The Crucifixion

For something to be NEW, it must be changed at least in part

Take a classic car --- new paint, new tires, new chrome

but for it to be totally restored it must be stripped, and things replaced

God is not interested in simply changing your original paint job or your upgrading your interior.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

God is interested in a doing a TOTAL restoration

and the plan He has will take HIS Power and HIS Strength

That is the messages we have been learning

God Plan and God’s Time

So today lets talk a “what does they have to do with me approach?”

Will you join me?

Practical Crucifixion

The Apostle Paul writes in his Letter to the Galatians

Galatians 2:20 (ESV)

20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Later in the letter he writes

Galatians 5:24 (ESV)

24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

So we must make a choice as a Christian.

Is it all about the Crucifixion of Jesus

or is it about Jesus crucifixion moving me to do the same?

Please note --- At no point am i suggesting you go hang yourself on a Cross

But i am hinting at and driving to teach you

that you must die to yourself to walk fully with Christ

There is an old proverb in the Chinese culture:

A young man comes to one of the elders in the community.

He asks for wisdom

the Elder grants him entry and they sit and have tea

They make small talk and then the young man starting to get

impatient to sip his tea

The Elder leans forward and starts to pour more tea into the young man cup

and it quickly starts to overflow

The Elder tells the young man that he must empty the cup to accept additional wisdom

The Old and the New will not mix

and so it is with wisdom --- We must empty yourself in order to fill yourself with Christ

Friends you cannot carry water in your pocket

You must decide to

prepare a vessel to receive it

You must empty the old to allow room for the new

Let me read this one to you again

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Romans 6:11 (ESV)

11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:1 (ESV)

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins

Personal Crucifixion

You must make at least two decisions to become a Christian

BELIEVE IN Him as your Lord and Saviour

Become Like your Lord and Saviour

BELIEVE

BECOME

The first is often easier than the second

The first we make a decision, we pray for the Lord

But becoming takes action

You can decide to sign with the military --- you can enlist and now you belong

But you will only raise to a rank by committing and doing the work.

I have heard stories of boot camp, and specialist training

Man and woman that go to RANGER SCHOOL

not to serve less but to serve MORE

We should have a model of that in our Christian Walk.

We need to be crucified with Christ

To live a life that we model Christ

and that model must start with emptying of the old SO THAT we can become the new

We say at Horizon

Believe

Baptize

Become

Belong

Blessed

We can all battle and see the battle in BELIEVING in our world today

It is often a struggle for some one to submit to Baptism

BUT THE BECOMING is the TOUGH ONE

It takes more than commitment,

You will never change a thing on your own

It takes the power of Christ

Philippians 1:6 (ESV)

6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 4:13 (ESV)

13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Jesus Crucified

Jesus is handed over to the soldier

and made to carry his own cross

Jesus is mocked as the KING

Jesus is hung on a cross with a sign KING OF THE JEWS

Jesus’s belonging are divided up by others

Psalm 22:18 (ESV)

18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

You may be surrounded by loved ones at your time of passing,

and you should have another to pickup your earthly mantle.

Lessons of the Crucifixion

You must bear your own Cross

Jesus always there for Strength

there are “Simons” there to help you on the way

But you must make the choice to BECOME

You will likely be mocked as a FOLLOWER — as a CHILD OF GOD

At the end of your time on earth, people will divide your things

Sadly the world seeks to destroy you at times

You will be faced with persecution in life

The world may simply not believe in YOU

There are three other important cameos here in These Scriptures

Jesus is the KING of Kings, therefore the King of the JESUS,

You may proclaim that in every language know to man

And it is still the TRUTH

Jesus never sought to deny the Truth even in the midst of TURMOIL and Trouble.

Jesus fulfilled PROPHESY --- God mandates in spite of Man’s manipulation

The cross from Isaiah, The garments from Psalms 22:28, the passover lamb the perfect sacrifice

You are never alone even in the extreme circumstances --- God is there, and loved ones on this earth are around you.

God says HE is always with you

God says you are surrounded by a cloud of witness

Hebrews 12:1 (ESV)

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

So Jesus know your struggle,HE lived your struggle and DIED FOR A BETTER PLAN for you

and so have others around you.

A lesson from the Crucifixion is also

In your darkest days HE IS STILL THE LIGHT

Friends

Today we reflected on the Crucifixion of Jesus

and we could have discussed the details of the event

AND they are very important

BUT the BOTTOMLINE is we must LEARN THIS AS a LIFE CHANGE

HE DIED FOR US, SO WE MUST LIVE FOR HIM

But I encourage you this week to review the Scriptures that i have used today.

To remember that

Romans 5:8 ESV

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

That

Ephesians 2:1 ESV

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins

Ephesians 2:8–10 ESV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

As you think about our message today

Realize that it was ALWAYS going to HAPPEN --- GOD PLANNED IT

It was AWFUL, EXCRUCIATING, HORRIFIC --- JESUS LOVED YOU THAT MUCH

in the end we should live every day

Knowing that we Should live for HIM alone

I told you in the beginning you have at least two Choices to make

To Believe

To Become

You must learn to DIE to Your OLD SELF

To fully become a Follower of Christ

That original car that you were born with,

Has needed RESTORATION since the day it was MADE

The lesson of the CRUCIFIXION is that we need to be

Restored

IF you need a REFERRAL to the PERFECT PLACE TO DO THAT

SEE ME after this message

LEts Pray