Monday, April 10, 2017

Deborah Pozo Easter 2017 Message


Luke 23:26-49, The Crucifixion and death of Jesus. Key Verse 34:”Jesus said,’Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they divided up his clothing by casting lots.”

      How often do you think of the death of Jesus? Do you ever think deeply about it, evaluate it, deeply, try to connect with it on a personal level, on a real level?What is The Death of Jesus really mean to you? Is it your strength everyday? Does it break you down whenever you remember it? What does the death of Jesus mean to you?
      Jesus forgives us everyday. We sin everyday. Sometimes we know it sometimes we don’t. Everyday Jesus, God, Forgives us. Our sin is attached to us, it is part of our identity. Sin disrupts, destroys our everyday lives.Taking control of our decisions,actions, and consciousness.1 John 3:4-5 says; “Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.” & Romans 7:10 says; ” I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death.”- Everyday we need a remedy to cleanse us from the separation from the love of God.Jesus died for our sins, so that we can receive the Love of God. The Jews and Romans knew they were killing an innocent man, but they did not know they were killing their promised messiah, their Godly King. They did not know Jesus, and that he was suffering and dying in place for them, for the sins they have committed. The sins we have committed.  In our sin, we are ashamed, abandoned, guilty, dead. God saw us in our sin, he saw how we suffered and wandered hopelessly in our lives. No purpose in life, confused,afraid, and angry.But before turning to punishment God sought us. He wants to take our evil hearts and make it clean.He planned atonement for us, forgiveness taking place on the cross. Instead of us, instead of animals, Jesus, God himself, was the remedy, the sacrifice for our sin.The punished for our forgiveness. Without the precious powerful sacrifice by Jesus, we would of have gotten the punishment that all sinners are destined to get. Either if you think you are a good person or not, does not matter or justify you.We are created for God, this God whom Jesus called Father. With our bodies we were suppose to worship him, with our physical bodies and spirits, we were suppose to glorify him. These are good things.Beautiful things.Everything we do as sinners mocks all of our core beings. It mocks us the same way the people mocked Jesus. We are God’s blessed creation,his precious children. In these lives that we live we are intended to be more than who we are right now.Jesus died for all sins, and all times.As salves to the devil we are so predictable, he knows what will do before we do it.Everyday we need Jesus to excuse and fix our worldly ways.only Jesus, because noone or nothing else can take his place. Everyday God forgives us. God saw us in our sins, and did not turn away. He loved us, he still Loves us, right now.

I will give you the historical, spiritual, and symbolically facts of this event. I will guide and help you in seeing what this passage gives, in the hidden hints of the death of Jesus.I will help you see and comprehend what Jesus thought and felt, what certain happenings mean and why things happened the way they happened.
     
