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Monday, August 15, 2016

The Resurrection Of Christ

The Certainty of Christ Resurrection

Book of Luke 24:1-35



The truth is, the atonement of Jesus Christ did not end with His death. The atonement of Jesus Christ could not end until His resurrection.

Rom 1:4  And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

When John and Peter raced to the tomb of Jesus they saw grave clothes lying in the tomb still retaining their shape as though the body of Jesus was still in them but He was not there.

They realized that only one thing could have happened. The body of Jesus had passed through His burial wrapping and Jesus had risen from the grave just as He had said He would do.

It is John who later writes how Jesus had passed through the walls or the physical doors in that upper room in His resurrected body.

Joh 20:19  Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

Joh 20:26  And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

It was John who verified the reality of a bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord and in His final work, He had overcome death to show us all what true life is all about!

Without the resurrection of Jesus Christ what hope would we have of eternal life?

Joh 11:25  Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
Joh 11:26  And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Jesus Christ openly displayed this truth for all the world to see!

It must be clear to us all discovering that empty tomb was the greatest discovery in human history.

The facts remain, that many people either have not heard of the resurrection or they simply refuse to accept that Christ Jesus arose from that grave having defeated death.

Every human being must discover this fact for themselves in order to be saved from the wrath of God!

It's called "Faith" and that faith in the Word of God and His promises.

*****Luk 24:1  Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

This first day of the week would have been on Sunday and would have begun at 6 PM the previous Sabbath evening.

This was the day after the Jewish Sabbath and the same day chosen by the early church and the modern day church to gather together to worship the Lord, the Apostle John called it the Lord's Day.

We are to worship the Lord everyday but the Lord's Day should always be special!

The Lord's day should remind us all of the "Resurrection" of the Lord.

After all, Jesus Christ is the only One who said He would come back from the dead and then proved it by doing it!

That empty tomb that morning was the greatest discovery in all of human history and there is no other way to look at it.

The truth is, Jesus arose before the dawn of that day because He had made a promise to another man on a cross and we know that God will always keep His promises.

Luk 23:43  And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ was His triumph over death to prove to us all that we could also triumph over death if we would place our "Faith" in the work that He did at the Cross.

Death reigns no more in the life of the believer!

The rule of death hanging over our heads has been broken forever!

1Co 15:55  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1Co 15:56  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The laws of the Sabbath and it's observances no longer had any authority over the Lord nor His New Testament Church.

The New Covenant was in place for the Church!

Mat 26:28  For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Because of "Resurrection Power" every believer is now dead to the law but open to the laws of Christ.

Rom 7:4  Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
Rom 7:5  For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
Rom 7:6  But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

Those who first witnessed that empty tomb are a strong evidence of this truth because they had also witnessed His death.

They knew He was dead. They knew He had been buried in a borrowed tomb. They had no question in their mind about His death because they had been eyewitnesses to all these things.

If it had been a stranger who found this empty tomb, it could have made all these things irrelevant and no one would have ever trusted in the resurrection.

Further proof is the fact that they had purchased spices to anoint the body of Christ in a more proper Jewish way as it had only been hastily done before.

They knew Jesus had died.

They truly cared for the Lord.

They wanted to take care of the body of Jesus just as they would have for any family member who had died.

They were also obedient to the Law because they had strictly obeyed the law of the Sabbath.

They had refused to break the Sabbath even though they certainly wanted to take care of the Lord.

They certainly would not have lied about any of these things and they had no cause to!

*****Luk 24:2  And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

On the way to the grave they had discussed how they could ever roll the stone that had closed off the tomb from thieves, so we can just imagine that it was a great stone.

Mar 16:3  And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?
Mar 16:4  And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.

They were perplex at what they saw, the stone was not where it had been placed as they had also witnessed.

We now know that the physically resurrected body of Jesus was was not bound by the physical laws of this earth!

Jesus did not resurrect as a spirit but His body was now obedient to the Heavenly Laws and this world we know of, had no control over Him!

So twice already we have had a glimpse of a "Glorified Body"!

*****Luk 24:3  And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

There was no body in that tomb.

Oh, the folded napkin was there, to serve it's own purpose.

The wrappings that had been placed around the body of Jesus were there, still holding to the shape of the body but his body was not within those wrappings.

The body of the Lord Jesus Christ was not inside that tomb anywhere!

They were then persuaded that what Jesus had said that He would do, He had actually done!

Rom 4:21  And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

We must believe that God means what He says and He also says what He means!

2Ti 1:12  For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

And if further proof was needed God also provided His own witnesses.

*****Luk 24:4  And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
Luk 24:5  And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
Luk 24:6  He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,
Luk 24:7  Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
Luk 24:8  And they remembered his words,

We should clearly understand that stone was not rolled back because Jesus could not have escaped without that being done.

That stone was rolled back so these ladies could enter that Garden Tomb.

AND, There was no doubt that these were angels:

Mat 28:2  And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
Mat 28:3  His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:

These women fell down in reverence but they fell down more in fear.

But these angels only had one question which really meant, "Why Did You Not Believe The Words Of Jesus"

We are fools not to believe the Word of God!

The world is full of people who honor truly dead men, who they believe to be their savior.

How can anyone honor a dead man in that way, as they certainly could not save themselves, so what power could they have over death.

I worship a Living Savior!

I worship a Living God who has power over death, the grave, and in fact over all things!

All these that worship a dead savior have no hope for any life after this life they live now!

Eph 2:12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

To be without God, is to live all your life in the grip of death!

These angels said He is not here, because He has risen!

That evidence was very clear. Jesus was not in that tomb!

Those angels reminded these ladies that Jesus had done exactly what He said He would do.

Mat 12:40  For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Joh 2:19  Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

They had never accepted these words of Jesus as being true!

But now they were convicted by their own thoughts.

All the followers of Jesus had been confused about these things Jesus had said but they now realized that they had been wrong.

We should all remember these simple words of Jesus:

Mat 19:26  But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

We serve the God who has the power to do as He wishes to do at any moment!

There are some places we just will never find our Lord!

We will never find Him dead and in some grave!

We will never find Him in man's law!

We will never find Him in human nature!

We will never find Him in philosophy!

Since our Lord is alive and cannot die, He certainly cannot be found among the dead!

Even though some Christians are worldly, you will never find Christ Jesus to be worldly!

Heb 13:8  Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

What we see in the Scriptures about the Lord will always hold true!

The modern day Christ is the same One who is written about by the New Testament writers!

These ladies who now knew the truth then rushed to tell the 11 remaining disciples what they had seen.

*****Luk 24:9  And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.
Luk 24:10  It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.
Luk 24:11  And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

It seems amazing that these men who had spent so much time with the Lord and had heard the words that He had said, simply refused to believe these ladies who now knew the truth.

To these 11 men these things just seem to be too astonishing to be true and had to be ridiculous and wild imaginations.

Mat 28:8  And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

It would have been hard to miss the excitement these ladies had when they were trying to convince these men of the truth and them so full of doubt.

They had a lot to tell.

The stone was rolled away, the body of Jesus was not in those grave clothes that were still laying there.

They had seen the angels and the angels had told them many things.

These 11 men really had no excuse to not believe, these were the very things that Jesus had said He would do.

Mary Magdalene was a true believer not some religious nut.

Joanna had provided finances for the ministry of Jesus and no doubt much of that had provided for the families of these men. She was a sincere Christian.

Mary was the actual mother of James the Less one of these 11 men and a mother would have never lead her son in the wrong way.

And there were other women also.

Salome the mother of James and John.

These men simply thought that the government had done something with the body of Jesus.

The government thought these disciples of Christ had stolen the body but neither of these things could have been true.

This secret could not have been hidden!

The governments persecution proves they did not have the body of Jesus.

The faith of the disciples proves they did not have the body of Jesus.

The family of Jesus became believers so they could not have stolen the body of Jesus.

There was only one alternative, Jesus had done exactly what He said He would do!

There can be no Church if this is not true!

1Co 15:12  Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
1Co 15:13  But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
1Co 15:14  And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
1Co 15:15  Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
1Co 15:16  For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
1Co 15:17  And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

But Peter's heart was still drawn to the Lord, even though he had failed Him!

*****Luk 24:12  Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

Peter who had denied Jesus three times at His trial and whose heart was broken for what he had done, just could not wrap his head around the things that Jesus had told Him.

