WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.280 I also want you to turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 1, 1 Corinthians chapter 1. 00:00:07.780 --> 00:00:14.080 Five weeks ago, I asked you, four weeks ago, excuse me, I asked you to fill out a little card 00:00:14.080 --> 00:00:22.000 with five people's names on it that you would be willing to pray for that God would give you the 00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:29.980 opportunity to invite. I asked you to turn those cards in and left you a bookmark with those names 00:00:29.980 --> 00:00:35.619 on it so you could pray over those daily. We placed those names at the foot of this cross, 00:00:36.420 --> 00:00:40.240 handed them to the Lord. And we saw last year when we did this very same effort, 00:00:40.719 --> 00:00:45.620 we saw lives change from that. Not only were people invited to church, but we've had people 00:00:45.620 --> 00:00:50.079 who joined our church since then. We've had some get saved. People who were on those cards 00:00:50.079 --> 00:00:56.260 who we prayed for. So we did that same thing this year. And I appreciate so much you participating 00:00:56.259 --> 00:01:02.039 in that. Having said that, have you given out your invitation cards? That's my question. 00:01:03.239 --> 00:01:09.439 So we gave the next week or the two weeks after that, we gave, made these available to you, 00:01:10.019 --> 00:01:15.560 five cards hooked together, perforated. And so you could easily tear them off and give those, 00:01:15.700 --> 00:01:20.959 particularly to those five that you've been praying for as God would have you opportunity. 00:01:20.959 --> 00:01:28.019 Well, I'll tell you, these cards will do us no good come April 1, okay? Please don't hand them out 00:01:28.019 --> 00:01:38.359 to anybody. Easter's gone. In the meantime, I want to encourage you to find a place, find an opportunity 00:01:38.359 --> 00:01:45.379 to invite somebody. If you haven't already, or even if you have, maybe you have hoarded these things 00:01:45.379 --> 00:01:51.379 and grabbed a bunch of them and give out a bunch of them. Give out a bunch more, okay? Because how 00:01:51.379 --> 00:01:56.739 easy it is for us to just hand somebody a card. God don't give us the words to say. When you go 00:01:56.739 --> 00:02:00.519 through a drive-thru, put them in your car. When you go through a drive-thru, you give them your money. 00:02:00.920 --> 00:02:06.219 Give an invitation. When you leave a tip, leave a good one, okay, if you're going to do this. 00:02:06.359 --> 00:02:12.859 But if you leave a tip on a table, leave a card with it. Invite them to come. Listen, even if they're 00:02:12.860 --> 00:02:18.340 working next Sunday and they can't come, you never know what the impact of that. As I preached on a 00:02:18.340 --> 00:02:23.460 few years ago, a few weeks ago, God's web, and I preached on a few years ago too, but God's web 00:02:23.460 --> 00:02:29.720 has a way of working in the little things to bring somebody to the Lord. So I encourage you to do that. 00:02:29.980 --> 00:02:34.940 I think this morning I looked, we had 12 yard signs left. Do you know how much good those yard signs do 00:02:34.940 --> 00:02:40.220 when they sit in the foyer of the church? No good at all. So if you don't have a yard sign, I'm taking 00:02:40.219 --> 00:02:46.180 inventory this afternoon. I'm going to your house and check. Anyway, I encourage you to participate 00:02:46.180 --> 00:02:50.520 and be a part of that. God's going to do wonderful things next week. We want as many people to be a 00:02:50.520 --> 00:02:58.439 part of that as possible, and I encourage you to pray through it, work it out, and let's see what God's 00:02:58.439 --> 00:03:05.979 got in store. Standing on the stage with me as we approach Easter is the cross. 00:03:05.979 --> 00:03:15.139 It is appropriate because that it's appropriate that it's before us because the cross is not only 00:03:15.139 --> 00:03:25.179 central to Easter, but the cross is central to all that we have in Christ Jesus. The significance 00:03:25.179 --> 00:03:34.419 of a man dying on a cross 2,000 years ago stumps some people. They don't quite understand what the 00:03:34.419 --> 00:03:41.439 significance of that is. They think that there must be more to it, when in reality, sometimes it's better 00:03:41.439 --> 00:03:52.139 to be simple-minded about it. 1 Corinthians chapter 1, beginning in verse 18, Paul puts it this way. 00:03:53.419 --> 00:04:00.519 He says, for the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to those who are being 00:04:00.520 --> 00:04:07.980 saved, it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and the discernment of 00:04:07.980 --> 00:04:10.100 the discerning, I will thwart. 