Many Have Died So that Others Can Live - But One Died so that we can have Life Eternally
Notes
Transcript
13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
JESUS SAID.....
13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
ON MONDAY, OUR NATION MOURNS THE LOSS OF ALL AMERICANS WHO DIED DEFENDING OUR COUNTRY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD SINCE 1775. THIS REMEMBRANCE IS ALL-INCLUSIVE SPANNING 247 YEARS AND SOME 62 MILITARY ACTIONS THAT CLAIMED 1.2 MILLION LIVES.
MOST AMERICANS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE MAJOR WARS, WWI, WWII, KOREA, VIETNAM, THE PERSIAN GULF, IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN.
MEMORIAL DAY, AMERICA COMMEMORATES THOSE WHO MADE THE GREATEST SACRIFICE POSSIBLE, GIVING ONE’S OWN LIFE SELFLESSLY. FAR TOO OFTEN, THE NATION AS A WHOLE TAKES FOR GRANTED THE FREEDOMS WE ENJOY.
THERE ARE TWO POINTS …I’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU THIS MORNING.....
OUR FREEDOMS AS AMERICANS ARE FREE, BUT PAID FOR AT GREAT COST BY THE SACRIFICE OF OTHERS.
• WE CAN WORSHIP AS WE CHOOSE, OR PRAY TO WHOMEVER WE PLEASE, OR NOT WORSHIP OR PRAY AT ALL, BECAUSE WE’RE FREE.
• WE CAN SAY NEARLY ANYTHING WE WANT—EVEN ABOUT THE HIGHEST LEADERS IN THE LAND.
• WE CAN MOVE ABOUT FREELY, LIVE ANYWHERE WE WISH, AND OWN OUR OWN PROPERTY.
• WE CAN WORK HARD AND MAKE A GOOD LIVING, OR WE CAN LIE AROUND AND BE LAZY.
WE HAVE FREEDOM..... BUT OUR FREEDOMS DID NOT COME WITHOUT GREAT COST. THERE WAS A PRICE THAT HAD TO BE PAID FOR OUR FREEDOMS—MANY TIMES OVER.
MANY HAVE DIED ON THE BATTLEFIELDS IN ALL OF AMERICA’S WARS TO PRESERVE OUR FREEDOM.
• THEY DIED IN WORLD WAR I IN PLACES LIKE VERDUN AND THE ARGONNE FOREST.
• THEY DIED IN WORLD WAR II IN PLACES LIKE NORMANDY AND IWO JIMA.
• THEY DIED IN THE KOREAN WAR IN PLACES LIKE QUSAN AND CHOSIN.
• THEY DIED IN THE VIETNAM WAR IN PLACES LIKE KHE SANH, AND DIEN BIEN PHU.
• THEY DIED IN IRAQ, AND IN AFGHANISTAN.
THESE MEN AND WOMEN DIED FOR THE FREEDOMS WE ENJOY. WE’RE FREE, BUT THAT FREEDOM WASN’T SECURED WITHOUT COST: SOMEBODY PAID THE PRICE FOR US TO ENJOY THE FREEDOMS WE HAVE.
OUR FREEDOMS AS AMERICANS ARE FREE TO US, BUT THEY WERE PAID FOR AT GREAT COST BY THE SACRIFICE OF OTHERS.
BUT I BELIEVE THERE IS A SECOND POINT….
SALVATION IS FREE, BUT PAID FOR AT GREAT COST BY THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS
JESUS SAID IN JOHN 8:36
So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
“IF THE SON THEREFORE SHALL MAKE YOU FREE, YE SHALL BE FREE INDEED.” WHEN YOU’RE SAVED, YOU ARE FREE—PRAISE GOD!...
• YOU'RE FREED FIRST OF ALL FROM GOD’S JUDGMENT.
THE BIBLE SAYS THAT EVERY ONE OF US HAS SINNED AGAINST GOD.
SIN IS TRANSGRESSING GOD’S LAW, OR DISOBEYING GOD’S COMMANDMENTS, AND THE BIBLE CLEARLY TEACHES THAT WE’VE ALL DONE THAT. THIS MEANS WE’RE ALL SINNERS BEFORE A HOLY AND JUST GOD WHO HATES SIN.
AND THE BIBLE IS EQUALLY CLEAR THAT THERE IS A PENALTY FOR SIN.
--ROMANS 6:23 SAYS THAT “THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH.”
--REVELATION 20:14 TELLS US THAT THIS PENALTY IS NOT ONLY A PHYSICAL DEATH, BUT WHAT IT CALLS “THE SECOND DEATH.”
--AND REVELATION 21:8 SAYS THIS: “BUT THE FEARFUL, AND UNBELIEVING, AND THE ABOMINABLE, AND MURDERERS, AND WHOREMONGERS, AND SORCERERS, AND IDOLATERS, AND ALL LIARS, SHALL HAVE THEIR PART IN THE LAKE WHICH BURNETH WITH FIRE AND BRIMSTONE: WHICH IS THE SECOND DEATH.”