BUT, Peter was still drawn to the Lord despite his failures.

When we look down on Peter we need to take a hard look at ourselves in life's mirror.

Peter arose.

Peter rushed to the tomb.

Peter was ready to believe what Mary and the other ladies had told him.

Peter took a close look at the evidence.

The folded napkin lying by itself. We already know that a folded napkin meant the one who folded it was not finished.

The linen clothes in which Jesus had been wrapped lying undisturbed as the body of Jesus had just passed through them.

It was plain that the body of Jesus had not been carried away or stolen because no one would have taken the time to do these things!

BUT, Peter still could not accept what he saw as many do today.

The truth is, it is very dangerous for us not to understand the Word of God.

God says:

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2Ti 2:16  But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

Unless the words we read are intended to be symbolic and those places are noted, we need to accept the Word of God just as it is written!

Twisting the Word of God to mean something else is sinful.

Adding to the Word of God is sinful.

Taking away from the Word of God is damnation!

These things lead to unbelief and eternal damnation.

The evidence of the resurrection of Jesus Christ speaks for itself.

That tomb was empty!

The evidence within, revealed that no one could have stolen that body of Jesus.

Peter was so locked up in the impossibility of these things that he just could not believe at this time.

This my friends is where most of the world is today, yet they still believe in so-called gods whose bones are still within the tomb in which they were buried.

Who can figure that one out?

What other proof do we have?

The Apostle Paul wrote these words:

1Co 15:3  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1Co 15:4  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
1Co 15:5  And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
1Co 15:6  After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
1Co 15:7  After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
1Co 15:8  And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

But at this time Peter and John departed from that tomb just wondering about these things that had seen and heard.

Next we see how the Lord Jesus deals with those who have lost all hope.

*****Luk 24:13  And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.
Luk 24:14  And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

The first thing we see is how easily the Lord Jesus can join in communication with us.

And like Jesus has already said, where two or three are gathered He would be there with them.

Mat 18:20  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Many have guessed who these two men are but that is not even important or the Word of God would have said.

This was simply a lonely walk by two disciples of the Lord who walked with broken hearts, their world was crushed by the death of our Savior.

This day was the same day that those women had discovered the empty tomb and reported it, so these two disciples had heard all these things.

As they made their way to Emmaus they were very sad to the point of despair.

So as they walked they hardly noticed as a stranger joined with them.

*****Luk 24:15  And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
Luk 24:16  But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

As these two disciples were walking and discussing all the things that they had heard that morning, Jesus did what He does for everyone of us. "He went with them"

They had been so caught up in their sorrow that they had not noticed Jesus who had joined them in their travel.

Their eyes being "holden" would be similar to not being able to see because of the glare of the Sun.

The truth is, we can become so preoccupied with our own sorrows and distress, that we do not recognize the truth of our Lord:

Heb 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Jesus had been walking along with them for a while and they had not noticed Him.

*****Luk 24:17  And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?

Jesus will always show concern for our troubles and sadness as He said unto them, "why are you so sad".

The Lord will always ask us "Why are we so sad".

No matter what happens to God's people, we are still saved.

The truth is, these two were trying to understand the death, the burial, and the empty tomb of out Lord.

Jesus Christ was the subject of their conversation!

They wanted answers that only God could provide!

*****Luk 24:18  And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?
Luk 24:19  And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:
Luk 24:20  And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.

Then Jesus ask them "what things" have cause you to be this way?

God will always want us to know exactly what is bothering us.

When we pray to God we need to give Him a good description of what our problems are!

He already knows, He just wants us to see if we know exactly what we are seeking the answers to.

At first this Cleopas attacks, saying "how could anyone in the area not know what had happened in Jerusalem".

We need to always be aware that when we are full of doubts, that is when the Devil will launch one of his attacks.

It helps to have friends we can discuss these things with. That's why God wants us to be like a family because we are the family of God.

Cleopas said Jesus, the Great Prophet of Israel had been condemned to death and crucified.

It had not just been the elders of Israel but also the Roman rulers, in a sense the whole world that had done this evil thing.

BUT, this was not what they had expected from Jesus, they had had higher hopes.

*****Luk 24:21  But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.
Luk 24:22  Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;
Luk 24:23  And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.
Luk 24:24  And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.

You see the biggest disappointment of Cleopas and the disciples. They had expected Jesus the Messiah to over come all these enemies of the people and it had been just the opposite, He had been overcome. He had even promised to return in 3 days and they still believed He had not even done that.

The disciples could only see the end of all their hopes.

When we allow the things of this world to take us down to this level, we need to question our faith!

Jesus had told them to watch, for on the 3 day something dramatic would happen, days are still 24 hours long.

They had expected this to mean that His triumph over Rome would have taken place but they had seen no changes in these things.

Added to all this, they felt that even the body of Jesus had been stolen.

They had heard about the heavy stone that was rolled away, the women could not have done this thing.

They had heard of the empty tomb but could not understand the significance of this.

They had heard about the angels but that seemed too far fetched.

Some had felt that Jesus was alive but how could that be true.

If so, then why had Jesus not been seen.

The things of this world had robbed them of their "faith"!

Jesus Christ wants to know all the things that bother us as we go through this life down to the most minute detail.

And how did Jesus respond?

*****Luk 24:25  Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
Luk 24:26  Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
Luk 24:27  And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

What's wrong with this world? This world does not take the Word of God serious!

These disciples of Christ Jesus simply did not believe what the prophets had said and they had come up with their own plan of what the Messiah would be and would do.

The greatest sin of all is the sin of unbelief!

The world today refuses to accept the truth of a "risen Savior".

The sin of unbelief will send them to an eternity in the "Burning Lake of Fire"!

If we have faith in our risen Savior, then we must relinquish the control of our lives to Him and obey and serve Him.

Act 2:36  Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

What had been the truth of the Scriptures?

As true disciples we are to take the Word of God seriously!

We are to study the Word of God to see what it says and not so much how men interpret what it says.

God says what He means and God means what He says and we need to feel comfortable with this truth!

If we were not capable of understanding the written Word of God, God would have chosen another method to teach us.

If the death of the Messiah and then the Resurrection of the Messiah had not been necessary we can be sure God would have used some other method!

In order for our salvation, these things had to take place.

Jesus had no choice but to obey the will of His Father!

We must accept these things and also realize that we are also to obey the will of our Father who is in Heaven.

In fact to be in the will of our Heavenly Father is to be in the safest place we can be in the world!

The pure truth is, that the plan of God had not been defeated but there was actually a great victory!

1Jn 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
1Jn 5:5  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

When our doubts over come us, then we need to return to the Word of God and begin at the beginning, the Book of Genesis and we will see that the Messiah was promised even from the words of Moses.

The Lord Jesus Christ can be found throughout all the Bible!

Unbelief will ruin our day and also our testimony and break the heart of our Lord, but He will never give up on us because His faith remains steadfast.

1Co 1:8  Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Co 1:9  God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Jews lived according to the Pentateuch, the 5 books of Moses so Jesus began from these books and went through the writings of all the prophets and pointed out all the places that concerned the Messiah.

We are expected to believe what the Word of God says!

If we are to slow to believe, then we may listen to what some man says that opposes the Word of God.

We are to believe what the prophets of God say. If we are to slow to believe we may miss the fulfillment of that prophesy.

The Bible plainly states that the Messiah had to die!

The Bible plainly states that the Messiah had to rise again!

The Bible plainly states that the Messiah had no choice!

These things were the will of God and had been God's plan even before creation began.

AND, God's plan was a complete success!

Jesus showed these two disciples "all the Scriptures" concerning these things.

We can see that "unbelief" not only destroys our testimony but it will leave us sad, perplexed, and in despair.

We simply cannot symbolize all the Scriptures.

The disciples of Jesus Christ had begun to accept a dead Savior just like the world does, and so many other men today but they had a hard time dealing with a risen Savior and most of the world has that same problem today.

We simply cannot pick and choose what we are going to believe in the Word of God. It is an all or nothing book.

This trip was about 7 miles or as much as 3 hours as they drew close to the village where they were going.

*****Luk 24:28  And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.
Luk 24:29  But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
Luk 24:30  And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
Luk 24:31  And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

When the  truth of the Scriptures open up our eyes then we will always want to hear more.

Jesus wold have gone on further because He will never enter into any house where He is not invited, just as He will never enter into any heart unless He has been invited.

