Romans 2:1-11

dsw@gbcc04-15-2012

In 1774 and the Spring of 1775 Paul Revere was employed by the Boston Committee of Correspondence and the Massachusetts Committee of Safety as an express rider to carry news, messages, and copies of resolutions as far away as New York and Philadelphia.

On the evening of April 18, 1775, Paul Revere was sent for by Dr. Joseph Warren and instructed to ride to Lexington, Massachusetts, to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock that British troops were marching to arrest them. Paul Revere borrowed a horse from his friend Deacon John Larkin. While in Charlestown, he verified that the local "Sons of Liberty" committee had seen his pre-arranged signals. (Two lanterns had been hung briefly in the bell-tower of Christ Church in Boston, indicating that troops would row "by sea" across the Charles River to Cambridge, rather than marching "by land" out Boston Neck.).

On the way to Lexington, Revere "alarmed" the country-side, stopping at each house, and arrived in Lexington about midnight. As he approached the house where Adams and Hancock were staying, a sentry asked that he not make so much noise. "Noise!" cried Revere, "You'll have noise enough before long. The regulars are coming out!" of course through time that call was later told the “British” or “Red Coats” are coming.

So rung out the rebel yell that ushered in the American Revolution. In month our country would celebrate it’s liberty as a free nation. Because those who heard the call and headed the warning and when the British came they found the colonies ready and fighting for their freedom.

Another Paul has a warning for us who are in Christ. We would do good to listen to his directions. We too can save ourselves from coming destruction.

Ro2:-1-11¹ You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. ² Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. ³ So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? ⁴ Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?

⁵ But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. ⁶ God “will give to each person according to what he has done.”^{[a] 7} To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. ⁸ But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. ⁹ There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; ¹⁰ but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. ¹¹ For God does not show favoritism.

I. No Excuse

First Paul points out that we have no excuse to live like the world lives. We know better but we don’t do better.

• Barna 2004 research study shows that Christians while believe certain practices are morally wrong their participation in immoral things show little to no difference then those who are in the world.
• A 2001 report showed there is no difference in the entertainment choices in viewing movies, dvd purchases, magazines that contain, violence, strong or explicit language, erotic and explicit sexual content…. It seems that even though Christians say these things are bad they have no problem exposing themselves to them in their entertainment.
• A 2005 report from CDC shows that for the first time Americans are more likely to get a divorce them to stay married. It reported that the divorce rate in America is 53%.
• A recent study from the Barna Group shows that the divorce is actually higher then the atheist or agnostic. The atheist and agnostic show a 30% divorce rate where Christian get at a 33% rate. Christians say divorce is wrong but their practice show something entirely different.

In ch 1 he shows that God’s wrath is going to be poured out on those who do evil.

Hearing this descriptions of the condition of the world and the reason for God’s coming wrath it is a little sobering because it sounds a lot like the world we are living in today. A glance at our t.v. and a look in our schools and newspapers show that we are living in a time where Gods Judgment is eminent and close.

Mark 13:28-29   28"Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 29Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door.

His warning to is that we are to be different he agrees with James

James 4:4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

1 Peter 2:11 Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.

Be different  1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.

I’d like to issue you a challenge. Lets do a detox. Lets spend the next week choosing not to watch any T.V., use the internet for entertainment, play any video games or listen to any secular music.

Let’s just choose to turn it off.

That's right. No T.V. at all, No Facebook, YouTube, or random web browsing (you can check email) and use it for work, or research for school other then that no internet. No Gaming of any sort. no words with friends, no draw something, or solitaire. on the iPad. no phone games. No secular music. Listen to only Godly music that is intended to praise God. Detox for one week. I think you will find a lot of time on your hands. Good spent the time doing something that feds your soul, pray and read your bible. Serve someone other than yourself. Go for a walk and exercise. Talk to your neighbors. Play a board game with your family, spend time on a hobby.

Who’s with me? Let’s try this experiment and let’s talk about it next week.

