While Dying on a Tree
“Then they nailed him to the cross” Mark 15:24
Intro: Today I’m going to talk about what Jesus dying on the cross does for you. As people would walk by the cross, they would look up and see not only the shock and brutality of the crucifixion, but also written above the criminal was a sign stating the crime that individual had done. The public would see the man dying in agony, pain, and blood, and suffering on that cross. Then they would read the charge above him. It would tell what that man had done. Every person who walked by would say, “I’ll never do that. If I commit that crime I too will be crucified. Whatever that person hanging there did, I will never do it, because I don’t want to end up there. I will not commit a crime that will cause me to end up on the cross."
But the truth is we have all committed those crimes, we have all broken the laws, and we have all sinned. We might think that sin is only robbery or adultery, or murder, but the bible teaches us that anything that doesn’t please God is a sin. Losing your temper, stealing, gossip, talking about someone behind their back, anything you do you shouldn’t do is a sin. And anything you should do and don’t is a sin. When you fail to have a prayer life. When you neglect reading the Word your bible. When you don’t truly love your neighbor. When you put work or recreation first in your life. When you prioritize possessions or pleasures before God. When you are too tired to worship or are having too much recreation to worship ball games and sports and fun and other activities before coming to worship that is a sin. Idolatry is physical and material things that come between us and the right relationship with God.
There are sins of actions and sins of inactions. Lying and lust and hatred and pride and self righteousness. Then there is apathy, indifference, laziness, lack of concern, do nothing about the lost. And I am sure that you can think of several more sins in your own life that I have not yet to mention. So the verdict is already in. Guilty. We cannot walk past the cross where Jesus is dying and claim our innocence by our own works or deeds. What is the penalty for your sin? What did the death of Jesus accomplish?
Today I am going to tell you the Good News of what took place while Jesus was dying on a tree.
I. Forgiveness while being tortured.
Jesus forgave while he was still being sinned against. While he was still being tortured Jesus offered forgiveness. There is a very important lesson to learn here: Most of the time we think that other people have to stop hurting us before we can forgive them. When they quit being mean or they must first realize that what they have done is wrong. Then we can begin to forgive. But the fact that Jesus showed forgiveness while the torture was still happening means that we also must forgive others even if they continue on being mean and hurting us. This is impossible to do without the help of God and the Holy Spirit.
A father and daughter were walking down the street together when the little girl said to her father, “daddy I’m tired.” The father picked up his little girl and began to carry her on his shoulders. They soon met a neighbor who had just seen the little girl the day before. The neighbor looked up at the little girl riding on her father’s shoulders and said, “Wow, you sure have grown since I saw you yesterday.” The little girl looked down with a smile and said, “It is not all me.” What she was saying was, “I’m not really this tall. I’m riding on my daddy’s shoulders.” As believers we are never very tall by ourselves. We all go through life riding on our Father’s shoulders.
If you are able to forgive someone who has harmed you it’s not because you are such a great person. It is not because you are so morally good. If someone has wronged you and you find the strength to forgive them. It is not your own strength. It is not your own doing. It is the Holy Spirit enabling us to forgive. It is riding on God’s shoulders that makes us the taller person. Learn this lesson: The cross is where God does all the work.
II. Mercy while being mocked
How difficult it is when people mock you and talk bad about you. They scorn you, and persecute you and ridicule.
You know what I have discovered. Is that when someone comes up to me and starts talking bad to me about someone else. I watch out. Because it want be long until they are talking bad to someone else about me. So the next time someone starts talking bad to you about someone else. Look out! They will probably be talking to me about you next.
They have a negative and critical spirit. The bible calls it a Jezebel spirit. 1 Kings 21:25 “There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited.” Jezebel provoked trouble. She enticed, she encouraged, she aggravated, and she stirred up. If you have something to say about someone. First pray about it. Talk to God about it. Then go talk to them about it. Don’t talk to everyone else about it behind their back. When they are helpless to defend their self. That’s mockery. Attacking somebody while they are defenseless. The chief priest mocking him, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking him, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down from the cross now.” Matthew 27:42 That is one of the rottenest kinds of sin. To say or do something to someone while they are helpless to defend. Jesus could have defended Himself for he had done no wrong. And he had the power to come down off the cross and set the record straight. But instead of vengeance. Instead of punishment that is inflicted in return for a wrong Jesus showed mercy while being mocked.
