The glorious testimoney of Jesus.

If you have been around church long enough you have heard some powerfully moving testimonies.

Have you heard the testimony of Clay Dyer, born w/o legs and with only one partial arm with no fingers or thumb. Clay shares his story with the world. Though disabled has won 20 state and regional bass tournaments as he ties lures on with his mouth, casts with his chin and partial arm, his story is powerful and moves us to never give up. He tells people with an upbeat attitude that God doesn't make mistakes!

Have you heard the testimony of Darryl Strawberry, the once great Mets outfielder who had the world at his fingertips and lost it due to cocaine addiction. But Jesus saved Him and picked him up at the lowest point of life, when he was penniless, wifeless, friendless, and hopeless. Through Christ he beat addiction, and now evangelizes all over the country in the name of Jesus.

Have you heard the the testimony of John Newton the vile slave owner who became a slave himself. He was saved by Jesus and became a powerful preacher and hymn writer… you know him best by his infamous lyrics.... Amazing Grace.

In this Chapter we read the testimony of Paul as he gives it before Gov. Festus and King Agrippa. He recalls how he was once a religious fanatic that persecuted Christ and His church, arresting and condemning many Christians to death but that Jesus appeared to Him and saved His soul, and called Him to Gospel ministry. However, as Paul brings His testimony to a climax He tells of the glorious testimony of Jesus!

CPS: Today I simply want to glorify Jesus and tell you His glorious testimony! Perhaps someone is here today that is lost, I pray this testimony brings them to faith. But for those of us who are saved, sometimes we need a reminder of what Jesus has done for us.

I. His Voluntary Death (22-23A)

Paul was Biblical Preacher, for Him to say “The Prophets and Moses” is to speak of the whole Torah. Luke 24:27 “Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” Moses represents the Law, the Prophets... The History, Writings, and Prophecy. This is the same as saying all the O.T.

Isaiah 53:12“Because He poured out Himself to death.” The Idea is that Jesus Voluntarily died. Voluntary means to do or give in accordance to one’s own free will. We voluntarily give blood, we voluntarily coach little league baseball. Jesus voluntarily died.... It was His own choosing!

No body chooses to die! You may be thinking to yourself, that’s not true, people take their own lives each day (Suicide) and History is full of Martyrs who died for a cause they believed in. It’s not the same..... All they volunteered to die a little sooner because they were going to die sooner or later (Romans 5:12).

But Jesus didn't have to die, there was no sin in Jesus, even while being mistreated and slain (Is. 53:7), there was no seed of death in Jesus, He died voluntarily and is the only person in the History of the world to do so!

When Jesus was scourged, it was his choosing, when Jesus carried His cross to Calvary, it was His choosing, when Jesus was nailed to that cross, it was his own choosing, when Jesus gave up His spirit and breathed His last breath it was His own choosing.

How could God die, I think this thought causes the Jews many problems, Ill tell you how God can die, only at His own choosing!

But, what makes Jesus’ voluntary death so glorious is that it was also vicarious!

II. His Vicarious Death (23)

Verse 23 tells us that Jesus’s mission was to bring light to the world. Isaiah 42:6 “I am the Lord, I have called You (My servant… Christ Jesus) in righteousness, I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You, And I will appoint You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the nations,” Isaiah 53:4–6 “Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.” The O.T. tells us of the suffering Messiah, our text speaks of Jesus’ suffering and death.

Today I want you to bask in this truth.... Jesus’ death was vicarious! Vicarious means to act for or to do something for another! The testimony of Jesus is glorious because He died for us!

There is an old saying, “There are only two people who has died for you. The fallen soldier and the Savior. But that’s not true. The solider died for his country but Jesus died for you personally.

You were broken and living in sin, estranged and separated from God but Jesus died in order to bring a fix to your relationship with the father!

The Bible teaches that only the holy can stand before God, and only the righteous can have the Father/Son relationship with Him. Mankind has fallen short of God’s standards and deserve separation from God and eternal judgment. The Bible teaches that the wages of sin is death, and that death is physical and spiritual. Meaning that because of our sin we deserve punishment. But Jesus took our place and gave to us His standing.

We call it the Great Exchange! He took our sin and gave us His righteousness. He took our death and gave us His life. He took our hell so that we can have His heaven!

He died vicariously… When Jesus was scourged, He was scourged for us. When He was nailed to the cross He was nailed for us. When the judgement of sin fell on Jesus, It was for us. When Jesus gave up His Spirit, It was for us! All of this He did for us so that we can become children of God! And, if you alone had been the only person to walk the face of this earth Jesus would still have come and died for you because of His great love for you!

He suffered a sinners death so that we wouldn't have to!

III. His Victorious Death (23)

Many people view death as defeat, but Jesus’ death on Calvary was victory! While on the cross Jesus literally became our sin (2 Cor. 5:21) and when He died sin died for those who trust in Him!

To live in sin is to live in bondage but when Jesus died the shackles and chains of sin were broken and by grace through faith we have been redeemed from our sin! And we can praise Jesus * 1 Corinthians 15:55–57 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Death seems so final but for the Christian its not! Because Jesus is also victorious over death! He rose from the grave. Through Jesus, both sin and death are defeated. Our text tells us that Jesus not only suffered and died but that He is the first to rise from the dead. Jesus rose from the grave! Job 19:25a, Ps. 16:10b! Jesus is the firstborn from the dead ( Col. 1:18), the first that should rise from the dead, Acts 26:23c.... meaning He is the first and only to rise physically from the grave to never die again!

This is the Hope of Christianity. The future for all who believe.... everlasting life. For by grace through faith He imparts to us His resurrection life!

Conclusion: We have heard many powerful testimonies that move us, but If Jesus was standing here today giving His testimony he would say..... I died though I never had to, I died for you in order to save you from your sin, and My death brought victory over sin and death.... So why are you not moved!