If you are going to commit to this.

Build in a plan for success.

• Sign the commitment card in your bulletin.
• Find a partner that will hold you accountable.
• Make a plan on how you will spend the time you will gain this week.

The Goal here is to see it is a better choice to seriously cut back our entertainment choices that are adversely affecting our fellowship with God and numbing the Holy Spirit to the immorality we are constantly surrounded with.

The point I’d like for us to see is that we can choose not to be of the world in so many ways. We can choose to be truly set apart, and I believe it will result in a deeper sense of God’s presence in our lives and it will strengthen our sensitivity to the Spirit’s urging in our lives.

II. Don’t Judge

Romans 2:1b.  you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.

This thought is echoes from Jesus’ words in

Matthew 7:1

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged.

we can’t afford to pass judgment on anyone

weather sinner or saved judging is not our business there is one who is qualified to judge and he is Holy. We all are at his mercy.

V.2 continues this thought…

2Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment?

An example of this it to look at today’s social media. People relentlessly tear each other down in FaceBook posts and snide comments that are posted for the world to see.

We need to remember our words and Judgments hurt.

Lets practice the Golden Rule here. “do to others as you would have them do unto you.”

Let’s leave the Judging to God

Gods measure of Judgment is always right

James 4:11

11Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

ILL: At a pastor's conference in Spokane, Chuck Swindoll told of being at a California Christian camp. The first day there a man approached him and said how greatly he had looked forward to hearing Dr. Swindoll speak and his delight at now finally being able to realize that desire. That evening Swindoll noticed the man sitting near the front. But only a few minutes into the message the man was sound asleep. Swindoll thought to himself that perhaps he was tired after a long day's drive and couldn't help himself. But the same thing happened the next few nights, and Dr. Swindoll found his exasperation with the man growing. On the last night the man's wife came up and apologized for her husband's inattention to the messages. She then explained that he had recently been diagnosed as having terminal cancer and the medication he was taking to ease the pain made him extremely sleepy. But it had been one of his life-long ambitions to hear Dr. Swindoll speak before he died, and now he had fulfilled that goal.

III. There is a Day

5But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.

We are reminded that God has a day in store for Christ’s return. No one knows the day but there should be a great scene of urgency for the Christian that we find ourselves ready.

In Jesus’ parable of the 10 virgins he warns us to be every ready for his soon and eminent return.. We need to do this while we are working for the kingdom and while we are kept aware that today could be the day.

In Jesus parable of “the day of the unknown hour” Jesus says   It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Matt 24:46

May  He find us doing and prepared when he returns

• “Day of God’s wrath.”

What we have observed so far is if  you don’t take kindly to God’s kindness now you will receive His fury in the future.

We’re introduced to God’s wrath in Romans 1:18 where we learn that wrath is already being revealed

Psalm 7:11 where we read: “God is a righteous judge, a God who expresses his wrath every day.”

Isaiah 13:9 says: “See, the day of the LORD is coming--a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger…”

Revelation 20 teaches God’s wrath will be unleashed, a time in which His patience and tolerance will run out:

“Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.” Revelation 20:11-12

In out text in Ro 2: 8-9 teach that the self-seeking person ultimately rejects truth and follows evil.

The one who lives only for himself or herself will come face-to-face with God’s wrath and anger and will end up in terrible trouble and deep distress.

I fear that much of modern-day Christianity feeds the cult of self. When our focus is on being happy, healthy and wealthy we lose sight of God’s demands for holiness.

Remember that God is more concerned about forming our character rather than our comfort.

C.S. Lewis captures it well: “Give up yourself, and you will find your real self. Lose your life and you will save it. Submit to the death of your ambitions and your favorite wishes every day…keep back nothing. …

Look out for yourself and you will find, in the long run, only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin and decay.

But look for Christ, and you will find Him, and with Him, everything else thrown in.”

Back to our text in Verse 11 states that “God does not show favoritism.”

