One of the great difficulties I struggle with in praying is just the vast immensity of what I can pray for – and what I think I should pray for. I mean – there is a whole world out there to pray for! How much of it should I pray for daily?
We know that our Lord Jesus gave us a model to follow in what we call “The Lord’s Prayer,” or “The Disciple’s Prayer/Model Prayer.” In that prayer, Jesus taught us to pray to the Father, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is done in Heaven.” But, in that single request, Jesus taught us to ask comprehensively that God’s will shall be fulfilled on earth as it is done in Heaven.
While we may not be able to express every one of these requests every day, there are some essential requests I must make every day without fail. Here are 10 of them. I will first list them without commentary; then I will add a few comments to explain the significance of each one.
I must pray every day…without fail to delight in God
I must pray every day…without fail with confession of my sins
I must pray every day…without fail for the grace of God to forgive those who have offended and violated me in any way
I must pray every day…without fail for the salvation of those who are lost
I must pray every day…without fail for my church’s ministry – for the pastors, elders, and leaders of my church
I must pray every day…without fail interceding for pressing needs I know of that are afflicting those I know
I must pray every day…without fail for my personal growth in grace and in knowing Jesus Christ – Christlikeness
I must pray every day…without fail for God’s will to be fulfilled and accomplished in my day’s activities
I must pray every day…without fail that God will improve my preaching, teaching, and witnessing to make me more effective in ministering His Word
I must pray every day…without fail that God’s Word will run throughout the whole earth and that Christ will be proclaimed, glorified, and believed on…here, there, and every where
EXPANSION AND COMMENTARY
Every one of these essential daily prayer requests is inspired by Jesus’ own words, example, and prayers.
I must pray every day…without fail to delight in God. “Our Father in Heaven, Your Name be honored as holy!” I must do this in conjunction with my reading of God’s Word. As I learn more about God’s perfections, Glory, excellencies, attributes, etc, I must reiterate and, if possible, voice them back to God in adoration, praise, and thanksgivings. Also, as I read about God either expressing or demonstrating His own perfections in His interactions in our human conditions, experiences, and situations, I must recognize His greatness and delight in Him.
I must pray every day…without fail with confession of my sins and for Christ’s mind, life, and power to be dynamic in my thinking and will to turn away from and forsake my sins. “…forgive us our sins…” I must pray with self-examination of my heart’s desires, my conduct, my temptations that I know about – and also that God will search my heart for hidden sins and blind spots that I am too willing to either accept, excuse, or self-justify. I must diligently seek a pure heart, clean hands, and an ever-growing and increasing love for Christ which purify my heart and conduct.
I must pray every day…without fail for the grace of God to forgive those who have offended and violated me in any way – and do this without self-pity or self-defense. “…for we ourselves also forgive everyone in debt to us.” Jesus has repeatedly commanded that if we do not forgive others, our Heavenly Father will not forgive us. Matthew 6.14-15
I must pray every day…without fail for the salvation of those who are lost. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is done in Heaven.” These names will begin with my children and immediate family. Then expand out to include those who are in my acquaintances, contacts, and neighbors. Jesus Himself is always seeking and saving those who are lost. Jesus Himself prayed in Gethsemane for all of others who would in time believe on His Name. John 17, especially verse 20. I am praying with Jesus when I pray for those who are without Christ.
I must pray every day…without fail for my church’s ministry – for the pastors, elders, and leaders of my church. “Your Kingdom come…” My church is my family in Christ and my field of His assigned service. I must fulfill my own service and ministry Christ has given me to do. I must pray for Christ to receive Glory through His church body and ministry.
I must pray every day…without fail for pressing needs I know of that are afflicting those I know: sickness, distress, and trials. “Give us each day our daily bread.” This will necessarily include not only those I like and who like me – but also those who don’t particularly like me. Jesus commanded us to pray also for our enemies and for those who mistreat us and use us for spite. Matthew 5.43-48. I must pray that God will make Himself known to all, and that He will get glory to Himself through all our trials and afflictions.
I must pray every day…without fail for my personal growth in grace and in knowing Jesus Christ – Christlikeness. “Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” One of the purposes for praying is to bring our wills and lives into conformity to Jesus Christ in every aspect.
I must pray every day…without fail for God’s will to be fulfilled and accomplished in my day’s activities. “And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” I want God Himself to lay out my day’s path and order my steps into whatever He has planned for me. God will work out His own sovereign purposes and pleasures for me on a daily basis by leading into the activities that will bring His will into practical fruition.
