Why The Cross?

Days like today remind us of how valuable time is. Days like today make us think about how bad it is to lose a hour of sleep. We all wish we had more time, but time is alloted to each of us. We can waste time, or we can redeem lost time. What we cannot do is determine how much time we have left.

Must of us live as if we have time to correct our mistakes, learn from them, and move own past them. But

How about we decided we would live life on our own terms. We will wait and ask Jesus to forgiveness us and give us live with him in heaven at 2 am. March 11, 2018. How about if we have asked Jesus to forgive us, we know we will go to heaven one day, but we are not living the way Jesus wants us to live. We say “I know i will answer Jesus for my actions one day, so at 2 am. March 11, 2018 I will ask Jesus to forgive me and I will recommit to Him.

We live like we always have tomorrow. Do you realize that there was no 2 am. March 11, 2018. The clock read 1:57 am, 1: 58 am, 1:59 am, 3 am, 3:01 am.

Tomorrow is uncertain, That is Why the Cross of Calvary Stands at the center of our Faith. Today I am preaching on the question Why the Cross? We should all take take to consider answering the question “Why the Cross?”

Why the Cross? Because God Gives Us a Second Chance, when We don’t Give Him a Second Thought, Christ Jesus Died on a Cross.

Jesus was denied, Tried, Crucified, and Justified, because He Humbly Trusted God’s plan of Salvation. Peter, afraid of humiliation, denied knowing Jesus. The Religious leaders, desiring to humiliate Jesus, falsely tried Him. The Political leaders, afraid of the humiliation of public opinion, pronounced Jesus innocent, but sentenced Him to Death on a cross. Jesus willingly suffered the humiliation of death on a cross, for our failures. God Raised Jesus from the dead to prove He gives second chances.

Today we should give thought to Why Jesus was denied, tried, crucified, and Justified.

Failing To Give God A Second Thought, Denies Jesus’ Honesty And Our Opportunity to Repent.

We all fail to give God a second thought.

Jesus was humiliated

We say we know God loves us, but when the going gets tough the tough get going. that is what Peter did. Peter said Jesus, I got this, Jesus I can do this on my own. I will go with you to jail and even to death.

Jesus gave Peter a second chance and Peter missed it. Jesue warned Peter that pride can make us do unbelievable things. Pride is the fear of being humiliated for not being independent. Pride says I can do this on my own, because I deserve all the credit.

The cross says you deserve deserve all the credit, but Jesus willingly accepts the humiliation of our failures, so we get a second chance.

While Peter is fulfilling Jesus’ prophecy, Jesus is being humiliated for not fulfilling prophecy.

Jesus willingly suffers the humiliation for our failures, so we have a second chance to repent, trust, and obey. Peter saw the shame Jesus suffered for being identified as the Son of Man, Peter felt the guilt of failure (Disobedience, unbelief) trusting Jesus. The guilt and shame moved Peter to repentance. The cross proves Jesus had already given Peter a second chance.

Failing to Give God A Second Thought, Proves Jesus Innocent and Makes Him Our Judge.

The Crucifixion:

We Need A Second Chance, Because The Crucifixion Proves Us Guilty Of Punishment befitting Our Crime.

Giving The Resurrection A Second Glance Proves Jesus Righteous to Give US a Second Chance.