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?—WHEN YOU’RE SAVED, YOU’RE FREE FROM GOD’S JUDGMENT!
YOU’RE FREE FROM HELL! IN FACT, YOU’RE PROMISED ETERNAL LIFE IN HEAVEN!
AREN’T YOU GLAD ABOUT THAT? INSTEAD OF ETERNITY IN HELL, YOU HAVE THE ASSURANCE OF ETERNITY IN HEAVEN IF YOU KNOW JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR. WHAT A PRIVILEGE!
• NOT ONLY ARE YOU FREE FROM HELL, BUT YOU HAVE MANY OTHER SPIRITUAL FREEDOMS AND PRIVILEGES IN CHRIST.
--YOU HAVE THE RIGHT OF FORGIVENESS FOR EVERY SIN YOU’VE EVER COMMITTED OR EVER WILL COMMIT.
--YOU HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING A CHILD OF GOD, AND MORE THAN THAT, YOU HAVE THE HONOR OF ADOPTION TO ALL THE PRIVILEGES OF A FULL SON.
--YOU HAVE THE RIGHT OF IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO GOD AT ANY TIME.
--YOU HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHER BELIEVERS.
--AND YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO AN ETERNAL INHERITANCE AS AN HEIR OF GOD!
IF YOU’RE A BELIEVER, YOU HAVE ALL THESE AND MANY MORE RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES. AND GUESS WHAT: THEY’RE ALL FREE!—EVERY ONE OF THEM. YOU DON’T HAVE TO, NOR COULD YOU EVER, PAY A PENNY FOR THEM. YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO A THING TO EARN THEM. THEY’RE ALL FREE.
SEVERAL TIMES IN THE SCRIPTURES WE’RE REMINDED THAT SALVATION AND ALL IT’S BENEFITS ARE A GIFT.
• IN ROMANS 5:15-18 WE’RE TOLD SIX TIMES THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS TO BE SAVED IS A FREE GIFT FROM GOD. WE DON’T BECOME RIGHTEOUS THROUGH OUR GOOD LIFE TO BE ABLE TO STAND RIGHTEOUS BEFORE GOD. NO, IN THE BIBLE RIGHTEOUSNESS IS CREDITED AS A FREE GIFT TO ANYONE WHO BELIEVES ON JESUS CHRIST. THE BIBLICAL WORD IS “IMPUTED,” WHICH MEANS TO “PUT TO ONE’S ACCOUNT.”
15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. 16 And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. 17 If, because of the one man’s trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
18 Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all.
• ROMANS 6:23 SAYS, “FOR THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH; BUT THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.” – ETERNAL LIFE IS GIVEN AS A FREE GIFT THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.
• EPHESIANS 2:8 TELLS US, “FOR BY GRACE ARE YE SAVED THROUGH FAITH; AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES: IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD” – SALVATION ITSELF IS GIVEN AS A FREE GIFT OF GOD, INDEPENDENT OF ANY WORKS OR GOOD DEEDS OR RELIGIOUS ACTS.
RIGHTEOUSNESS, ETERNAL LIFE, AND SALVATION—THEY’RE ALL FREE TO YOU AND ME! THEY DON’T COST YOU A THING!
IN FACT, THEY CANNOT COST YOU A THING TO EARN IF THEY’RE TRULY GIFTS. THEY MOMENT THEY COST YOU SOMETHING, BY DEFINITION, THEY CEASE TO BE GIFTS.
NO, THE ONLY THING YOU CAN DO WITH A GIFT IS RECEIVE IT OR REJECT IT. GOD OFFERS SALVATION—THAT IS, ETERNAL LIFE, FORGIVENESS OF SINS, BECOMING A CHILD OF GOD—AS A TOTALLY FREE GIFT. IF YOU RECEIVE IT SIMPLY BY FAITH, IT’S YOURS—AT NO COST TO YOU.
ONCE YOU RECEIVE GOD’S FREE GIFT, THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES IN AND REGENERATES YOU, AND MAKES YOU A NEW CREATION AND BEGINS A PROCESS CALLED SANCTIFICATION, WHEREBY HE HELPS YOU CHANGE AND BECOME MORE CHRISTLIKE.
THEN YOU WANT TO SERVE GOD WITH A THANKFUL HEART FOR ALL HE HAS DONE FOR YOU, NOT TRY TO EARN IT BY ADDING ANY CONDITIONS TO HIS FREE OFFER OF SALVATION.
BUT MY MAIN POINT IS THAT SALVATION IS TOTALLY FREE TO YOU…BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN THERE WASN’T A COST FOR SOMEBODY.
THERE WAS A GREAT COST TO JESUS CHRIST. THAT COST WAS HIS VERY LIFE!
