A Redemptive Love Story

For just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.  Matthew 20:28 NET

Good morning, I am really grateful to be sharing with you today, what an awesome extended family we are! Easter Sunday....... more importantly Resurrection Sunday! Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! 

LORD give us the perspective today and everyday to see the full extent of Your forgiveness manifested in our lives. Forgive usfor the times that We have unknowingly, and knowingly, sinned against You. We pray the same forgiveness we have received from You overflows into the forgiveness we must extend to others. WE ASK THAT YOU OPEN OUR EYES TO SEE THE NEEDS OF OTHERS WHEN THOSE NEEDS GO UNANSWERED, UNNOTICED BY OUR WORLD and THAT YOU OPEN OUR LIVES SO WE MAY STEP OUT OF OURSELVES TO HELP those who cross our path, LORD GUIDE OUR FEET ON THE ROAD TO living YOUR PURPOSE FOR OUR LIVES. In Jesus' name, Amen.

{tweetme}These days the world is divided between those who believe in the living Lord and those who do not. May Holy Spirit use this message to move souls from doubt to deliverance. {/tweetme}

If you are unaware that today means more than bunnies, chocolate eggs, and bonnets, I can tell you this is the day Christians, believers, celebrate the resurrection of the Redeemer.  Jesus Christ, God's innocent Son and the world's Saviour, was crucified on Good Friday and rose from the dead on this day, three days after He had been murdered, conquering death and taking His place at the right hand of God. 

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 NET. Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel that I preached to you, that you received and on which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message I preached to you – unless you believed in vain. For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received – that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the scriptures.

Now if you don’t believe in the word of God, Jesus Christ, and the Crucifixion you may think, "No problem. If you don't try to cram your faith down my throat, we can each believe what we want and everyone will live happily ever after." This "live and let live" motto seems really good on paper... but, from a Christian's point of view, there is a problem.  The problem is this: your Christian brothers and sisters care. We care because all around us are people with no connection to or relationship with God.  We care because Jesus told us to care, but also because, we believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven, which means He is also the only way to escape going to hell. And we don't want our beloved people, our siblings, mothers, fathers, spouses, children, friends to spend eternity in a place where hope has been banished and happiness cannot be found. 

The Lord sent His Son into this world so we could be rescued from such a desperate and depressing fate.  Most of us probably know part of His story. Some may know how, according to God's promise and prophecy, Jesus was born in Bethlehem. True man and true God, He did for us all we could not do for ourselves.  Where we have sinned, He was perfect. Where we broke God's holy laws, Jesus kept them. Where we have fallen into temptations; He resisted them without a stumble or misstep. 

On Good Friday we remember how Jesus Christ carried our sins to the cross and was crucified. When He died, the work of buying us back, of paying the ransom for our rescue, had been fully paid. These are some of the things we believe and when believed, move Christians from hell to heaven, from damnation to salvation.  For almost 2,000 years believers, Christians, have been inviting unbelievers, non-Christians, to join them in worshipping God's Son, He who takes away the sins of the world.

But even as we believe in Jesus Christ as our Saviour, we must admit that many have declined to put their faith in the Him. Reactions to the Gospel message have not always been meek nor have they been mild. Today many believers are being accused of being narrow-minded, bigoted, and backward. Christians are often labelled as judgmental, and standoffish. 

In retaliation, the unbelieving world has decided to take off it’s gloves and fight back. In our country that fighting is done in our classrooms and courtrooms. In other countries politics have demanded that Christianity be forbidden and all missionary work be muzzled. Where other global religions hold sway, conversion to the Christ can be punished by death.  Yes, for almost 2,000 years we have been preaching, "Jesus Christ died and rose for you," and for just as long, people have rejected that message. 

Merely five days before the Crucifixion of Jesus (on what we now call Palm Sunday), people crowded the streets of Jerusalem, welcoming Jesus to the cries of, "Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!"

Matthew 21:9-11 NASB "The crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David; BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Hosanna in the highest!" When He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, "Who is this?" And the crowds were saying, "This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee."

Days later, He looked down on another crowd at the foot of His cross harshly shouting, "Crucify him!"

His response to their outcry was opposite of what many of us might have done. Jesus asked God to have mercy. But not mercy for Himself, mercy for others. When He hung on the cross, Jesus chose His words carefully.  Suffering through a horrific punishment He did nothing to deserve, He didn't waste His final breaths. He spoke words that echo throughout eternity, forever shaping the way we view and receive His sacrifice.

Luke 23:34 NASB "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing”  

Those very words reached far beyond the bloodthirsty people at His feet all those years ago to us, here and now, today.

While it was our sin that ultimately subjected Jesus' life to the relentless beating, mocking, and torture of the cross, it was the forgiveness Jesus  issued in the midst of His torment that has the power to forever transform our lives.  His forgiveness, if we receive it, extends beyond our deepest hurts, regrets, and failures.  To receive this great gift, we first have to see exactly how far His forgiveness reaches and all it covers: rejection of Christ, turning from His ways, doubting who He is, and so much more.

All of us have sinned and fallen short of living a perfect life. But we have the hope of forgiveness. Forgiveness that takes away those sins and allows us to extend it beyond the greatest sins others have committed against us.  No matter who we are, where we have been, or what we have done, Jesus forgives us. Unconditionally. Can you even begin to fathom the depth of that!