00:04:14.580 --> 00:04:22.699 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish 00:04:22.699 --> 00:04:30.699 the wisdom of this world. For since in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom. 00:04:30.699 --> 00:04:38.539 It pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and 00:04:38.539 --> 00:04:48.480 Greeks seek wisdom. But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles. 00:04:48.480 --> 00:04:55.680 But to those who are called both Jew and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 00:04:56.120 --> 00:05:04.439 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 00:05:05.680 --> 00:05:12.920 It's very interesting to me that if you look closely in the gospels at the ministry of Jesus, 00:05:12.920 --> 00:05:21.560 you will notice that in most of the ministry of Jesus, he often instructed people to be quiet about 00:05:21.560 --> 00:05:30.139 the fact that he was the expected Messiah. The whole concept of that secrecy that took place 00:05:30.139 --> 00:05:40.020 a lot in his ministry has been called the messianic secret. And Mark in the gospel of Mark emphasizes it 00:05:40.019 --> 00:05:48.240 a lot. You'll notice in the gospels that he taught the disciples separately most of the time. He would 00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:55.060 pull them away to talk to them. Not only that, he also asked several people whom he healed as well as 00:05:55.060 --> 00:06:02.620 the girl and his family that he brought that girl back to life, not to speak to anyone about that 00:06:02.620 --> 00:06:12.800 resurrection. He commanded demons that he cast out to be silent about his identity. Now, why was that? 00:06:12.920 --> 00:06:21.139 It was all in an effort to allow his ministry on earth to be longer. Because if word got out 00:06:21.139 --> 00:06:29.600 too quickly about the significance and the impact that he would make, those who went after him in the end 00:06:29.600 --> 00:06:35.200 of his three and a half year ministry would go after him much earlier. And he was spending a lot of his 00:06:35.200 --> 00:06:43.200 time training the 12 to establish the church that we see in the book of Acts after Christ has ascended 00:06:43.200 --> 00:06:49.620 and is gone. But something different happens in Mark chapter eight. And I want you to see what happens 00:06:49.620 --> 00:06:58.720 in this transition beginning in verse 27. It says, and Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of 00:06:58.720 --> 00:07:04.480 Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, who do people say that I am? And they 00:07:04.480 --> 00:07:11.920 told him, John the Baptist and others said Elijah and others, one of the prophets. And he asked them, 00:07:12.100 --> 00:07:16.580 but who do you say that I am? And Peter answered him, you are the Christ. Listen to this now. 00:07:16.580 --> 00:07:26.060 And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him. And he began to teach them that the son of man 00:07:26.060 --> 00:07:30.939 must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed. 00:07:31.379 --> 00:07:40.980 And after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. You see a smooth transition here from one 00:07:40.980 --> 00:07:47.439 telling them not tell anybody about it. But then from that point he began to teach them and he said it 00:07:47.439 --> 00:07:53.959 plainly. That means that he spoke it openly. That means that he spoke it with great freedom. It means that he made no 00:07:53.959 --> 00:08:00.079 secret about it. Peter opposed the whole thing because he thought the Messiah was to be a potent 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:06.039 revolutionary political leader. And when Jesus said he was going to die, Peter would have none of it. 00:08:06.659 --> 00:08:14.019 And Jesus told him, get behind me, Satan. Now, I believe one of the reasons why he said that was 00:08:14.019 --> 00:08:22.859 because there was a temptation in the desert that the devil threw at the Lord in his days of preparation 00:08:22.860 --> 00:08:30.100 for ministry about ruling the whole world. And the reality is there was some that understood 00:08:30.100 --> 00:08:35.980 prophecy to be that Christ would come or the Messiah would come and rule the world. And he will 00:08:35.980 --> 00:08:44.519 one day. But it was not time for that. And so in reality, he is telling Peter that Satan's trying to 00:08:44.519 --> 00:08:48.639 throw me off track through you. That's basically what he means when he says, get behind me, Satan. 