JUST AS OUR PRIVILEGES AS CITIZENS ARE FREE TO US, BUT PAID FOR BY THE SACRIFICE OF OTHERS, OUR SALVATION IS FREE TO US, PAID FOR BY JESUS CHRIST.
• 1 PETER 3:18
18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit,
• ISAIAH 53:5
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions,
crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the punishment that made us whole,
and by his bruises we are healed.
ILLUS. – DURING WORLD WAR II A MINISTER, WALKING ALONG A STREET IN LONDON, SAW A WOUNDED BRITISH SOLDIER PAINFULLY HOBBLING ALONG. STOPPING HIM, THE MINISTER SAID TO THE SOLDIER, “THANK YOU FOR BEING WOUNDED FOR ME.”
THE MAN LOOKED BACK AT THE MINISTER IN ASTONISHMENT. PEOPLE HAD SENT HIM CIGARETTES AND HAD GIVEN HIM ENTERTAINMENT, BUT NO ONE BEFORE HAD EVER THANKED HIM FOR WHAT HE HAD SUFFERED ON OTHERS’ BEHALF.
THEN THE MINISTER CONTINUED, “I KNOW SOMEONE WHO WAS WOUNDED FOR YOU.”
¿WOUNDED FOR ME, SIR?” REPLIED THE SOLDIER, NOW MORE SURPRISED THAN BEFORE. “¿WHO COULD THAT BE?”
“IT WAS OUR LORD JESUS,” RESPONDED THE MINISTER. “ISAIAH 53:5 SAYS ‘HE WAS WOUNDED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS.’”
WITH THAT, THE MAN OF GOD WAS ON HIS WAY, LEAVING THE SOLDIER TO THINK ABOUT THE ONE WHO WAS WOUNDED FOR HIM.
YES, JESUS WAS WOUNDED FOR US, BUT THE BIBLE GOES FURTHER AND SAYS THAT ALONG WITH HIS WOUNDING, HE ALSO GAVE HIS LIFE FOR US.
IN TODAY’S TEXT, JESUS SAID, “GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS, THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS.” (JOHN 15:13 )
• JESUS ALSO SAID MARK 10:45
45 For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
• ROMANS 5:8
8 But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.
• GALATIANS 1: 4
4 who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
• AND PAUL SAYS THIS OF JESUS IN TITUS 2:14 – “WHO GAVE HIMSELF FOR US, THAT HE MIGHT REDEEM US FROM ALL INIQUITY…”
THE BIBLE IS CLEAR: JESUS DIED FOR YOUR SINS SO YOU COULD BE FREE, AND HAVE ALL THE BENEFITS AND PRIVILEGES AND RIGHTS OF A CITIZEN OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. HE OFFERS YOU SALVATION FREE OF CHARGE. WOULDN’T IT NOT BE A TRAGIC MISTAKE TO NEGLECT SOMETHING OFFERED SO FREELY AT SUCH GREAT PRICE.
NO WONDER THE WRITER OF HEBREWS ASKS, “HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE IF WE NEGLECT SO GREAT SALVATION…?”
OUR FREEDOMS AS AMERICANS ARE FREE TO US, BUT THEY WERE PAID FOR AT GREAT COST BY THE SACRIFICES OF OTHERS. I HOPE THAT TOMORROW, MEMORIAL DAY, WILL NOT JUST BE ANOTHER DAY TO RELAX AND KICK BACK AND HAVE A BARBECUE. I HOPE IT’LL ALSO BE A DAY WHEN YOU REMEMBER AND HONOR THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN IN DEFENSE OF THE FREEDOMS YOU AND I HOLD DEAR. I ALSO HOPE YOU WILL “GIVE BACK” IN SOME WAY TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR ALL THE SACRIFICES OTHERS HAVE MADE BY BEING A GOOD CITIZEN, VOTING, AND SERVING YOUR COMMUNITY.
ALL OF US ARE NOT CALLED UPON TO DIE HEROICALLY OR SACRIFICIALLY. THOSE SOLDIERS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE WAR FIGHTING FOR US WERE CALLED UPON TO SERVE THIS COUNTRY, AND IN THE PROCESS THEY PAID THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE. AND WE OWE THEM A DEBT OF GRADITUTE, ON THIS COMING MEMORIAL DAY. LET US COME TOGETHER IN PRAYER FOR ALL THE BEREAVED FAMILIES TODAY.....
AND, PRAISE GOD, SALVATION IS FREE TO US, BUT PAID FOR AT GREAT COST BY OUR LORD JESUS. IF YOU’RE ALREADY SAVED TODAY, I HOPE YOU’LL BOW YOUR HEAD IN A FEW MOMENTS AND HUMBLY THANK GOD FOR ALL YOU HAVE AS A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN, ALL OF IT PAID FOR BY THE SACRIFICE OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS OF CALVARY.