In the Greek this is a compound word made up of the word for “face” and the verb “to take.” It means to take at face value.

God does not play favorites because everything becomes clear in front of His face, and that’s not good news for religious people because God does not grade on a curve.

You see, the Jews thought they would get some special treatment from God, thinking that because they were the chosen ones they would get a pass.

They’ll get a special deal alright, but they won’t be happy about it. Special privilege always bears greater responsibility. I fear that we may have developed such a mind set ourselves. We need to be cautioned that God does not play favorite. We can be sure that he will Judge and he will do rightly.

Let us see the grace we have received for what it is and develop a real sense of humble gratification before our lord. Lets us too practice mercy with our fell man as well as our brothers and sisters in the Lord.

Deuteronomy 10:17: “For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.”

Think about it,

I should go to Hell because that is where I belong. But, I am going to Heaven because Jesus Christ died on a cross for me. He took my punishment so that I could go free.

God has done everything necessary for you go to Heaven and He has posted an enormous stop sign on the road to Hell in the shape of a cross.

If the highway to Hell is paved with good intentions, the road to Heaven is paved with the blood of Christ.

If you doubt that God’s wrath is real, look at what Jesus went through for you.

He took upon Himself the full measure of wrath that He did not deserve, so you and I would not get what we do deserve.

Our sins and our condemnation accumulate each day we serve self and not the Savior.
Here’s the deal. Either you will bear the righteous wrath of God or you need a substitute to take it from you.

You don’t have to go to Hell. God has provided a way of escape for you.

God doesn’t have a Plan B for those who reject his Son.

The only way to be rescued from God’s wrath is by receiving what the Redeemer offers you.

1 Thessalonians 1:10: “And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead-Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.”

The only way to avoid God’s judgment is by trusting Jesus, for all of your guilt and condemnation was placed on Him:

“The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).

The righteous wrath of an infinite and holy God was poured out on Christ. He suffered God’s wrath in our place, as evidenced by his cry from the cross in

Matthew 27:46: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

He was forsaken so we don’t have to be.

O won’t you hear today’s Rebel yell issuing us a warning of the Coming day of God

We have no excuse, we are called to be set apart

Do not Judge, Judgment belongs to God alone

Be ready because There is a Day We must be ready for that day.

Let us live each day like there is no tomorrow.

Jesus is a live! Turn to someone and tell them “guess what, Jesus is alive.”

What makes Jesus resurrection so joyous is the knowledge of what he has done.

Look at Philippians 2: 5b-11

Christ Jesus:  ⁶ Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
⁷ but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
⁸ And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
⁹ Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Glory to God the Father!!!

In Christ there is endless hope, outside of Christ there is a hopeless end

The resurrection makes this endless hope possible.

To appreciate the glorious light and Joy of the resurrection we must first see the darkness of the cross, for this what Jesus overcame. This is what his purpose was on this earth. He was born to be your savior. He became your savior by dyeing for your sins on the cross.

But how pitied we would be if that is where the story ended. How sad it would be if all we had was a dead teacher, a martyred man who died for his convictions.

There are religions today that all they have is a dead leader. We don’t just have a great example who modeled a way for us to live then died. We don’t make some pilgrimage to visit the remains of a great man.

We have a savior who set that example. Taught us the way to go. He laid his life down for us and then, he rose again. Because he rose from that Grave we have hope, we have victory. We have the promise of eternity.

I want to share with you in narrative form of the events that surround this glorious day. Then id like us to ask some important questions of ourselves.

Let’s look back to where we left off last week.  We have been following Jesus in to Jerusalem where he would spend the last week of his life. We started off when Jesus was in the region of the Jordan where he told his apostles what was going to happen to him in Jerusalem. We have seen these events unfold before the apostle’s eyes. They have watched him enter Jerusalem in praises, they heard him teach in the synagogue and temple courts, They shared the Passover where he had them share bread in a remembrance of his body and share the fruit of the vine in remembrance of his blood. They followed him to the garden atop of mount olive where he prayed in great anguish and this where their master’s prediction started to unfold before their eyes.

