There is life at the cross of Christ
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There is life at the Cross
02-14-2021
As we come full circle this morning
A few weeks ago it was a call to repent and how you and I would respond
We could have repented
We could have not repented
But if we want to be used by God then we need to repent
21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.
It is not a repentance out of guilt that you and I got caught
But it is a repentance that we need so that God can and will use us since we are then cleansed vessels
It is only when we are cleansed that God will use us
Then last week we understand that repentance requires action
Repent is a verb means there is action to that word
If there is no action to your repentance then you did not repent
Not to pop your ballon or to make you feel bad but want you to be honest with yourself
If you have said yes Lord I repent, but there is no action
There is no repentance
We looked at the story of Davids life
We saw how Nathan confronted him with the sin in his life and David sought the Lord
David’s life wasn’t perfect but David’s response to being confronted with sin was perfect in that he sought the Lord
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit. 13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You.
David repented and turned from the sin in his life and sought the Lord
If there is action to your repentance
Then we see that David once he is a cleansed vessel he wants to teach others about God
To continue on with this repentance
Then this morning you will see that there is life at the cross
That is a church saying right
There is life at the cross
It almost doesn’t make sense because it doesn’t seem like it translates to practical living
39 “He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.
Jesus tells those listening that if you try and keep your life and save it you will end up losing it
If you try and do your own thing and tell Jesus what you want to do
If you try and not submit 100% to the Lord you will lose your life
Jesus also says if you will lose your life for Jesus
Not for a program, not for anything other than Christ then you will find it
If you will submit 100% to the Lord
If you will repent and put action to that repentance then you find your life
I want us to wrap our minds around that this morning
Because that is the Gospel message to us and for the world
That if we give our lives to Christ we live
If we turn from the sin in our lives and the junk in our lives we live
What we need to understand this morning church is there is grace and mercy and forgiveness at the cross
It is found through repentance
God’s grace and mercy and forgiveness are found through repenting
Are found when you and I turn from our sins turn from death and run to Jesus
It is an action word so it requires action and I would say visible action
But church for so long some of you have been carrying around junk, carrying around sorrow, guilt and shame and you have sought forgiveness
You need to hear me this morning there is life at the cross
That almost doesn’t make sense
the cross was a thing that was used for death and punishment
But what the Bible is saying is if you repent and believe in Jesus there is life
If you submit your life to Christ and trust Him, you will find true life!
I want to look at Peter this morning
Peter was one of the original apostles of Christ
Jesus called him and gave him a new name
Peter says he will follow Jesus even to death
Jesus tells him slow down buddy I don’t think so
30 And Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you, that this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you yourself will deny Me three times.”
Jesus tells peter that before the rooster crows you will deny me not once, or twice but 3 times
You will deny me 3 times
Peter hears this and cannot believe it
Peter must be thinking there is no way this will happen
66 As Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant-girls of the high priest came, 67 and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Nazarene.” 68 But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are talking about.” And he went out onto the porch. 69 The servant-girl saw him, and began once more to say to the bystanders, “This is one of them!” 70 But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders were again saying to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean too.” 71 But he began to curse and swear, “I do not know this man you are talking about!” 72 Immediately a rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had made the remark to him, “Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And he began to weep.
Immediately peter is reminded of the words of Jesus that Jesus told him this would happen
I am betting that Peter also remember some other words of Jesus
33 “But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.
Peter I am betting would have remembered this
Peter would have been heartbroken by this
Peter no doubt would have felt a lot of guilt and shame
Church I am betting there are some of you here this morning just like peter
You are a person of influence, with maybe everyone thinking you have it together
But like peter you have sinned
Can I tell you that there is grace, mercy and forgiveness at the cross of Jesus
There is life at the cross of Jesus
You and I no longer need to walk around carrying the heavy burden of shame or guilt
You and I no longer need to walk around thinking we are slaves to sin
Christ as set us free by His blood
No so that we can go live how we want and continue to sin but so that we can bring glory to God and the way we bring glory to God is by sharing the Gospel message with the world
But we cannot share the Good News that Jesus died on the cross to save everyone if only they will repent from their sin and believe in Him
We cannot share that unless we are cleansed vessel, unless we repent and put action to it to seek the Lord
You and I need to understand that there is grace, mercy and forgiveness at the cross of Jesus
You know the rest of the story of Peter right
Jesus is crucified, and three days later got up and walked out of the grave
Peter has gone back to work as a fisherman
Jesus meets Him
7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment on (for he was stripped for work), and threw himself into the sea.
Church there is action, visible action to Peter turning from the world, turning from his old life and running or in this case swimming to Jesus
And church even though Peter has sinned, even though he went back to his old life
What does Peter find at the feet of Jesus
Grace, Mercy and forgiveness
15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.” 16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.
Jesus sits with peter around a fire
I believe there are only 2 mentions of a charcoal fire and this is the second one
The first one was when Peter denied Jesus
The second is when Jesus pours out grace, mercy and forgiveness on Peter
Jesus asks Peter 3 times do you love me
He asks 3 times because Peter denied him 3 times
To wipe out the sin
Do you understand this morning church that when you and I repent
When you and I turn from the sin in our lives
When you and I seek the Lord and run to Jesus
There is grace, mercy and forgiveness
As the Band comes up
Maybe that is you this morning
Maybe you have never submitted your life to Christ
meaning you have never started a personal relationship with Christ
You can do that this morning, we would invite you to the front to speak with someone this morning
Or maybe you have a personal relationship with Jesus and like Peter have sinned and need to repent, physically walk up to the front and meet with Jesus
And find grace, mercy and forgiveness this morning when you and I repent
Church there is life at the cross of Jesus