00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:54.439 Because it sounded a lot like that temptation that he faced in the desert. Then after he fed the 5,000, 00:08:55.240 --> 00:09:01.279 it says in John 6 verse 15 that the people even tried to make him king by force, 00:09:02.699 --> 00:09:11.600 pressuring the Lord Jesus. Jesus, however, had held off the revealing as Messiah in order to better 00:09:11.600 --> 00:09:18.720 prepare his disciples. And now that they were becoming aware, he was making it clear what was 00:09:18.720 --> 00:09:25.580 about to happen and that they could not conceive it. Mark chapter 9 verse 31 and 32 says this, 00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:30.420 he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, the son of man is going to be delivered into the hands 00:09:30.420 --> 00:09:34.779 of men and they will kill him. And when he's killed after three days, he will rise. But they didn't 00:09:34.779 --> 00:09:43.600 understand the saying. And they were afraid to ask him. You know, the gospels speak of at least eight 00:09:43.600 --> 00:09:50.139 more times that he tried to clarify the matter. But in reality, they could not fathom it. Because 00:09:50.139 --> 00:09:57.120 their expectation of Messiah, their understanding of Old Testament prophecy, and their close proximity 00:09:57.120 --> 00:10:07.899 to his ministry just made it that much difficult. However, he knew he would meet a violent, what we 00:10:07.899 --> 00:10:17.240 would consider premature death, yet do that for greater purpose. Jesus knew it was inevitable. 00:10:18.240 --> 00:10:26.320 And he knew it was inevitable for at least three reasons. He knew he would die because of the 00:10:26.320 --> 00:10:33.879 hostility of Jewish leaders. Not only was he attracting a lot of attention away from them 00:10:33.879 --> 00:10:39.720 who loved to be prominent, loved for people to see them. And Jesus refers to that a lot. 00:10:40.660 --> 00:10:47.860 And the reality was that he was gaining a lot more attention than they were. They didn't like that. 00:10:48.860 --> 00:10:55.940 The light that he shed on their system of belief was overwhelming to them because they had 00:10:55.940 --> 00:11:03.760 misused the sacrificial system and the law in which God had laid down for them. His attitude toward the 00:11:03.760 --> 00:11:10.520 law made them mad. Christ knew that the law was established to point them to their need of the 00:11:10.520 --> 00:11:17.500 Savior. The law was never intended to be their salvation. The law was to show how much they needed 00:11:17.500 --> 00:11:27.059 salvation. His take on the Sabbath and particularly incensed them. The episode in Mark chapter 3 verse 1 through 6 00:11:27.059 --> 00:11:32.279 explains it when it says, again he entered the synagogue and a man was there with a withered hand. 00:11:32.820 --> 00:11:38.320 And they watched Jesus to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath so that they might accuse him. 00:11:38.879 --> 00:11:45.600 And he said to the man with the withered hand, come here. And he said to him, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good 00:11:45.600 --> 00:11:54.879 or to do harm, to save life or to kill? Who likes to be put on the spot in here? Who can I put on the spot 00:11:54.879 --> 00:11:59.300 this morning? No, I'm kidding. But they didn't like being put on the spot. And that's exactly what he did. 00:11:59.300 --> 00:12:08.740 He asked them a question about what he was about to do. And they stood there silent. They were silent. 