and love is about the present, and 00:26:57.000 --> 00:27:01.460 when you don't forgive, you become trapped in the past unable to live in the present. 00:27:02.740 --> 00:27:06.300 When you think about your relationship with God, Jesus goes to the cross, died for your sins. 00:27:06.380 --> 00:27:06.540 Why? 00:27:07.300 --> 00:27:08.490 To put your sins in the past. 00:27:08.540 --> 00:27:08.880 For what reason? 00:27:09.700 --> 00:27:11.790 So you can live and love and the relationship with him in the present. 00:27:14.100 --> 00:27:19.800 Forgiveness becomes the basis for you to experience the love that He desires to demonstrate in your life. 00:27:21.180 --> 00:27:24.220 God is love and God can never be any different than love. 00:27:24.260 --> 00:27:30.740 God is love, but in your life, you never connect to that love the way you were designed to until you walk in the newness of forgiveness in Jesus. 00:27:31.880 --> 00:27:38.960 And in the newness of that forgiveness, then you receive that love for which he wants to demonstrate and lavish in your life in a very personal way, all 00:27:38.960 --> 00:27:39.500 of eternity. 00:27:40.660 --> 00:27:47.960 And so when John is saying in First John chapter nine and he calls us to then live this way, when we are to love one another, we can never love the way God calls 00:27:47.960 --> 00:27:52.160 us to love if we live in unforgiveness, because unforgiveness traps us in the past. 00:27:54.580 --> 00:27:57.390 It never allows us to live the way God calls us to live in the present. 00:28:03.500 --> 00:28:08.420 God's call on our life is to love. 00:28:11.220 --> 00:28:15.410 Unforgiveness makes you a prisoner of the past. 00:28:17.660 --> 00:28:25.000 But forgiveness let's me walk in His love in the present and to enjoy that 00:28:25.000 --> 00:28:27.100 love with each other as we forgive. 00:28:27.660 --> 00:28:30.560 So how do you know you grasp the forgiveness of God in your life? 00:28:32.220 --> 00:28:39.240 As it's modeled in this first, by the way, that you forgive one another because in that forgiveness opens the door to begin to experience the 00:28:39.240 --> 00:28:40.260 love for what you were created. 00:28:40.300 --> 00:28:44.590 Listen guys, I don't want to pretend like the things you've gone through in your life haven't been hard. 00:28:44.800 --> 00:28:46.360 I know things are. 00:28:47.320 --> 00:28:53.600 But I do want to tell you that what Jesus has done for you is far more important than to allow unforgiveness to trap you in the past. 00:28:54.980 --> 00:29:01.980 What God calls you to in Him is far greater than anything that you can conjure up in your own vengeance by holding on to unforgiveness. 00:29:06.880 --> 00:29:11.460 Forgiveness I should say, forgiveness doesn't mean you have to just sweep things under the rug. 00:29:11.480 --> 00:29:12.730 In fact, I think that can be unhealthy. 00:29:14.620 --> 00:29:21.780 I mean talking and talking about issues that create division become important, but at the end of the day, you got to forgive in order to experience love 00:29:21.780 --> 00:29:23.360 which you were created to in Christ. 00:29:23.520 --> 00:29:28.650 And it doesn't mean you have to be best friends, nor does it mean you have to forget. 00:29:29.680 --> 00:29:36.740 I think in my own family's life, we had a few family members that struggle with addiction and I remember as a 00:29:36.740 --> 00:29:40.890 young person in the high school, they would come live with us for a little bit and then move away. 00:29:40.920 --> 00:29:45.280 And that happened a few times, where were they stole some things, right? 00:29:45.340 --> 00:29:48.660 Now we forgive them. 00:29:49.780 --> 00:29:52.420 And I remember we invited them back into our home and they stayed with us again. 00:29:53.540 --> 00:29:55.540 But we didn't forget because we're not stupid. 00:29:57.360 --> 00:29:59.590 So because we love them, what did we do the next time they came in her home? 00:30:00.320 --> 00:30:00.900 We hit our valuables. 00:30:02.300 --> 00:30:06.580 We forgave them, but we got rid of the things that were attempting them, because we love them. 00:30:07.840 --> 00:30:15.500 So forgiveness doesn't mean forgetting, but for forgiveness for us gives us the opportunity to walk 00:30:15.500 --> 00:30:17.470 in the newness for which we are created in Jesus. 00:30:18.040 --> 00:30:18.800 New Creation. 00:30:19.120 --> 00:30:20.300 Old things pass away. 00:30:20.300 --> 00:30:21.980 Behold all things become new. 00:30:22.020 --> 00:30:24.520 Love is about living in the moment for what God has called you to do. 00:30:24.540 --> 00:30:29.060 If you hold onto this past, you can never step into where Jesus wants to lead your life. 00:30:30.640 --> 00:30:33.600 And I know it was hard or it can be hard. 00:30:35.600 --> 00:30:42.900 In fact, just to highlight that point I want to point you to another Apostle or a disciple of Jesus, Peter. 