I would like to welcome you once again 00:00:26.69\00:00:28.72 to the Search for Certainty. 00:00:28.76\00:00:30.49 It's good to see you all here today. 00:00:30.53\00:00:33.03 And I also want to welcome those 00:00:33.06\00:00:35.13 who are watching from far and wide, 00:00:35.16\00:00:36.80 wherever you may be. 00:00:36.83\00:00:38.17 Welcome along to this fourth episode 00:00:38.20\00:00:41.50 in the Search for Certainty. 00:00:41.54\00:00:43.64 Thus far for those that may not have joined us, 00:00:43.67\00:00:46.27 thus far we have been looking at the signs of Jesus' coming. 00:00:46.31\00:00:50.28 We have discovered that Jesus is indeed coming 00:00:50.31\00:00:54.38 very, very soon. 00:00:54.42\00:00:56.58 We have discovered that Jesus gave us signs. 00:00:56.62\00:00:59.85 Signs in the political world, 00:00:59.89\00:01:01.66 He gave us signs in the world of nature. 00:01:01.69\00:01:03.89 He gave us signs in the social world, 00:01:03.93\00:01:06.23 signs in the economic world, signs in the religious world, 00:01:06.26\00:01:09.80 and the greatest and final sign that He gave us 00:01:09.83\00:01:12.80 that would usher in the grand climax of human history 00:01:12.83\00:01:16.14 was the preaching of what? 00:01:16.17\00:01:17.77 The everlasting gospel to all the world. 00:01:17.81\00:01:20.94 These are the most important signs, 00:01:20.98\00:01:23.04 in particular this final sign 00:01:23.08\00:01:25.21 is the most important sign of all 00:01:25.25\00:01:27.45 that prepares the world for the second coming of Jesus. 00:01:27.48\00:01:30.85 Now why did Jesus give us these signs? 00:01:30.89\00:01:33.89 It was simply to enable us 00:01:33.92\00:01:35.52 to be ready for His soon return. 00:01:35.56\00:01:38.09 So that when we see all these things come to pass, 00:01:38.13\00:01:41.16 as Jesus said in John 14:29 that we may believe. 00:01:41.20\00:01:45.93 There would be nothing worse than being unprepared 00:01:45.97\00:01:50.31 for a great event or for a stupendous crisis. 00:01:50.34\00:01:54.04 And as we have discovered 00:01:54.08\00:01:55.41 this world is heading toward a great stupendous crisis 00:01:55.44\00:01:58.78 that will climax and culminate in the second coming of Jesus. 00:01:58.81\00:02:02.62 And so Jesus has given us these signs 00:02:02.65\00:02:05.25 so that we can be ready, we can watch and be ready, 00:02:05.29\00:02:08.09 and we can also help others to be ready. 00:02:08.12\00:02:11.23 Now today we want to continue 00:02:11.26\00:02:12.99 to look at this all important sign, 00:02:13.03\00:02:15.53 the preaching of the gospel to all the world 00:02:15.56\00:02:18.07 as Jesus said in Matthew 24:14, 00:02:18.10\00:02:20.74 and this gospel will be preached 00:02:20.77\00:02:22.47 in all the world is a witness to how many nations? 00:02:22.50\00:02:25.54 To all nations and then the end will come. 00:02:25.57\00:02:29.64 Today we want to in particular look at the everlasting gospel. 00:02:29.68\00:02:34.15 We want to take a look at what Jesus has done 00:02:34.18\00:02:36.92 for each and every person so that none may perish, 00:02:36.95\00:02:40.56 but that all might come to repentance 00:02:40.59\00:02:42.86 and receive everlasting life through Christ Jesus, our Lord. 00:02:42.89\00:02:47.20 I've entitled this fourth presentation 00:02:47.23\00:02:50.37 Rescue from Above. 00:02:50.40\00:02:53.34 Before we move into this most beautiful 00:02:53.37\00:02:56.64 and most dramatic story of the gospel, 00:02:56.67\00:03:00.11 as we journey with Christ from Gethsemane 00:03:00.14\00:03:03.24 all the way to Golgotha. 00:03:03.28\00:03:05.01 I would like to take us on another journey 00:03:05.05\00:03:07.45 and reflect on another inspiring event that took place 00:03:07.48\00:03:11.62 not so many years ago. 00:03:11.65\00:03:13.39 Some of you may remember back in 2010, 00:03:13.42\00:03:18.39 August 5 to be exact 00:03:18.43\00:03:20.73 when the San Jose gold and copper mine 00:03:20.76\00:03:24.43 there in Copiapo, 00:03:24.47\00:03:26.03 Chile suffered a massive caving. 00:03:26.07\00:03:30.01 There were 33 miners that were trapped 00:03:30.04\00:03:32.87 700 meters below the earth surface, 00:03:32.91\00:03:36.18 whilst they were going about their work. 00:03:36.21\00:03:38.38 The youngest being 19 and the elder being 63. 00:03:38.41\00:03:42.25 And so the world didn't know 00:03:42.28\00:03:43.85 whether they were alive or whether they were dead. 00:03:43.89\00:03:47.16 And so there was anxiety 00:03:47.19\00:03:49.76 not just there in Chile but around the world, 00:03:49.79\00:03:52.39 and many wondered would these miners 00:03:52.43\00:03:54.96 add to the statistics of more deaths 00:03:55.00\00:03:58.43 in this very precarious industry of mining. 00:03:58.47\00:04:02.67 So the families came together and they began to gather 00:04:02.70\00:04:06.47 from far and near, 00:04:06.51\00:04:07.84 and as they were gathering from far and near, 00:04:07.88\00:04:09.91 two days after the initial collapse, 00:04:09.94\00:04:13.01 another collapse as the rescuers were trying 00:04:13.05\00:04:16.08 to get to these miners 00:04:16.12\00:04:18.25 700 meters below the earth surface 00:04:18.29\00:04:20.46 another collapse which put pay to them 00:04:20.49\00:04:24.69 being rescued in a very short space of time. 00:04:24.73\00:04:28.76 Day after day the families prayed, 00:04:28.80\00:04:32.07 prayed and prayed for a miracle. 00:04:32.10\00:04:34.77 Would there be a miracle? 00:04:34.80\00:04:37.24 Day after day went past, two days, three days, 00:04:37.27\00:04:41.31 a week, two weeks, no sign of the miners. 00:04:41.34\00:04:45.45 People began to lose hope, 00:04:45.48\00:04:47.68 but the families they didn't, they continue to pray 00:04:47.72\00:04:50.35 and then finally after 17 long days, 00:04:50.39\00:04:56.22 a message from the miners came to the surface 00:04:56.26\00:05:00.73 and it was a piece of paper 00:05:00.76\00:05:04.53 and it had red letters in Spanish. 00:05:04.57\00:05:07.57 And the message 00:05:07.60\00:05:08.94 and I'll read it to you in English, 00:05:08.97\00:05:10.31 "We are all well in the shelter all 33 of us." 00:05:10.34\00:05:15.41 Can you imagine the excitement? 00:05:15.44\00:05:18.11 Can you imagine the explosion of energy amongst the families 00:05:18.15\00:05:22.55 that had gathered there 00:05:22.58\00:05:24.49 praying and hoping and pleading with God for a miracle? 00:05:24.52\00:05:28.79 The whole world erupted in joy that the miners, 00:05:28.82\00:05:32.99 that they were all alive. 00:05:33.03\00:05:34.43 But now the big problem 00:05:34.46\00:05:35.96 had to bring them back to the surface. 00:05:36.00\00:05:39.23 And so the Chilean government 00:05:39.27\00:05:41.14 spoke to a number of other governments 00:05:41.17\00:05:43.44 in order to find out what was the best way 00:05:43.47\00:05:45.64 to try and get these miners 00:05:45.67\00:05:48.58 from where they were to where they needed to be. 00:05:48.61\00:05:51.51 And so they spoke to governments 00:05:51.55\00:05:53.45 as well as to NASA. 00:05:53.48\00:05:54.88 And they finally came up with a plan, 00:05:54.92\00:05:58.09 they came up with a capsule, 00:05:58.12\00:06:00.12 and that capsule was became known as Fenix 2. 00:06:00.16\00:06:03.73 It was just big enough for one individual to go down. 00:06:03.76\00:06:08.60 And so after 68 days, after 68 long days 00:06:08.63\00:06:15.17 the capsule was ready to go down. 00:06:15.20\00:06:19.71 And so the first rescuer went down as a guinea pig 00:06:19.74\00:06:24.05 to see if this capsule would work. 00:06:24.08\00:06:26.75 Everyone watched and wondered 00:06:26.78\00:06:29.12 and then finally after sometime, 00:06:29.15\00:06:32.09 the first miner came to the surface. 00:06:32.12\00:06:35.22 It was 24 hours later when the final miner, 00:06:35.26\00:06:38.99 the foreman himself came to the surface. 00:06:39.03\00:06:42.43 The whole world erupted in celebration. 00:06:42.46\00:06:45.87 After 69 long days talk about a long shift, 00:06:45.90\00:06:51.44 after 69 long days 00:06:51.47\00:06:54.18 they finally made their way to the surface, 00:06:54.21\00:06:57.45 reunited with their families. 00:06:57.48\00:07:00.68 As I think about that story, 00:07:00.72\00:07:03.25 I cannot help but think of another rescue effort. 00:07:03.28\00:07:06.72 Another rescue effort that took place 2000 years ago 00:07:06.76\00:07:11.23 where this world was in a position 00:07:11.26\00:07:14.26 just like those miners 00:07:14.30\00:07:15.63 where we could not rescue ourselves. 00:07:15.66\00:07:18.33 And so God sent His only son Jesus Christ to this world 00:07:18.37\00:07:23.71 to perform the greatest rescue effort 00:07:23.74\00:07:26.68 this universe has ever seen. 00:07:26.71\00:07:29.68 Today we want to take a look at this rescue from above, 00:07:29.71\00:07:33.95 the greatest rescue of all. 00:07:33.98\00:07:36.58 As we discover the good news of the everlasting gospel. 