Rev 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

In order to hear the truth, we must invite Jesus into our temple to become a Temple of God!

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

There are 9 different occasions recorded in the Gospels where Jesus broke bread with His disciples and then blessed it.

SO, We can see why they remembered this thing but not only that, those hands still bore the scars of the nails that bound Him to the cross.

God opened their eyes to the truth and Jesus vanished out of their sight!

If they had not invited Jesus into their home they would have missed out on this great opportunity.

We miss so very much when we do not accept the Lord when we first come under Holy Ghost conviction. Even when we do later, we have already missed out on so many blessings.

It is a fact that once we are saved, the Word of God will burn within us and our need to tell others about  what Jesus has done in our lives will just want to come out.

When we hear the Word of God explained and conviction comes, the only thing lacking is a response on our part.

What is Christian Heartburn?

Jer 20:9  Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.

It is a fact that once we are saved the Word of God will burn within us and our need to tell others about what Jesus has done in our lives will just want to come out.

When we sit on our hands and refuse to do the work of the Lord we not only hinder our blessings but someone in this world may have missed their own opportunity to know the Lord.

Quit having Christian heartburn and get busy serving the Lord!

That soul that is won to the Lord is the remedy to Christian Heartburn!

These two disciples of the Lord had Christian Heartburn.

They now knew the truth and they had to let it out!

*****Luk 24:32  And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
Luk 24:33  And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,
Luk 24:34  Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
Luk 24:35  And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.

It was night time and night time travel was dangerous but that did not stop these two disciples. They now knew the risen Savior and not just a dead Savior.

It was a late hour when they arrived back in Jerusalem but most all the disciples were already gathered together and all the talk was about their risen Savior!

They were all bursting with excitement because the truth of the Messiah was finally sinking in!

The amazing truth about the Word of God is that there are promises that no man has ever tried to find!

There are treasures that no one has taken the time to dig up.

There are medicines that have not been uncovered.

There are truths that have not yet been exposed.

There are little golden nuggets of information that are waiting on those that are willing to search for them!

The Bible is a love letter from God, He has not left anything out that would be a help to us but we just refuse to search the Scriptures.

These disciples had been around the Scriptures all their life and the truth of a risen Savior had never been a part of their reality until now when the truth was before their eyes.

This was one of those things in the Scriptures that had eluded them but was now exposed by the Lord Himself.

One of the most beautiful sights there are is when that lost soul finally realizes the truth of the Scriptures and faith takes over.

Once we know the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, it is then time for our feet to take over and go tell someone else about it!

Our biggest mistakes are made in this life when we look at our plan for this life from ground level and not from God's level

We can be certain that Jesus Christ arose from that grave, not because there were so many witnesses to this truth but because the Word of God has told us about our Messiah, our Savior, from the very first book of the Bible and has relayed His truth all the way to the Book of Revelation and every book in between.

Questions?

Let's Pray!

Sunday, August 7, 2016

Christ Crucified

The Certainty Of Christ's Crucifixion

Book of Luke 23:26-56


Crucifixion was a mode of capitol punishment used by Rome in the time of Jesus but was not used by the Jews.

The Jews used capitol punishment but they used the sword and stoning for the most part.

Crucifying was regarded as the most horrible of deaths by the Jews and was a greater horror for the curse of God.

Deu 21:22  And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:
Deu 21:23  His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

Notice the first rule was that they be worthy of death!

**Crucifixion always began first by a scourging.

The difference in Jesus case was that He was scourged before He was even sentenced!

**Then the condemned had to carry his own cross to the place of execution which would be outside the city but in full view of those who entered into the city.

Before they were nailed to that cross, they would be given  a cup of vinegar with medication mixed of gall and myrrh to deaden the pain but we know that Jesus rejected this this cup.

God will never go against His Word about alcohol or drugs!

Mat 27:34  They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.

**It was then that the nails were driven into the body.

Jesus felt every hit of the hammer that drove those nails.

All the accounts of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ are in accordance with the customs and the practices of Rome.

**It is a fact that the Lord Jesus Christ died of a broken heart, a ruptured heart which is why we see the blood and the water from the soldiers spear.

Joh 19:33  But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:
Joh 19:34  But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

The truth is that the Lord Jesus Christ clearly understood from the beginning that He had come into this world to die on the cross and He was fully prepared and had joy in giving His life so that we could be saved!

Joh 12:27  Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Let's begin:

*****Luk 23:26  And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.

Again we should realize that everything that Christ did had a purpose.

It was not some accident that Simon just happen to be passing Jesus at that time.

It was not some accident that Jesus felt the pressure of the cross at that time.

The truth is, that the trials of this life come when we least expect them.

The cross that we are to bear in this life is usually laid upon us at an unexpected time and in an unexpected place.

We often think of Christ bearing the cross for our sin and that is so true, but here we see a sinner bearing the cross for Jesus Christ.

It is that close personal relationship that Jesus is seeking with each and everyone of us.

It is a beautiful thought that our own cross borne for Jesus Christ is borne with Jesus Christ!

Jesus wanted us all to know He is involved with us in a very personal relationship!

The truth is, we all had have a piece of the cross of Jesus and we must help bear that cross.

Luk 14:27  And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Nothing in this world happens by chance, not to the Christian. God will oversee the life of all His children.

Simon was just a pilgrim traveling in a foreign land.

Heb 11:13  These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Heb 11:14  For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
Heb 11:15  And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
Heb 11:16  But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Many of the crosses we bear for ourselves are the ones that me make ourselves.

There was a large crowd following the procession that day but only Simon was chosen. It was not really the soldiers that chose Simon because it was the Lord.

*****Luk 23:27  And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him.

In most cases it is said that the same crowd that was saying Hosanna one day were saying crucify Him the next day. That could be true, but there could also be two separate crowds. Jerusalem was full of all sorts of people in celebration of the Passover and some did actually realize that the true Passover was being crucified that day.

These were those who knew that Jesus was innocent.

These are those that knew everything about Jesus was good and He possessed no evil at all.

These are the ones that knew Jesus was the hope of all people.

This is a picture of us all, when we get to know Jesus in a personal relationship.

When we realize what great things God has done in order that we can be saved, then we to can weep and bewail and feel the pain of our Savior for what He has done for us!

These people were crying out, especially the women, because they were feeling the pain of their Savior!

Some had known Him for many years and others were mourning because they felt their pain.

Jas 4:8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Jas 4:9  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
Jas 4:10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

But what we see when we mourn, let it be for the right reasons.

*****Luk 23:28  But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.
Luk 23:29  For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
Luk 23:30  Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.
Luk 23:31  For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

The women of that day were for the most part home makers and not involved in the politics of the day. To many of them, their husband was their lord.

1Pe 3:5  For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:
1Pe 3:6  Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

They knew Jesus was innocent and they had never heard unfavorable things about Him.

They knew that everywhere Jesus had traveled, He had shown only mercy and truth.

They knew Jesus was the only hope for the people, because they knew that the glory of God had departed from Israel and the land was under the curse of God.

They had been aroused by the words He had spoken and the miracles they had heard of Him.

They knew no such person as this, deserved death!

Jesus simply said "weep not for me" because it was by the cross that the prayers of these women would be answered and prophesy would be fulfilled.

Jesus was saying "trust me, this is what I came to do"!

The truth is, a natural response to the sufferings of Christ is just not enough. We must understand why Jesus suffered and feel a godly sorrow over Christ bearing the sins of the world.

We are just not ashamed of our sin!

2Co 7:10  For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

Then Jesus painted a picture of Israel's doom, which we must remember is also a "type" of the future destruction of this world.

They would be better off weeping for themselves!

There was soon coming a day when these women would wish they had been childless.

They would soon wish that they were buried alive rather than see the death of hunger.

If we realize that Jesus represents that "green tree" the "tree of life", how will the world treat a tree of no use, with no visible life left in it.

Israel was that "dry tree" at that time with no signs of life.

We could say that "America is that dry tree" today because America is dying the death of sin.

We are witnessing that today!

Israel had rejected the invitation of God time after time and had tried God's patience.

This time they had gone too far!

Mat 27:25  Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

The killing of the Lord Jesus Christ by such ruthless men was the last straw for that generation!

Just as soon as the Church was established to a point of survival, Jerusalem was judged and Israel was scattered.