Part 1: Verses 26-31. In the first verse of our passage we are introduced to this random man. Simon from Cyrene. Know that everything that happened on this day, happened according to God’s will, Everything. It is God’s will, that even at the moment of weakness, for Jesus, God still took every opportunity to reach out and shine the light on his lost children. Historically we have an idea that Simon from Cyrene was likely a greek jewish coming into Jerusalem for Passover. Cyrene is about present day Libya,Like north Africa. That is about 1,147 miles, and weeks of travel. Simon was coming in from a long journey, and was asked to carry the burden of the cross. On the time Jesus carried the cross he was publicly insulted,up until his last breath. The people really hated him and the Romans and Jewish leaders did do extra when arresting him.In the tradition of the crucifixion, they would force the criminal to carry the cross throughout the city, as humiliation before the whole city. The devil was in the hearts of the Jews and Romans,they mocked Jesus, out of ignorance and sin.Only someone doing the most evil crimes would be punished as bad a Jesus was punished. But we know, Jesus committed No Crime.
Now about the woman(v.27-31), are you confused or concerned about what Jesus said to them. Jesus gave them a warning. Why did he give them a warning, that’s kind of scary, how can the king of heaven, in persecution warn his followers? You would think the death of Jesus is the worst to come. It say’s (v.8-31),“Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.For the time will come when you will say,‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ Then“‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!”and to the hills, “Cover us!”’ For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”.- When suffering Jesus did not think of himself but of the woman, and the destruction that is to come. How selfless and gentle Jesus is to be suffering, but yet still have the strength and love to speak and warn the woman. Jesus loved the Israelites. He loved his people.Even though Jesus is dying he turned to the woman, out of his concern for them.Even though he is the one carrying the cross, he is pleading with them that he doesn’t need our pity. He is asking them to recognize themselves and wept for themselves and their people.Jesus is actually quoting Hosea 10:8,”The high places of wickedness will be destroyed—it is the sin of Israel.Thorns and thistles will grow up and cover their altars.Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!”and to the hills, “Fall on us!”.- What we can learn from this is we need to act while the tree is still green, while the day is still light. For like the Jewish people,if we don’t act on God’s warning and calling then we will lose. For the days will only get worse.This warning Jesus gave was about the destruction of the temple by the Romans and the scattered of the Jewish people. Whom till today are still scattered around the world, and lost God. This world will only change more, we can see it today and we can see it in the bible. We can take this warning to ourselves, because Jesus will come again and it won’t be no baby in a manger, it will be a king and his army, and who ever don’t have the seal of the blood of Jesus, will be punished suffering greater than any human punishment. Because in those days the people will seek death they will go the caves to hide, and wish the mountains will fall on them to kill them and relieve them from the judgment of God. But there will be no escape. Everyone will be punished justly for God is just. And according to God Jesus death was just.
Part 2:Versus 32-43. The criminals by his side. One on each side. In this world there is death and life, the sinner and the righteous. There is the criminal who hurled insults at Jesus, and the criminal who repented. There are people who reject him, and those who accept him. Whom are you?The outcome from the decision of the Criminals is the same for all of us. Reject Jesus, eternal suffering. Accept him then you will surely be with him in paradise. The Rulers,Soldiers,Criminals, all mocked him the same way. V. 35-39,” He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah the chosen one”....”If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself.”...”Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and Us!”. The irony in their words. Oh how are we unaware of Jesus. His death. They spit on him. They mocked Jesus in the name of Jesus.But still, Jesus called out, ”Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” It seems like these people are the enemy of God, but they are not the enemy. They are the sinners. The sinners that Jesus died for. The sinners Jesus pleaded forgiveness for. Even though Jesus was human, his love was out of this world, it was Godly. It is powerful.Luke 13:34-35 gives a view on how Jesus felt for the people,” Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say,’Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”- Only God saw us in our true hearts, Our true intended creation he knew. The devil knows us as well, but he only wants to worst for us, but God said mercy. Mercy on us, mercy on his chicks. He said I forgive.
Part 3:V,44-49:How long has God been patience with his people? How long and far has he reached out his hand to us? You don't know God if you don’t know God’s Love. The death of Jesus was done out of Love. After Jesus gave his last breath there was a dramatic change in the scenery and people. The curtain of the temple was torn in two. From reading V. 47-48, you can see that only at the death of Jesus, were the heart’s of the people moved. How could a Roman soldier (the centurion), PRAISE God; on seeing Jesus? You would assume he knew nothing of the Jewish God and Law. But even if he did or didn't, he still saw the glory and love of God. Jesus is the son of man and God the second Adam. The first Adam sinned but not Jesus. Jesus is the son God, and only through the son of God, not through people, animals, or rituals can we receive salvation, true forgiveness, only through the blood of Jesus.
Final:This passage the death of Jesus is a lot for me to take in. I asked God, why? Why did you assign this to me. What do you seek out of this, What is your plan for this? What do you seek out of me, What do you want me to do? When watching videos or movies about the death of Jesus, reading, listening to the bible of the death of Jesus was hard for me. The thought of Jesus suffering breaks me.He moves me. The light of all creation, the source of all life is love, and this love stepped down to my level just to be with me. To be with you. Only through the blood of Jesus, the life and light that truly cleanses sin, can we be with God.
Now let me ask you a question? Have you ever challenged yourself to forgive someone. It is not always easy to forgive someone. Forgiving someone out of your own strength is impossible, the pain is unbearable, and our sin is overwhelming. In my life God had given me many opportunities to forgive, but I don’t always go through. But In a time I did find strength in forgiving someone I learned something that moved me and changed my view in this world. I am not going to give much information about this person, but I will tell you that this person hurt me and did wrong to me. This person inflicted emotional, and mental pain on me and people I loved, for many years. But after all these years this person suddenly changed their ways, and sought forgiveness and revital to our broken relationship. By the time this person challenge my pain and angry I was a christian, and naturally as a christian I turned to God for strength, guidance and truth. I knew from this famous story, and from many songs that if God forgave us on the cross then we should forgive others, with this same forgiveness. I loved God but I did not love this person. And when I turned to God for answers I was greatly troubled.
God challenged me to forgive this person. I did not understand why God wanted forgiveness. At the time I thought that in forgiveness there is no justice or revenge. Justice and revenge was what I wanted most, more than a restored relationship. But God saw a better future in my forgiveness. God sees more in people then we see in them. I was judging this person from what my eyes have seen, and I was trying to forgive this person from my strength and understanding. But what God was asking me was not to do this alone but to do this together. God opened my eyes to see this person to whom God sees in them. This person was also God’s child, whom he loved, whom he died for. It would be a sin to hold bad emotions and thoughts against this person, and would be good to forgive. I found strength in God’s wisdom and love and learned that forgiveness is to not let people continue abuse, or to bring revenge, but to overcome in God. God has the power to settle matters, and to bring to life what is dead. God brought to life our relationship, and blessed it, all because of forgiveness. And this same forgiveness is the forgiveness God gives through his love on the cross. It works in our lives, in our relationships, it stays with us and justifies us anywhere, anytime. The forgiveness Jesus pleaded for, the forgiveness God granted is found on the cross. True forgiveness is about facing Reality and dealing with God’s way. Our excuse or forgetfulness, our ignorance will not pardon our sins. Only through the blood of Jesus. Today I pray that you will receive forgiveness of your sins and see the love of God through Jesus sacrifice on the cross. Jesus wants to forgive your sins today.

 Key Verse 34:”Jesus said,’Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they divided up his clothing by casting lots.”


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