00:12:09.420 --> 00:12:15.420 And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart and said to the man, 00:12:15.600 --> 00:12:23.920 stretch out your hand. And he stretched it out and his hand was restored. The Pharisees 00:12:23.920 --> 00:12:33.440 went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him how to destroy him. 00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:41.759 They began their work with the Roman government to find a way to do away with him. 00:12:41.759 --> 00:12:51.919 In Luke chapter 4, he reads Isaiah 61 about the Spirit of God being upon him and how God had put the 00:12:51.919 --> 00:12:56.480 Spirit of God upon him. And as he sets people free, and he was obviously including the Gentiles 00:12:56.480 --> 00:13:02.100 in this new understanding of salvation to them. And it was too much for the Jewish people to handle. 00:13:02.100 --> 00:13:08.240 Luke chapter 4, verse 28 through 30 tells us of the aftermath of the reading. It said, 00:13:08.420 --> 00:13:13.680 When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and drove 00:13:13.680 --> 00:13:19.779 him out of the town, brought him to the bow of the hill on which their town was built so that they could 00:13:19.779 --> 00:13:27.920 throw him down the cliff. But passing through the mist, he went away. But it was a close call. 00:13:27.919 --> 00:13:39.000 The day was coming. Animosity was building. And he knew it. He knew he would die because of the 00:13:39.000 --> 00:13:42.679 hostility of the Jewish leaders. Not only that, but he also knew he would die because of the prophecy 00:13:42.679 --> 00:13:49.819 of Scripture. He said in Mark chapter 10, verse 45, for even the son of man who, that was his, 00:13:50.379 --> 00:13:55.480 the title that he loved to call himself more than anything else. For even the, which means the servant 00:13:55.480 --> 00:14:00.800 of humanity. That's what that means. For even the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve 00:14:00.800 --> 00:14:07.920 and to give his life as a ransom for many. Isaiah 53 may give some of the clearest forecast 00:14:07.920 --> 00:14:15.300 of the sufferings of the Messiah. Christ knew the passage well. He understood that it spoke of him. 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:22.220 And knowing that, it directed his days. And I want you to listen to Isaiah chapter 53 in part. 00:14:22.220 --> 00:14:23.540 It says in verse 1, 00:14:23.540 --> 00:14:30.700 Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 00:14:31.540 --> 00:14:38.600 For he grew up before him, for he grew up before him like a young plant, like a root out of a dry 00:14:38.600 --> 00:14:45.220 ground. He had no form or majesty that we should look at him, no beauty that we should desire him. 00:14:45.220 --> 00:14:53.139 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. As one from whom 00:14:53.139 --> 00:15:01.000 men hide their faces, he was despised and he esteemed them not. Surely he has borne our griefs 00:15:01.000 --> 00:15:09.899 and carried our sorrows. Yet we esteem him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted. For he was pierced 00:15:09.899 --> 00:15:17.740 for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. Upon him was the chastisement 00:15:17.740 --> 00:15:25.519 that brought us peace. And with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. 00:15:26.100 --> 00:15:34.279 We have turned everyone to his own way. And the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 00:15:34.279 --> 00:15:41.279 He was oppressed and he was afflicted. Yet he opened not his mouth. Like a lamb that is led to the 00:15:41.279 --> 00:15:49.019 slaughter, like a sheep that is before its shears is silent. So he opened not his mouth. And they 00:15:49.019 --> 00:15:55.299 made his grave with the wicked. And with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, 00:15:55.299 --> 00:16:02.899 and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of God to crush him. 00:16:06.479 --> 00:16:18.859 Jesus was born to die. He came to save. He knew he would die. He knew he would die because of the 00:16:18.860 --> 00:16:23.860 hostility of the Jewish leaders. He knew that he would die because of the prophecy of Scripture. 00:16:24.740 --> 00:16:36.700 He knew that he would die because of the choice to die. Jesus chose to die. He chose to die for your sin. 00:16:38.860 --> 00:16:41.100 He chose to die for my sin. 00:16:41.100 --> 00:16:48.480 Luke chapter 9 verse 51, one of my favorite verses in all of Scripture. 