First Baptist Church of Howard City
April 24, 2022

      • Daniel 2.20-22ESV

      • Daniel 2.23ESV

  • Crown Him With Many Crowns
  • I Will Wait For You (Psalm 130)
  • All Praise To Him
  • Speak O Lord

  • Grace

    Luke 23:33–34 ESV
    33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.

    Grace

    God allowed Isaiah the prophet to see centuries into the future.
    He saw the Great Suffering Servant - Jesus.
    Isaiah 53:7 ESV
    7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.

    Grace

    During His 3 judicial hearings Jesus says very little to nothing.
    No defence was given.
    During the spitting, beating, and mocking...
    Nothing was said.
    NOW… in the midst of His crucifixion Jesus utters a prayer.
    “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing.”

    Jesus prayed for His enemies.

    Matthew 5:44 ESV
    44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
    ​

    Jesus forgave His enemies.

    Romans 5:8 ESV
    8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
    ​

    Jesus understood His enemies.

    Ephesians 6:12 ESV
    12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
    ​
    Jesus gave them grace!
    Ephesians 2:8–9 ESV
    8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

    Grace

    Who needs grace from you?
    ​

    Hope

    Luke 23:42–43 ESV
    42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

    Hope

    Since as long as we can remember...
    Young men have wondered if they would be found worthy by a beautiful woman they have been pursuing.
    People have wondered if they will make it into heaven.
    Lost people wonder if they have done more good things than bad.
    Even Christians begin to wonder when they have bad days.
    We are clearly taught that it has nothing to do with us.
    We should be baptized.
    We should faithfully attend our local church.
    We should be active members of the body of Christ.
    Here is a man that didn’t do any of these things.
    At the last hour his eyes were opened and he was saved.
    He didn’t understand anything but hope!
    Alistair Begg says it like this...
    “What are you doing here?”
    “I don’t know.”
    “Well, who sent you here?”
    “What? No one sent me here. I . . . I . . . I’m here!”
    “Well, are you . . . Have you been justified by faith? Do you have peace with God?”
    “I don’t know.”
    Have you been baptized?
    No… I don’t think so… I don’t know.
    Are you a member of a local church?
    I’m sorry I don’t know what a church is.
    Give me your testimony.
    What’s a testimony, what do you mean?
    “Well, do you know anything?”
    “Yeah.”
    “What do you know?”
    “The man on the middle cross said I could come.”
    Romans 5:1 ESV
    1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

    Hope

    The only reason we have hope of Heaven is because the man on the middle cross gave it to us!
    It doesn’t matter how good I’ve been or how good I will be.
    I am what I am because of Christ!
    Jesus gives us hope!
    ​

    Compassion

    John 19:25–27 ESV
    25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

    Compassion

    When I am in pain I don’t have patience for anyone.
    Even when they are trying to see if I’m ok,
    If I don’t feel good or if I’m hungry!
    Yet Jesus- in the middle of His agony- has compassion on His mom.
    We don’t know where Joseph was or why Jesus didn’t put the responsibility on his brothers.
    But we know He cared about his mom.
    John was the only one to come back and witness the crucifixion.
    So Jesus gives him this responsibility.
    Jesus never takes his eyes off others!
    ​

    Desolation

    Matthew 27:45–46 ESV
    45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

    Desolation

    This reveals how utterly alone Jesus was as He carried our sin.
    Just as our battles against sin are in our mind and heart, it was the same with Jesus.
    His fight was not against the soldiers.
    His fight was not agains the Jews.
    His fight was against Satan and He had to do it alone.
    In this moment darkness covers the earth.
    It was high noon yet, God sent darkness to show the seriousness of what was happening.
    Creation itself was mourning the death of the Son.
    Even secular historians record utter darkness covering the world that day!
    During these 3 hours Jesus is enduring the full force of the wrath of God on our sin.
    After 3 hours of darkness, Jesus cries out: My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?
    God turned His back on His Son.
    They had been in perfect union for all of eternity past.
    That desolation that Jesus felt was something you and I will never have to face.
    Romans 8:38–39 ESV
    38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

    Desolation

    Fulfillment

    John 19:28–29 ESV
    28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth.

    Fulfillment

    To fulfill scripture Jesus said - I thirst.
    Jesus is not thinking about self.
    Jesus is thinking about God’s plan.
    Jesus is thinking about the prophecies of the Old Testament.
    After knowing all was now finished.
    Every prophecy fulfilled that could be fulfilled at that time.
    Now fully bearing the sins of the world - still thinking about His Father’s plan.
    Ephesians 1:4 ESV
    4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love

    Fulfillment

    In order for God to choose us, this salvation plan had to be laid out.
    Remember we are living God’s plan for our lives.
    Romans 8:28 ESV
    28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

    Fulfillment

    ​

    Victory

    John 19:30 ESV
    30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

    Victory

    This didn’t feel like victory.
    We know it is because we have the full story.
    But if you were there, you wouldn’t see it.
    Jesus is dead.
    Think about this for a minute.
    Genesis 3:15 ESV
    15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

    Victory

    Satan thinks Jesus is dead.
    Satan thinks he won.
    Some 3000 years after this prophecy.
    After 400 years of silence from God.
    Jesus shows up and crushed the head of the the serpent!
    ​
    ​

    Trust

    Luke 23:44–46 ESV
    44 It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.

    Trust

    This was it.
    One final moment.
    One final decision.
    Would Jesus pull Himself from the cross.
    Prove his power to everyone give them what they had coming.
    Or, would He trust His Father with His life?
    Jesus was trusting His father.
    Jesus says, I’m giving you my life.
    Luke 22:42 ESV
    42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

    Trust

    ​
    Closing thoughts...

    1. The resurrection proves Jesus the authority to offer grace to us.

    2. The resurrection gives us the same hope of the thief on the cross. Knowing that someday we will no longer need hope. We will see Him face-to-face because He is ALIVE!

    3. Because of the resurrection we can show compassion to others during our pain because the pain is only for a little while and cannot compare to what is next!

    4. Because of the resurrection we will never understand the desolation Jesus experienced.

    5. The resurrection shows us that all was fulfilled… including the law! We now live in freedom from sin.

    6. The resurrection is proof of Christ’s victory over the enemy on the cross. It is proof that we have already won!

    7. The resurrection is proof that God keeps His promises. We have no need to lean on our own understanding but can trust Him with all our heart.

      • Haggai 2:1–9ESV

      • Haggai 2:3ESV

      • Haggai 2:4–5ESV

      • 1 Chronicles 28:10ESV

      • Ephesians 6:10ESV

      • 1 Peter 5:8–9ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 15:58ESV

      • Matthew 9:36–38ESV

      • Hebrews 10:25ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 15:58ESV

      • Romans 12:1ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 15:58ESV

      • Galatians 6:7–10ESV

  • Only One Life
First Baptist Church
howardcitybaptist@gmail.com
2319374809
https://fbcohc-howard-city.faithlifesites.com
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