This where the betrayer kissed him, and then the soldiers arrested Jesus. It was here the apostles scattered in fear. Jesus has stood before the Sanhedrin and then the Jewish leaders took him before Pilate who did not find him guilty of anything but because the crowd was getting out of hand he decided to have Jesus Flogged hoping to appease the blood thirst brood.

As Jesus stood before this crowd in a bloody mess the crowd shouted crucify him, crucify him. Now Pilate saw there was no other way to please this crowd he washed his hands of the situation and ordered him to be nailed to the cross.

Jesus carried his cross through the streets of this city that knew Saul, David, Solomon and Jehu as their kings. Now this city has no king. They are held captive by Cesar. Rome greatly oppresses them. And now the one who they hailed as King sadly is caring a cross which will be the symbol of this king’s Conquering Kingdom, purchasing that kingdom with the blood that he bleeds all through the street of this city of these children of promise.

Jesus falls beneath the weight of this heavy cross then is assisted by a resistant onlooker named Simon of Syreen.  Jesus is loosing strength because of beating he endured earlier. He walks with Simon and he looks and sees faces in the crowd. Faces that just days ago were filled with wonder as he performed miracles. Hands he touched and healed. In some of these faces he sees tears and horror and disbelief of this is happening to a man so obviously touched by God. Still other faces he sees are blood thirsty men who can’t wait to see the sight that will soon happen on the hill of the scull.

Jesus finally arrives to the top of Calvary. Simon lays down Jesus’ cross. One of the soldiers led Jesus over to the cross and lay him down. Another solider picks up a hammer and nails. Another solider stretches out Jesus’ arm are that he willingly lays down. The soldiers hold the arm of our Christ on the cross beam as the other solider with the hammer places the nail and with a surgical blow he nails flesh to wood, again, again and again he drives the nail until Jesus arm is secure to the beam. They do the same to the other arm then to the feet.

They raise him up and then with a jolt they drop the cross in to the hole where the upright beam is secure in the ground. Jesus gazes at the crowd. He sees tears in the faces of the faithful few disciples, He sees hate in the face in the Jeering Jewish leaders and the hordes they have turned against him.

At the foot of the cross he sees soldiers holding back the crowd. On either side of him hang men on their cross their faces wrenched in pain.

Jesus will hang on this cross from 9 am till about 3pm. For six hours he suffered until he finally cries out  “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Jesus has just felt the presence of God leave. How can the divine divide it’s self from its self? It is a mystery but at this moment the God in human flesh becomes completely and perfectly human and this perfect humanity becomes sin for all man kind. Jesus breathes his last breath, . Jesus dies.

A hush fell over all the earth for a moment then the earth shakes. The vial separating the holy place from the holy of holies was torn from top to bottom, tombs split open and the dead in thousands of tombs walk the earth.

The centurion at the foot of the cross confesses “Surly this was the son of God.” (mat 27)

The light returns to the sky and finds the remains of a faithful band of followers of Christ scattered and depressed and scared to death. The one who led this rag tag group was a man who denied knowing him three times. He is off in solitude weeping bitter tears as the voice of his dead master echoes in his ears.

“oh, peter even before the cock crows you will deny you ever knew me, three times…” He still hears the rooster screeching out his morning bellows.

The women receive the body of Jesus. now limp and dead. Mary heaves in sorrow. the child she cradled in her arms now closes his eyes in death. The feet what walked the raging sea now wounded and lifeless.

“Jesus” John thinks, “of all the miracles you have performed isn’t there one that will bring you back to life? This cant be happening.”

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicohdemus both come with burial cloths and spices they wrap his body and take him and lay him Joseph’s own tomb in the garden and roll the stone over the entrance. Mary and the other women are led off by John to observe the day of rest.