Mat 3:10  And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

And then another prophesy must be fulfilled:

Isa 53:12  Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

*****Luk 23:32  And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.

As far as we know, this day may have already been set aside for execution. We already know it was a day when a criminal would be set free.

Mar 15:6  Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired.

It would be fair to say, that it was also an execution day already planned by Rome for some reason or another.

To those Jewish leaders it just added weight to their saying to the people that this was just a man like any other man and not the true Messiah.

Just another prophet like the others they had killed, but this time they were wrong.

Christ was counted with the sinner because our Father in Heaven had decided these things!

Over and over again we see God's plan and God just wants us all to be a part of His plan because no other plan will work!

So Mount Calvary came into view.

*****Luk 23:33  And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
Luk 23:34  Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Every sinner has a limited view of their own sin, because we simply do not see the things we do as evil!

For this reason, sin to them is just not a big deal and Christ dying for our sin was also no big deal.

They see laws made for others than themselves because they think they have no evil intent.

What we see in our world today is that sin appears indifferent and according to the circumstances in which it is seen.

So we see that Jesus said "Father forgive them for they know not what they do".

Here we see the power of "Grace"!

Mat 12:32  And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

The truth is that Christ was crucified in order to bring us back to God!

1Pe 3:18  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

Now we also see Jesus the Mediator between God and sinful man, because remember at His death, the Veil of the Temple was ripped into.

It is very true that those leaders and politicians simply did not know what they were doing!

In order to stop God's plan then Jesus would have had to live!

1Co 2:7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
1Co 2:8  Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

And then another prophesy is fulfilled.

Psa 22:16  For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
Psa 22:17  I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
Psa 22:18  They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

God just knows every little detail of every little thing and even every big thing!

Jesus was stripped of His clothes because Jesus allowed all His mortality to be stripped from Him.

Jesus came to bring eternal life from His death, because He came to abolish death and bring immortality through the "Gospel".

2Ti 1:9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
2Ti 1:10  But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

There is no way that this world could deny Jesus His cross and that is the same way we should all feel!

We should not allow this world to deny us our own cross in Jesus' name!

God will have His will on this earth!

*****Luk 23:35  And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.
Luk 23:36  And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,
Luk 23:37  And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.

What's wrong with this world? Most all people do not understand the salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Those looking for a Messiah always have their preconceived notions of what a Messiah is.

Is the Messiah the anointed one of God? Yes

Is the Messiah the Savior of the world? Yes

Is the Messiah the Christ? In the Greek, Yes.

Is the Messiah the expected prince of God's chosen people? Yes of Israel. The prince who will be King.

Is the Messiah the High Priest of the Church? Yes

Was the Messiah sent to complete God's purpose? Yes

The Messiah was never to fulfill the will of the people!

The truth of the cross was, that since the Messiah came to save the people of this world then He certainly could not save Himself!

Did He have the power to do so? Yes

Did He have the will to do so? No, for He would have left us all to die!

You would think the people of God could better understand these things.

From the day Jesus was laid in that manger, He had not hid Himself from His message of salvation!

That cross that crucified our Lord was His message of love!

It was love that kept Jesus from coming down off that cross!

1Ti 2:5  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
1Ti 2:6  Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

All leaders, all those who say they have religion, and all people of all societies are only human and Jesus died to save us all!

Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

It was that generation in the time of Jesus, that should have realized the truth but they had rejected the truth and this is what is going on in our world today.

So what is the next truth?

Mat 23:38  Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
Mat 23:39  For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

This is also the truth of a world without Jesus Christ until He returns.

Those soldiers could not have understood the claim of Jesus to be King, they were only men paid to be obedient to Rome.

Jesus was first offered vinegar mixed with pain killers but He refused.

You will never see Jesus go against the Word of God.

Pro 23:29  Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
Pro 23:30  They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
Pro 23:31  Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

Those soldiers also had their own drink source that was a mixture of vinegar and water and this is what was later offered to the Lord which He did take some.

Vinegar has no alcohol content in itself!

And there was also the superscription that was misunderstood.

*****Luk 23:38  And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

The sign hanging above the head of Jesus was intended to mock the Jewish authorities and to reproach the claim of Jesus.

But God changed things. Pilate who was His judge had now proclaimed the glory of God.

So the cross had actually become the first throne of King Jesus!

And this was written in the known languages of that day.

Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Php 2:9  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Php 2:10  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
Php 2:11  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Just when this world thinks it is in control, God shows up to make a mockery of those who ridicule Him!

But still the world is full of unbelievers!

*****Luk 23:39  And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
Luk 23:40  But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
Luk 23:41  And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

First we have a man in the same predicament as Jesus and you would think this man would have at least shown pity.

He had probably never even seen Christ before, yet he rejected the Lord.

So even with this horrible thing he said that day, he is still less guilty that those who have known the Lord Jesus and still rejected Him.

The truth is and we all need to know, if we pray for God to show us His power to prove who He is, then God will remain silent and never answer such a prayer.

God is all about faith and not about proof!

But there is always someone on the right side!

This known criminal became humble and repented because he felt the power of the cross, maybe the very first one to do so!

In faith he found hope for his guilty soul!

The truth is, this man knew that he and his partner in crime were both guilty beyond measure but he also realized that Jesus had committed no crime at all, yet they all were together on this day, judged by an unrighteous world.

What is the truth of most all Atheist? As they see their life come to an end, the love of this world that they cherished all their days will begin to disappear and they indeed will search for something else or cry out in torment even before death finally comes.

When you are on death's row, you may think one way but when you sit down in the electric chair life becomes real!

Every breath becomes important because you do not know which one will be your last.

When we realize we deserve death, it is at that point that Holy Ghost conviction can do it's work!

Then can come repentance and only then!

It takes a whole hearted submission to God for salvation to take place!

And only then can we be "Born Again" into new life that last for an eternity!

And He said to Jesus:

*****Luk 23:42  And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

Death to the sinner is death of the body and then a living death of the soul in Hell and later the Burning Lake of Fire.

Death to the Savior, who knew no sin, but He bore all our iniquities on the cross and then rose again to "New Life".

Death to the child of God means no death has any power over him. We may not be able to escape the death of this body because just like all the material things on this earth it was just something else on loan from God.

We have a new glorified body awaiting us and an eternal life body and soul in the glories of Heaven.

There is not one soul that has done things so bad that they cannot be forgiven by the Lord!

God must judge sin, or God could not be God!

It was at the cross where God showed the intensity of His love.

And Jesus said:

*****Luk 23:43  And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Not next week, not next year, not next generation but "today".

We know that Jesus gave up the ghost at 3 PM. The Jewish day ends at 6 PM. Jesus made an appointment which He kept before that new child of God had his legs broken before 6 PM and he died the death that we all face but he was in the arms of Jesus before they took his body off that cross and he was with Jesus before the body of Jesus was laid in that garden tomb.

Jesus was busy while that old physical body was being prepared for that borrowed tomb!

Once we realize that Christ Jesus does certainly have a Kingdom, why would we be foolish enough to not want to be with Him in that place!

What does the sinners prayer require? Lord remember me!

*****Luk 23:44  And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
Luk 23:45  And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.

Darkness is a symbol of separation and loneliness and the darkness will always speak to us in lies and broken promises.

The truth is all of mankind was separated from the light of the Lord until Jesus came the first time and one at a time, many have come to the light and out of the darkness!

Joh 3:19  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Joh 3:20  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

The truth is, none of us can really see when we are in the darkness!

Without true sight we stand alone in this world solely responsible for our own behavior.

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

The sixth our to the Jew is the noon time hour.

When the Sun had reached it's peak on that day the world became dark and stayed dark for three hours until 3PM or the ninth hour.

Those who have not witnessed an eclipse of the sun cannot know how this takes place. Whether eclipse or not the timing of it was in God's hands!

We should consider that the Passover was held at the time of the full moon and it is impossible to have an eclipse of the Sun and a full Moon at the same time!

This veil that was ripped into was the veil that hid the entrance to the Holy  of Holies.

This was the most sacred place in all the Temple, the place of where the presence of God was said to be at times.

The death of Jesus on the cross on Mount Calvary had rolled back the curtain to open the door to the Holiest Place of all to all who would come to worship at the feet of God!

Jesus simply said, "Father into thy hands, I commend my spirit".

Jesus was not concerned with what was going on around Him, He just knew that His work that He had come to accomplish was finished.

