Part 3 of 3 The Finished work of jesus christ
The Finished work for Salvation - Jesus is the end of the Law
The Resurrection is everything!!!!!!
Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Several facts that occurred by 36 AD in connection with the Resurrection of Jesus are:
Entombment: Joseph of Arimathea entombed Jesus
Empty tomb: Jesus' tomb was found empty a few days after his burial
Post-mortem appearances: Jesus appeared to his disciples and others after his death
Belief of the apostles: The apostles believed they had encountered Jesus' resurrected body
Conversion of Paul: Paul converted to Christianity
Enemies became followers: Many Pharisees and Sadducees became followers
Other events related to the Resurrection include:
The chief priests and elders bribed the guards to cover up the Resurrection
The women told the disciples about Jesus' resurrection
Jesus taught and ministered to his disciples for 40 days after his Resurrection
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ Mark 15:40 -16:8
Jesus died - Revelation 1:18 - I am the living one; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and hades.
1 Corinthians 15:54-56 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “death has been swallowed up in victory.” 55 “Where, o death, is your victory? Where, o death, is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ
The Resurrection that I passed on to you is as of first Importance: 1 Corinthians 15:3
The Mount Everest of all subjects / topics / messages
It is The Glory of God displayed through the One and only Son
There is no greater Person / Message / Truth / or news greater than this one
Everything pivots on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
The Word Resurrection means to stand again - Jesus said nobody takes my life but I lay it down and I raise it up - John 10:18
Jesus - the name that is above all names - every knee will bow and every tongue will confess - Philippians 2:9-11 / Revelation 5:3-5
Christ - The Messiah who was to come - he came for you and for me - Matthew 11:3 to ask him, “are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
Jesus asked over a hundred questions to people so He could meet them during there need in life
Maybe you have some questions that need some answers to:
Many today are looking for purpose and meaning and fulfillment in life
The world cannot deliver that - John 10:10 The devil only comes to steal, kill and destroy - but Jesus came that you would have life and life more abundantly
Questions that are often asked by many people today are……
Who created me?
Why was I created?
What is my purpose?
What is life all about?
There is an emptiness that we cannot fill with the things of this world
This is the story of the greatest victory in all of eternity
This is the most powerful story to ever be told
This is the greatest rescue mission of all times
1 Corinthians 2:2 - I preach Jesus Christ and him crucified….
Mark 16:6-7 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”
Illustration - think about great rescues that we have heard of such as:
The story of the 13 lives trapped miles within a cave in Thailand with no help and no hope - impossible to save themselves they needed someone else to rescue them.
The story of the miners trapped almost a ½ mile down in the earth in Chile with no help and no hope - impossible to save themselves they needed someone else to rescue them
We too are in a hopeless situation with our sin - we cannot forget our sin / we cannot bury our sin / we cannot pay for our sin / we cannot blame someone else for our sin / our sin is our and ours alone - we need someone else to rescue us.
But what is impossible with man is not impossible with God - God took what was impossible and through his son defeated sin / death / the grave / and rose from the grave for all who will believe - Luke 18:27…………….
Isaiah 49:16 - See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.
Isaiah 1:18 - “come now, let us settle the matter,” says the lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
Today is the day for salvation:
2 Corinthians 6:2 for he says, “in the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
God is calling you to himself this day - listen to the greatest message that you will ever hear from the time you were born until you breathe your last breath - the call / the call / the call to repent and believe
John 1:43-51 The next day Jesus decided to leave for galilee. finding Philip, he said to him, “follow me.” 44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “we have found the one Moses wrote about in the law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip. 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” 48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “i saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” 49 Then Nathanael declared, “rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” 50 Jesus said, “you believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. you will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of man.”
The greatest work that has ever been accomplished is the power to forgive all of your sins by the finished work of Jesus on the cross for you if you will receive it
We have sinned against God - So God sent his Son - Then God died for us - If we Believe we are forgiven
1 + 3 = 4 / 1 Cross + 3 nails = 4 Forgiven
Hebrews 1:1-3 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom also He made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the majesty in heaven.
This is what the entire bible rests on - The Resurrection - this 1 day - History testifies all about this 1 day - life with him and life without him
Not the day that he came (even though it was prophesied that God would send a savior),
Not the days he lived (even though he fulfilled Isaiah 61 he came to proclaim good news to the poor / bind up the broken hearted / proclaim freedom for the captives / release the prisoners from darkness), John 7:31 still, many in the crowd believed in him. they said, “when the messiah comes, will he perform more signs than this man?”
Not even his death, ( even though the prophets foretold it Isaiah 52, 53, psalm 22 etc..)
But this day!- The day of His Resurrection makes all those other days important!
There are over 750,000 words in the Bible
There are over 31,000 verses in the Bible
There are 1189 chapters in the Bible
There are 66 books in the Bible written over a 1500 year period
There are 40 men who were writers of the Bible - no women writers
There is only 1 author of the Bible - The Holy Spirit - 2 Peter 1:19-21
There are over 300+ hundred fulfilled prophecies of Jesus coming, His Birth, Him living, Him dying and Him rising.