00:30:43.860 --> 00:30:50.880 First Peter chapter two, Peter is reflected on the cross as well and what this means for believers, but when he's reflecting on it, he's reflecting on it in the 00:30:50.880 --> 00:30:52.550 life of Christians that are being persecuted. 00:30:52.660 --> 00:30:59.220 In fact, if you go read just a couple of verses before this, you see Christians go in during a hardship and then Peter has to respond to this moment. 00:30:59.220 --> 00:31:01.750 Okay, now how do we live in our lives because of the Cross of Christ? 00:31:01.760 --> 00:31:10.260 He says this: "For you have been called for this purpose since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in his steps." What's 00:31:10.260 --> 00:31:10.610 that example? 00:31:12.120 --> 00:31:15.520 He committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in his mouth. 00:31:16.520 --> 00:31:19.400 And while being reviled, he did not revile in return while suffering. 00:31:19.400 --> 00:31:26.440 He uttered no threats, but he kept entrusting himself to the one who judges righteously and he himself bore our sins in his body on the 00:31:26.500 --> 00:31:30.280 cross that we might die to sin and live to righteousness for by his wounds you have been healed. 00:31:31.480 --> 00:31:37.230 What he's saying in verse 22 is, "Look guys, anyone that had been a justified to bring down wrath at any moment, it was Jesus. 00:31:37.340 --> 00:31:37.940 He's perfect. 00:31:37.940 --> 00:31:39.040 We're not, right? 00:31:39.040 --> 00:31:46.160 If Jesus wanted to call down legions of angels to rescue him from the cross and just destroy and obliterate this earth, Jesus 00:31:46.160 --> 00:31:50.780 could have done it." But even in his perfection, what did he do? 00:31:51.900 --> 00:31:53.420 Being reviled, he didn't revile in return. 00:31:54.760 --> 00:31:58.060 In fact, what he did do is he entrusted himself to him who judges righteously. 00:32:02.600 --> 00:32:10.320 When we walk in forgiveness, what we're confessing without maybe saying it, is "What I want to do is 00:32:10.440 --> 00:32:14.500 greater than what Jesus has already done, right? 00:32:14.560 --> 00:32:15.620 I want to hold him vengeance. 00:32:17.460 --> 00:32:20.560 I wish ill will on somebody." How do you know you've really forgiven somebody? 00:32:24.200 --> 00:32:25.190 I would say it's like this. 00:32:25.340 --> 00:32:30.390 When your first thoughts of them aren't to look for their demise, but rather God's will to be made known. 00:32:32.140 --> 00:32:36.900 If you're hoping just for their downfall and that's all you just look for and you're just stuck in that, you haven't let go of it. 00:32:40.020 --> 00:32:43.200 There are consequences to sin and no, not saying if things had been wrong to you. 00:32:43.200 --> 00:32:49.220 I mean we have police and things like that for a reason, right? 00:32:49.300 --> 00:32:53.860 But what God wants to do is greater than anything you can do holding onto it yourself. 00:32:53.880 --> 00:33:00.960 In fact, it keeps you from where God's called you and so he says with Jesus he entrusts himself 00:33:00.960 --> 00:33:02.640 to one who judges rightly is. 00:33:02.940 --> 00:33:05.150 It becomes a faith test for us. 00:33:07.000 --> 00:33:08.640 Forgiveness guys, isn't an emotion. 00:33:10.440 --> 00:33:11.400 It's a step of faith. 00:33:11.400 --> 00:33:13.700 I know when it comes to forgiving, sometimes it's hard. 00:33:13.720 --> 00:33:19.200 Someone's it wraps, conjures up all these feelings for us, but there's also a step of faith to saying, "Look, God. 00:33:21.760 --> 00:33:28.920 I'm going to trust that you love me and what you've got is better, and where are you calling me to be right 00:33:28.920 --> 00:33:30.480 now is not stuck in this. 00:33:31.560 --> 00:33:39.160 But with you and far greater things that you can do in my life by living in the love which you've called me to then 00:33:39.160 --> 00:33:47.980 for me to stay in my own personal vengeance here in the past." God takes care of the past so 00:33:48.000 --> 00:33:49.480 that we can walk with him in the future. 00:33:52.000 --> 00:33:59.220 Here's the irony: So many times in our lives, we often look for grace for ourselves, but we demand justice for 00:33:59.220 --> 00:33:59.400 others. 00:34:01.220 --> 00:34:06.470 And how hypocritical of me it is to seek forgiveness but demand justice on others. 00:34:08.480 --> 00:34:15.580 Peter wants us to see this rescue mission of Jesus, and not 00:34:15.580 --> 00:34:20.340 only this rescue mission of Jesus, but our calling to join him on this rescue mission. 00:34:22.420 --> 00:34:26.000 If we can't forgive, how could we ever participate? 00:34:27.600 --> 00:34:32.060 And you think about Jesus and his ability to forgive that allowed him to come on this rescue mission for your soul. 00:34:33.360 --> 00:34:39.020 Because of his desire to forgive, he was able to pursue your soul while you were yet a sinner. 