00:07:36.62\00:07:40.92 Before we get to the story of the gospel 00:07:40.96\00:07:45.36 that we have in the powerful scriptures, 00:07:45.39\00:07:48.33 I want us to think about that movie 00:07:48.36\00:07:51.47 that came out not so long ago, 00:07:51.50\00:07:54.27 produced by Mel Gibson, The Passion of Christ. 00:07:54.30\00:07:57.64 How many of you had an opportunity to see that? 00:07:57.67\00:07:59.84 Okay, a couple of you have. 00:07:59.87\00:08:02.51 The Passion of Christ where Mel Gibson try to, 00:08:02.54\00:08:06.72 tried as best he could 00:08:06.75\00:08:08.85 through the lenses of Hollywood to capture 00:08:08.88\00:08:11.89 what Jesus went through from Gethsemane 00:08:11.92\00:08:15.22 all the way through to Golgotha. 00:08:15.26\00:08:17.69 Now today we are not going to go 00:08:17.73\00:08:19.93 to the lenses of Hollywood, 00:08:19.96\00:08:22.00 today instead we're going to go to the holy word. 00:08:22.03\00:08:25.17 The holy word because today 00:08:25.20\00:08:26.94 we will discover that God's word is able to take us 00:08:26.97\00:08:31.41 where no camera in the world will take us. 00:08:31.44\00:08:34.14 Today we will go together 00:08:34.18\00:08:36.31 to the very heart of God's heart. 00:08:36.34\00:08:39.51 The very heart of the gospel message and discover 00:08:39.55\00:08:42.52 what it is that Jesus Christ did for us. 00:08:42.55\00:08:46.22 But before we open up God's word, what must we do? 00:08:46.25\00:08:49.29 We must pray, and ask the God that inspired 00:08:49.32\00:08:52.59 the pages of this book to illuminate our minds 00:08:52.63\00:08:55.73 and warm our hearts with the good news of Jesus 00:08:55.76\00:08:59.30 and His love, so let's just pause and pray. 00:08:59.33\00:09:02.04 Loving Father in heaven, 00:09:02.07\00:09:04.34 we want to thank You for this opportunity 00:09:04.37\00:09:06.24 to open Your word. 00:09:06.27\00:09:07.74 Father, we could be doing a whole bunch of things 00:09:07.78\00:09:10.25 right now, 00:09:10.28\00:09:11.61 but Father there is one thing that we want to be doing 00:09:11.65\00:09:14.68 more than anything else 00:09:14.72\00:09:16.05 and that is opening Your word and in particular, 00:09:16.08\00:09:19.45 opening the pages of Your word 00:09:19.49\00:09:21.92 that specifically point us to Jesus 00:09:21.96\00:09:24.83 and His great love for us on Calvary. 00:09:24.86\00:09:27.60 So Father as we open Your word please 00:09:27.63\00:09:30.50 through your Holy Spirit open our hearts and our minds 00:09:30.53\00:09:33.64 that we may be willing to receive 00:09:33.67\00:09:36.00 these precious truths from your word 00:09:36.04\00:09:38.44 is our prayer in Jesus' name, amen and amen. 00:09:38.47\00:09:42.98 I want to go to a scripture 00:09:43.01\00:09:44.45 that we have looked at thus far a beautiful scripture 00:09:44.48\00:09:48.18 in John 12:32 where Jesus said, 00:09:48.22\00:09:51.62 "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, 00:09:51.65\00:09:54.59 will draw all peoples to Myself." 00:09:54.62\00:09:56.89 Jesus said that if He is lifted up, 00:09:56.93\00:10:00.00 He will draw all people to Himself. 00:10:00.03\00:10:02.43 It's a powerful statement. 00:10:02.46\00:10:03.80 What's Jesus here is saying? 00:10:03.83\00:10:05.37 Jesus is saying that if we look to Him, 00:10:05.40\00:10:07.90 if we look to His sacrifice, 00:10:07.94\00:10:09.54 if we look to Calvary that has the power, 00:10:09.57\00:10:13.17 that has the force to drawer us to Himself. 00:10:13.21\00:10:17.78 And I want to put it to you my dear friends 00:10:17.81\00:10:20.32 that if the sacrifice of Christ 00:10:20.35\00:10:22.78 does not draw you to the heart of God, 00:10:22.82\00:10:25.19 nothing else will in this world. 00:10:25.22\00:10:27.29 This is the greatest power 00:10:27.32\00:10:29.66 that we have to drawer us to Christ Himself. 00:10:29.69\00:10:33.53 And so as we go to the very heart of God, 00:10:33.56\00:10:36.60 we want to go to the old city of Jerusalem. 00:10:36.63\00:10:40.57 The old city of Jerusalem, 00:10:40.60\00:10:42.34 there were the final hours of Jesus' life 00:10:42.37\00:10:46.47 here on the earth 00:10:46.51\00:10:47.91 before His crucifixion took place. 00:10:47.94\00:10:51.61 Notice, before Jesus went to the cross, 00:10:51.65\00:10:56.15 He prayed this all important powerful prayer 00:10:56.18\00:11:00.32 there gathered together with His disciples 00:11:00.36\00:11:02.99 on that Thursday evening, 00:11:03.02\00:11:04.76 that Passover first day evening. 00:11:04.79\00:11:07.60 Notice the prayer that Jesus prayed. 00:11:07.63\00:11:09.43 We have it in John 17:1, 00:11:09.46\00:11:12.07 "Father, Jesus is praying, the hour has come. 00:11:12.10\00:11:15.67 Glorify Your Son, 00:11:15.70\00:11:17.27 that Your Son may also glorify You." 00:11:17.31\00:11:19.87 What was Jesus here praying? 00:11:19.91\00:11:22.01 Jesus here was praying 00:11:22.04\00:11:23.91 that the Father would glorify Himself through the Son. 00:11:23.95\00:11:28.35 What's the glory of God? 00:11:28.38\00:11:29.75 The Bible tells us in the Book of Exodus, 00:11:29.78\00:11:31.65 that the glory of God 00:11:31.69\00:11:33.02 is a revelation of His character. 00:11:33.05\00:11:34.86 It was time for the character of God to be showcased 00:11:34.89\00:11:40.10 before the whole universe, 00:11:40.13\00:11:41.96 the truth about God, the truth about His love. 00:11:42.00\00:11:44.80 You see before this point, 00:11:44.83\00:11:47.14 God's reputation had been place through the dirt 00:11:47.17\00:11:50.77 especially by His own people. 00:11:50.81\00:11:52.57 God was seen as someone to be afraid of, 00:11:52.61\00:11:55.24 not someone to be a friend of. 00:11:55.28\00:11:57.35 God was seen as someone who was stern, 00:11:57.38\00:12:00.02 and someone who is harsh, 00:12:00.05\00:12:01.82 but it was time now for the whole world, 00:12:01.85\00:12:03.82 for the universe to see 00:12:03.85\00:12:05.55 what the love of God truly was like. 00:12:05.59\00:12:08.52 The hour has come. 00:12:08.56\00:12:12.29 The hour had come for that plan of salvation 00:12:12.33\00:12:15.73 to be put into place. 00:12:15.76\00:12:17.47 That plan of salvation 00:12:17.50\00:12:18.83 that God gave to Adam and Eve at the very beginning, 00:12:18.87\00:12:21.84 when He told them that a Savior would come 00:12:21.87\00:12:24.51 to pay the price for their sins 00:12:24.54\00:12:26.51 to reunite them with God, 00:12:26.54\00:12:30.08 and that Savior would be none other than 00:12:30.11\00:12:32.28 their creator Jesus Christ. 00:12:32.31\00:12:34.58 As we go together to the Garden of Gethsemane, 00:12:34.62\00:12:38.75 the Garden of Gethsemane. 00:12:38.79\00:12:40.66 The word Gethsemane means oil press. 00:12:40.69\00:12:43.02 We'll discover that this is indeed 00:12:43.06\00:12:45.46 where the very heart of Jesus Christ 00:12:45.49\00:12:47.76 was pressed out, 00:12:47.80\00:12:49.36 because of what He was going through the sins, 00:12:49.40\00:12:52.03 the burdens that He was experiencing. 00:12:52.07\00:12:54.60 I've had the opportunity 00:12:54.64\00:12:55.97 of going to the Garden of Gethsemane 00:12:56.00\00:12:57.47 and that was one of the most powerful, 00:12:57.51\00:13:00.48 one of the most precious experiences in my life. 00:13:00.51\00:13:04.85 Notice what Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. 00:13:04.88\00:13:08.52 We have these words in Matthew 26:36-39, 00:13:08.55\00:13:13.32 this is Matthew, one of Jesus disciples 00:13:13.36\00:13:15.79 recounting what Jesus prayed 00:13:15.82\00:13:18.16 and what took place there in Gethsemane. 00:13:18.19\00:13:20.86 "Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, 00:13:20.90\00:13:24.00 and said to the disciples, 00:13:24.03\00:13:25.63 'Sit here while I go and pray over there.' 00:13:25.67\00:13:28.64 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, 00:13:28.67\00:13:31.31 that would be James and John. 00:13:31.34\00:13:32.97 And He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. 00:13:33.01\00:13:36.88 Then He said to them, 00:13:36.91\00:13:38.25 'My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, 00:13:38.28\00:13:40.55 even to death. 00:13:40.58\00:13:42.28 Stay here and watch with Me.' 00:13:42.32\00:13:44.52 "Jesus' soul was exceedingly sorrowful even to death. 00:13:44.55\00:13:49.02 We'll discover what those words mean in just a moment. 