Ephesians 1:7 NASB "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace"

As Jesus hung between two criminals, one mocked Him, hurling insults upon Him. "Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!" Jesus could have escaped this scene of torment and humiliation, but in that moment, He chose to obey the purpose He came to fulfill. You see, it was impossible for Jesus to save Himself if He was going to save us!! Amazing grace!  God's gift. Easter, the gift of Life! 

Luke 23:39-41 NASB "one of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, "Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!" But the other answered, and rebuking him said, "Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong."

In the pressure of our everyday modern world, we may cry out for God to save us. However, Jesus longs to do more than rescue us from dire circumstances. He wants to save our soul first.

The other criminal hanging on a cross next to Jesus recognized Him as the Messiah, the saving King. And in his dying breaths, he made a simple request for salvation:

 Luke 23:42 NASB "Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom" 

Jesus did more than remember. He said in:

Luke 23:43 NASB "I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise." 

This was a firm promise that Jesus was guaranteeing the thief a place in heaven, with Him. The same promise given to all who choose to follow Him. 

Consider today the wonder of salvation through Jesus Christ. 

• He offers remembrance and redemption.
• He is working on our behalf.
• He endured the wrath of the cross so we would never have to stand before such judgment without a Redeemer.
• He gave His earthly life to invite us into eternal salvation.

• Each day, we get to choose how we remember our salvation. 
• Will we recount the sin in our life? 
• Or remember the grace He makes available every day? 
• Will we regret the choices that put us where we are?
• Or remember that Jesus saved us and will work through us as we humbly depend on Him?

Such a beautiful important thing to remember!  And no matter what we do choose to remember, Jesus has already chosen to remember each and every one of us, and has guaranteed a place in eternity with Him.  The relationship God wants to have with us is not based on anything He needs from us. It is based entirely on what WE NEED FROM HIM!   I know it’s often easy to establish and prioritize relationships based on what has been or can be done for us. The value we place on relationships is often contingent on what we think other people will contribute to the relationship.  But That's what's so precious about our relationship with God! In our sin and imperfection, it's difficult to say we provide much that could impress an already-perfect God.  The good news is, God doesn't measure His relationship with us based on what we have done or can do for Him. If we receive His grace, He has already accepted, forgiven, and saved us. Nothing can take away His love or relationship. 

We see this at the cross, as Jesus hung before a tortuous, merciless crowd of hecklers. He was abandoned by nearly everyone that had once fellowshipped with Him. Though His love never left them, His people left Him.  Jesus knows the state of our hearts today. He knows if we are trying to push through any pain or insecurity. He knows if we feel like everyone else has us. He knows exactly what we need, and He is with us desiring to be in close, caring relationship with us.  Embrace the unconditional love Jesus wants to show us today.  Jesus died.  Not to punish us for the price our sin forced Him to pay, but to revel in the joy of His eternal relationship with us. 

While there will be moments where we feel far from God, Jesus' death on the cross forever guaranteed that we will never be separated from Him. The moment Jesus felt apart from His father ensured that we would never have to spend a moment apart from Him.  But even in our greatest moments of agony, God is there. He isn't waiting for our strength to rise above our fears, our feelings of abandonment. He's waiting for our faith to rise as we acknowledge our dependency on Him. He promises to never leave us or forsake us. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus offers the only true solution to our distress: Himself.  When Jesus died on the cross, His love fulfilled our every need once and for all.  He provides the peace our spirit needs to rest.  He provides the joy our spirit needs for strength.  He provides the purpose we need to make today matter.

Jesus' death doesn't guarantee a life free from distress. But it does make provision to get through the hard times. By His death He invited each of us to place our faith in Him, who is stronger than any needs we may have. 

God's not waiting for us to find another way to fill a void in our life.

He's waiting for us to receive the fulfillment He's already made available to each and every one of His children, brothers and sisters in Christ!  Embrace the unending satisfaction of His love.  One of the most powerful ways to develop your faith, even in (especially in) times of distress, is to read God's word, the Holy Bible, to speak God's word verbalizing His promises over our life. Create room for Him to fill us with the peace, joy, and purpose that only He can bring. Resurrection, redemption, revival. Praise God for the freedom of choice. I choose Him. Jesus is my saviour. How blessed are we that walk in His way. 

Lord Jesus, how we love You, thank You for acknowledging our need for care and relationship in Your final moments on the cross. Thank You for always looking upon us with love and favor, no matter what our sins deserve. Even in Your greatest moment of distress, You fulfilled a purpose greater than anything we can ever imagine. Lord, we surrender every area of distress in our lives to You. We receive the fulfillment that only Your love can bring. Everywhere we go today and in the days ahead, give us the peace that comes with knowing that we are complete in You. Give us the perspective to prioritize our relationship with Holy Spirit today, and always. May You continue to guide us as we learn how to follow You. We praise You for the grace You showed to the man hanging next to You on the cross. Your mercies are greater than anything we can comprehend. Open our eyes, Lord, to receive the hope, forgiveness and mercy You make available to us so that we may remember You in everything we do. In Jesus' name, Amen.