There is a hole in the heart of these disciples. Questions circulate. What do we do? where do we go? What if they come after us too? They lock the doors of the room they are meeting and pray that no one finds them out. They spend the Sabbath huddled in seclusion, fearing the synagogue and daring to go out in public only when necessary.

They huddle together Friday evening, all day the Sabbath and finally Sunday morning before the sun is even up the women make way to the tomb, tankful for the shroud of darkness of the early day. They walk in haste wondering how they will move the stone from the entrance to finish this horrible task of final preparations.

They come close to the garden and they  see faintly in the distance the tomb. As they approach they see the tomb is guarded by soldiers. Then the earth shakes, the guards fall out and become like dead men the women fall to their face in fear, they hear a voice and they look up.

“Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

From here the woman rush back to tell the brothers of what they have seen. For the first time in days they have a glimmer of hope. I can imagine they thought, “Could it be true? Could he really be alive?” they get to the house and tell Peter and John. The men don’t know what to make of these frantic women. We have to and see for our selves.

They get to the garden tomb and see the stone rolled away Peter goes inside the where the body of his Christ had just laid just moments earlier and there is nothing left but the winding cloth that wrapped his body and strangely the head cloth that covered his face was folded neatly and places to the side. I can see Peter picking it up and wondering. How could this be? We all saw him die. We saw him being placed in this tomb. It doesn’t make sense. Did the Jewish leaders take his body for some reason? Did he really rise? We saw that lazereth came forward after even three days. Could this be true?

The bible tells us that John believed but Peter didn’t know what to think. They left and went back to the place where they were staying. Mary Magdalene stayed in the garden after they left she approached the tomb and she is overcome to the point of tears and she starts weeping.  She looks inside the tomb and there she see two men dressed in white, they say to her “Woman why are you crying” She explains “they have taken my lord away and I don’t know where they have put him”. She turns and sees a man that she thought was the gardener. This man says to her “Woman, Why are you crying?” She asked him if he moved the body and the man calls her name. “Mary” immediately she realized she is speaking to Jesus. Can you imagine her utter Joy? She saw him killed right before her eyes. She wept over his dead body. She held his limp and lifeless hand and now he stands before her Alive. She falls to her knees and reaches out to embrace him and he warns her not to hold on to her because he has not returned to The Father.

He tells her to go and tell his brothers that he is alive.

She quickly runs and tells the other disciples what she has seen.

Luke  24 records the events that followed next.

¹³ Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. ¹⁴ They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; ¹⁶ but they were kept from recognizing him.

¹⁷ He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. ¹⁸ One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

¹⁹ “What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. ²⁰ The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; ²¹ but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. ²² In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning ²³ but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. ²⁴ Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”

²⁵ He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” ²⁷ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

²⁸ As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. ²⁹ But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

³⁰ When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. ³² They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

³³ They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together ³⁴ and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” ³⁵ Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

³⁶ While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

³⁷ They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. ³⁸ He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? ³⁹ Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

⁴⁰ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. ⁴¹ And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” ⁴² They gave him a piece of broiled fish, ⁴³ and he took it and ate it in their presence.

⁴⁴ He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”

⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. ⁴⁶ He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷ and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹ I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

What an amazing story. What an amazing Lord.

The promise that the Father was to send is the Gift of the Holy Spirit. This is a promise is given to all who receive Christ. Jesus told his disciples that they are witnesses and responsible for sharing this message to all the world.

Matthew Records what is known as the great commission. These are his last words he left with his followers and this is the mission of the church still today.

Matthew 28:16-20¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

For the lost it is a message of hope, and instructions to salvation. For the Christian it is a directive to share the truth with our Family, friends, neighbors and co workers. For the church is instruction to teach the believer and to help them grow in the truth and understanding of Gods message to us, found in the Bible.

This is likely is a message you have heard it before. And frankly you might be asking “so what? What does this mean for me?”

And to that I answer, that is a good question. And I answer that with question that you must ask yourself. It is the same question Pilate asked the crowd before he handed him over to be crucified. He said

“What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?”

