The Cross, the answer for our Salvation.

The Answer of the Cross part 6

We are in the middle of a series on the Cross

The cross is Foolishness to the world, but for us who are being saved, is the power of God.

1Co 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness [absurd and illogical] to those who are perishing and spiritually dead [because they reject it], but to us who are being saved [by God's grace] it is [the manifestation of] the power of God.

Our Heavenly Father in His infinite wisdom, chose to use the cross to display His power, to a perishing world, the cross became God’s answer for the salvation of humanity.

Early on this series we talked about sin and death and it’s consequence, God in his great love for us did not abandoned us in our trespasses, but he had mercy on us and sent His only son to save us.

1 Peter 1:3 3

Praise be to the God and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Believing in Jesus Christ accepting His death on the cross, and resurrection from the dead, Is our ticket to eternal life.

important for us to see what salvation looks like.

Jesus visiting Zacchaeus

Zacchaeus the Tax Collector Luke 19:1-10

19 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.

2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.

3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd.

4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”

6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.

10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

1 Salvation comes through Jesus only

Many people are still deceived by the believe,” if I am a good person, mind my own business and help my community, somehow I will go to heaven,

Some try to eliminate God from our society all together, during all the demonstrations we are having, I saw a sign saying Get God out of California.

If this poor person would only be able to imagine a Godless society, they would tremble with fear. there would be No more good people, everyone would live for themselves, the most evil rules, why take care of anything if all that matters is what I want. It will not be a good place for you or your family, evil would take over.

The lies leading many astray, away from God, I hear quite often, there are many ways leading to Heaven, or we are all destine to go to heaven, or heaven doesn’t exist, these lies have kept many from entering the kingdom of God.

Jesus clarified that question who will enter into the kingdom of God when he said

I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. clearly he said

Joh 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

April 04, 2020 we celebrated our 200 anniversary, only a few of us were here in April, but we are still waiting for this pandemic to end for our state to open so we can celebrate with all of you. March 27 2021 is our new date if everything goes well. I believe Mokuaikaua still standing right here, in Kailua Kona telling the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ and making disciples.

We are a light house to Hawaii and the whole world, before the pandemic we had thousands of people visiting us, every month from around the world.

Now they visit us online from around the world.

when they visit us They hear about the Love of God, the first Hawaiians who became Christians and how they brought the gospel to Hawaii, their invitation of the missionaries and how they donate their land and house to be the first church in Hawaii.

200 years later we are still carrying the same anointing and message.

There is only one way to the kingdom of God, one way into the arms of your Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ.

Back to the passage

Zacchaeus was a tax collector, he was a Jew working for the Rome Empire, who was occupying Israel and everyone around them. He was a chief tax collector; he would supervise many others under him. Society look down on tax collectors they saw them as traitors. He was rich, a man short in stature, not attractive, over all despised by many.

But he heard of Jesus, that He was coming through town, Zacchaeus wanted to see Him, so he positioned himself in a place that he could see Jesus as he passed by.

All of us needs to do the same, we need to put ourselves in a place where we can see Jesus, that is why important to go to church, Jesus is there, He will not walk by you without noticing you. Jesus came to Zacchaeus, and invited himself to his house.

When Jesus invites you for dinner at your house say yes, welcome Him, He wants to be your friend.

Salvation begins when we say yes to Jesus.

2 Salvation produces repentance,

in the new testament in Greek metanoeo meaning a change of mind resulting in a physical behavior change , in the old testament in Hebrew they use the word Nawkham, deep sorrow, grief, repentance. An emotional and physical change leading into a change of mind.

They both meant a change of heart and behavior.

When the Spirit of God brings conviction of sin to us and we respond repentance takes place

Joh 16:8 And He, when He comes, will convict the world about [the guilt of] sin [and the need for a Savior], and about righteousness, and about judgment:

Joh 16:9 about sin [and the true nature of it], because they do not believe in Me [and My message];

Joh 16:10 about righteousness [personal integrity and godly character], because I am going to My Father and you will no longer see Me;

Joh 16:11 about judgment [the certainty of it], because the ruler of this world (Satan) has been judged and condemned.

Back to Zacchaeus

6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

Zacchaeus was repenting making things right

Exo 22:1 "If a man steals an ox or sheep and kills or sells it, he shall make restitution of five oxen for an ox or four sheep for a sheep.

After we welcome Jesus in our lives, we need to see things the way He sees it, we need to call sin what Jesus calls sin.

We are living in a culture where we exalt free thinking and worship our own opinions and ideas, but God doesn’t have an issue with your opinion, all we need is to understand that our thoughts and opinions are wrong most of the time and we need to correct it.

Ex

I love being a grandfather, often we watch our 1 year old grand daughter, as a papa, I tried to keep her away from the ideas which would result in her getting hurt or hurting others, not all her ideas are bad, but they all have consequences. I did the same for my children.

Our Heavenly Father is the only one who have everything right a 100% of the time, we need to go to Him so we can correct any idea that doesn’t bring life but causes death.

Like Zacchaeus we need to agree with God and repent from anything that is contrary to His will, sin is always destructive, to move away from it, is always a good idea.

3 Salvation shows its fruit,

When salvation comes, we will see it’s fruit, we change and people change.

Zacchaeus not only repent form his sin agreeing with God, but he expressed the work that taking place in his heart.

He recognized:

I’m extremely selfish, only thinking and caring about myself, but now I will give half of my wealth to the poor.

If I steal from anyone, I will pay them back 4 times more.

Ex

I have a dear friend here in the community who was addicted to alcohol, it was a fruit of the selfish life he lived without God.

He had a good life, all the toys we like, car, boats, airplane, but his addiction land him under a bridge in La, homeless with nothing.

By the grace of God he came to AA and through them he met Jesus.

I have heard the testimony of so many people who were help through AA but not all of them meet Jesus and find salvation.

Now he is a good member of our community doing good for others and free from his addiction, he has done some work for our church in the past years.

Matt 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Jesus said today salvation came to this home, because he observed a sinner being transformed right in front of him. Zacchaeus believed in Jesus , he repent from his sins, he made things right with men. He believed in Jesus death and resurrection, god’s plan for the salvation of the world.

All Begins when we make Jesus the Lord of your life.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Joh 3:16

To receive Jesus, we need to accept Him as God’s son, repent from our sins and a life of selfishness, asking Him to be our Lord and savior, not that you deserve it, but is a gift from God.

If this is your desire today, please repeat this prayer after me?

Heavenly Father I’m sinner, I’m sorry for my sins, I’m willing to turn away from my sins.

I receive Christ as my savior,

I confess him as Lord

from this moment on I want to follow and serve him,

in the fellowship of his church,

In Jesus name. Amen!