00:13:49.06\00:13:53.16 "He went a little farther and fell on His face, 00:13:53.19\00:13:55.30 and prayed, saying, 00:13:55.33\00:13:56.67 'O My Father, if it is possible, 00:13:56.70\00:13:58.83 let this cup pass from Me, nevertheless, 00:13:58.87\00:14:01.80 not as I will, but as You will.' 00:14:01.84\00:14:05.31 "He went back after visiting with His disciples 00:14:05.34\00:14:08.38 over a sleep, 00:14:08.41\00:14:09.84 He went back to the same spot and Matthew continues on 00:14:09.88\00:14:13.72 and he says He prayed," 00:14:13.75\00:14:15.35 Again, a second time, 00:14:15.38\00:14:17.29 He went away and prayed, saying, 'O My Father, 00:14:17.32\00:14:20.19 if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, 00:14:20.22\00:14:24.03 Your will be done.' 00:14:24.06\00:14:25.43 " And then one more final time the Bible says, 00:14:25.46\00:14:29.16 "So He left them, went away again, 00:14:29.20\00:14:31.60 and prayed the third time, saying the same words." 00:14:31.63\00:14:35.20 Father, let this bitter cup pass from my lips, 00:14:35.24\00:14:40.21 nevertheless not My will, but Your will be done. 00:14:40.24\00:14:43.98 What was filled in that cup 00:14:44.01\00:14:46.25 that Jesus was invited to drink by His Father? 00:14:46.28\00:14:50.32 It was the sins of the entire world. 00:14:50.35\00:14:53.25 All the sins that had been committed 00:14:53.29\00:14:55.22 for the past 4000 years up until that point, 00:14:55.26\00:14:57.76 and all the sins that would be committed 00:14:57.79\00:14:59.73 by every single individual 00:14:59.76\00:15:01.53 all the way to the second coming of Jesus. 00:15:01.56\00:15:04.53 Jesus said, if there is a plan B, 00:15:04.57\00:15:06.87 Father, please, I'm willing to take plan B, 00:15:06.90\00:15:09.60 but the Father said, no My Son. 00:15:09.64\00:15:11.57 No My Son, there is no plan B. 00:15:11.61\00:15:15.48 You must drink that cup, 00:15:15.51\00:15:17.18 if My children will come back home to where they belong, 00:15:17.21\00:15:22.18 to where I wanted them to be at the very beginning of time. 00:15:22.22\00:15:25.39 I can just picture in my minds I, 00:15:25.42\00:15:27.92 what was going through Jesus' mind, 00:15:27.96\00:15:29.92 the temptations that He was experiencing 00:15:29.96\00:15:32.53 right there and then. 00:15:32.56\00:15:33.90 I can just imagine 00:15:33.93\00:15:35.26 the devil himself was there in the garden 00:15:35.30\00:15:38.43 tempting Jesus with the thought that if He drank that cup, 00:15:38.47\00:15:42.00 the separation of sin would be so great, 00:15:42.04\00:15:45.31 the gulf would be so enormous that it would separate 00:15:45.34\00:15:48.14 Him from His heavenly Father forever. 00:15:48.18\00:15:51.41 You and I, we cannot even begin to comprehend 00:15:51.45\00:15:53.82 what that must have meant for Jesus Christ. 00:15:53.85\00:15:56.99 That had never been separated, 00:15:57.02\00:15:58.89 from all eternity they had been one, 00:15:58.92\00:16:01.92 and now Jesus had to make a choice 00:16:01.96\00:16:06.46 whether He would be willing to drink that cup. 00:16:06.49\00:16:11.07 Sin, sin separates us from God, 00:16:11.10\00:16:15.00 would He be willing to experience that utter 00:16:15.04\00:16:18.57 and total separation from His Father, 00:16:18.61\00:16:20.98 that we would forever be united with our heavenly Father. 00:16:21.01\00:16:25.45 Would He be willing to take on board what we deserve? 00:16:25.48\00:16:30.15 I can just imagine 00:16:30.19\00:16:31.52 what the devil was sharing with Him, 00:16:31.55\00:16:33.46 you've come to Your own people 00:16:33.49\00:16:35.39 and Your own people have rejected You. 00:16:35.42\00:16:38.66 Your disciples, they will all forsake you. 00:16:38.69\00:16:42.73 Your most zealous disciple in a few short hours 00:16:42.76\00:16:46.23 will deny ever knowing you. 00:16:46.27\00:16:48.27 He will heap down curses from heaven, 00:16:48.30\00:16:51.04 in order to make it clear that he doesn't know You, 00:16:51.07\00:16:53.98 he doesn't have any idea who You are. 00:16:54.01\00:16:56.04 One of your disciples has gone 00:16:56.08\00:16:58.81 to fulfill that final act in betraying You. 00:16:58.85\00:17:03.18 Don't do it, you will never see your heavenly Father again. 00:17:03.22\00:17:07.89 Notice Luke, Dr. Luke, 00:17:07.92\00:17:09.56 he gives us an inside as to what was taking place 00:17:09.59\00:17:13.16 there in the Garden of Gethsemane. 00:17:13.19\00:17:14.66 Notice these words. 00:17:14.70\00:17:16.06 He is a physician and he brings these 00:17:16.10\00:17:18.20 very powerful point across, in Luke 22:44, 00:17:18.23\00:17:21.94 "And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. 00:17:21.97\00:17:25.34 Then His sweat became like great drops of blood 00:17:25.37\00:17:28.81 falling down to the ground." 00:17:28.84\00:17:31.08 I used to think once upon a time that Luke, 00:17:31.11\00:17:33.68 Dr. Luke was using high proverbially 00:17:33.72\00:17:36.25 that Jesus was sweating so profusely that it, 00:17:36.28\00:17:40.32 it appeared like drops of blood. 00:17:40.36\00:17:42.36 Little did I realize that 00:17:42.39\00:17:44.13 you can actually sweat real blood. 00:17:44.16\00:17:46.76 Until I did some research 00:17:50.50\00:17:52.13 and I discovered that it is possible 00:17:52.17\00:17:54.60 and people have sweated blood. 00:17:54.64\00:17:57.51 Notice the term for sweating blood, 00:17:57.54\00:18:00.68 real blood is hematidrosis. 00:18:00.71\00:18:04.51 "It's an extremely rare condition 00:18:04.55\00:18:06.48 characterized by the sweating of blood, 00:18:06.51\00:18:08.68 which is said to occur when a person is facing death 00:18:08.72\00:18:12.15 or other highly stressful events. 00:18:12.19\00:18:14.32 It has been seen in prisoners before execution 00:18:14.36\00:18:17.43 and occurred during the London Blitz, 00:18:17.46\00:18:19.46 during World War II. 00:18:19.49\00:18:20.83 Hematidrosis is attributed to rupture of the capillaries 00:18:20.86\00:18:25.13 surrounding sweat glands, 00:18:25.17\00:18:26.63 with oozing of blood into the glands 00:18:26.67\00:18:28.87 and out of the sweat ducts." 00:18:28.90\00:18:30.94 So what was going on with Jesus? 00:18:30.97\00:18:33.31 What was going on with Jesus is this, 00:18:33.34\00:18:35.54 Jesus was experiencing such pain, 00:18:35.58\00:18:39.81 emotional pain, emotional stress 00:18:39.85\00:18:42.65 that you and I, we cannot begin to comprehend. 00:18:42.68\00:18:45.35 The separation that He was beginning to experience 00:18:45.39\00:18:48.22 with His heavenly Father was literally, literally 00:18:48.26\00:18:52.33 squeezing the very life out of Him. 00:18:52.36\00:18:55.86 And my friends, the truth is, 00:18:55.90\00:18:57.97 the truth is that unless 00:18:58.00\00:19:00.47 the God the Father intervened in the Garden of Gethsemane, 00:19:00.50\00:19:04.47 Jesus would never have made it to Golgotha. 00:19:04.51\00:19:08.38 He never would have made it. 00:19:08.41\00:19:09.74 He would have died there and then 00:19:09.78\00:19:12.15 in the Garden of Gethsemane. 00:19:12.18\00:19:13.82 But notice what God did, 00:19:13.85\00:19:15.42 notice what God did in Luke 22:43, 00:19:15.45\00:19:19.35 Luke goes on and he says, 00:19:19.39\00:19:20.72 "Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, 00:19:20.76\00:19:24.13 strengthening Him." 00:19:24.16\00:19:26.19 Oh, Jesus would not die in the darkness 00:19:26.23\00:19:29.40 of the Garden of Gethsemane on His own. 00:19:29.43\00:19:32.13 No, that was not the plan of salvation 00:19:32.17\00:19:34.40 that God had prepared 00:19:34.44\00:19:35.87 before the foundations of the earth. 00:19:35.90\00:19:37.54 Jesus said and we read the words earlier 00:19:37.57\00:19:39.67 in John 12:32, 00:19:39.71\00:19:41.04 if I am what? 00:19:41.08\00:19:42.51 Lifted up from the earth, 00:19:42.54\00:19:43.98 I will draw all peoples to Myself. 00:19:44.01\00:19:47.12 Jesus had to be lifted up 00:19:47.15\00:19:48.92 before the whole universe for all to see. 00:19:48.95\00:19:52.52 So there would be no doubt, 00:19:52.55\00:19:55.29 why Jesus died and how Jesus died 00:19:55.32\00:19:57.89 which we will get to in just a little bit. 00:19:57.93\00:20:00.46 It was not time for the Son to die 00:20:00.50\00:20:03.23 although He could well have died there in the garden, 00:20:03.26\00:20:06.67 but the Father sent His angel 00:20:06.70\00:20:10.24 and the angel strengthened Jesus, 00:20:10.27\00:20:13.27 in His time of trial. 00:20:13.31\00:20:15.71 That's good news for me 00:20:15.74\00:20:17.08 and that ought to be good news for all of us. 00:20:17.11\00:20:18.91 Why? 00:20:18.95\00:20:20.28 That is because that same angel 00:20:20.32\00:20:21.92 God will sent to you during your time of trial, 00:20:21.95\00:20:25.55 during your hour of anguish, 00:20:25.59\00:20:27.89 and nothing will take place in your life 00:20:27.92\00:20:30.99 unless God allows that, 00:20:31.03\00:20:33.60 and it's always for His honor and glory. 00:20:33.63\00:20:36.80 And so you and I can rest 00:20:36.83\00:20:38.63 knowing that the same Father that loved His Son 00:20:38.67\00:20:42.40 is the same Father that loves us supremely. 00:20:42.44\00:20:45.37 And we can rest in the assurance that 00:20:45.41\00:20:47.84 He loves us with an everlasting love. 00:20:47.88\00:20:52.41 Jesus was whipped mercilessly. 