What will you do with him?

Will you let the power of the resurrection live in you and have him be the Lord of your life. You can have that today. Come after hearing this truth, confess him as your Master repenting of your sins, and receive the forgiveness of sins and the promised gift of the Holy Spirit in Christian baptism.

Maybe you are already a Christian. This question applies to you too. Will you keep him to yourself or will you share the truth with the Joy and excitement the first century church shared with their friends and community.

What will you do with This Jesus who is the Christ?

As I explained last week this is the cup that was a cup of expectation of the messiah’s sure return. It is called Elijah’s cup because Elijah would be a for runner of the messiah and messiah would drink this cup. To this day Jews look for Elijah’s return as an indicator that Messiah will soon follow. As New Testament believers we know that Elijah did indeed return. Well in a figurative sense. Jesus identified John as having the spirit of Elijah. Jesus identified John as John the Baptist

Matthew 11:11-15  11 I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. 15 He who has ears, let him hear.

I tell you this because of the plea that Jesus makes in the garden to "let this cup pass from me.” He makes this plea and it is recorded in the synoptics in mt 26:39 and 42, Mk 14:36 and Lk 22:42 Have you ever wondered what he was talking about? I offer to you this morning that the cup he is referring is this cup that has been left on every Passover table since the Jews have been observing the Passover for thousands of years This cup like all others had a message. The message of this 5th cup said “I am your redeemer”, deliver and savior. Jesus would drink this cup upon his death.

The Garden Jesus entered the garden. “As usual” as Luke 22:39 indicates. This was a common place that Jesus would retreat to while he was in Jerusalem. Jesus knew the value of a place of solace. Most of us know the importance of having a place or quiet and find peace. I can relate to this. I have had my places of solace there I could spend time with God.. This is Garden of Gethsemane on the mount of olives, is where Jesus could find that time of intimacy with God. Jesus took his disciples with him to the garden and he withdrew a little further so he could pray. I want us to take note that in the garden and outside the city there was no light. So the only light may have been a lantern or a torch and the light of the moon and the stars. we can assume that it was most likely based on moon cycles  this region it was a full moon. It is almost impossible for us to connect with the darkness that surrounded them. There are few places we can go where there is no unnatural light. Jesus withdrew and his first concern is this cup. As we have referenced before, I believe that the cup he is speaking of is this cup of Elijah that was reserved for messiah. It will be drunk be the act of his death and separation from of God. It is a cup that meant he would be take upon the weight of all the world's sins. We cannot possibly appreciate the magnitude of such an act because this a purely spiritual act done by physically becoming the scape goat for all of humanity and his sins.

• Ray Vander Laan a seasoned minister and an expert in ancient Jewish anthropology, says the following about this 5^th cup. He Says “Although Jesus drank no more wine, he did drink from another cup. You see, the traditional Passover has a fifth cup, taken from Jeremiah – Jeremiah 25:15-17  This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup filled with the wine of my wrath and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it. 16 When they drink it, they will stagger and go mad because of the sword I will send among them.” 17 So I took the cup from the Lord’s hand and made all the nations to whom he sent me drink it: This is the cup of God’s wrath, also known as Elijah’s cup. Malachi prophesied that Elijah would return shortly before the coming of the Messiah and day of God’s wrath against all wickedness. Mal 4:5 “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.” At this part of the Passover ceremony, the door is opened, and the head of household says, “Pour out your wrath on the world!”

In the traditional ceremony, this cup is filled but not drunk — not until the coming of Elijah. But Jesus drank the cup.

Look at what Matthew says Matthew 26:39-42 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” … 42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

Not only does Matthew record these words it is recorded in the other synoptic gospels as well.

Mark 14: 36  “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Luke 22:42  “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done. Jesus drank the cup of God’s wrath against the nations.”

