Craziness at Calvary

Tonight we wrap up our 5 weeks looking at the lives of Major Bible figures, and how their lives were far from perfect! The main thing that we continue to see is that the Lord uses “Broken, Sick, and Imperfect” people!

But even with seeing all of these powerful events that happened in the Scriptures, it still sounds like a fairy tell, like something that would happen at Disney World, Right?

if you know me well, you know that I am a “Why” Person. I need to know how and why something is true, before i accept it. I am very sceptical of a lot of things, as i’m sure a lot of you are. I want to show yall a video before we get to far into our time together that may help us take the Bible from Fairytale to real life.

Show CNN Video

Seeing People standing on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, helps me demystify the Story of Legion, the calming of the Storm, and Jesus Walking on Water.

And seeing the route that Jesus had to travel, after He had been beaten beyond recognition, Seeing where we believe that He fell on the way, where His hand tried to catch Himself. Those make it that much more real.

We find ourselves in Luke 23 tonight.

At this point Jesus has already:

Jesus has already been Illegally tried

in the Jewish Courts at Night with no witnesses.

The Jewish people have already made their choice

between freeing Jesus or freeing a Murderer. They Chose the Murder.

Jesus has been beaten beyond Recognition

Jesus has carried a 300 lb Cross around a Mile

Jesus has had Nails driven through His hands and Feet

Jesus is now Hanging in between two Criminals

Tell Story of When you hung on the Cross at Antioch

Without any of the other things that Jesus had gone through, My shoulder felt like they were torn, My feet were severely cramping, and I was so cold that my body was involuntarily shaking.

Put all of that into context as we read Vs. 39-43

Luke 23:39–43 CSB

39 Then one of the criminals hanging there began to yell insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other answered, rebuking him: “Don’t you even fear God, since you are undergoing the same punishment? 41 We are punished justly, because we’re getting back what we deserve for the things we did, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

These two men were both sentenced to death for crimes in which they had committed, but they were obviously two very different people.

These two men represent the two groups of people that existed then, and exist today.

Those who Get it Vs. Those Who Don’t

What i mean by this is that we are all just a guilty as these two men hanging next to Jesus. He’s the only one who’s ever lived who is “Innocent”. Have we murdered anyone, I HOPE NOT, but the Jesus set a pretty high standard when He said

Matthew 5:21–22 CSB

21 “You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder, and whoever murders will be subject to judgment. 22 But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Whoever insults his brother or sister, will be subject to the court. Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to hellfire.

The only difference between the two men, Between the two groups, between someone who Has Hope or Not, Is Jesus. That’s It!

Look back at Vs. Luke 23:42-43

Luke 23:42–43 CSB

42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Even in the Midst of pain, suffering, and humiliation, Jesus was still saving people from an eternity in Hell! And He still is today!!

We just have to make a choice to surrender our lives, and ask Him to forgive us! But Salvation is not Passive in Nature! It’s active!! When we truly give our lives to Jesus, we change! Our wants change, our desires change!

Let me ask you this.

Have you ever walked through a cemetery and just looked at the gravestones? I have. I like to try to find the oldest ones in the cemetery. Sometimes along the way you’ll notice that many of them lived a really short life. The hardest ones that i’ve come across are the tiny ones that i know were just Babies when they died. and the more and more gravestones that i’ve seen, i’ve noticed something. A gravestone will usually read something like this.

“James Matthew Coby”

April 21, 1990 - February 10, 2021

The Dash

Have you ever though about how someone’s entire life is summed up with a Dash? They put when we were born, and they put when we die, they might even put some sweet phrase on there, but a dash represents Everything else, our entire lives.

Will your dash represent a life that didn’t actually end on the day that your body gave up, because you gave your life completely to Jesus? Or will that dash be a reminder of a life that never got it until it was too late?

I’ve preached funerals for people who were 80+, and I’ve preached the funeral for a 15 year old from Munford. Time is not on our side guys.

If you haven’t, Give your life to Jesus tonight! Your past doesn’t matter, It’s what you do NOW that will save your life!