00:16:49.920 --> 00:16:58.360 It says, when the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. 00:17:00.180 --> 00:17:02.440 He knew what would happen when he went to Jerusalem. 00:17:03.899 --> 00:17:06.980 He set his face toward the task of the cross. 00:17:06.980 --> 00:17:10.960 In the same way that he tells us to live the Christian life, 00:17:11.700 --> 00:17:14.019 he put his hand to the plow and he never looked back. 00:17:14.940 --> 00:17:16.259 It would not be pleasant. 00:17:17.200 --> 00:17:18.640 He did not look forward to it. 00:17:19.360 --> 00:17:21.259 But it was something that had to be done. 00:17:21.860 --> 00:17:25.220 I want you to listen to how he describes it in Luke chapter 12 verse 50. 00:17:26.299 --> 00:17:28.759 He said, I have a baptism to be baptized with. 00:17:29.339 --> 00:17:33.099 And how great is my distress until it's accomplished. 00:17:33.299 --> 00:17:34.640 Now let me explain what you mean by that. 00:17:34.640 --> 00:17:37.880 He's not talking about a baptism in a baptism of water. 00:17:38.980 --> 00:17:44.700 Instead, he's talking about how he would be immersed into the crucifixion as he bore my sin. 00:17:45.500 --> 00:17:47.140 As he bore your sin. 00:17:47.920 --> 00:17:55.120 When it speaks of distress in that passage, that word can also be constrained or even hemmed in. 00:17:55.600 --> 00:18:01.600 In other words, he knew that he must die and he chose to do it. 00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:05.679 It was not that he was simply a helpless victim of evil. 00:18:06.939 --> 00:18:10.099 That somehow forces had joined together against him. 00:18:11.299 --> 00:18:17.339 Or it was not some prophesied inflexible fate that had been decreed upon him. 00:18:17.339 --> 00:18:30.259 No, it was a pursuit and a passion and a purpose that he willingly and freely embraced for the purposes of the Father 00:18:30.259 --> 00:18:34.939 and for the salvation for sinners just like you and me. 00:18:34.940 --> 00:18:39.140 Now, why do I share all that? 00:18:40.100 --> 00:18:41.320 For a couple of reasons. 00:18:42.519 --> 00:18:49.620 One is, I believe you need to know the agony of the cross to understand the victory of the empty tomb. 00:18:50.620 --> 00:18:52.680 You need to get the whole picture. 00:18:53.980 --> 00:18:58.360 And too often our lives reflect that we haven't considered either one of them very adequately. 00:18:58.359 --> 00:19:01.119 The second reason is this. 00:19:02.339 --> 00:19:06.699 The cross of Christ is more than a bloody slaughter of a Savior. 00:19:08.039 --> 00:19:15.699 No, in fact, before the foundation of the earth, our sovereign God knew of our desperate need of salvation. 00:19:15.700 --> 00:19:27.140 And he formed a plan to send his son to live and to die and to rise again for the redemption of all who would submit their lives to him 00:19:27.140 --> 00:19:30.900 and who would trust him as Savior and Lord. 00:19:30.900 --> 00:19:52.940 If all of what I said is true today, if that's the case, then it sounds to me like all of human history is woven around the redemptive plan of God and the salvation of humanity. 00:19:52.940 --> 00:20:04.980 If all of God's energies are focused more than anything else around our opportunity for salvation, if that be the case, and I believe it is, 00:20:05.700 --> 00:20:10.340 then I believe that all of our lives must be woven around the privilege of salvation. 00:20:11.019 --> 00:20:21.600 Not only knowing salvation, not only living salvation, not only sharing salvation, but also resting in it for all of eternity. 00:20:21.599 --> 00:20:27.439 It is to be the central matter, not just in our devotional life. 00:20:28.399 --> 00:20:31.119 It is to be the central matter, not just in our church life. 00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:36.099 It is to be the central matter in every part of the fiber of our being. 00:20:37.019 --> 00:20:43.559 We are to be consumed with the cross of Christ at the center of our life. 00:20:43.779 --> 00:20:45.879 It is the priority. 00:20:47.779 --> 00:20:50.519 Our lives are changed by this. 00:20:51.599 --> 00:20:53.740 Not just the salvation of our souls. 00:20:54.839 --> 00:20:57.079 Not just our Sunday schedule. 