As Jesus is in the garden praying he knows that he will literally become the blood sacrifice that will atone for all man's sins thus purchasing sanctification for all who would come to him. The weight of Jesus knowledge of what he will "drink" in this cup is overwhelming.

He prays three times for the cup to be taken from him. Luke records that as he prays, his sweat becomes like great drops of blood falling to the ground.

Listen to Luke 22:44 “and being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”

The intensity of Jesus prayer is great but then he concedes. Gods answer to Jesus’ earnest plea was, “There is no other way.”

• No other person can fulfill what Jesus came to do.
• There is no one else who will drink this cup.
• Jesus is the only savior.
• He is the promised deliver and the long awaited Messiah that the Jews failed to recognize.
• As Jesus himself proclaimed in John 14:6 “...I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

So Jesus is not just worried about being taken by the solders and enduring a beating and eventually a cruel death but he is going to have a spiritual battle too. He will be come the sin Scarface for all man’s sins. Spiritually he will carry the sins of the entire world.

The Arrest After Jesus prays Jesus goes and wakes up his apostles that he asked to stay awake, which is a testament that they did not quite get the magnitude of this very night. Judas leads a small band of hired soldiers and a few of the Jewish leaders to Jesus. There is a signal that Judas was to help the soldiers to identify which one of the men in the garden was Jesus.

He was to kiss him.. It was common for someone to greet their friend with a kiss. It was also a show of honor and respect to greet your teacher. There were a couple of reasons that a signal was necessary

1. it was dark and hard to identify faces,

2. The soldiers possibly wouldn't have recognized Jesus and

3. Judas may have wanted to keep his agreement with the Jewish leader a secret.

Anyway, Judas Kisses Jesus and there is a small scuffle that breaks out. That results in one of the solders losing an ear. Jesus quickly stops the struggle and agrees to go quietly then he heals the ear of the soldiered. As they lead Jesus away the apostles scatter out of fear.

Trial

The soldiers brought Jesus to the Jewish leaders who have gathered to condemn him to death.

Mark 14:55-56 tell us  ⁵⁵ The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. ⁵⁶ Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.

Matthew 26:59-60 ⁵⁹ The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. ⁶⁰ But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward

We read this and we notice that these men are so desperate to put Jesus to death that they are relying on the word of lairs in order to condemn him.

We might ask the question, “why didn’t they kill Jesus themselves? They eventually found him guilty of blasphemy and they even tore the high priest tore his robe over it. Why didn’t they just take him out and stone him? They were about to stone the woman caught in adultery and they stoned Stephen for proclaiming Jesus as the Christ.

Why didn’t stone Jesus? I there are a few of things that come to my notice that explain why they didn’t stone Jesus themselves.

1. I believe they still feared the crowd. Remember why they arranged to secretly Jesus was they feared the crowd would rise up would rebel against them. Matthew 26:4-5 tells they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him bit not during the feast because they feared the crowd may start a riot. I believe this fear was still present so they wanted to have the responsibility shifted from their hands to the hands of the government. (ironically the Government, namely Pilate washes his hands of Jesus and goes not find Jesus guilty of and thing

2.I believe they didn’t stone Jesus was because although they could under law stone Jesus for blasphemy, the death they wanted for him was not lawful. They wanted him crucified. They were out for blood.

3. Jesus wouldn't have fulfilled the whole of the prophesies spoken about the suffering servant if he was just stoned.. Isaiah paints the picture of a suffering servant, this description agrees with the winds that would be sustained in a scourging and crucifixion and not a stoning.

Isaiah 53:3-6 3 He was despised and rejected by men, 
   a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. 
Like one from whom men hide their faces 
   he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he took up our infirmities 
   and carried our sorrows, 
yet we considered him stricken by God, 
   smitten by him, and afflicted. 
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, 
   he was crushed for our iniquities; 
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, 
   and by his wounds we are healed. 
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, 
   each of us has turned to his own way; 
and the LORD has laid on him 
   the iniquity of us all.