I must pray every day…without fail that God will improve my preaching, teaching, and witnessing to make me more effective in ministering His Word. And that He will speak and work through me as I make my daily contacts and witness for Him. “Your Kingdom come…”
I must pray every day…without fail that God’s Word will run throughout the whole earth and that Christ will be proclaimed, glorified, and believed on…here, there, and every where. “Your Kingdom come…”
Yes! Happy “New Birth” Day to Me! Today is August 12th.
The Lord saved me on this day!
It was Thursday night, August 12, 1965. I remember it was Thursday night because the next day would have been “Friday the 13th” with all the mythological “unluckiness” that may befall us on that day. But, since I don’t believe in “luck” at all, but rather in the good Providences of our Sovereign God, I don’t have any fear at all of random unlucky Karma.
But, as I say, it was a Thursday night, August 12, 1965. My Dad and I were ‘batching it’ during those few days. Mom and my other siblings were visiting with relatives out of state, so Dad and I were alone.
We were having revival services that week in the church Dad was pastoring, Little Sewell Baptist Church, in Rainelle [Greenbrier County] West Virginia. O. P. Lilly was preaching that week, and that night all I remember about the message is that it was from 1 John, and he was preaching on The Evidences of the New Birth.
As he preached, the Holy Spirit convicted me that I was lost without God, still dead in my trespasses and sins.
That was a shocking revelation to me – because I had prided myself in being the model ‘good boy.’ I was born into the Baptist pastor’s family. Dad and Mom taught us the Gospel. Dad was a faithful preacher of the Gospel. I had heard the truth of the Gospel literally all my life. And, I was the compliant child. I had always wanted to please my parents and do everything in such a way that they would be pleased with me.
A couple of years before, I had made a public profession of faith, was baptized, and joined the church.
But, that night, the Lord convicted me that I was lost – and not just lost, but that I was guilty of what may be the most wicked sin of all – the sin of self-righteousness. For the first time in my religious life, I saw myself as a sinner before God and deserving of His wrath.
After the service, I was so heavily burdened, that I immediately went to our car and sat in the darkness waiting for Dad to finish his conversations with the others after the service. I thought he would never be ready to finally go home. But, he did. We made our way down the short crushed-rock driveway and across the little bridge over the creek, turned down the one-lane winding road to make our way home.
I was silent until we had started down the Crag Road, and then I said: “Dad, Preacher Lilly said tonight that if we couldn’t recall ever confessing to God that we are sinners and trusting in Christ alone for righteousness, then we are probably not saved.”
Dad just replied, “Well, Son, I guess there’s some truth to that.”
To which I said, “I can’t say that I have done that.”
Dad was kind of taken aback. “Son, do you think you are just doubting – or maybe you are just troubled over some sin?”
“No, Dad – I am lost!”
More driving – more quiet exchanges – “Well, Son, you know that all you have to do is confess to God that you are lost without Christ, and trust in Jesus’ death on the Cross and resurrection from the dead to pay for your sins, and forgive you, and give you eternal life.”
“Yes, Dad, I know all that! But, how do you do that?” I did know all that. I could have told anyone else what they needed to do to believe on Christ and be saved by faith in Christ alone. But, how to do that…I did not know! Because that believing in Christ is not a work of our human effort or ability. It is the gift of God. It comes only by the new birth that is given by the Holy Spirit.
So, Dad finally said, “Son, I can’t tell you how to believe on Christ. You’ll just have to call on God to save you, and He promises to save every one who calls upon Him because of what Jesus Christ has done for us on the Cross.”
So, I called out to God: “Oh, God, I am a sinner, and I want to be saved from my sins because Jesus Christ died on His Cross to bear my punishment on Himself! I know I can’t trust any good I have been or done. I am trusting in Jesus Christ! Please save me!”
And, God shone the light of faith and understanding into my young 14-year-old believing heart (2 Corinthians 4.6).
By this time, we were still on that dark country road right in front of the gate that opened up to the long driveway that went back to the old Doc Tincher homeplace [pictured here].
I came alive! God revealed to me that Christ was indeed my Savior; and that, because I was trusting in the finished work of Christ on His Cross, He, the Father, was crediting to me the perfect obedience and righteousness of Jesus Christ. I was justified, declared to be righteous, forgiven of all my sins! God had given me the new birth by the Holy Spirit because of the resurrection of Christ from the dead. I was born again…for the very first time of my religious life.
And, that is why I am praising God – who alone deserves all the credit and thanks for my salvation – and why I am wishing myself this Happy New-Birth Day!