The Bible is over 25% prophetic -meaning God tells you what He is going to do before He does it - That is His Sovereignty revealed throughout all of time
Some information about The 4 Gospels
The most important books to really know which are Matthew / Mark / Luke / John
89 Chapters make up the 4 Gospels about The Person and Life of Jesus Christ
4 out of those 89 Chapters speak about Jesus’ early life - The 1st 30 years
85 out of 89 Chapters focus on the last 3 ½ years of Jesus’ life
29 out of those 85 Chapters focus on the Final week of Jesus’ life
13 out of those 29 Chapters focus on the Last 24 hours of Jesus’ life
579 verses are given to the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life
Do you think that the 12 apostles were willing to die for a lie?
But they would all be willing to die for the truth
The whole Bible speaks about 1 truth and 1 person with you and me in mind
Luke 24:25-27 - 25 he said to them, “how foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the messiah 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.
Luke 24:44-49 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 Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the 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.”
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 3 for what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
Your whole life comes down to what happened on that 1 day in history
All the wrath of God has been poured out on the Eternal Son of God for you and for me
Every thought / every word / every deed of sin was laid upon him on that cross for you and for me - can you imagine all of the sins of history poured out on 1 man - who can take all of that - Jesus Christ did - by himself - on a cross for you and for me - now that is Eternal Power displayed - and that is called Grace
Jesus shouted “ It is finished “ Jesus died like no other man because he was the Son of God on that cross -
The Gospel of Mark is the strong man’s gospel - and Jesus died a strong man’s death - nobody died like him - with power and strength at his last breath - “It is Finished”
Jesus preached 7 messages from the cross after being beaten beyond recognition - the book of John
Jesus when He was flogged - received 40 minus 1 lashes which meant “Mercy”
40 lashes meant “Judgment” and 39 where consider “Mercy”
When someone was (Flogged) whipped - they would cry out there sin - and as they confessed their sin the whipping would ease up -but when Jesus was whipped he kept silent because he had no sin to confess - so he received a whipping that no other man could endure - the full penalty of punishment - his body laid opened for me and for you.
There is a love demonstrated for you that surpasses knowledge and understanding - Romans 5:8 / Ephesians 3:19
John 20:38 Joseph of Arimathea went boldly -( in the greek means - without fear), Acts 4:29 to speak your word with great boldness - courageous
Joseph and Nicodemus - John 19:39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.
Imagine Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus - handling the most precious body in all of history - the one who gives all men life and breath is being handled by the ones he died for
Jesus is fulfilling Matthew 12:40 - for as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the son of man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Nicodemus was told the best known scripture by Jesus in the whole world - even non believers can quote this verse - you see it at all sporting event - John 3:16
The night Nicodemus visited Jesus and they spoke all night and Jesus was teaching the one who was suppose to know what salvation is and what is does
John 3:16 - for God so loved the world - that He gave his one and only Son - that whoever believes in Him - will never perish but have Eternal Life
Mark 16:7 - He is risen - listen to the 1st evangelist - angels being evangelist - come and see / go and tell - this is our calling as Christians
“As Christians we can only tell others what God has told us about Himself” Adam Ward
That is all that we have to do - just tell others about what God did for us and for them
The Gospel is something that we Hear
The Gospel is something that we Believe
The Gospel is something that we Tell
The Gospel is something that gives us Access to God 7/24/365
When we come to God we are at the highest point of our sin and after we have repented we become children of God - John 1:12 yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God
This is what the Cross purchased for you and for me Galatians 2:20 / 1 Peter 1:8 / Matthew 11:28-30 / John 20:29 blessed are those who have not seen but believe
Revelation 22:17 17 The spirit and the bride say, “come!” and let the one who hears say, “come!” let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
Matthew 25 - enter into my joy
You are called by Grace
You are saved by Grace
You are sustained by Grace
Grace brings only those who believe in him - home forever!
“The Cross can Love you no more than the Cross has!”
“The Cross can Love you no less than the Cross has!”
Do you want to stand before God with All of Your Sin?
or do you want to stand before God with No sin?
Jesus calls out to you - come to me all who are burden and heavy laden and i will give you rest - Matthew 11:28-30
Have you ever had an emergency and needed to go to the hospital?
How did they receive you? Why did the Doctor treat you? What did the doctor do?
Did he check to see if you had enough money and then help you?
Did he interview you to see if you were worthy of help?
Did he see if you did enough good to be helped?
Did the doctor refuse to use his skills to save you?
No the doctor used all that he had learned, all that he knew, all the technology available to save you and keep you alive
Well Jesus is the great physician - he says come to me and believe in me
Isaiah 55:1-3 “come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. 2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. 3 Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live.
Jesus ministry was only around 3 years long
Jesus never traveled more than a couple of hundred of miles - yet his message and his life has reached around the world
Jesus never wrote any books - yet the bible is the best selling book in all of history - his word is living and alive - Hebrews 4:12.
Jesus was not a musician - but yet millions of songs have been written and are now being written about who He is and what He has done
Colossians 1:16 - 16 for in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. all thing were made by him and through him and for him
Psalm 139 - he created you - to know him / enjoy him / worship him / and be with him for eternity - that is what the resurrection was for - it was for you and your children
Acts 2:38-39 38 Peter replied, “repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the holy spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the lord our god will call.”
John 7: 37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 whoever believes in me, as scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. up to that time the spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
“What God does is let The Spirit of God work through the Word of God to change the people of God.” Chuck Smith