A New Day

Introduction

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personal intro

We have been in the book of Mark for a few weeks now and today we re going to close it out today with a look at the end of Jesus’ life on earth.

As many of you know today is Easter or resurrection Sunday as some call it. It’s the day we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. As we learned a couple weeks ago, we don’t get to have the resurrection without the crucifixion.

Today we are going to look at the final moments of Jesus’ life on earth, we are going to hear Him address 3 different groups of people: those who knew him and turned away, those who don’t know him, and those who do know Him. We will see why, no matter where you come from, no matter what your life has been like or is like, today and every day is a new day with Jesus.

As you hear the message today would you take examine your heart in light of Christ? Would you ask yourself “Am I living each day as a new day in Christ or am I holding onto the things of life that keep me down?”

I know I said we are finishing out Mark today…If you have been here a we have preached through Mark then you know that Mark is the shortest gospel as well as the most vague when it comes to some details of the life of Jesus that Matthew, Luke, and John fill in.

So to get the full picture of these final moments and words of Jesus we are going to start in the gospel of Luke

While you make your wy to Luke 23 in your Bible or on your digital device, I want to set the scene here.

JHesus has been scourgedd, whipped, beaten, beaard plucked, and now nailed ot the cross. We are approaching noon on the day of his crucifcxion. He has been nailed to a cross in the middle of two thieves or criminals.

While hanging there, dying of aphixiation and bleeding out, this conversation happens

Luke 23:39-43 “39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

Exegete:

Let’s get familiar with the tpeople speaking here. the bible calls them malefactors. These are two criminals that have been convicted of Crimes in the roman empire. They were not wealthy or well respected becuase the punishment of crucifixion was only reserved for slaves and the lower class of society.

These men were most likely jewish in there heritage and ethnicity. They would have been raised familiar with the customs, tradition, and teachings of the Old Testament Law. Based on their current perdicament, it’s easy for us to say they had turned from what they knew was right and decided to live their own way.

One of them turns to Jesus and mocks him telling him to get himself and themd own. He wants to be saved for this life. He is being selfish and foolish. He doesn’t believe Jesus is truly the Messiah. He has no faith which is why he mocks Jesus.

He had no faith before his crucifixion, which is why he wasn’t following God.

Then on the other side of Jesus the other thief, in the exact same situation as the other, says “Do you not fear God?” This is him rebuking the other thief for mocking Jesus.

This man fears God and believes in Jesus. Whlie that is most likely not how he was living his life prior to this moment, here on the cross beside the Messiah who he apparently knows has committed no crimes or sins, he believes. Beccause he believes He cries out. “Jesus, Lord, remember me whenn you come into your kingdom.”

And what did Jesus say “I’d be happy to but you need to changee how your living. Sounds like a great idea, hop down and get baptized. That’s a wonderful thought, you should give some money towards the work of God and I’ll think about it.”

No. And why did Jesus not tell this thief any of those things? Because none of those things are required for a person to be saved, have a relationship with God, or go to Heaven.

He told Him, you will be with me in paradise…not, spend some time in purgatory. Why? Because purgatory isn’t in the Bible.

This thief, this criminal that had been raised in the Jewish culture to honor God who had gone astray and is now in the final moments of His life, turns back to God.

Are you where that thief was?

Illustrate:

Have you ever heard of the sculpter Michaelangelo?

He is known for a number of great works. One of them is called, andd forgive me id I mispronounce this, The Pieta.

It’s a depicction of Mry holding the body of Jesus afer he has been ccrucified.

In 1972 a man jumped over the railing of st Peter’s bascilica and vandalized it with a geologists hammeer while sccreaming “I am Jesus Christ”

After this vandalism they did not throw the statue out. No. They had the best experts around work to restore the treasuredd piece.

Apply:

The thief ws just like this statue, just llike you maybe. But what happened?

Some bad decisions, some rough circumstances led to bad decisions, and now instead of living the life for God that you were called to, you feel like you can’t come back to the Lord.

Maybe you grew up following a religious system that hurt you, beat you down, or made you feel that you were not worhty of the love of God.

That’s why these words of Christ are so important. Becuase no matter where you are at in life. If you believed in Jesus and turned from him or if you have never believed, it doesn’t matter wht situation you facce, when you turn to Jesus in faith he welcomes you with open arms and rerstores you before the father.

I. The life you have lived doesn’t prevent you from receiving the life He gives

Whether you were following Jesus at one time and turned away or you’ve never followed Jesus, there is never a time you can’t turn to Him and trust Him.

I don’t recommend waiting though. The thief on the corss could have been crucified a day earlier or a day later and never encountered Jesus. If you are here today God has given you that opportunity, take it.

Some time passes as Jesus hangs on the cross dieing for the sins of the world and then he speaks again.

Mark 15:33-34 “33 And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

Exegete:

The 6th hour is 12pm. So it is mid day and a darkness has come over the land. and lasted until the 9th hour which is 3pm.

During this darkness and near its end, Jesus cries out

“Eli, Eli, Lama, sabachthani” My God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me?

God incarnate, Son of God, call out to God the Father and asks why He has been forsaken.

We are going to have to examine this so stay with me, while study I came across the following:

We know God approved the work of Jesus, We know Jesus was innocent, wee know he had done nothing to forfeit the favor of God, and we know God still loved Him.