I just want to share this with you!
“Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His Name together!” ~Psalm 34.3
Luke 23.39-43 | “Today – you will be with Me in Paradise!”
Jesus said to this repentant criminal,
“TODAY – YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE!”
In so doing, He made two promises to him – and for him…in his predicament…these two promises are good news & Good News:
You are going to die today – before this day is over!
When you do die, you and I will be together in Paradise!
So, let me ask you: “If you knew for sure you were going to die today – do you also know for certain that you would go to be with God in Heaven?”
You may not die today. It may still be some time before you. And, no one of us knows when we will die.
But, one thing is for sure – YOU WILL DIE. The survival rate for human life – from the beginning of the human race right down to this very day and hour – the survival rate for any human being getting out of this life without dying is EXACTLY TWO! That’s right – TWO! Out of all of the billions of people who have lived in the human race since the creation of Adam and Eve – exactly two have gone to Heaven without dying: Enoch and Elijah.
And so, the exceptions prove the rule. All the rest of the human beings have DIED. It is certain, inescapable, sure – you will die.
On the other hand, THE SURVIVAL RATE FOR CRUCIFIXION WAS ZERO. No one survived crucifixion. You always died on the cross. No criminal was ever taken down from the cross alive. That’s what crosses were for: killing those who were hanged on them. And, crosses were 100% effective!
So, this criminal knew when he was impaled to the cross that he wouldn’t survive – he wouldn’t come down alive.
But, after his change of heart – and after his appeal to Jesus to have mercy on him – he was promised that when he died on his cross that day, he would wake up in Paradise with this same Jesus!
-______________________________-
And so, I ask you again, “If you knew for sure that you were going to die today, do you know for certain that you would go to be with God in Heaven?”
Would you like to know for sure – with certain assurance – that if you were to die today, that you would go to be with Christ in Heaven?
-______________________________-
So, let’s go back to the Cross and see what’s going on there – and receive the message Jesus Christ has for us from His Cross.
PILING ON JESUS
Every single person around Jesus’ Cross that day was piling on Jesus – venting and spewing their hatred, disdain, and spleen against Jesus.
1 – The Jewish leaders and elders led the way
Luke 23.35 – The people stood watching, and even the leaders were scoffing: “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One! ”
Matthew 27.41-43 – In the same way the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked Him and said, 42 “He saved others, but He cannot save Himself! He is the King of Israel! Let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him. 43 He trusts in God; let God rescue Him now — if He takes pleasure in Him! For He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”
You can see them in your mind’s eye, as they strut around among the crowd that was gathering around the Cross, hyping them up, working them up – inciting them against Jesus, just like they had done earlier that morning when Pilate was trying to release Jesus back to them.
[And, Jesus was praying to the Father: “Father, forgive them…!”]
2 – Then, the passers-by, bystanders, gawkers, rubber-neckers – all took their cue and followed their lead
Luke 23.35 – And the people stood by watching…
Matthew 27.39-40 – Those who passed by were yelling insults at Him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! if you are the Son of God, come down from the cross! ”
[And, Jesus was praying to the Father: “Father, forgive them…!”]
3 – Even the soldiers entertained themselves by joining in the mockery
Luke 23.36-37 – The soldiers also mocked Him. They came offering Him sour wine 37 and said, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself! ”
They may have jabbed and poked one another and high-fived one another: “We have crucified a lot of low-lifes before, but this is the first King we have crucified!”
[And, Jesus was praying to the Father: “Father, forgive them…!”]
4 – But – what may have been most remarkable about all of those who mocked and jeered at Jesus as He was hanging and dying on His Cross – is that even the two criminals who were being executed along with Him that day also turned on Him and blasphemed Him – cursed Him!
Matthew 27.44 – In the same way even the criminals who were crucified with Him taunted Him.
This word “taunted” or “reviled” is the word “blasphemed” – they mocked and cursed at Jesus in every disdainful expression they could think of.
Mainly, they were just picking it up from the religious leaders and the people who were surrounding them on their crosses.
Everyone around Jesus’ Cross were turning all their attention toward Jesus – to mock and jeer Him – to celebrate their victory that day by finally getting rid of Him in this violent, despicable, and heinous way!
CHANGE OF HEART!
But, all of a sudden, something remarkable happened in the thought processes and heart of one of the criminals!
And, this took place rather quickly. All of these first events before the darkness descended on Golgotha took place in the first 3 hours – from 9am-noon.
Both of these criminals began their own execution experiences by joining in on the blasphemies that were being hurled toward Jesus.