John was a witness to these things and John gave us the words of Jesus.

Joh 19:30  When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

When Jesus commended His soul into the hands of God, it was certainly proof that the soul still lives as the body does.

It also shows us that the true resting place for the soul is with God!

The truth is when we die we will go through a great change in true living!

But that soul cannot return to God unless we go through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
1Pe 4:19  Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Jesus did not die for Himself no more than He lived for Himself!

And we must realize no matter what we are going through, somebody is always watching.

*****Luk 23:47  Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.

As we have seen throughout the New Testament, these Centurions have been thoughtful and honest men.

This is the man that had the responsibility to obey the commands of Pilate and crucify our Lord, yet He stood amazed at the man he had murdered.

This is exactly what most of our world is missing today. Certainly Jesus was a righteous man but more important He is our Savior.

This was a Gentile who is a "type" of the working of the Cross upon the human mind and the human heart once we realize what Jesus has done for us all.

Jesus had fulfilled His purpose!

This Centurion had only obeyed His orders.

But how did those that insisted He be crucified act?

*****Luk 23:48  And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.

What had God said?

Zec 12:10  And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

Many had come with malice and many out of curiosity but they had been overcome by the "Grace" of God!

**It was sin that drove the "Passion" of Christ, we may not have driven those nails but He bore "our" griefs and "our" sorrows.

**Jesus did not die on the cross for all mankind as much as He died for each individual sinner.

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

**Jesus Christ is the same in His glory as He was on that cross!

Heb 13:8  Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

Oh what a Savior we have!

These people may have come for entertainment but what they saw had saddened them and brought conviction and some were now prepared in their hearts to hear the truth of the 'Gospel".

Hos 14:9  Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.

We are a foolish people to think that every step that Jesus took on this earth did not have a direct and profound purpose and He fulfilled everyone of them.

But there were those that loved Him there also:

*****Luk 23:49  And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.

Disciples, secret friends, and even some acquaintances who lacked the courage to get closer to the Lord not ready to pick up there own cross.

The women who had financially supported the ministry of the 12 chosen of the Lord feared to get closer but they were there never the less.

There were many who truly cared for the Lord and loved Him and there would soon be many more and Jesus said "He has not lost a single one of them"!

The three that we know who got as close as they could was His mother Mary, John, and Mary Magdalene.

We can be sure of the the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ!

We can be sure that Christ died for our sins because He had none of His own.

We can be certain of our salvation because we can be certain of our Lord!

His purpose was completed on the cross and ours just began once we realized this truth.

Questions?

Let's Pray!

Sunday, July 31, 2016

The Truth Of The False Trial Of Jesus

The Certainty Of Christ's Trial

Book of Luke 23:1-25


The Jewish Sanhedrin was the supreme council of the Jewish people and consisted of 71 elders of the Jews.

As a judicial body, the Sanhedrin constituted what we would say was a supreme court.

The Sanhedrin had been hastily called at a time before the dawn of the day.

The Lord Jesus Christ was brought before this group as a false prophet.

Jesus had professed to be the Messiah and they had pronounced the death sentence upon Him even before He had a trial.

They could have put Jesus away for years in prison and nothing would have been said but they wanted Him dead.

In order to accomplish this they needed Pilate, the Roman governor to go along with their verdict and they accused Jesus of insurrection against the Roman government.

*****Luk 23:1  And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate.
Luk 23:2  And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.

The Jewish religious system was so opposed to the Lord Jesus Christ that all 71 of the Sanhedrin court arose and took Jesus to Pilate seeking for His death.

The truth is their only goal was to protect their worldly desires, their security and their position and their authority given to them by Rome and of course their riches.

They had become rich while their nation was being plundered by Rome.

Jesus was accused of "perverting the nation".
Jesus was accused of "forbidding other Jews to give tribute to Caesar".
Jesus was accused of "naming Himself true King of the Jews".

If proven true, these were in fact serious crimes against the Roman government.

Pilate was a morally weak man who sinned in spite of himself.
Pilate was a worldly man who sought only his own interest.
Pilate was irreligious, he had no ties to any religion and was not guided by any and actually condemned most all religion.

It was this immoral man who began to question Jesus.

*****Luk 23:3  And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sanest it.

"thou sanest it" was in fact the most solemn mode of affirmation used by all the Jews.

The Book of John gives us greater detail into the actual things Jesus said and it is possible that John may have even been present during this time.

Jo 18:34  Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?
Jo 18:35  Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
Jo 18:36  Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Jo 18:37  Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sanest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
Jo 18:38  Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.

Jesus stated that His kingdom was not of this world.

Jesus was not some political revolutionary.

Jesus was not a threat to any civil government.

(These are to be the same traits of the Church)

Jesus said at this time He ruled a spiritual kingdom!

Jesus was, is, and always will be the King of Heaven!

Jesus had first come to rule in the hearts and the minds and the lives of man!

Eph 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

So Pilate came to his verdict.

*****Luk 23:4  Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man.

This same man who would later condemn Jesus to die, acknowledged that the Lord Jesus was not guilty of any of these false charges.

Pilate knew that this Jewish court was lying about the things they were saying about Jesus.

Kind of reminds us about our own politically charged Supreme Court of today.

Not only had the Lord Jesus never committed any crime at all, He had never committed any sin at all!

If there were ever an innocent man on trial, it was the Lord Jesus Christ!

1Pe 3:18  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit

We should also keep in mind that anything Pilate did was overpowered by a selfish regard for his own interest.

So when the Jews heard what he said they knew just what to do.

*****Luk 23:5  And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.

These foolish men then exerted themselves with great fury and violence.

They became even more unruly.

They increased their charges against Jesus.

They said it was not only in Judea that He stirred up treason and sedition, but also in Galilee, making Jesus a national threat.

They said that no matter where Jesus went He stirred up the people, and He did but never against the government of Rome or any other government.

Jesus stirred the people up spiritually!

Pilate knew the truth and it did not move him, so it would be impossible for him to be moved by any sense of justice toward any Jew.

There was no cause for these things to happen to Jesus, except men seeking their own material things the exact same things that cause most all the problems in our world today!

Psa 69:4  They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.

Any so-called national leader to seeks to escape his duty is an unworthy leader and that's what sits in our White House today.

Jas 1:8  A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

When Pilate heard Galilee, he thought he had found another way to avoid being in this Jewish mess.

*****Luk 23:6  When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilean.
Luk 23:7  And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time.

Pilate never really considered to set Jesus free, but he did have a great desire to be free of Him!

If Pilate had been just at all, he would followed up on his verdict of innocence!

Pilate feared an uprising of these Jews more than he feared causing harm to one innocent man.

Pilate had made an enemy out of Herod, so it made it even easier to allow Herod to get burnt by causing harm to such an innocent man.

This Herod was Herod Antipas the son of Herod the Great.

Again Pilate was only seeking his own best interest in all these matters, he had no real concern for Jesus.

*****Luk 23:8  And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.

This was also the same Herod who had beheaded John the Baptist and thought that Jesus may have even been the resurrection of John.

Mar 6:14  And king Herod heard of him; (for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.
Mar 6:15  Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets.
Mar 6:16  But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead.

It is obvious that Herod showed no concern for the truth.

It is also obvious that Herod had no concern for his own soul.

The possibility that Jesus was truly the Messiah never entered Herod's mind.

Herod just wanted to witness an actual miracle!

Herod felt that he was high enough up on the ladder of success, that he deserved for God to just perform for him!

The truth is God will never do a miracle just for the recipient of that miracle. God does all things for His own pleasure and for the benefit of His kingdom!

We should remember, the "Gospel" had already entered into the household of Herod.

Luk 8:3  And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.

Also

Act 13:1  Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

And possibly

Jo 4:46  So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.

The truth is Jesus knew that it would be a waste of time to offer any words of wisdom to Herod and Jesus said nothing at all.

*****Luk 23:9  Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing.

Men who get their delight from moral darkness, usually have no objection to the "Gospel" they just hate the moral requirements of the "Gospel".

For a king such as Herod the commandments of God would have robbed him of his terrorizing power, so Jesus gave no response at all.

Isa 53:7  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

Once the "Gospel" tears away the fabric of their moral condition, it reveals just how depraved we truly are.

Once the "Gospel" shakes their soul with the promise of the judgment of God then we will become our own worst enemy.