Bitterness, anger, having a criticizing attitude, having an unpleasant spirit, all this does is hurts you. Before the healing can start there must be forgiveness in your soul. Whether they are ready for forgiveness or not. You have to offer it. And it is not just forgiveness in words. It is not just forgiveness in the mind. It has to be a forgiveness that comes from the heart. “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” Colossians 3:12-15 The bowels were the seat of human emotions, the center of the heart. Not only when we forgive others but also when we come before God and ask for forgiveness. We must do so with passion, fervor, excitement, enthusiasm, eagerness, zest, gusto.
What did Jesus do while dying on a tree?
III. Grace while being crucified
Grace is an attitude of God. Grace is a characteristic of God. I don’t deserve acceptance. I don’t deserve love
but God chose me anyway.
A cabdriver was called to pick up a woman outside a hospital one night. As the cab drove away, the woman broke into tears. The woman cried uncontrollably for some time. Finally when the cabdriver stopped for a red light, he turned and asked if something bad had happened at the hospital. The woman tried to wipe the tears from her eyes and said, “Yes, my mother just died.” After a few moments the driver asked, “Are you a Christian?” The woman replied doubtfully, “Well, I go to church.” Then the driver asked, “What about your mother?” “Oh, that is for sure,” the woman replied. “She was the best Christian I have ever known.” To which the cab driver responded: “Lady, then why are you crying as if everything is over?” I Thessalonians 4:13 “Sorrow not…, as others without hope.”
The word Grace is very closely related to the word for joy or delight. When you have God’s Grace you will rejoice. The Greek word is “khárisma” From which we get the word (charismata) The English term charisma is from the Greek which means "favor freely given" or "gift of grace". So to be charismatic is to rejoice because you have been saved by Grace. You are not without hope! AMEN???
While on vacation I worshiped several different places and different times. I went by a little Baptist Church. The first time, it wasn’t long into the service while they were singing, people started standing up. Raising their hands, clapping to the music. Then a man got up and starting talking. The next thing I know people are saying amen. I thought to myself this pastor sure is anointed. After 7 or 8 minutes of scripture quoting and testimony this guy stops and says now I am going to turn the service over to the pastor. He was just a deacon. He was the layperson. He was just to warm up guy.
The pastor gets up. He looked to be about 80 years old. He looked skinny and frail. He started off slow and deliberate sometimes stammering. He read 5 or 6 different places in the bible. He closed his bible up. And I am telling you for the next hour and twenty minutes that little old man flat preached the Shekinah glory. The divine dwelling and settling of the Holy Spirit like in Acts 2 "And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.” I thought that was great.
This past Sunday on vacation I went to Grace on the Hill United Methodist. I was expecting a nice service but I really wasn’t expecting anything like what had happened the week before at the Baptist church. I was a couple minutes late so the praise team was already sing on stage. About the time I sat down everyone else stood up. People started raising their hands up toward God. Saying amen, hallelujah and clapping. I looked around to see where I was at? Hello? I hadn’t been in a worship service like this in a while. Especially in a Methodist Church. About that time a little lady three rows in front of me started shouting and praying in tongues. And the whole church of several hundred burst loose in praise and worship. The singers couldn’t sing because of the tears of Joy. Everyone was singing and praising God! I turned to my friend and asked does that lady shout and speak in tongues every Sunday? And my friend said no the spirit of God is here today! Buddy that is all it took to break my heart and humble my pride. To know it wasn’t for show or entertainment. Praise God! Let me tell you all it only takes one believer to stand up and praise God in church and God will pour out his Grace Joy upon all of us. I am not going to let anyone sitting stone cold and silent take my joy and praise! Then it is not shame on them but then it would be shame on me! God is real! My Salvation is real! Grace is real! Joy is real!
IV. Service while being persecuted
And He serves us. What does my belief in Christ do in me?
Here are some famous last words of well known people:
Josephine...
~~ Napoleon Bonaparte, French Emperor, May 5, 1821
(Explicit) Don't you dare ask God to help me.
To her housekeeper, who had begun to pray aloud.
~~ Joan Crawford, actress, d. May 10, 1977
My God. What's happened?
~~ Diana (Spencer), Princess of Wales, d. August 31, 1997
All my possessions for a moment of time.
~~ Elizabeth I, Queen of England, d. 1603
Alright. Good night.
~~ Co-Pilot of Malaysian flight 370 March 8, 2014
Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.
From Luke 23:46
~~ Jesus Christ
How would our deeds and service and dying words help others find their way?
Closing: Well balanced and combined with Grace, Mercy, Forgiveness, Service, let us all be open to receive God’s salvation, love and joy, and be able to truly love those that trespass against us. I love the words of the song “Please Forgive Me” sung by Jason Crabb “I can't believe the God of earth and glory. Would take the time to care for one like me. But I read in the Bible that old story. How he plead for my forgiveness while he was dying on a tree.”