So why was he forsken…wee hve to go back to the Old Testameent for that.

Is 53:4-5 “4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, And carried our sorrows: Yet we did esteem him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. 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 then to the New Testament

Gal 3:13 “13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:”

He redeemed us from the law by taking on our sins. He became the sin offering we could never give or be.

Illustrate:

You don’t hve to answer out loud but have you ever been in a courtroom?

I may have my first opportunity in May. I’ve gotten called for jury duty. whoo hooo....

I’ve not been in a coutrtoom like that but I’ve watched enough on tv to know that when there is a trial there is a judge sitting at the bench. And off to the side here you have a jury of your peers.

Then there is usually two tables out here with the defendant and the plaintiff.

Todday in our Easter courtroom I want you to imagine yourself sitting in the defendants cchair. You have been accused a crime. It is a crime that carries with it the death penalty.

You are sitting there knowing that your life hangs in the balance basedd on the judgement of the jury that man behind the bench.

As you sit there they begin reading the offenses:

lust, greed, liar, adulterer, fornicator, and whatever other sins you have in your life.

The head jury person stands and says “Your honor, we find the defendant guilty on all charges and recommend the highest consequences by the law, death.”

The weight of what has just been said sit on your chest now as you know you are a sinner, you are not righteous, and there is no way out of this.

The judge acknowldges the jury and says “For the law to be fulfilled there must be death.”

He then stands with hiis black robe flowing and walks down from teh bench and stands in front of you.

“I will pay the price you cannot pay.”

At that moment the baliff slaps handcuffs on him, begins to beat him, and walks him out the side door to an electric chair where he suffers what you should have suffered, where his body feels the pain you should feel, and he gives his life, so you didn’t have to.

Apply:

That is what we see taking plccee on the cross. The penalty, the punishment, the guilt, the shame, and the sin hve ben placed on Jesus.

becuase God the fther cannot be around sin, Jesus is experiencing for the first time a condition that you and I walk around in daily. Separation from the father.

If you are here today, and you have not trusted in Jesus as your Savior you are walking around separated from God when you don’t hve to be. Aand the only way for you to be is to acccept that the one who casts the judgement, God, has also paid the penalty.

When Jesus died on the cross he took on our sin and fulfilled the wrath of God. There is nothing more you need to do or CAN do to be saved or have a relationship with God.

Eph 2:8-9 “8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

There are no magic prayer, there is no ceremony, there is no work that you can do to obtain salvation. It is a gift that has been freely given for you to freely reecceive…but it was bout with a price.

Jesus paid that price.

II. Jesus was Abandoned so you could be Adopted

On that cross the father was separated from the son so yyou could be forever united with Him.

Following this cry of desperation, we enter the final moments of Jesus life. It is not fully 3pm and Jesus has been on the cross for 6 hours.

and now we hear his final and most important words to those who believe

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

Exegete:

It is finished.

Three simple words that give great assurance to those who have tfaith in Christ.

What is finished though?

Prior to being arreted Jesus prayed Hi final pryer to the father

John 17:4 “4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.”

The work that Jesus was given to do was to fulfill the laws and prophecies of the Old testament.

He said that in mAtthew 5.

There are over 300 of them and his life, death, burial, and resurrection saw them fulilled.

No more animal sacrifices were needed, no more burden of law was placed on the shoulders of mankind.

And there is nthing you can do to change what God has aid is finisehd. When he says its over it’s over.

It’s not like you telling your kids to turn the tv off and tehy whine a bit and you turn it back on or they go behind your back and do it.

It’s over. The tv just got tossed out the window.

When you put your faith in Jesus your sins are tossed out the window. Even better

Ps 103:12 “12 As far as the east is from the west, So far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”

and

Is 43:25 “25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, And will not remember thy sins.”

He doesn’t remember them.

This is the hope of the believer. This is the wonderful news that makes every day a new day with Jesus.

Becuase when I confess my sins, He is faithful and just to forgive my sins and to cleanse me from all unrightousness.

Why is this important?

Becaaue oncce you are saved, the Bible says you are always saved.

And slavtion comes from faith in Jesus death burial and resurrection.

There are no works, there is no infant baptism, there is no confession to a priest wheen you commit avenial sin, there is no excommunication from God when ou commit a mortal sin, and there is definitely not a pergatory for you to get paid or prayed out of.

III. His Final Sacrifice Secures Your New Life

If you re here this morning, one of these statements applies to you.

Maybe you are here on easter beccause that’s what your relationhip with Cchrist has ccome down to. A celebration of His birth and death by attending a service, your missing out.

Maybe you grew up believing but the people of a church hurt you, dont let them keep you from Jesus.

You could be har becuase a friend invited you and you have never trusted in Cchrist as your savior. You thought being a aprt of a churchc or religion meant you had to do certain things to be accepted. Christians should be the mmost accepting people. Why? Becuase we accept where you are without Jesus and want to see you where you could be with Jesus. Becuase we know who we werre without Christ and now know what it means to live for Christ.

Are you a believer here this morning? This rejoice and again I say rejoice in the new day the Lord has made and be glad in it …Becuase..as Jesus said…It is finished.