Jo 15:22  If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.
Jo 15:23  He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
Jo 15:24  If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.
Jo 15:25  But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

So Herod then listened to the false charges against Jesus.

*****Luk 23:10  And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him.
Luk 23:11  And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.
Luk 23:12  And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.

Herod had refused to listen to John the Baptist.

Herod had refused to listen to the witnessing going on in his own household.

Herod had refused to believe in the wonders that he had heard about the Lord Jesus.

But Herod listened to the government backed, politically motivated religionists of the Jewish elders of the Sanhedrin court.

Herod set Jesus aside, as just being unimportant enough for his concern for justice.

Most of this world approaches the Word of God with fore-drawn conclusions and since those conclusions cannot be verified they revolt toward humanism.

We must remember as Christians we are simply witnesses of the truth of God.

It is the Word of God itself that is God's appointed representative.

We are responsible for the manner in which we present the Word of God

Jo 17:17  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

That word "nought" means that Herod looked upon Jesus as nothing, not even as a decent human being.

We can say what we wish, but how much of the world today and even some so-called churches look upon Jesus Christ as still being nothing.

You cannot accept the Word of God and reject Jesus Christ.

When we count our own lives as greater than that of Jesus Christ, we have then becomes failures as humans.

When we accept the ways of the world as truth then we are complete failures.

We must accept that Jesus Christ is exactly who He says He is!

Jo 8:23  And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.
Jo 8:24  I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

Jesus Christ did not come into our lives to give a performance. Jesus came into our lives to save us!

Jesus was silent before Herod because when we continue in sin we will never get an answer from God.

Herod and Pilate became friends because all things worldly are brought closer together in their opposition to the truth!

This is what is happening in the political arena today!

Judaism and Heathenism came together to destroy Christianity and all false religions will try to do the same before the end comes.

We also see the beginning of this happening today!

Jesus went to the cross because of sin but it was hatred that put Him there!

Compromising with the world will always lead to sin and then on to trouble and tragedy.

Pilate knew the truth of Jesus innocence.

Herod knew the truth but Jesus was nothing to him.

Pilate then sought to compromise with with a group of liars which is impossible if they do not get their way.

This is what is happening in America today as our leaders compromise with the abortionist, the gay community, the LBGT movement, the BLM movement, climate change, and other foolish things that go against the Word of God and then tell Christians we must just get over it.

God says:

Eph 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

We will see that in the end Pilate was only concerned with himself.

*****Luk 23:13  And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,
Luk 23:14  Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:
Luk 23:15  No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him.
Luk 23:16  I will therefore chastise him, and release him.

We will see that 3 times Pilate did try to release the Lord Jesus but the Jews would not relent in their hatred for the truth.

Pilate knew this whole group was a bunch of liars and Jesus was innocent of all the things that were brought against Him.

Even Herod had found Jesus innocent of all charges.

Not one crime worthy of death had been committed by Jesus in fact no crime at all had been committed by Jesus.

What did Pilate know about these Jews?

Pilate knew these Jews would cause trouble for him in Rome and he already stood on shaky ground with Rome.

So again we see how power and money rule most all men.

Truth and justice always suffer at the hands of ruthless power hungry people!

A compromising person is always thinking only of themselves.

They will protect themselves even at the expense of truth and justice.

We need to remember all these things when we cast our votes in the coming election because these things never change.

God tells us the same thing!

Psa 82:2  How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.

Pilate was directly responsible to Rome for the administration and the finances of Judea.

To become a procurator was as much political move as it was a military success.

Even with all these things at stake it was still Pilate's job to free those innocent of the laws of Rome.

These Jews were not about the let Jesus go free no matter what other punishment was offered.

They wanted Jesus dead!

This in turn made Pilate even more bitter with these Jews.

Pilate offered one more option.

*****Luk 23:17  (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)
Luk 23:18  And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:
Luk 23:19  (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.)
Luk 23:20  Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.
Luk 23:21  But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.

The truth is always the truth no matter what is said to the contrary!

Here we see the Pilate is trying to compromise the truth when there can never be a compromise between justice and injustice.

We live in a world today where the innocent get the blame for what the guilty do and that is wrong. How backwards have we become?

Pilate is a picture of what this world has become!

Pilate may have wished to do right and he had it in his power to do right but he cared more for his own image and these Jews manipulated him to get what they wanted him to do.

These Jews never did want a Messiah like Jesus, they just wanted a king that they could control to do things their own way.

And the truth is any nation that could forsake Jesus for a man or woman like Barabbas deserved destruction.

Many will say the same thing if Hillary Clinton becomes the next president and it will be just as true.

Our nation will get what we deserve to get for such stupidity!

There is not a whole lot of difference between the mob that rejected Jesus and applauded Barabbas and the mobs that surround this presidential election.

They will not be satisfied until they have received Barabbas.

The truth is, this world will always cry out to get rid of Jesus!

The truth is, an immoral man will never be a good judge nor should they ever be put on a bench to judge others because the innocent will always suffer and laws will always be meaningless.

But that is exactly what we have today in many of our court rooms!

When the truth is known then it must always be proclaimed.

The opposite of that is that the guilty should never get off totally free of the wrong that they have done.

To compromise these things will bring the downfall of civil society!

When we agree to something less than the truth it will be the beginning of chaos!

The truth is and the lesson we should learn is that God will never compromise on the things that concern His Son.

Jo 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Jo 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

We either stand with Jesus Christ or we stand against Him! There is no middle ground!

Mobs are always cruel when left to there own ways!

We have certainly seen this truth in the past several months.

The truth is that this mob admired what they resembled and Barabbas was much more like them than Jesus could ever be!

This is the truth of most all mobs!

Jesus was innocent and sinless, the ideal man and it is in Him we are to trust.

The world is still struggling with this truth because the world is still more like Barabbas!

And Pilate asked one more time the question why? Because none of us really understand any more than Pilate did.

*****Luk 23:22  And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.
Luk 23:23  And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.
Luk 23:24  And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.
Luk 23:25  And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.

It's hard to understand exactly why these Jews insisted on the death of Jesus but to say it was written in the Old Testament that they would do so.

They could have easily just locked Him up and put Him out of reach but they were just as afraid of the people.

There was absolutely no cause for Jesus to die by worldly standards!

Pilate was never strong enough to do what was right.

Pilate could never stand up for Jesus because he did not possess moral strength.

Pilate was too weak of a man to declare the truth before such men as these Jews.

"We should clearly understand that the pressure of this world to do evil is hard to overcome"!

This is more evident today right here in America than it has ever been.

We should realize that the trial of Jesus was illegal by Jewish Law.

And the truth of any nation is, that those who are regarded as great men are not necessarily wise.

Job 32:9  Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment.

Although there has never been anyone who faced judgment who was as innocent as Jesus, He was still condemned to die on a cross.

When we are delivered to the will of our enemies we will never get fair judgment!

Psa 27:12  Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

This trial lasted no more than just a few hours and the sentence was forced by an unruly crowd who were influenced by powerful men with money.

What is causing the division in America today? Powerful men with money!

The murder of an innocent man was dressed up as justice!

Why do we pray for good laws and good lawmakers, if we refuse to obey those laws.

What happened to the Lord Jesus Christ had been predetermined before the words "let there be light" were ever said.

Pilate could give many excuses of why he gave in to these Jews, but he still could have done the right thing and set Jesus free but in dooming Jesus, He also doomed himself.

The truth is every unrighteous judge will weigh every decision against their own livelihood and their own recognition rather than true justice.

Our courts are full of these people today!

Our laws were never intended to be hypocritical.

Everyday that goes by, it is so easy to see why a righteous God has no choice but to judge an unrighteous system put in place by men!

Pilate was guilty of many things but these Jews were even more guilty!

They had predetermined that Jesus would die and would accept no other verdict.

They never questioned His innocence!

The truth is, that the ruling class of every nation insist on keeping a death grip on the poor of that nation and Jesus interfered with that system just as the true church does today.

What is the truth?

Act 2:22  Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
Act 2:23  Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
Act 2:24  Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

They had predetermined that Jesus would die and they killed His outer flesh but the part they hated, what Jesus was and what He stood for can never die!

The truth is, that through death, the power of God to save was released onto this world and only He will decide when it is finished!

The death of Jesus brought the "Gospel" of salvation according to the Scriptures.