00:20:52.45\00:20:57.15 I was about to say mercifully. 00:20:57.19\00:20:58.99 There is nothing merciful about the whipping 00:20:59.02\00:21:01.56 that Jesus experienced. 00:21:01.59\00:21:02.96 The Romans were experts at whipping. 00:21:02.99\00:21:06.80 Thirty-nine lashes 00:21:06.83\00:21:08.80 and I won't go through all the details. 00:21:08.83\00:21:11.53 Those of you who have seen the movie, 00:21:11.57\00:21:14.04 you well know what a prisoner experienced 00:21:14.07\00:21:17.77 during this time of whipping, 00:21:17.81\00:21:20.41 where that whip that had lead 00:21:20.44\00:21:22.81 and glass embedded at the end of the whip 00:21:22.84\00:21:26.35 would just take flesh and just rip it away 00:21:26.38\00:21:28.95 and the prisoner would be blooded 00:21:28.98\00:21:31.12 and it would be a terrible mess. 00:21:31.15\00:21:33.96 Many didn't even survive the whipping. 00:21:33.99\00:21:36.46 They didn't survive the 39 lashes. 00:21:36.49\00:21:40.36 The Bible says in Isaiah 50:6, 00:21:40.40\00:21:43.23 words written by the Prophet Isaiah 00:21:43.26\00:21:45.60 700 years before Christ. 00:21:45.63\00:21:48.04 "I gave my back to those who struck Me, 00:21:48.07\00:21:50.54 and My cheeks to those who plucked out My beard, 00:21:50.57\00:21:53.91 I did not hide My face from shame and spitting." 00:21:53.94\00:21:57.01 Wow! 00:21:57.05\00:21:58.45 Jesus was willing to be spat upon, 00:21:58.48\00:22:03.15 willing to experience that bitter shame 00:22:03.18\00:22:06.96 in order that you and I may bask in the glory 00:22:06.99\00:22:11.59 and in the grace of God. 00:22:11.63\00:22:14.66 Jesus traded places with us. 00:22:14.70\00:22:17.13 That's the gospel, that's the everlasting gospel 00:22:17.17\00:22:20.24 that has been true about God throughout all eternity. 00:22:20.27\00:22:25.21 Jesus was here demonstrating, demonstrating, 00:22:25.24\00:22:29.18 so there would be no doubt whatsoever has to who God was, 00:22:29.21\00:22:33.21 what the character of God was, 00:22:33.25\00:22:35.02 and ultimately how much God loves us 00:22:35.05\00:22:38.89 the entire human race that put a crown on Jesus forehead. 00:22:38.92\00:22:44.46 That head, 00:22:44.49\00:22:48.06 that deserved only the crown of glory, 00:22:48.10\00:22:51.47 received a crown of shame and pain. 00:22:51.50\00:22:56.17 The Bible tells us in Psalm 22:16 00:22:56.20\00:23:00.34 David writing a thousand years before the time of Christ. 00:23:00.38\00:23:05.25 "They pierced My hands and My feet." 00:23:05.28\00:23:08.38 Psalm 22:16, 00:23:08.42\00:23:10.79 how did David know that is how Christ would die. 00:23:10.82\00:23:16.12 Crucifixion hadn't even been invented 00:23:16.16\00:23:19.19 a thousand years before Christ. 00:23:19.23\00:23:20.90 It was invented about 500 years after this period. 00:23:20.93\00:23:26.00 But Jesus was crucified, crucified. 00:23:26.03\00:23:29.17 Crucifixion was reserved by the Romans 00:23:29.20\00:23:32.04 for the worst of the worst. 00:23:32.07\00:23:33.88 In fact if you were a Roman citizen, 00:23:33.91\00:23:35.64 you couldn't be crucified. 00:23:35.68\00:23:37.85 Only non Roman citizens, 00:23:37.88\00:23:40.02 the worst of the worst were crucified 00:23:40.05\00:23:43.65 in order to make them 00:23:43.69\00:23:45.02 a public example to the rest of what will happen to you, 00:23:45.05\00:23:49.86 if you put a foot wrong in the Roman Empire. 00:23:49.89\00:23:52.99 Jesus was crucified. 00:23:53.03\00:23:56.30 It was very painful, very painful. 00:23:56.33\00:24:00.00 More painful than you and I can even 00:24:00.04\00:24:02.14 begin to imagine. 00:24:02.17\00:24:04.07 Can you imagine those hands 00:24:04.11\00:24:06.51 that brought sight to the blind, 00:24:06.54\00:24:09.28 those hands that healed the lepers, 00:24:09.31\00:24:12.05 those feet that walked endless miles, 00:24:12.08\00:24:15.15 endless kilometers to bring hope 00:24:15.18\00:24:18.05 and happiness and joy 00:24:18.09\00:24:20.12 to hundreds and thousands of people, 00:24:20.16\00:24:22.52 those feet that brought life to the dead, 00:24:22.56\00:24:25.56 they were now crucified, they were now pierced. 00:24:25.59\00:24:30.30 The Bible says in Psalm 22:18, 00:24:30.33\00:24:32.67 "They divided My garments among them, 00:24:32.70\00:24:34.90 and for My clothing they cast lots." 00:24:34.94\00:24:37.81 Here David once again, 00:24:37.84\00:24:39.31 he is prophesying concerning Christ. 00:24:39.34\00:24:43.55 No artist in their right mind 00:24:43.58\00:24:47.15 would picture Jesus on the cross, 00:24:47.18\00:24:50.39 without any clothing whatsoever, 00:24:50.42\00:24:52.75 but the reality of the situation is 00:24:52.79\00:24:56.73 that most who were crucified 00:24:56.76\00:25:00.80 we crucified completely naked. 00:25:00.83\00:25:06.07 Now was that the case with Jesus? 00:25:06.10\00:25:07.44 I don't know, the Bible doesn't say. 00:25:07.47\00:25:09.94 But could it be that our savior 00:25:09.97\00:25:11.51 was willing to be completely shamed 00:25:11.54\00:25:14.74 in order that we may receive that robe of righteousness. 00:25:14.78\00:25:19.58 That's one thing I do know, 00:25:19.61\00:25:21.05 that is one thing that I'm certain of, 00:25:21.08\00:25:22.98 Jesus was willing to be shame 00:25:23.02\00:25:24.99 that I may have that robe of righteousness 00:25:25.02\00:25:27.72 and we do know, 00:25:27.76\00:25:29.12 we certainly do know that 00:25:29.16\00:25:30.93 His seamless robe was taken off Him 00:25:30.96\00:25:33.73 and that was gambled by the soldiers. 00:25:33.76\00:25:38.47 I have nakedness, you have nakedness, 00:25:38.50\00:25:41.30 we all have great nakedness, because we're all sinners. 00:25:41.34\00:25:44.87 We've all fallen short of the glory of God. 00:25:44.91\00:25:46.94 We've all fallen short of what God's ideal is for us. 00:25:46.98\00:25:51.45 We all deserve to be ashamed, but no, God says, 00:25:51.48\00:25:56.28 I will not that you have that shame that belongs to you, 00:25:56.32\00:26:00.16 I will place that shame upon My Son. 00:26:00.19\00:26:02.69 Jesus says, I will take on board that shame. 00:26:02.72\00:26:05.79 I'm willing receive that shame 00:26:05.83\00:26:08.03 that My children may be clothed, 00:26:08.06\00:26:10.83 that they may walk 00:26:10.87\00:26:13.34 with that beautiful robe of righteousness. 00:26:13.37\00:26:15.47 Matthew goes on in chapter 27 and verse 31, 00:26:15.50\00:26:20.34 Matthew writes, 00:26:20.38\00:26:22.08 "And when they had mocked Him, 00:26:22.11\00:26:23.55 they led Him away to be crucified." 00:26:23.58\00:26:27.82 Now today we don't quite understand crucifixion. 00:26:27.85\00:26:31.12 Having said that I have seen and heard of disturbing news 00:26:31.15\00:26:38.06 that in some parts of the world even today 00:26:38.09\00:26:40.30 they're practicing crucifixion. 00:26:40.33\00:26:41.76 Are you aware of that? 00:26:41.80\00:26:43.13 Some of you may have even come across some news 00:26:43.16\00:26:45.60 items and news articles. 00:26:45.63\00:26:47.64 I won't say too much more about that. 00:26:47.67\00:26:50.11 But crucifixion was a common practice 00:26:50.14\00:26:52.17 back in the day of Jesus. 00:26:52.21\00:26:54.34 In fact, the word crucifixion 00:26:54.38\00:26:57.28 comes from the Latin word excruciates. 00:26:57.31\00:27:01.58 What English word that we get from excruciates? 00:27:01.62\00:27:05.25 Excruciating. 00:27:05.29\00:27:07.12 It was excruciating pain. 00:27:07.16\00:27:09.56 Why is that? 00:27:09.59\00:27:10.93 That's because an individual who was crucified, 00:27:10.96\00:27:13.86 they would often remain 00:27:13.90\00:27:17.17 suspended between heaven and earth 00:27:17.20\00:27:19.17 for hours and even days on end. 00:27:19.20\00:27:22.84 An individual could live if you want to call it that 00:27:22.87\00:27:27.44 up to three to seven days. 00:27:27.48\00:27:30.38 Why is that? 00:27:30.41\00:27:31.75 Because their vital organs were not affected 00:27:31.78\00:27:35.15 through the crucifixion 00:27:35.18\00:27:37.12 and so natural instinct would kick in 00:27:37.15\00:27:40.12 and you would breathe just instinctively. 00:27:40.16\00:27:43.39 And it wasn't until finally 00:27:43.43\00:27:47.53 your energy level is just completely dropped away 00:27:47.56\00:27:51.63 and then asphyxiation took place 00:27:51.67\00:27:54.10 that the prisoner died, 00:27:54.14\00:27:55.47 or if the soldiers were merciful 00:27:55.50\00:27:58.57 and they broke your knees, they smashed your legs 00:27:58.61\00:28:02.84 and you couldn't raise yourself up to breathe 00:28:02.88\00:28:05.48 and then you would die. 00:28:05.51\00:28:07.52 If they're willing to perform that act of mercy towards you. 00:28:07.55\00:28:12.79 But Jesus didn't die after three days, 00:28:12.82\00:28:16.06 after two days or even after one day. 00:28:16.09\00:28:18.29 The Bible says Jesus died after being on the cross 00:28:18.33\00:28:21.60 for six hours, 00:28:21.63\00:28:23.06 unlike those the two that were on either side of Him. 00:28:23.10\00:28:27.74 Why is that? 00:28:27.77\00:28:29.10 We're going to get to that in just a little bit. 00:28:29.14\00:28:31.31 But as we think about the cross, 00:28:31.34\00:28:33.54 as we think about the cross, 00:28:33.58\00:28:35.18 today in Christianity the cross is the main symbol. 