00:20:58.799 --> 00:21:01.119 Not even just our morning devotions. 00:21:02.399 --> 00:21:03.699 But our lives. 00:21:04.719 --> 00:21:05.559 All of it. 00:21:06.299 --> 00:21:07.879 Lock, stock, and barrel. 00:21:09.079 --> 00:21:15.659 I want you to listen to the resolute nature in which Paul tells us how we are to respond to the cross. 00:21:15.660 --> 00:21:18.040 In 1 Corinthians 2 verse 2 he says, 00:21:18.440 --> 00:21:24.140 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 00:21:25.180 --> 00:21:25.740 Why? 00:21:25.940 --> 00:21:27.140 Because in verse 5 he says, 00:21:27.580 --> 00:21:34.360 So that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 00:21:35.220 --> 00:21:38.100 Paul didn't waste his time talking about everything going on in the world. 00:21:38.099 --> 00:21:41.659 Paul spent his time talking about the Lord. 00:21:42.439 --> 00:21:44.099 He hits it again later in that letter. 00:21:44.659 --> 00:21:47.319 When he says in 1 Corinthians 15 verses 1 and 2, 00:21:47.319 --> 00:21:52.819 Now I would remind you brothers of the gospel that I preached to you which you received. 00:21:53.019 --> 00:21:53.859 In which you stand. 00:21:54.279 --> 00:21:56.759 And by which you are being saved. 00:21:57.539 --> 00:21:59.619 It's not enough that Jesus is Lord. 00:22:00.679 --> 00:22:02.159 And that he died for you. 00:22:02.240 --> 00:22:03.319 And that he died for me. 00:22:03.419 --> 00:22:04.819 And to be a part of his church. 00:22:04.879 --> 00:22:06.059 And to be a Christian. 00:22:06.059 --> 00:22:15.179 I'm afraid that many may be shocked in eternity when they find out that their family connections, 00:22:16.359 --> 00:22:19.599 their noble civic service, 00:22:20.599 --> 00:22:22.819 their biblical knowledge, 00:22:24.279 --> 00:22:27.000 even their church attendance, 00:22:28.000 --> 00:22:32.179 was not enough for their salvation. 00:22:32.180 --> 00:22:39.299 No, the reality is because Christ did what Christ did for us on the cross of Jesus Christ. 00:22:40.519 --> 00:22:42.440 We have to submit our lives. 00:22:44.220 --> 00:22:47.820 The Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 6, 19 and 20, 00:22:48.200 --> 00:22:49.900 that you are not your own. 00:22:51.140 --> 00:22:52.840 You were bought with a price. 00:22:53.960 --> 00:22:57.380 Therefore, glorify God in your body. 00:22:58.519 --> 00:22:59.480 Let me put it another way. 00:22:59.480 --> 00:23:03.200 We have to surrender our lives to him. 00:23:04.519 --> 00:23:06.339 We're no longer in charge. 00:23:07.380 --> 00:23:08.579 He is. 00:23:10.660 --> 00:23:12.680 We don't have the answers. 00:23:14.740 --> 00:23:15.960 He does. 00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:20.160 We don't rule our world. 00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:23.680 He does. 00:23:26.980 --> 00:23:29.160 There's no need to fight that. 00:23:29.480 --> 00:23:33.759 We need to surrender to that. 00:23:38.019 --> 00:23:41.759 And lastly, I believe we have to stand and declare that our lives are for him. 00:23:44.960 --> 00:23:47.720 Quit believing that our church appearances say enough 00:23:47.720 --> 00:23:51.240 for us about where we stand for God. 00:23:52.519 --> 00:23:54.120 Our lives have to reflect that. 00:23:54.119 --> 00:24:00.519 Quit believing that our mouths say enough about where we stand for God. 00:24:00.519 --> 00:24:03.259 If our lives don't reflect that, 00:24:04.079 --> 00:24:06.959 our mouths lie and everybody knows it. 00:24:09.159 --> 00:24:14.599 Let's let our lives declare a sole allegiance to the one that died 00:24:14.599 --> 00:24:17.879 so that we can have the opportunity to live. 00:24:17.879 --> 00:24:21.919 And as Christ put it, to live more abundantly. 00:24:23.579 --> 00:24:25.419 If you're truly a child of God, 00:24:26.139 --> 00:24:29.799 if we're truly children of God, 00:24:30.879 --> 00:24:32.859 there ought to be a family resemblance. 00:24:32.859 --> 00:24:48.539 Christ and his role as the sacrificial lamb is more than merely occupying the center of the stage 00:24:48.539 --> 00:24:50.199 of our salvation history and our worship. 00:24:51.479 --> 00:24:53.079 I want to be clear about something. 00:24:53.539 --> 00:24:54.479 And I'll close with this. 00:24:54.480 --> 00:24:58.700 He will have the central place when history ends 00:24:58.700 --> 00:25:02.759 and when the curtain rises on eternity. 