1Co 15:1  Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1Co 15:2  By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
1Co 15:3  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

The truth of our world is that most men prefer the company of evil and sinful men who can be controlled and used as pawns.

And it is also obvious that the worldly religionists prefer this world rather than the truth of God.

The truth is when we are willing to compromise the truth of God then the pressure to do evil will get to us.

2Pe 3:17  Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

This world we live in will continue to try to make a mockery of God but every time the world sees victory, God has already won!

1Jn 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

The trial of Jesus Christ was a mockery of justice!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

Sunday, July 24, 2016

A Memorial To Christ

The Certainty Of Christ's Memorial

Book of Luke 22


A "Memorial" is something that preserves the memory of something of great importance.

Today we will see that the Lord's Supper is a memorial of the death and the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ as the sacrificial Lamb of God.

We are expected to take part in this memorial service until the Lord returns.

1Co 11:24  And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
1Co 11:25  After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
1Co 11:26  For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

But we are also to be worthy to take part in this remembrance of the work of the Lord.

1Co 11:27  Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
1Co 11:28  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
1Co 11:29  For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
1Co 11:30  For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

If we look back to the first Jewish Passover we can get the true meaning of all these things.

Everything about the Passover Feast was designed to teach the people of Israel and of course all those that study the Scriptures, that we all owe our lives to the protecting and guiding hand of God.

If we look back at the first Passover we should see some important things.

Exo 12:22  And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.
Exo 12:23  For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.
Exo 12:24  And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.

If you took that blood and put in the places mentioned in this Scripture you have made the shape of a cross.

The significance is obvious. Israel was saved from the bondage of Egypt by the blood of a perfect lamb.

The world is saved from the bondage of sin by the blood that was shed on Mount Calvary by the blood of the perfect Lamb of God.

It was the Lord Jesus Christ who gave Himself for our redemption!

As Jesus peered out through blood soaked eyes, He said Father forgive them for they know not what they do.

He was looking at us through His own blood.

The Bible says:

Heb 9:22  And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Heb 9:23  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

At this Passover Feast with His disciples, the Passover had now reached it's end, and had found it's full meaning!

The Passover, which sprinkled the blood of the covenant on those door posts in the land of Egypt, descends until it's last victim dies beneath the shadow of the cross of Jesus Christ.

Rev 1:5  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
Rev 1:6  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Let's Begin:

*****Luk 22:14  And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.
Luk 22:15  And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:
Luk 22:16  For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

Without a doubt we can see that there is a connection between the Passover and the suffering of Jesus Christ.

In "typology", the Passover pictured the coming of Christ (a perfect lamb, the perfect Lamb of God)

The blood that was placed on the side posts and the lintel pictured the blood of Jesus (shed on the cross)

It was a sign that the life and the blood of an innocent lamb had been substituted for the sin of the first born (sin of Adam)

The eating of the lamb represents the spiritual nourishment gained by the feeding of Christ (The Bread of Life, The Lord's Supper)

The unleavened bread is a picture of putting evil out of your life and out of your household.

The Jews used 4 foods and drink items at the Passover Meal.

1) They used a bowl of salt water to remind them of the tears shed by their forefathers, while they were in 430 years of bondage in Egypt.

2) They used a bitter salad like plate, to remind them of the bitterness of bondage and slavery.

3) They used a paste mixture of of fruit and cinnamon sticks, to remind them of the labor in making those bricks from clay and straw.

4) They used 4 cups of wine to remind them of God's 4 promises to deliver their forefathers from bondage.

God promised Israel these 4 things.

Exo 6:6  Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:
Exo 6:7  And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
Exo 6:8  And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD.

The Passover Feast was based upon historical facts.

The Lord's Supper is a memorial to the work of the Lord much much more than just history.

The Lord's Supper is a remembrance of the Living Christ until He returns to take us home!

The Passover Feast reached it's end and found it's full meaning with the Lord's Supper!

The Passover then represents the change of slaves to servants!

The Lord's Supper represents the change of servants into the children of God and joint heirs with Christ!

We are close to the end of the Church Age, when that last when victim will die in the shadow of the cross and is "Born Again" and then the return of Jesus Christ.

1Co 5:7  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
1Co 5:8  Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Jesus said "you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free".

Don't you just love the Word of God!

We should also remember our Messiah had a human side and that side needed some support for what He was about to do.

Remember Christ "gave" His life, because no man could take it from Him if He so wished not to die!

Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

But above all these things God's created human beings also needed comfort. These chosen men needed reassurance for the things they were about to face!

We can be sure, that God is well aware of the painful steps that each one of us have in our daily walk with Him and all the steps we will take in our own journey in this life!

Maybe the greatest reason for the Lord's Supper of all is, that it looked forward to the glorious future of the Church and all the people of God!

The Lord took His place in that first Communion and the end of these things is when He once again joins with us all at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb!

You know we do not have to look for great things in order to discover the great truths of God.

God will use the routines of common life to show us His deepest secrets.

The Lord Jesus Christ took a simple meal of bread and juice to show us the truth of the "Gospel".

*****Luk 22:17  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:
Luk 22:18  For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.

We can just imagine the intense love of Christ for us as He took the time to explain to explain the truth, a communion meal of memorial for all believers, yet it was His last meal on this earth.

The Lord Jesus "desired" to spend His last free time with a simple meal and then singing and rejoicing and then prayer before His death and He even took the time to wash their feet as a slave would his master.

The Lord's Supper is all about the death of Christ.

The Lord's Supper is also a picture or a "type" of that Heavenly Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

This will not take place until all things are fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

The Lord's Supper is also God's promise of that future Marriage Feast.

Col 3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Col 3:3  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Col 3:4  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

Jesus then took the bread.

*****Luk 22:19  And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
Luk 22:20  Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

**There is a great meaning to the bread.

Jesus took the bread and broke it:

This symbolized His broken body.

Jesus Christ sacrificed His body for our deliverance because He needed no deliverance.

Isa 53:5  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

AND, this act of the Lord was truly significant to the early church and it should be today:

Act 2:46  And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
Act 2:47  Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Under the Old Testament the broken bread signified the sufferings of the Jews.

Jesus said this was a New Testament and the bread signified the broken body of Christ.

Jesus said His body would be broken and given for us!

He suffered and died for us!

Jesus took our place on the cross of death. (The wages of sin are death)

Jesus Christ bore the "Judgment of God" for us!

**There is also great meaning in the cup.

Jesus said the cup held the blood of the New Testament.

It is the blood of Jesus Christ that established a New Covenant with God!

It is the blood of Jesus Christ that has allowed us to have a personal relationship with God as He had in the time of Adam before Adam had sinned.

It takes "faith" in these very things to have assurance of eternal life.

Joh 6:53  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

Joh 6:56  He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
Joh 6:57  As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

The Jews had rejected this truth but the Church lives by this truth!

We can only be saved and our sins forgiven by believing that Christ's blood was shed for our forgiveness.

1Jn 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

And Jesus said "do this in remembrance of me".

We are to remember how God liberated Israel from the slavery of Egypt, that's what the Passover was all about.

We are to remember how, by the blood of Christ, we are liberated for the bondage of the sin of this world.

We are to remember that this same blood will make it possible for Jesus to return and take us all into the eternal presence of God.

We should also realize that Jesus Christ used this Lord's Supper to reach out one more time to sinners!

*****Luk 22:21  But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.
Luk 22:22  And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!
Luk 22:23  And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.

Jesus knew exactly what Judas would do but He also knew that we would be studying these Scriptures and Jesus wants us all to know that He will give every sinner as many opportunities as He can to repent.

Judas knew exactly what Jesus was saying even though the rest of these disciples did not.

Jesus knew what Judas had already done and He wanted Judas to know that He knew.

Jesus knows the same about all sinners.

Jesus also took the time to warn Judas.

This warning extends to all who reject Jesus Christ as their Savior.

Jesus says "woe to those who betray Him"

Judas clearly understood he would face the "judgment" of God, even though he may not have realized the severity of His actions.

The world today knows that God is all about love and through liberal theology they have forgotten about God's "judgment".

In fact there cannot be one without the other!

Terrible judgment is a sure thing for sinners and Judas was made well aware of that this night of the Lord's Supper.

The wages of sin are death and redemption is only by the blood of the Lamb as proven by the Lord's Supper.

God knows the destiny of every sinner and it is not something that makes Him happy!