00:28:35.21\00:28:41.25 The main symbol that Christians cling to 00:28:41.28\00:28:45.55 that is the symbol of who they are. 00:28:45.59\00:28:47.96 We have crosses in churches, 00:28:47.99\00:28:50.96 we have crosses in our homes, 00:28:50.99\00:28:54.20 we have crosses on the Bible, 00:28:54.23\00:28:57.10 we even wear crosses around our necks, 00:28:57.13\00:29:00.47 but it was not so in the day of Christ. 00:29:00.50\00:29:04.41 The cross was a symbol of shame, 00:29:04.44\00:29:08.04 it was a symbol of pain, 00:29:08.08\00:29:09.91 it was a symbol of the Roman yoke 00:29:09.94\00:29:13.35 that the people were under, and ultimately 00:29:13.38\00:29:16.05 and most importantly in the day of Jesus Christ, 00:29:16.08\00:29:19.25 the cross was a symbol that you were cursed of God, 00:29:19.29\00:29:24.69 cursed of God. 00:29:24.73\00:29:27.56 Notice these words that the Apostle Paul writes. 00:29:27.60\00:29:30.07 In Galatians 3:13, 00:29:30.10\00:29:33.03 "Christ has redeemed us from the" what? 00:29:33.07\00:29:35.84 "From the curse of the law, having become a" what? 00:29:35.87\00:29:39.51 "A curse for us, for it is written." 00:29:39.54\00:29:41.74 And now he is quoting from the Book of Deuteronomy. 00:29:41.78\00:29:45.95 "Cursed is everyone having been hanged on a" what? 00:29:45.98\00:29:49.68 "On a tree." 00:29:49.72\00:29:51.05 As far as the Jewish mind was concerned, 00:29:51.09\00:29:54.02 to be hung on a tree 00:29:54.06\00:29:56.26 was to experience the curse of God. 00:29:56.29\00:30:00.70 The Jews didn't practice crucifixion 00:30:00.73\00:30:04.37 as their form of capital punishment. 00:30:04.40\00:30:06.63 The Jews practice stoning 00:30:06.67\00:30:09.07 and there is a number of situations there in the Bible, 00:30:09.10\00:30:11.94 in the New Testament were stoning was the choice 00:30:11.97\00:30:16.75 of capital punishment. 00:30:16.78\00:30:18.31 And so why did they ask for Jesus to be crucified, 00:30:18.35\00:30:22.02 why not stone Jesus? 00:30:22.05\00:30:24.55 It's because they wanted to make it clear to all, 00:30:24.59\00:30:28.69 especially Jesus Christ 00:30:28.72\00:30:30.26 the one who claimed to be the Messiah, 00:30:30.29\00:30:32.53 that He because He claimed to be one with God 00:30:32.56\00:30:36.36 deserved to have the curse of God upon him. 00:30:36.40\00:30:40.64 And so when Jesus hung on the cross, 00:30:40.67\00:30:44.21 He hung in the sight of all the people 00:30:44.24\00:30:48.81 who believed based on what they understood 00:30:48.84\00:30:51.68 this all to mean, 00:30:51.71\00:30:53.38 He was suffering the curse of God. 00:30:53.42\00:30:56.69 Jesus experienced our curse 00:30:56.72\00:31:00.02 that we may experience His blessing. 00:31:00.06\00:31:03.69 We deserve the curse, 00:31:03.73\00:31:05.33 I deserve to be cursed, isn't that right? 00:31:05.36\00:31:07.66 Because of my sins. 00:31:07.70\00:31:09.30 Jesus committed no sin the Bible says, 00:31:09.33\00:31:11.97 He was perfect, he was pure, 00:31:12.00\00:31:15.34 and yet He took on board Himself the curse of God. 00:31:15.37\00:31:19.77 He was willing to drink that bitter cup 00:31:19.81\00:31:22.08 filled with the pain, and the shame and the sin 00:31:22.11\00:31:25.75 that belongs to you and me and to every other person 00:31:25.78\00:31:28.72 that has ever lived on planet earth. 00:31:28.75\00:31:30.32 Notice what the Apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:21, 00:31:30.35\00:31:35.26 "For He that is God, made Him that is Christ, 00:31:35.29\00:31:38.29 who knew no sin to be sin for us, 00:31:38.33\00:31:41.00 that we might become the" what? 00:31:41.03\00:31:43.23 "The righteousness of God in Him." 00:31:43.26\00:31:46.80 Can you try and grasp 00:31:46.84\00:31:50.07 the gravity of these words of the Apostle Paul? 00:31:50.11\00:31:54.24 As he's writing to the believers 00:31:54.28\00:31:57.15 there in Corinth, 00:31:57.18\00:31:58.71 there in ancient Greece, 00:31:58.75\00:32:01.25 who are living in a city that is filled with sin 00:32:01.28\00:32:07.12 and immorality and all things 00:32:07.16\00:32:11.09 in opposition to God and His character, 00:32:11.13\00:32:13.36 and he says to them, 00:32:13.40\00:32:14.73 he says Christ was willing to trade places. 00:32:14.76\00:32:18.53 Christ was willing to be cursed from God. 00:32:18.57\00:32:21.54 Christ was willing to experience the bitter shame. 00:32:21.57\00:32:24.71 Christ was willing to experience 00:32:24.74\00:32:26.98 the penalty of unrighteousness 00:32:27.01\00:32:29.84 that we may be called the righteousness of God. 00:32:29.88\00:32:35.98 Talk about trading places, 00:32:36.02\00:32:38.35 there has never been a better offer 00:32:38.39\00:32:41.16 that this world has ever received, isn't that right? 00:32:41.19\00:32:44.16 Can you come up with a better offer than that? 00:32:44.19\00:32:46.70 I certainly can't. 00:32:46.73\00:32:48.36 That is the gospel, 00:32:48.40\00:32:50.10 that's why Jesus said this gospel, this good news, 00:32:50.13\00:32:53.44 and that's what the word gospel means. 00:32:53.47\00:32:55.04 That means good news, good news about what? 00:32:55.07\00:32:57.24 Good news that Jesus took on board my punishment, 00:32:57.27\00:33:00.28 He took on board your punishment. 00:33:00.31\00:33:02.34 He took on board the punishment of the world, 00:33:02.38\00:33:05.58 so that we may experience 00:33:05.61\00:33:08.58 the blessings of righteousness of God. 00:33:08.62\00:33:14.06 Isaiah 53:5, 00:33:14.09\00:33:17.89 he writes these words, 00:33:17.93\00:33:19.53 "He that is Christ, was wounded for our transgressions, 00:33:19.56\00:33:22.53 He was bruised for our iniquities, 00:33:22.56\00:33:24.80 the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, 00:33:24.83\00:33:28.17 and by His stripes we are healed." 00:33:28.20\00:33:31.97 We receive healing 00:33:32.01\00:33:35.31 through and by the stripes of Christ. 00:33:35.34\00:33:38.98 We receive healing though the sacrifice of Jesus Christ 00:33:39.01\00:33:42.98 that is where we go to be healed, 00:33:43.02\00:33:46.19 that's why I like to say to the people 00:33:46.22\00:33:48.39 that come to church, I share with them, 00:33:48.42\00:33:50.76 don't stop coming to church, why? 00:33:50.79\00:33:53.76 Because the church is a hospital. 00:33:53.80\00:33:56.03 A hospital for who? 00:33:56.06\00:33:57.40 A hospital for sinners. 00:33:57.43\00:33:59.20 We go there every week 00:33:59.23\00:34:01.87 to receive the medication that we so desperately need 00:34:01.90\00:34:05.64 and that medication flows from Calvary. 00:34:05.67\00:34:09.81 It's the medication that Jesus gives through His sacrifice. 00:34:09.84\00:34:15.32 A hospital for sinners, by His stripes we are healed. 00:34:15.35\00:34:20.66 That is the good news of the gospel. 00:34:20.69\00:34:23.36 Jesus was tempted, 00:34:23.39\00:34:25.39 He was tempted to come down from the cross 00:34:25.43\00:34:27.80 and save Himself. 00:34:27.83\00:34:29.40 If you read the accounts there in the gospels, 00:34:29.43\00:34:33.57 you discover that Jesus was tempted 00:34:33.60\00:34:35.30 to come down from the cross 00:34:35.34\00:34:39.37 by the unruly rabble that had cried out crucify, 00:34:39.41\00:34:43.24 and crucify Him by the religious leaders, 00:34:43.28\00:34:45.81 by the Roman soldiers, 00:34:45.85\00:34:48.08 and by one of the thieves on the cross. 00:34:48.12\00:34:51.99 If you are the Son of God, why didn't You come down, 00:34:52.02\00:34:56.19 and save Yourself and us, cried the thief. 00:34:56.22\00:34:59.39 Notice these words that were shared 00:34:59.43\00:35:03.30 or that were directed at Christ 00:35:03.33\00:35:06.94 in order to inflict even greater pain and suffering, 00:35:06.97\00:35:10.47 Matthew 27:42, 00:35:10.51\00:35:12.77 "He saved others, Himself He cannot" what? 00:35:12.81\00:35:16.51 "He cannot save." 00:35:16.54\00:35:18.25 These words were designed to inflict pain, 00:35:18.28\00:35:23.75 more pain to the heart of Jesus Christ. 00:35:23.79\00:35:28.46 But little did they know, 00:35:28.49\00:35:30.19 little did they know those who utter these words 00:35:30.23\00:35:33.53 that they were actually speaking 00:35:33.56\00:35:36.90 the gospel in a nutshell. 00:35:36.93\00:35:39.40 This is the gospel in a nutshell. 00:35:39.43\00:35:42.17 Why is that? 00:35:42.20\00:35:43.54 That is because God could not save His Son 00:35:43.57\00:35:48.14 and save you and me at the same time. 00:35:48.18\00:35:51.51 Jesus could not save Himself 00:35:51.55\00:35:54.15 and also save us at the same time. 00:35:54.18\00:35:57.29 Someone had to pay the price, for the Bible is very clear, 00:35:57.32\00:36:02.06 in Romans 6:23, it tells us, 00:36:02.09\00:36:04.36 "For the wages of sin is" what? 00:36:04.39\00:36:06.86 "Is death." 