00:25:04.339 --> 00:25:06.620 I want to read Revelation chapter 5, 00:25:07.660 --> 00:25:09.240 beginning in verse 6. 00:25:10.120 --> 00:25:11.259 Puts it all in perspective. 00:25:11.259 --> 00:25:16.620 And between the throne and the four living creatures 00:25:16.620 --> 00:25:18.860 and among the elders, 00:25:18.859 --> 00:25:21.199 I saw a lamb standing 00:25:21.199 --> 00:25:24.719 as though it had been slain. 00:25:25.500 --> 00:25:28.899 With seven horns, that speaks of total power. 00:25:30.019 --> 00:25:34.579 With seven eyes, that speaks of seeing all things. 00:25:35.419 --> 00:25:37.219 Which are the seven spirits, 00:25:37.299 --> 00:25:39.439 it speaks of how God and his spirit 00:25:39.439 --> 00:25:43.459 worked in all the seven churches that Revelation was written to. 00:25:43.460 --> 00:25:49.360 Which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the world. 00:25:50.279 --> 00:25:53.680 And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him 00:25:53.680 --> 00:25:55.220 who was seated on the throne. 00:25:56.360 --> 00:25:57.940 And when he had taken the scroll, 00:25:58.100 --> 00:26:01.279 the four living creatures and the 24 elders 00:26:01.279 --> 00:26:02.559 fell down before the Lord, 00:26:03.819 --> 00:26:07.900 each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, 00:26:08.079 --> 00:26:10.400 which are the prayers of the saints. 00:26:11.240 --> 00:26:12.819 And they sang a new song. 00:26:13.460 --> 00:26:14.019 Saying, 00:26:14.259 --> 00:26:16.880 Worthy are you to take the scroll to open its seals. 00:26:17.519 --> 00:26:18.740 For you were slain. 00:26:19.340 --> 00:26:21.960 And by your blood you ransomed people from God 00:26:21.960 --> 00:26:25.799 from every tribe and language and people and nation. 00:26:26.140 --> 00:26:29.340 And you made them a kingdom and priest to our God 00:26:29.340 --> 00:26:31.920 that they shall reign on the earth. 00:26:32.740 --> 00:26:35.019 Then I looked and I heard around the throne 00:26:35.019 --> 00:26:36.019 and the living creatures 00:26:36.019 --> 00:26:39.559 and the elders the voice of many angels 00:26:39.559 --> 00:26:43.399 numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands 00:26:43.399 --> 00:26:44.980 saying with a loud voice, 00:26:45.519 --> 00:26:48.000 Worthy is the Lamb who was slain 00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:52.440 to receive power and wealth and wisdom 00:26:52.440 --> 00:26:57.159 and might and honor and glory and blessing. 00:26:57.980 --> 00:27:00.220 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth 00:27:00.220 --> 00:27:01.500 and under the earth and in the sea 00:27:01.500 --> 00:27:03.879 and all that is in them say to him 00:27:03.879 --> 00:27:06.980 who sits on the throne and to the Lamb 00:27:06.980 --> 00:27:09.579 by blessing and honor and glory and might 00:27:09.579 --> 00:27:12.220 forever and ever. 00:27:13.039 --> 00:27:13.779 My friend, 00:27:15.259 --> 00:27:18.519 the cross is clearly the only hope we have. 00:27:19.519 --> 00:27:22.319 And not only does it need to be the front of the stage, 00:27:22.460 --> 00:27:24.819 but it needs to be the front of the stage of our life, 00:27:25.180 --> 00:27:26.579 at the center of our lives 00:27:26.579 --> 00:27:29.299 from now on until eternity. 00:27:29.299 --> 00:27:32.720 So let's start today. 00:27:34.659 --> 00:27:35.759 Let's start today. 00:27:38.019 --> 00:27:39.960 If you've never given your heart and life 00:27:39.960 --> 00:27:41.200 to the Lord Jesus Christ, 00:27:41.759 --> 00:27:43.259 man, you're missing out. 00:27:44.680 --> 00:27:45.779 Don't wait too late. 00:27:47.200 --> 00:27:48.740 Don't think you have another day. 00:27:50.700 --> 00:27:52.859 I got a call this morning from an old friend. 00:27:53.680 --> 00:27:54.819 I didn't get a call from him. 00:27:54.859 --> 00:27:55.879 I got a call from his friend. 00:27:55.880 --> 00:27:59.380 I said he died last night, suddenly. 00:28:01.240 --> 00:28:02.620 Wasn't expecting to do that. 00:28:04.380 --> 00:28:05.680 But he went just like that. 00:28:09.180 --> 00:28:10.140 We never know. 00:28:10.960 --> 00:28:11.900 That's not a threat. 00:28:12.020 --> 00:28:12.900 It's just reality. 