Each sinner has until the day they die to repent even though just like the Lord knew Judas would not, He knows all sinners who will not ever change their mind.

We should never forget it is also God's "Grace" that warns us of the consequences of sin!

Judas was not forced to turn away from his sin, it was his freedom of choice to decide.

It is by God's "Grace" that He even warns us of the coming "Judgment".

We have a God that respects our will and our desires!

God loves us enough to tell us the truth but He will never force our obedience!

We must understand that there are consequences for going against the Word of God!

So we see that it is the purpose of Lord's Supper to cause a searching of our own hearts.

*****Luk 22:23  And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.
Luk 22:24  And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.

We need to understand that we, especially the men have a natural desire for superiority.

We all desire recognition, prestige, position and honor.

Many even desire power and authority.

We have seen where many people in such positions try to become absolute rulers, or monarchy,  as our President.

So when we hear that these disciples of Christ had such desires then we should better understand these passages.

When a group of men are together many times there are those who want the others to acknowledge them as the greatest.

That desire becomes sinful when it is of the things of this world!

If that desire is aimed at the work of the Lord it then becomes useful as long as we realize that in our person we are no better than anyone else!

What we see is that these disciples argued about these things just like most other men do!

When we try to rise, at the expense of others or the ruin of others or by trampling on others we are going against everything the Word of God stands for.

True greatness consist of a reverent fear of the Lord and our usefulness to Him and His work, that He has given us to do.

The Holy Spirit is not given to us for enjoyment, He is given to us for our "employment"!

The main ability we need in the work of the Lord is "availability"!

That word "strife" means these men were always eager to argue about who was the greatest disciple of the Lord.

Even these disciples were still thinking about an earthly kingdom where the Lord would appoint them into positions of authority, which will one day take place but that is still in ours and in their future.

Self-seeking will always blind our eyes to the true glory that is in the Lord Jesus Christ!

Even at this last meal, the Lord's Supper, these men were trying to seat themselves in seats of honor.

On the eve of the cross, these men could still only think of worldly things!

And how did Jesus respond to these things, this is our lesson to.

*****Luk 22:25  And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.

A benefactor is one who is granted favors for charitable things they have done in serving others.

A worldly benefactor wants to be known recognized and honored, for what they have done but that word "called" is a great man who is "known to be" a generous man and who gives of himself simply to help others.

Those around him "know him" for what is is!

Psa 10:3  For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.

And Jesus begins to explain the difference between these two lines of thought.

*****Luk 22:26  But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
Luk 22:27  For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

We already know that there will be rewards and great benefits for serving the Lord which far out weigh and persecution in this life!

So it would pay us to listen to what Jesus says here to His disciples.

It is obvious that Jesus rejects the world's attitude about greatness!

The world says that "he that is being served is the greatest".

Jesus says "it is the one who serves that is greatest".

These are on opposite ends of thought from each other!

True greatness is never a position of power over someone else!

A wise man once said "we are but waiters in the Lord's hotel".

When we acknowledge that we are sinners saved only by the "Grace" of God, it is easy to assume the lowest position in any room because in the end we know that is the highest position after all!

It is true that in most places, age is looked up to and honored, but Jesus says we need to honor those who are His servants no matter their age.

A truly great person will look for people to help and places to help them!

A truly great person will seek for the sake of being a minister to them.

Do we call ourselves Christian or are we known to be Christian?

Php 2:4  Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
Php 2:5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Php 2:6  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

If we are to follow in the example of the Lord, then we must realize the Lord Jesus gave up the glories of Heaven to humble Himself and make a way for our salvation.

Jesus did not ever say we are not to hold a place of authority or a place of honor!

Jesus said "we are to use any place we hold to be servants to the needs of the Church and to Him".

In John's Gospel we are told that it was at this time that Jesus washed the feet of each disciple to prove His point.

Joh 13:5  After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

In those days of the Jews, there was no less menial task than washing the feet of some one else and that was the duty of the lowest slave.

One of the happiest days of Jesus was when He took our sins to the cross.

The same one who would die for our sins would also wash our feet to clean us from the filth of this world.

Then Jesus said if we are His disciples we would continue in all these things with Him.

*****Luk 22:28  Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.
Luk 22:29  And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;
Luk 22:30  That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

What is the most important quality of a servant? "That they are faithful"!

It is in our best interest to prove to be faithful servants.

We must continue with Jesus all our days.

We must stand by Him.

We must stick to Him.

We must be like Him.

What are some of the rewards that are set and promised to these disciples?

There would be 12 thrones and each disciple would sit on a throne and be judge to the 12 tribes of Israel.

This promise probably relates to the Millennial Kingdom because it is at that time that Israel will be fully restored to the Promised Land with all the tribes and all the "Resurrected Saints" of the "Church Age" which will include the 12 Apostles and will judge the world.

1Co 6:2  Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

This is what John saw in the Book of Revelation.

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

This is also the reason that Jesus said it was not up to Him who was to sit on what throne because this is His Father's plan and God just wants us all to be part of His plan.

Mat 20:22  But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
Mat 20:23  And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.

This is also the promise that was made to Israel:

Isa 1:24  Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies:
Isa 1:25  And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:
Isa 1:26  And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.

There may be no distinction between the Jew and the Gentile in Heaven but during the Millennial Kingdom, The Lord Jesus has made this promise the Apostles.

It was these 12 men who turned the world upside down in the name of Jesus Christ and we have survived by the Doctrine of the Apostles that they gained from the Lord Jesus, why would He not honor them?

These 12 men endured things that most all others will never see in their entire lifetime and all in the name of Jesus Christ.

1Co 4:9  For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.
1Co 4:10  We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.
1Co 4:11  Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;
1Co 4:12  And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
1Co 4:13  Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.
1Co 4:14  I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.

But every true believer will also be rewarded!

Mat 19:29  And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

But none of us should never forget that once we have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, we live in the sight of Satan who hates all things of Christ but thank goodness for the Lord.

*****Luk 22:31  And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
Luk 22:32  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Peter was to carry the load as the leader of these 12 men and we know Peter tripped many times but it should be obvious that Satan paid a lot of attention to Peter and hindered him in every way possible.

When Satan "sifts" any believer he is trying to separate that believer from God!

We need to know and understand these facts!

That word "desired" means that Satan is actually begging God for permission to trip up the disciples of Christ.

Job 1:6  Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
Job 1:7  And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
Job 1:8  And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
Job 1:9  Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
Job 1:10  Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
Job 1:11  But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
Job 1:12  And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

When God allows these things to happen we must realize it is only a test of our faith!

Satan does not care at all for the believer but he will do anything he can to disgrace and cut the heart of God!

We need to make a firm stand no matter what we are going through, because it is God who is in control and not Satan.

We must be aware of the workings of Satan!

2Co 11:3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Jesus wanted Peter to know he had an intercessor!

We all have an intercessor between us and God and it is the Lord Jesus Christ!

It is the Lord Jesus Christ that steps in, in our defense when Satan wants to attack!

Heb 7:25  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

We will definitely suffer as Christians but don't let anyone tell you that Satan can pluck you out of God's hand because that is impossible!

Joh 10:27  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
Joh 10:28  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Joh 10:29  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
Joh 10:30  I and my Father are one.

No doubt we will fail and we will fall, but in every case when we return to the Lord, we will be restored!

Act 3:19  Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

When we have been through these things ourselves we are then to be that added strength for those that are going through these things later in their own lives.

Gal 6:1  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Gal 6:2  Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

The worst thing we can do is to become over confident in our own strength!

*****Luk 22:33  And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.
Luk 22:34  And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

Peter was committed to Jesus but he was not considering "spiritual things" at this time.

These men could only think of the material things of this world!

When Peter saw the Lord Jesus captured and beaten his material strength faded away!

Peter's over confidence had made him blind to the cross!

Jesus had explained all these things but these 12 men at this time had failed to believe the Word of God.

There is a great difference in knowing and no knowing the truth!

There are many problems we cause ourselves when we over estimate our own strength!

The strength of the flesh causes weakness in our faith!

It is our faith that makes us strong!

Php 4:19  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

That's why it is called "Grace"!

The Lord's Supper should remind us of all these things when we partake of it as a memorial to the One who died for our sins and saved us from the bondage of sin and gave us eternal life in the glories of Heaven.

Questions?

Let's Pray!