00:36:06.90\00:36:08.76 And we're not talking about 00:36:08.80\00:36:10.13 dying the way we understand dying, 00:36:10.17\00:36:11.67 the Bible calls that the first death. 00:36:11.70\00:36:14.30 The death that Apostle Paul speaks over in Romans 6:23 00:36:14.34\00:36:17.54 is the second death according to scripture. 00:36:17.57\00:36:19.91 The death where there is no more coming back. 00:36:19.94\00:36:23.04 There is no more coming into the arms 00:36:23.08\00:36:25.41 of your loving heavenly Father 00:36:25.45\00:36:27.32 where it is separation from God the Father forever 00:36:27.35\00:36:31.35 and ever and ever. 00:36:31.39\00:36:34.66 Jesus could not save you 00:36:34.69\00:36:38.49 and me and Himself all at the same time. 00:36:38.53\00:36:42.46 Someone had to drink 00:36:42.50\00:36:44.67 that bitter cup of eternal separation, 00:36:44.70\00:36:48.20 and Jesus chose to be separated 00:36:48.24\00:36:50.87 from His heavenly Father forever, 00:36:50.91\00:36:54.31 in order that we might be reunited 00:36:54.34\00:36:57.28 with our heavenly Father and live with Him forever. 00:36:57.31\00:37:01.18 That's the gospel, that's the good news. 00:37:01.22\00:37:04.49 If that doesn't drawer us to Jesus, what will? 00:37:04.52\00:37:07.29 What will? 00:37:07.32\00:37:08.82 Can God demonstrate His love 00:37:08.86\00:37:12.43 in a more profound manner? 00:37:12.46\00:37:15.60 I certainly can't think of another way. 00:37:15.63\00:37:18.83 Notice what we read in Luke 23, 00:37:18.87\00:37:22.40 Luke, he goes on, 00:37:22.44\00:37:24.17 and he shares with us 00:37:24.21\00:37:25.67 what was taking place there at Calvary, 00:37:25.71\00:37:27.78 Luke 23:46, 00:37:27.81\00:37:29.98 "And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, 00:37:30.01\00:37:33.21 He said, 'Father, into Your hands 00:37:33.25\00:37:36.05 I commit My spirit.' 00:37:36.08\00:37:37.82 Having said this, He breathed His last." 00:37:37.85\00:37:41.42 Father into thy hands I commit My spirit, 00:37:41.46\00:37:44.76 what did Jesus cry out in a loud voice 00:37:44.79\00:37:48.33 before He uttered those final words? 00:37:48.36\00:37:51.17 He cried out the words, it is finished. 00:37:51.20\00:37:56.37 According to John 19:30, "It is finished." 00:37:56.40\00:38:02.68 Those same words are translated 00:38:02.71\00:38:05.85 in 1 John 4:8, 00:38:05.88\00:38:07.55 "God is love." 00:38:07.58\00:38:11.25 God is love. 00:38:11.29\00:38:13.22 Jesus paid the price. 00:38:13.25\00:38:16.36 Jesus won the victory. 00:38:16.39\00:38:19.13 He claimed the victory on our behalf. 00:38:19.16\00:38:21.66 Those same three words 00:38:21.70\00:38:23.40 we heard them at the very beginning in the garden, 00:38:23.43\00:38:26.27 when God went looking for Adam and Eve. 00:38:26.30\00:38:29.74 And He said, where are you? 00:38:29.77\00:38:34.34 Where are you? 00:38:34.38\00:38:37.45 God's ultimate rescue plan 00:38:37.48\00:38:40.62 completed at Calvary. 00:38:40.65\00:38:45.05 Jesus rested in His Father's care and keeping. 00:38:45.09\00:38:49.46 Jesus could not see His Father's face 00:38:49.49\00:38:53.09 as we'll get to in just a moment. 00:38:53.13\00:38:54.76 But He rested by trusting in His heavenly Father. 00:38:54.80\00:38:59.03 He rested not by sight, not by feeling, but by faith. 00:38:59.07\00:39:04.67 And He was able to cry out My dear Father, 00:39:04.71\00:39:07.51 My Father into Your hands, I commit my spirit. 00:39:07.54\00:39:12.45 Jesus died after being on the cross for only six hours 00:39:12.48\00:39:17.05 as I've already shared. 00:39:17.09\00:39:19.12 Why is that? 00:39:19.15\00:39:20.49 Why did Jesus die after being on the cross 00:39:20.52\00:39:23.43 for only six hours? 00:39:23.46\00:39:24.96 Matthew in his gospel gives us a powerful insight. 00:39:24.99\00:39:28.80 Notice these words, 00:39:28.83\00:39:30.60 "Now from the sixth hour until the ninth 00:39:30.63\00:39:33.74 there was darkness all over the land. 00:39:33.77\00:39:36.10 And about the ninth hour 00:39:36.14\00:39:37.87 Jesus cried out with a loud voice..." 00:39:37.91\00:39:40.21 That word there, loud is the word mega. 00:39:40.24\00:39:43.41 This is not a whisper, not a whimper. 00:39:43.45\00:39:46.51 This is a loud cry, this is a shriek. 00:39:46.55\00:39:50.79 "Cried out with a loud voice saying, 00:39:50.82\00:39:52.89 "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" 00:39:52.92\00:39:55.32 that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" 00:39:55.36\00:40:00.76 Why was Jesus on the cross for only six hours? 00:40:00.80\00:40:04.40 It was because He died not of the pain, 00:40:04.43\00:40:08.17 not of the suffering, not of asphyxiation 00:40:08.20\00:40:10.64 but Jesus died of a broken heart. 00:40:10.67\00:40:13.61 Really? Jesus died of a broken heart. 00:40:13.64\00:40:17.65 Are you trying to tell me Danny that that's the truth? 00:40:17.68\00:40:20.12 Absolutely, notice these words that were prophesied 00:40:20.15\00:40:22.95 about Jesus Christ in the Book of Psalm 13:1, 00:40:22.98\00:40:28.16 "How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? 00:40:28.19\00:40:33.16 How long will You hide Your face from me?" 00:40:33.19\00:40:36.36 This is your David prophesying 00:40:36.40\00:40:38.53 what Jesus would be experiencing 00:40:38.57\00:40:42.50 on Calvary's mount. 00:40:42.54\00:40:46.24 It goes on Psalm 69:20 and 21, 00:40:46.27\00:40:49.98 "Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness, 00:40:50.01\00:40:55.28 I looked for someone to take pity, 00:40:55.32\00:40:57.65 but there was none. 00:40:57.69\00:40:59.02 And for comforters, but I found none. 00:40:59.05\00:41:01.22 And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink." 00:41:01.26\00:41:04.43 Notice those first few words, reproach has done what? 00:41:04.46\00:41:09.46 Broken my heart. 00:41:09.50\00:41:11.63 Reproach has broken my heart, 00:41:11.67\00:41:14.40 so what effect 00:41:14.44\00:41:17.17 did the Father having to turn His face 00:41:17.21\00:41:19.97 away from His Son have on the Son of God 00:41:20.01\00:41:23.04 that broke His heart. 00:41:23.08\00:41:25.75 That's why the Bible says 00:41:25.78\00:41:27.12 there was darkness all over the earth 00:41:27.15\00:41:29.68 from midday to 3:00 p.m., there was darkness. 00:41:29.72\00:41:32.99 The Father had to turn away from His Son, 00:41:33.02\00:41:36.26 and why did the Father have turn away from His Son? 00:41:36.29\00:41:39.39 It was simply this, 00:41:39.43\00:41:40.76 Jesus had to pay the price of sin. 00:41:40.80\00:41:45.23 The Bible says sin separates us from God, 00:41:45.27\00:41:49.17 and Jesus had to experience 00:41:49.20\00:41:51.74 that separation from His Father. 00:41:51.77\00:41:55.68 He had to go through everything 00:41:55.71\00:41:57.98 that sadly those who do not accept 00:41:58.01\00:42:00.22 the good news of the gospel 00:42:00.25\00:42:01.68 will have to experience themselves at the end of time. 00:42:01.72\00:42:05.75 Jesus drank that cup filled with sin 00:42:05.79\00:42:09.39 which is separation from God. 00:42:09.42\00:42:12.29 The Bible says in the end sadly those who reject the cup 00:42:12.33\00:42:17.20 that Jesus drank on their behalf, 00:42:17.23\00:42:19.93 the price that Jesus paid for them, 00:42:19.97\00:42:22.30 they sadly will drink that cup themselves 00:42:22.34\00:42:25.67 and they will experience 00:42:25.71\00:42:27.74 their final and ultimate separation 00:42:27.78\00:42:30.21 from their heavenly Father. 00:42:30.25\00:42:32.18 Reproach has broken my heart. 00:42:32.21\00:42:34.82 I wanted to do a little bit of research 00:42:34.85\00:42:36.58 and find out whether you can actually die of a broken heart. 00:42:36.62\00:42:40.06 We're heard of young people, teenagers, talking about, 00:42:40.09\00:42:44.76 "Oh, you broke my heart. 00:42:44.79\00:42:46.23 Oh, I'm shattered. 00:42:46.26\00:42:47.60 Oh, I cannot live and so on and so forth. 00:42:47.63\00:42:50.13 And we kind of think that's all just 00:42:50.17\00:42:52.10 part of being a romantic teenager 00:42:52.13\00:42:55.24 or a romantic 20 something 00:42:55.27\00:42:57.51 or a romantic 30 something or whatever the case might be. 00:42:57.54\00:43:00.58 But I discovered that you can actually die 00:43:00.61\00:43:02.41 of a literal broken heart. 00:43:02.44\00:43:05.05 I went to the famous 00:43:05.08\00:43:08.78 and world leading hospital 00:43:08.82\00:43:11.42 and research institute Johns Hopkins, 00:43:11.45\00:43:14.49 and I punched in the words 00:43:14.52\00:43:19.46 a broken heart. 00:43:19.49\00:43:21.63 Frequently asked questions 00:43:21.66\00:43:23.13 about a broken heart syndrome came up. 00:43:23.16\00:43:26.23 And notice the words 00:43:26.27\00:43:28.50 from this particular website, from Johns Hopkins. 