They went to Pilate and told him he was found guilty of leading a rebellion against the government and called himself the king of the Jews. Which is what the crowd hailed him as when he entered the city the riding on a donkey. He stood trial in front of Pilate.

Pilate discovered Jesus was a Galilean so he sent this problem to Herod

lets finish out by recounting the events found in luke 23:1-23 Luke 23:1-23 1 Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ,a king.”

This is a false statement for Jesus taught in response to a question asked by spys sent from the Jewish leaders according to Luke 20:20-26 to “give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”Luke 20:25 3

So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”   “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. 4 Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.” 5 But they insisted, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.” 6 On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. 7 When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time. 8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle. 9 He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. 11 Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. 12 That day Herod and Pilate became friends—before this they had been enemies.

there is much commentary referring to the statement relating to the relationship between Palate and Herod but I have not found anything conclusive about the statement.

13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. 15 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. 16 Therefore, I will punish him and then release him.” 18 With one voice they cried out, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!” 19 (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.) 20 Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. 21 But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” 22 For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.”

now the punishment he was speaking of was a scourging John gives us insight on how this took place. what happens here is Jesus is questioned by Pilate then he calls in the High priests and tells them that he did not find any evidence TO have Jesus convicted of a rebellion so to appease them he would have him flogged. a flogging is a whipping with a scourging whip with nine strands of leather and at the end of the strands of leather would be fastened a sharp claw like piece of metal. The Romans were skilled in quite literally beating a man with in an inch of his life. they would strike the one being beaten 39 time. the thought was that the average man could not stand another lash. This what Jesus endured. It is important to realize that this point Pilate was only planning to have Jesus beaten. His intention at this point was to release him. Most people who were crucified would only undergo a crucifixion and not a flogging before hand. so this was unusual. Jesus is beaten and according to John’s accounting this when he represents Jesus before the Jewish leaders and the crowd. 23

But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided to grant their demand.

Here is there Matthew picks up and gives us a unique perspective of

Matthew 27:20-25 20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.21 “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.                                                  “Barabbas,” they answered.                                                  22 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked.   They all answered, “Crucify him!”         23 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.     But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” 24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” 25 All the people answered, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!”

These words have come convict these people who where the children of the Living God and now because they had eyes blinded by ignorance and self-righteousness, they have called for the death of long expected Messiah, Israel’s hope and consolation. The King of Glory stands before them crowned with a cruel wreath of thorns crudely fashioned digging in to his skill. Beaten and bleeding standing before this nation that God has delivered time and time again they call upon their own condemnation. with the shouts of Crucify. Truly the words of John ring true as he records in John 1:10-11 “He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.  He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.”

It is easy for us to point an accusing finger at the direction of the crowd that day. at the Jewish leaders, the ignorant crowd and the soldiers who cruelly beat and abused our savior. but folks the blood is on our hands too. everyone who has sinned is guilty of his death. because he died to cleans us from the stain of sin. He dies to restore hope. He died for me. and he died for you. John 1 continues with words of hope and truth. John 1:12-13 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

Those are words of hope and truth. let me ask you do you know this truth, do you have this hope. let me to invite you this morning to come and receive this Jesus who stood condemned and paid the price for your sins. You have heard the message this morning, if you believe it then come this morning repenting of your sins and have them washed away in baptism. Won't you come?

We are thrilled to have this opportunity to instruct our men about Gods very important call to service.  It doesn’t matter if you have never served in a leadership position in the church nor does it matter if you have no intention of ever serving in a leadership position. It is your responsibility to know what biblical leadership is. I look forward to seeing all GBCC men April 28th.

This event is free and we will provide you lunch therefore we need you to sign up. Please sign up on the sheet posted on the bulletin board in the back of the sanctuary, You can respond on our Facebook page that you are attending this event. You can also respond in the comments section below and it will send an email directly to the church’s in box and you can sign up that way. Just mention your name in the box below and how many will be attending with you.

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