00:28:14.260 --> 00:28:15.400 But the question is, 00:28:15.480 --> 00:28:16.960 have you ever given your heart and life 00:28:16.960 --> 00:28:17.960 to the Lord Jesus Christ? 00:28:19.400 --> 00:28:22.720 Why are you missing out on God's very best for your life 00:28:22.720 --> 00:28:24.360 by doing it your way 00:28:24.359 --> 00:28:27.919 when all you have to do is surrender who you are to him? 00:28:29.019 --> 00:28:30.719 And if you've never done that, 00:28:31.379 --> 00:28:33.679 we're going to stand and we're going to sing in just a few moments. 00:28:33.819 --> 00:28:36.219 And as we do, I encourage you to come. 00:28:36.599 --> 00:28:38.519 I'll be happy to guide you in what it means 00:28:38.519 --> 00:28:39.899 to give your heart and life to the Lord. 00:28:41.240 --> 00:28:42.699 Maybe you're here and you have done that. 00:28:42.759 --> 00:28:43.699 You've done it privately, 00:28:43.699 --> 00:28:45.979 but you've never done it publicly. 00:28:46.119 --> 00:28:48.119 You've never let it show. 00:28:48.119 --> 00:28:51.439 The way Christ told us to do it, 00:28:51.519 --> 00:28:53.579 by his example and by his commission, 00:28:53.859 --> 00:28:55.439 to be baptized as a believer. 00:28:56.579 --> 00:28:57.639 You've never done that. 00:28:57.739 --> 00:28:58.879 God's leading you to do that. 00:28:58.939 --> 00:28:59.839 I encourage you to come. 00:29:01.059 --> 00:29:02.399 Be obedient to his call. 00:29:03.679 --> 00:29:06.599 Maybe you're here and God's drawing you to be a part of this church. 00:29:07.439 --> 00:29:10.119 You feel like this is where you belong. 00:29:11.379 --> 00:29:12.799 We can invest in your lives. 00:29:12.899 --> 00:29:14.359 You can invest in our church. 00:29:14.359 --> 00:29:16.579 We can grow together in the Lord Jesus. 00:29:16.879 --> 00:29:19.079 If that be the case, I encourage you to come. 00:29:20.519 --> 00:29:24.199 But maybe, maybe there's folks here today 00:29:24.199 --> 00:29:26.719 who know they're Christians 00:29:26.719 --> 00:29:31.959 and who know they're not quite living it out 00:29:31.959 --> 00:29:35.139 as the center of their life. 00:29:37.240 --> 00:29:39.899 That's really not dictating your life 00:29:39.899 --> 00:29:43.479 like it ought to, like it should. 00:29:45.179 --> 00:29:48.339 Why don't we lay that down at the foot of the cross? 00:29:49.179 --> 00:29:50.519 Why don't we lay that down on ourselves? 00:29:52.879 --> 00:29:54.259 I often say, 00:29:54.839 --> 00:29:59.339 not many of us will probably be asked to die for our faith. 00:30:00.559 --> 00:30:03.399 But all of us are asked to live for our faith. 00:30:05.259 --> 00:30:06.419 And so let's live that out. 00:30:06.939 --> 00:30:08.240 Let's make a commitment. 00:30:08.619 --> 00:30:12.079 A week before we approach the celebration of his resurrection, 00:30:12.079 --> 00:30:14.299 that God, I'm going to give you my all. 00:30:14.879 --> 00:30:16.119 I want you to use me. 00:30:17.139 --> 00:30:18.879 I want to be obedient to follow you. 00:30:19.779 --> 00:30:21.419 I want to lay down my hangups, 00:30:21.539 --> 00:30:23.059 my strongholds, my difficulties. 00:30:23.240 --> 00:30:24.819 I want to lay them at your feet. 00:30:26.240 --> 00:30:28.159 Because you went to the cross and died for me, 00:30:28.599 --> 00:30:30.000 you changed my eternity, 00:30:30.179 --> 00:30:31.419 and you can change my life today, 00:30:31.559 --> 00:30:32.519 and I'll lay it down. 00:30:32.579 --> 00:30:33.759 You can do that where you are. 00:30:33.859 --> 00:30:34.879 You can do it at this altar. 00:30:35.079 --> 00:30:36.519 I'll be happy to pray for you. 00:30:36.519 --> 00:30:39.420 I just want us right before we leave this place. 00:30:40.539 --> 00:30:43.940 Why go out wrong when we can go out right? 00:30:45.019 --> 00:30:46.440 With every head bowed and every eye closed, 00:30:46.539 --> 00:30:48.639 Lord Jesus, I ask that you'll move 00:30:48.639 --> 00:30:50.639 and you'll work in our midst right now, Lord. 00:30:50.859 --> 00:30:52.279 Just help us to be obedient. 00:30:52.619 --> 00:30:54.859 Nothing more, nothing less. 00:30:55.099 --> 00:30:57.400 Help us quit being satisfied for second best. 00:30:58.039 --> 00:31:00.240 Help us only to do God's best for our lives, 00:31:00.339 --> 00:31:00.960 Father, I pray. 00:31:01.700 --> 00:31:03.720 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:31:03.720 --> 00:31:03.839 Amen.