00:43:28.54\00:43:33.01 "Stress cardiomyopathy, Stress cardiomyopathy, 00:43:33.04\00:43:38.11 also referred to as the "broken heart syndrome, 00:43:38.15\00:43:41.35 "is a condition in which intense emotional 00:43:41.38\00:43:44.12 or physical stress can cause rapid 00:43:44.15\00:43:46.65 and severe heart muscle weakness, 00:43:46.69\00:43:49.36 cardiomyopathy. 00:43:49.39\00:43:51.66 This condition can occur 00:43:51.69\00:43:53.33 following a variety of emotional stressors 00:43:53.36\00:43:55.90 such as grief, 00:43:55.93\00:43:57.27 that is the death of a loved one, 00:43:57.30\00:43:58.63 fear, extreme anger, and surprise." 00:43:58.67\00:44:01.70 Jesus died of a broken heart, why? 00:44:01.74\00:44:05.07 Because He experienced that extreme emotional trauma 00:44:05.11\00:44:10.48 that you and I cannot even begin to comprehend 00:44:10.51\00:44:13.08 when the Father had to separate Himself from His Son. 00:44:13.11\00:44:19.79 That is why Jesus Christ cried out, My God, My God, 00:44:19.82\00:44:24.73 why have You forsaken Me? 00:44:24.76\00:44:27.30 He felt completely abandoned. 00:44:27.33\00:44:31.07 That is the consequences of sin. 00:44:31.10\00:44:34.14 The consequences of sin 00:44:34.17\00:44:37.04 are that we completely abandoned, 00:44:37.07\00:44:40.18 we're completely separated from God, 00:44:40.21\00:44:43.14 and that's why Jesus came to bridge that gulf 00:44:43.18\00:44:46.25 that we could never bridge. 00:44:46.28\00:44:48.45 We needed a rescuer 00:44:48.48\00:44:49.82 and we needed a rescue from above, 00:44:49.85\00:44:51.85 that was our only hope. 00:44:51.89\00:44:53.82 Jesus was willing to be forsaken, my friends, 00:44:53.86\00:44:57.26 in order that we may be forgiven. 00:44:57.29\00:45:01.56 Not only did Jesus cried out, 00:45:01.60\00:45:03.20 "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" 00:45:03.23\00:45:05.50 But Jesus also cried out, Father forgive them, 00:45:05.53\00:45:10.11 for they don't know what they're doing, 00:45:10.14\00:45:11.47 forgive them all. 00:45:11.51\00:45:13.41 Forgive them. 00:45:13.44\00:45:15.28 Why would you want to turn your back on such a gift? 00:45:15.31\00:45:19.71 Why would you want to say no to such an invitation? 00:45:19.75\00:45:24.99 Father forgive them, it's for you, it's for me, 00:45:25.02\00:45:27.52 it's for all of us wherever we may be watching, 00:45:27.56\00:45:30.26 wherever you may be watching, in a palace, in a prison, 00:45:30.29\00:45:35.00 somewhere in between the gospel is for all, 00:45:35.03\00:45:39.63 for God is not willing that any should perish, 00:45:39.67\00:45:42.04 but that all should to come to repentance 00:45:42.07\00:45:44.11 and receive that wonderful gift of salvation. 00:45:44.14\00:45:48.04 John 3:16 puts it in the most beautiful way possible, 00:45:48.08\00:45:53.88 "For God so loved the world..." 00:45:53.92\00:45:56.79 Well, let's say this together, we've got to say this together, 00:45:56.82\00:45:58.42 don't we? 00:45:58.45\00:45:59.79 Let's say it together. 00:45:59.82\00:46:01.16 "For God so loved the world that He gave 00:46:01.19\00:46:04.33 His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him 00:46:04.36\00:46:08.23 should not perish but have" what? 00:46:08.26\00:46:10.50 "Everlasting life." 00:46:10.53\00:46:12.07 There is the gospel. 00:46:12.10\00:46:13.70 Whoever believes in Him will never have to perish, 00:46:13.74\00:46:18.44 will never have to experience the second death 00:46:18.47\00:46:20.98 that Jesus Christ experienced. 00:46:21.01\00:46:22.84 And I have people say to me but Danny, 00:46:22.88\00:46:24.88 didn't Jesus say that He would rise again, 00:46:24.91\00:46:27.88 didn't He know that He would rise again? 00:46:27.92\00:46:30.29 Yes, it's true. 00:46:30.32\00:46:31.69 He did say that, and He did know that 00:46:31.72\00:46:33.86 He would rise again, 00:46:33.89\00:46:35.22 but the truth of the matter is the Bible tells us that 00:46:35.26\00:46:37.73 Jesus Christ was not only the divine Son of God, 00:46:37.76\00:46:42.13 He was also the Son of man. 00:46:42.16\00:46:44.63 He was both the Son of God and the Son of man. 00:46:44.67\00:46:47.40 And His humanness, if I could put it that way, 00:46:47.44\00:46:51.34 in His humanness He experienced that complete separation, 00:46:51.37\00:46:57.05 in His humanness He could not see beyond the tomb, 00:46:57.08\00:47:00.28 in His humanness He experienced everything associated 00:47:00.32\00:47:03.55 with being forsaken, 00:47:03.59\00:47:04.95 but in His divine Godly strength and nature 00:47:04.99\00:47:11.49 He was both, God and man, He continued to put His faith 00:47:11.53\00:47:16.63 and trust in the heavenly Father who was there with Him 00:47:16.67\00:47:20.57 by his side even though in His humanness 00:47:20.60\00:47:24.91 He could not see or experience it. 00:47:24.94\00:47:29.51 That is how we need live, my friends. 00:47:29.54\00:47:32.38 That is how we need live in this final end times. 00:47:32.41\00:47:36.25 The Bible says that Joshua lived by faith. 00:47:36.28\00:47:38.89 The Bible says in the Book of Revelation 00:47:38.92\00:47:41.12 that God's people, they keep the commandments of God 00:47:41.16\00:47:45.23 and they have the faith of Jesus, 00:47:45.26\00:47:47.30 they have faith in Jesus, 00:47:47.33\00:47:48.66 they had the same faith that Jesus had, 00:47:48.70\00:47:50.07 that's Revelation 14:12. 00:47:50.10\00:47:52.87 God's people at the end of time 00:47:52.90\00:47:54.50 will experience pain and anguish, 00:47:54.54\00:47:56.77 God's people at the end of time 00:47:56.81\00:47:59.14 will experience the temptations of separation, 00:47:59.17\00:48:06.11 but God's people will need to put their faith and trust 00:48:06.15\00:48:09.88 in God's word. 00:48:09.92\00:48:11.25 In the promises of God's word and not in how they feel. 00:48:11.29\00:48:14.62 Today sadly we're living in a day and age 00:48:14.66\00:48:16.62 where even in Christian circles people are making decisions 00:48:16.66\00:48:22.26 on how they feel, what the God is telling them 00:48:22.30\00:48:25.77 rather than what God's word says. 00:48:25.80\00:48:28.50 Doest matters not how you wake up in the morning, 00:48:28.54\00:48:31.61 whether you wake up happy or sad, 00:48:31.64\00:48:33.78 that matters not as far as how much God loves you. 00:48:33.81\00:48:37.41 How much God wants to save you the plans that God has for you. 00:48:37.45\00:48:42.18 We need to put our faith and trust in God's word 00:48:42.22\00:48:44.55 and live by faith, not by sight. 00:48:44.59\00:48:48.92 The everlasting gospel needs to go to all the world. 00:48:48.96\00:48:52.36 It needs to go to all the world. 00:48:52.39\00:48:54.76 This message of God's love needs to go to all the world. 00:48:54.80\00:48:58.83 The truth about what God was willing to do 00:48:58.87\00:49:02.24 needs to go to all the world. 00:49:02.27\00:49:03.91 The truth that God was willing to empty out heaven 00:49:03.94\00:49:08.51 with the greatest and the best gift of all. 00:49:08.54\00:49:13.55 The truth is, my friends, 00:49:13.58\00:49:14.92 God was willing to bankrupt heaven when He gave Jesus. 00:49:14.95\00:49:20.26 I know that's something you and I can't really comprehend, 00:49:20.29\00:49:23.43 so don't even try. 00:49:23.46\00:49:24.79 I've tried and I'm not getting very far at all. 00:49:24.83\00:49:27.73 But the truth of the matter is that in giving Jesus Christ, 00:49:27.76\00:49:32.97 God risked bankrupting heaven. 00:49:33.00\00:49:36.57 You think about that. 00:49:36.60\00:49:37.94 What would heaven be like without Jesus Christ? 00:49:37.97\00:49:41.54 It wouldn't be a place worth living in, isn't that right? 00:49:41.58\00:49:44.75 I wouldn't want to be in heaven without Jesus? 00:49:44.78\00:49:48.88 Who cares about the streets of gold? 00:49:48.92\00:49:50.75 Who cares about the mansions? 00:49:50.79\00:49:52.75 If Jesus isn't there, I don't want to be there. 00:49:52.79\00:49:56.19 The darling of heaven, 00:49:56.22\00:49:58.56 the desire of all the ages that someone once put it. 00:49:58.59\00:50:03.70 God was willing to risk never seeing His Son again 00:50:03.73\00:50:09.34 in order to bring us back to Himself. 00:50:09.37\00:50:13.74 That is why thousands and millions 00:50:13.78\00:50:18.98 of the followers of Christ 00:50:19.01\00:50:20.35 had been willing to live out their final days 00:50:20.38\00:50:23.28 in dark and dank prisons. 00:50:23.32\00:50:26.32 Have been willing to be tortured and beaten, 00:50:26.35\00:50:31.86 that is why thousands upon millions 00:50:31.89\00:50:34.16 have been willing to be torn apart by wild beasts, 00:50:34.20\00:50:39.80 because of what Christ has done for them. 00:50:39.83\00:50:42.00 Willing to give everything and anything. 