00:34:40.659 --> 00:34:44.860 And now in emulating that, he calls you on the same rescue mission in this world that opposes this kingdom of light. 00:34:45.300 --> 00:34:51.000 If you don't fight for the people in this world, who will? 00:34:54.080 --> 00:35:01.240 In praying for his enemies, father forgive them, they know what they do, not only did Christ set before us a perfect example of how 00:35:01.240 --> 00:35:08.280 we should treat those who wrong us, but he also taught us never to regard any as beyond the reach of 00:35:08.540 --> 00:35:09.870 His grace. 00:35:11.340 --> 00:35:16.080 The truth is we all struggle to forgive. 00:35:16.740 --> 00:35:24.620 So a passage like First John four and First Peter two exists, but the cross at the same time shows us that 00:35:24.620 --> 00:35:28.400 love and forgiveness, it involves sacrifice for the forgiver, right? 00:35:28.400 --> 00:35:35.800 In First Peter 2:24 beginning of the verse, "He bore our sins on the cross, but it also provides the power to bring newness of life." First 00:35:35.800 --> 00:35:45.960 Peter chapter two verse 20 at the end, "By his wounds, we are healed." Forgiveness 00:35:45.960 --> 00:35:47.540 always costs the forgiver. 00:35:49.160 --> 00:35:56.220 But forgiveness is the very source that brings newness of life and allows us to walk in love both, both for the forgiver 00:35:56.220 --> 00:35:57.340 and the forgiven. 00:35:59.180 --> 00:36:02.480 As forgiver, it lets you release being trapped and controlling the past. 00:36:04.360 --> 00:36:11.530 As forgiven, it let's you walk away from the identity of the past and the newness of life. 00:36:13.940 --> 00:36:16.660 For us to live this out, it's a struggle. 00:36:19.000 --> 00:36:25.730 One of the artists that I enjoy in life is a man by the name of Rembrandt. 00:36:27.100 --> 00:36:31.590 One of the reasons I enjoy him is because he's about the only Protestant painter that you can find in church history. 00:36:31.900 --> 00:36:35.660 But Rembrandt was alive in the 17th century. 00:36:35.720 --> 00:36:42.740 And I think we should all in a way, model life like Rembrandt and what I don't mean as 00:36:42.740 --> 00:36:48.820 buy a beret and look like that, but what I do mean is what his heart pursued in his paintings. 00:36:50.340 --> 00:36:55.290 Rembrandt in the 17th century started to paint biblical pictures in a unique way. 00:36:55.820 --> 00:37:02.940 Up until this time of Rembrandt, people would take pictures of Jesus, pictures of Mary, and sort of put these like halo things around any 00:37:03.080 --> 00:37:03.850 biblical event. 00:37:04.480 --> 00:37:06.940 And Rembrandt started to just painting things more realistic. 00:37:08.540 --> 00:37:13.620 But the unique thing about Rembrandt is that he also made it personal. 00:37:15.720 --> 00:37:17.660 The cross is the greatest battle in history. 00:37:20.400 --> 00:37:27.500 And you demonstrate your faith in the cross by how you forgive and you become a forgiving 00:37:27.500 --> 00:37:32.440 soul when this cross becomes personal to your own life, right? 00:37:32.480 --> 00:37:39.720 And I think Rembrandt knew that, which is why when Rembrandt painted what's called the Raising of the Cross, Rembrandt 00:37:39.720 --> 00:37:44.560 at the bottom of Jesus's feet included himself in the painting. 00:37:47.780 --> 00:37:54.920 Rembrandt in these moments, saw the depth of his sin, but at the same time he also saw the greater love of 00:37:54.920 --> 00:37:55.360 his God. 00:37:57.100 --> 00:37:57.560 Father forgive. 00:38:00.760 --> 00:38:07.640 Rembrandt sees Jesus taking care of his past so that he can walk with Jesus and his love in the present. 00:38:10.420 --> 00:38:17.580 When we see the depth of what God has done for our soul, who are we not 00:38:17.580 --> 00:38:19.330 to join him on that rescue mission? 00:38:22.220 --> 00:38:24.570 Who are we to live trapped in the past? 00:38:26.520 --> 00:38:33.620 What God calls you to in this moment in history is far greater than to 00:38:33.620 --> 00:38:36.220 let the past have control of you. 00:38:37.980 --> 00:38:40.220 His love has the power to change. 00:38:41.900 --> 00:38:42.860 Starting with your heart. 00:38:44.580 --> 00:38:45.000 If what? 00:38:46.960 --> 00:38:48.020 We simply trust. 00:38:50.720 --> 00:38:58.120 You're ready for God to move when your heart is forgiven and 00:38:58.120 --> 00:39:00.300 your heart is forgiving. 00:39:01.960 --> 00:39:09.200 How well do you know if you understand this phrase, Jesus utters, Father, forgive them?" It's seen in how well 00:39:09.200 --> 00:39:10.670 you forgive others. 00:39:11.980 --> 00:39:14.520 Not just saying it, but demonstrating it. 00:39:15.660 --> 00:39:17.620 Does your forgiveness have action? 00:39:19.180 --> 00:39:23.760 Does it desire your vengeance or God's hand of grace?