Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Having a bad day? There is a better day coming!

It was a stormy Friday
But Resurrection Sunday is Coming!

Mark 15:1 IT WAS FRIDAY
The story of the crucifixion is probably the most repeated and familiar story of the Bible. The image of the cross is an ongoing, vivid, reminder of the events that happened that day beginning in Jerusalem and ending on a hill called Calvary.

If you would have been there you would have said it was a terrible day, it was an awful day, you see those things took place on a Friday, but Sunday is coming. IT WAS FRIDAY when Jesus was taken to Pilate and tried before the Roman Jurisdiction, false witnesses were brought forth. You see IT WAS FRIDAY and Pilate could find nothing to charge Jesus with, but the crowd persuaded him to hand him over.

Give us Barabbas, whose name means “Son of a liar and murderer”,
the crowd that day chose between the “Son of a liar and murderer” and the Son of God.
And they chose Barabbas!
Oh listen to me; It was Friday and Pilate looked at Jesus and the crowd, they were demanding the crucifixion of Christ, desiring to please the crowd more than to do what was right he washed his hands of Jesus and the case.
You see that was Friday but Sunday is coming!Maybe it is Friday for you, maybe you have been falsely accused, maybe someone has told lies about you.
Maybe you’re being lied to, you have been told that you are no good, that you are worthless, maybe you are feeling unloved and unwanted.Oh listen to me; Maybe it is Friday for you, But take heart, because SUNDAY IS surely COMING.

IT WAS FRIDAY
You see if you cant see past Friday, you will not be able to have victory.
Listen to me you are only seeing a part of the picture, if you cant get past Friday there is no hope for you!
Judas, seeing he had betrayed innocent blood, does not think that God can forgive him beyond his sin, He cannot see pass the Friday of his life, so he hangs himself.
Those who were his friends just looked the other way, putting the blame on him.

You see you cant allow the Friday to stay, you’ve got to realize that today things may be going bad but listen to me, Sunday is coming!

You see, IT WAS FRIDAY when Jesus is taken aside and beaten.
The cat of nine tails, coated in sheep’s blood, with nails and other sharp objects to bite into the skin of Jesus.
39 times that soldier’s whip tore into the flesh of Jesus, turning his flesh to raw hamburger meat.
Then they took him and hit him, and mocked him.
You see, That was Friday, oh but it doesn’t end there you see Sunday is coming.Maybe you’re going through a tough time, your friends seem to have turned on you. You’ve been beaten up mentally or emotionally.
Maybe Some People are making fun of you, taking opportunity to jab you with sharp cutting words, leaving you emotionally or mentally scarred.
Oh listen to me; IT MAY BE FRIDAY, BUT SUNDAY IS COMING!

IT WAS FRIDAY
The soldiers wove a crown of thorns, they were Jubian thorns, which were hard as nails, and they beat them down on the head Jesus.
They placed the cross on his shoulders and made him carry it up the Via Delarosa, the steepest street in Jerusalem.
The crowd jeered and mocked him, some of the soldiers pulled his beard from his face.
Isaiah tells us that his features were so badly beaten, that he was beyond recognition.
He stumbled and fell carrying the cross up the hill, he was so weary - the soldiers made Simon the Cyrene carry the cross.
Maybe it is Friday for you too, maybe it’s the pressures of the job.
Or maybe things are not the way they should be at home and it’s wearing you down.
Maybe its worries of bad health of some one you love, or maybe you have recently lost a loved one.
Maybe it’s financial burdens, or maybe it’s your own health and the pain and suffering has taken your joy. Oh it may be FRIDAY, but SUNDAY IS COMING!

IT WAS FRIDAY And darkness covered the city, Jesus was on the cross, hanging between two thieves.
This should have been the brightest time of the day, it was 12:00 noon, but instead it was the darkest hour!
The soldiers below him were gambling for his clothing, the crowd jeered at him,
he saved others let him save himself.
It was Friday, he was hanging between two thieves - and one of the thieves mocked him but the other one says “Remember me when you come to your throne.”
Oh listen to me;
It was Friday and Jesus cries out “My God MY God why have you forsaken me?”

It was Friday and Jesus experiences for the first time in his life separation from the Father.

It was Friday and Jesus says “it is finished, Father into your hands I commit my Spirit”
The curtain in the Temple is torn in two.
It was Friday and Jesus died,
Are you surrounded by darkness, does it seem like you are all alone, take heart, that is the way it was for Jesus that Friday, Oh but listen to me; that was Friday, BUT SUNDAY IS COMING.

It was Friday when they took him from the cross and laid him in a borrowed tomb.
It was Friday when they sealed that tomb with a Roman seal, and placed a guard of soldiers at the tomb.

It was Friday when the disciples were saddened and distraught;
it was Friday when Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Jesus found themselves crying!
And maybe you are experiencing a Friday in your life?
It was Friday, But Sunday is coming.
Maybe you are troubled, overcome with stress, overcome with worries, distraught and dejected?
Maybe you are all alone, your self esteem may be at an all time low?

Do you feel the walls closing in around you like there is no way out?
That must have been the way Jesus felt like that stormy Friday.

Oh listen to me; Jesus said that troubles are going to come!
He said the trials would come!
But He also said, Be of good cheer, I have overcome the World!
You see Jesus has become our resurrection Sunday!
Don't be caught in the Fridays of life!
You've got to Know that Sunday is coming!

Saturday, February 23, 2008

The Gospel that isn't!

The power of the Cross is real and brings transformation. My concern with so many churches today is the message that isn't!
2 Cor. 4:3-4 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: [4] In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

For many Pastors who claim to be truly concerned about their people, opt out of preaching about the cross, saying that we should steer away from anything that is negative. But the Cross is the central message of the entire Bible. To do away with the Cross is to do away with the transformative power of the Gospel.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Paul said for I am not ashamed of the Gospel; for it is the power of God.... if the Apostle Paul was not ashamed neither should we be..... To be politically correct for the sake of bringing in numbers was not God's plan at all. If all God wanted was numbers he could perform some miracle and the numbers would be there. The problem with that is all people want then is entertainment not enrichment and certainly not change!
The cross is the central theme of the Gospel that brings real transformation! Jesus said unless we are willing to deny ourselves and take up are cross daily we cannot be His disciple!
So I ask you today has there been real change in your life?
The Gospel is good news, well how can this be good news you ask?
How can it be good news to deny ourselves and pick up our cross?
Because in order to live we must first die. Before a grain of wheat can produce life it must be planted into the soil and die!
Jesus Christ paid the physical death for our sins we must follow him in our spiritual walk, denying ourselves and picking up that cross and following Him! That is where the good news comes in because there is a new birth that takes place within the believer, His life is now visible in the believers life. We now have the joy and peace of God within in a real transforming way!
This real transformation only comes one way and that is through the power of the Cross!
So as far as this Pastor is concerned the message has not changed, the Cross is still powerful and transforming today!
2 Cor. 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
2 Cor. 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.
Beware of the false teachings that are coming in the form of truth but does not point to the Cross! For without the Cross there is no truth!