00:50:42.04\00:50:44.11 And today, today, today as we sit here today, 00:50:44.14\00:50:49.14 as we watch wherever we may be watching, 00:50:49.18\00:50:51.25 there are people, men and women, boys and girls, 00:50:51.28\00:50:54.05 who are giving up their lives for Jesus Christ. 00:50:54.08\00:50:58.42 Why? 00:50:58.45\00:50:59.79 That is because Jesus gave everything for them. 00:50:59.82\00:51:03.06 When you recognize how much God loves you, 00:51:03.09\00:51:06.16 when you recognize what God was willing to give to save you, 00:51:06.19\00:51:10.40 you're willing to give everything for God. 00:51:10.43\00:51:13.77 Nothing is too much, nothing is too great a sacrifice, 00:51:13.80\00:51:18.24 because you recognize, 00:51:18.27\00:51:19.94 you recognize the truth that Jesus had to die 00:51:19.97\00:51:24.75 a death without hope, 00:51:24.78\00:51:27.62 where as you and I we die a death with hope. 00:51:27.65\00:51:31.75 That's the difference between 00:51:31.79\00:51:33.19 the sacrifice of Christ and the death of the martyr. 00:51:33.22\00:51:37.59 The martyr dies with the blessed hope. 00:51:37.63\00:51:41.96 The Apostle Paul said very clearly 00:51:42.00\00:51:45.07 that he was about to die and he said, 00:51:45.10\00:51:48.37 the crown of life which the Lord the righteous judge 00:51:48.40\00:51:51.97 has for me. 00:51:52.01\00:51:53.78 He was assured of his salvation. 00:51:53.81\00:51:55.88 He was assured that he would see Jesus. 00:51:55.91\00:51:57.78 There was no darkness that surrounded the Apostle Paul, 00:51:57.81\00:52:00.82 there was only glorious light, 00:52:00.85\00:52:03.72 but not so with Jesus, not so with Jesus. 00:52:03.75\00:52:07.02 That is why even today there are those 00:52:07.06\00:52:10.53 who are willing to go to the utter ends of the earth 00:52:10.56\00:52:14.50 to share this good news of the gospel. 00:52:14.53\00:52:16.67 That is why we're sharing his message via this telecast 00:52:16.70\00:52:20.44 the three angels' messages. 00:52:20.47\00:52:23.87 What are the three angels' messages? 00:52:23.91\00:52:25.57 Revelation 14:6 tells us 00:52:25.61\00:52:27.44 that it's the everlasting gospel, 00:52:27.48\00:52:29.71 writes John that has to go to every nation, 00:52:29.74\00:52:32.35 kindred, tongue, and people. 00:52:32.38\00:52:34.35 The good news of the gospel, 00:52:34.38\00:52:35.72 the good news that Jesus loves the world 00:52:35.75\00:52:38.29 and He is here to save. 00:52:38.32\00:52:40.56 He was at the cross, and he saw Jesus. 00:52:40.59\00:52:44.59 He was an eye witness to Jesus. 00:52:44.63\00:52:47.40 John the Revelator, the beloved John, 00:52:47.43\00:52:50.63 notice these words that he writes in 1 John 3:1, 00:52:50.67\00:52:54.70 "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, 00:52:54.74\00:52:59.27 that we should be called the'' what? 00:52:59.31\00:53:01.64 "The children of God!" 00:53:01.68\00:53:03.55 John, I can just picture him in my minds eye, 00:53:03.58\00:53:07.52 he's grappling, he's trying to find words 00:53:07.55\00:53:10.15 to express the love of God and he can't. 00:53:10.19\00:53:14.02 Human language is inadequate and all he can say is behold. 00:53:14.06\00:53:19.69 Look, wonder. 00:53:19.73\00:53:22.46 What love of the Father 00:53:22.50\00:53:26.43 that we are to be called children of God. 00:53:26.47\00:53:29.64 So the question is how can I become a child of God? 00:53:29.67\00:53:33.84 How can I become a child of the King of kings 00:53:33.88\00:53:37.85 and Lord of Lord's? 00:53:37.88\00:53:39.31 Notice these words from the same John. 00:53:39.35\00:53:41.88 John 1:12 who by the way was willing to give up his life 00:53:41.92\00:53:48.09 for his savior. 00:53:48.12\00:53:50.13 Notice these beautiful words, John 1:12, 00:53:50.16\00:53:52.83 "But as many as received Him, 00:53:52.86\00:53:55.56 to them He gave the right to become children of God, 00:53:55.60\00:53:58.40 to those who believe in His name." 00:53:58.43\00:54:01.57 It's a simple as that. 00:54:01.60\00:54:03.20 As many as received Him, 00:54:03.24\00:54:04.97 as many has received Him, it's a gift from God. 00:54:05.01\00:54:08.84 That's what the gospel is, it's a gift. 00:54:08.88\00:54:11.18 You come to Jesus just as you are. 00:54:11.21\00:54:13.28 He takes you as your are, 00:54:13.31\00:54:14.78 and then He begins to transform you day by day, 00:54:14.82\00:54:17.72 more and more into His image. 00:54:17.75\00:54:20.66 You come just as you are. 00:54:20.69\00:54:22.52 I want to take you finally to the interaction 00:54:22.56\00:54:27.46 that Jesus had in Luke 23:42, 00:54:27.50\00:54:31.67 with one of those that was on his side, 00:54:31.70\00:54:35.34 one of the thieves on his side, 00:54:35.37\00:54:36.77 notice what took place, Luke here records. 00:54:36.81\00:54:39.94 "Then he said to Jesus, 00:54:39.97\00:54:41.51 "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." 00:54:41.54\00:54:44.85 And Jesus said to him, 'Assuredly, I say to you, 00:54:44.88\00:54:48.38 today you will be with Me, where? 00:54:48.42\00:54:51.42 In Paradise." 00:54:51.45\00:54:52.79 ' Jesus assured this thief, this thief that deserve to die, 00:54:52.82\00:54:57.29 He recognize that. 00:54:57.33\00:54:59.03 He said we deserve this, 00:54:59.06\00:55:01.50 but here is one who is pure, who is holy, 00:55:01.53\00:55:04.93 who doesn't deserve this. 00:55:04.97\00:55:07.30 And he saw in Jesus, not a common criminal, 00:55:07.34\00:55:12.17 but he saw in Jesus the Lord. 00:55:12.21\00:55:15.51 He saw in Jesus the Lord and he cried out, 00:55:15.54\00:55:19.38 remember me when You come, and Jesus said, 00:55:19.41\00:55:21.72 yes I'm telling you the truth today, 00:55:21.75\00:55:24.02 write it down, my friend, 00:55:24.05\00:55:25.39 I'm telling you the truth today. 00:55:25.42\00:55:26.76 When I come in all My glory, 00:55:26.79\00:55:29.16 you will be with me forever more, 00:55:29.19\00:55:31.09 because I'm here today to pay the price for your sins 00:55:31.13\00:55:35.13 that you may be with me in glory. 00:55:35.16\00:55:39.27 That's not where the story ends, 00:55:39.30\00:55:40.74 the story ends with an open tomb, 00:55:40.77\00:55:43.91 an open tomb. 00:55:43.94\00:55:45.91 He is alive, He is alive 00:55:45.94\00:55:49.04 and this is the risen Christ with a final invitation 00:55:49.08\00:55:54.12 there in the Book of Revelation, 00:55:54.15\00:55:55.55 the last book of the Bible, 00:55:55.58\00:55:56.92 and I want to end with this powerful invitation 00:55:56.95\00:55:59.42 from Jesus Christ. 00:55:59.45\00:56:00.82 Behold, in Revelation 3:20, "Behold, says Jesus, 00:56:00.86\00:56:04.99 these are the words of Jesus Himself. 00:56:05.03\00:56:06.96 I stand at the door and" what? "Knock. 00:56:07.00\00:56:09.33 If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, 00:56:09.36\00:56:11.83 I will come in to him and dine with him, and He with Me." 00:56:11.87\00:56:15.57 What an invitation? What an invitation? 00:56:15.60\00:56:19.07 Jesus says, behold, I'm standing, I'm knocking, 00:56:19.11\00:56:22.41 I'm knocking. 00:56:22.44\00:56:24.71 Is that your decision today, my friend? 00:56:24.75\00:56:26.85 Do you want to invite Jesus into your heart? 00:56:26.88\00:56:30.65 Do you want to say yes to the good news of the gospel? 00:56:30.69\00:56:34.16 Do you want to say yes, Lord, 00:56:34.19\00:56:35.56 I want to be rescued and I recognize 00:56:35.59\00:56:39.26 that my only rescue is from above, 00:56:39.29\00:56:42.30 from the one who came down to pay for my sins. 00:56:42.33\00:56:46.84 If that's your decision, if you want to right now 00:56:46.87\00:56:48.94 either accept Jesus Christ for the first time, 00:56:48.97\00:56:52.44 or recommit your life to Christ, 00:56:52.47\00:56:54.54 or you have may be wandered away from Christ, 00:56:54.58\00:56:56.88 but today is the day to respond to the knock 00:56:56.91\00:57:01.28 on your heart by Jesus. 00:57:01.32\00:57:03.28 Why don't you just raise your hand with me as we pray, 00:57:03.32\00:57:06.19 Father in heaven, 00:57:06.22\00:57:07.56 we want to thank You so much 00:57:07.59\00:57:08.92 for the good news of the gospel. 00:57:08.96\00:57:10.29 Oh, Father, words cannot express 00:57:10.33\00:57:14.36 our gratefulness. 00:57:14.40\00:57:17.23 Oh, Father, 00:57:17.27\00:57:18.60 may we not so much in words say thank You 00:57:18.63\00:57:21.27 but through our lives, 00:57:21.30\00:57:22.77 lives lived for the glory of God. 00:57:22.80\00:57:25.87 Oh, Father, I pray for each person 00:57:25.91\00:57:27.88 who is watching those who are here. 00:57:27.91\00:57:30.25 Father, enter their hearts through the Son, 00:57:30.28\00:57:33.72 through Your Son Jesus Christ and bless each one 00:57:33.75\00:57:36.85 until that great day when we see you in the clouds, 00:57:36.89\00:57:39.65 is our prayer in Jesus' name, and everybody say it amen, 00:57:39.69\00:57:43.12 and amen, and amen. 00:57:43.16\00:57:44.96