But, suddenly – one of them is cursing Jesus by himself – and the other one is noticeably silent!
Luke picks up this part of the story in Luke 23.39 – Then one of the criminals hanging there began to yell insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us! ”
The other criminal is NOT joining in with him. The silence from the other criminal is deafening. He is thinking in his own conscience. He is taking all this in – everything that is going on around the center Cross:
Why is all this hateful attention being directed at this so-called King of the Jews?
They are being crucified also – but no one is barely paying any attention to them! Who is He?
He keeps hearing Jesus pray to the Father: “Father, FORGIVE THEM! … FORGIVE THEM … FORGIVE THEM!” – Who can pray like that under this abuse, injustice, and pain?
They keep jeering and mocking – calling Him “The Son of God”
Could He really be The Son of God?
What is all this “He saved others” all about?
Did He really save others?
How did He save others?
What did He save others from?”
He painfully twisted his body to look at the placard nailed over Jesus’ head. “Jesus of Nazareth – King of the Jews”
The elders and chief priests keep mocking Him as “The King of Israel.”
“Well,” he thought, “I am a Jew.”
“Is this Jesus my King?”
“What kind of Kingdom does this Jesus have?”
“What does He rule over?”
He knew what was on his own placard. Probably something like: “Felony Grand Theft” / “Murder” / “Anarchy-Insurrection-inciting riots” – whatever.
Finally – he thinks differently about Jesus! …and even about himself! He can’t take all the blasphemy any more!
He screams out to the other criminal! “STOP IT!”
Luke 23.39-41 – 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.”
THAT’S IT! – “But this Man has done nothing wrong!”
It flashes into his mind like a bolt of lightning!
It pierces his conscience like a light-saber!
It floods his soul with light and charges his heart with life-energy!
It grips him with the conviction of truth!
Even dying there himself like he was – on his own cross – it thrills his soul with courage and hope!
He saw that Jesus was dying the way He was…
with calmness and confidence
with courage
with Grace
even joy and sovereignty
because Jesus knew who He was! and Jesus knew what He was doing! and He knew where He was going!
HE WAS THE KING! AND HE WAS GOING TO HIS KINGDOM!
And so, he speaks up to the other criminal in Jesus’ defense – and he prepares to appeal to Jesus for his own mercy!
WHAT IS GOING ON IN HIS MIND – AND CONSCIENCE?
What is going on in his mind and conscience is, first of all, REPENTANCE TOWARD GOD! REPENTANCE FROM HIS SINS!
He screams out to the other criminal…
“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.”
Do you hear what he is doing? He is taking his honest place as a sinner against God! He is confessing his own personal sins against God, and he is repenting from them.
WHERE IS THIS CONVICTION & CONFESSION COMING FROM?
It is coming from [1] this personal encounter with Jesus Himself – and also from [2] the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit Himself is convicting this sinner of his own sins against God.
The word ‘repentance’ literally means: ‘a change / turning of mind’
not just a change in your whim or opinion
but a change in your very ways of thinking about things
you see everything differently – you see like God sees
you think about everything differently – you think like God thinks
Before now, this criminal had looked at all his misdeeds as misconduct maybe – but something to try to get away with.
But, now, he realizes that his sin is against God! ALL of his sins are against God! He is about to die – and he will answer to God for his crimes and his sins! And, HE IS TERRIFIED!
“Do you not even fear God?!” The state is fearful enough. Caesar is fearful enough – but all Caesar can do is kill your body. God has power to kill both your body and then kill your soul in Hell forever!
-______________________________-
SOMETHING ELSE IS GOING ON IN HIS MIND, SOUL, AND CONSCIENCE!
What is going on in his mind and conscience is FAITH TOWARD JESUS CHRIST!
He now sees Jesus Christ differently than just a short while ago when they were first nailed to their crosses.
NOW – He sees Jesus Christ
as the true Son of God
as the true Savior of sinners
as the One who somehow is being punished for the sins he himself is afraid to die under
This same Jesus – who Himself is dying in weakness on the Cross beside Him –is actually King over His Kingdom of Grace!
He really doesn’t believe that this crucifixion and death is the end of Jesus!
And he said, “Jesus…Lord – remember me when You come into Your Kingdom!”
That is, “extend mercy to me,” “save me to Your Kingdom,” “bring me to Your Kingdom!”
He believed that Jesus was going to live beyond this Cross! He believed that Jesus was going to enter into His Kingdom – victorious! And – he wanted Jesus to take him with Him!
And – that is precisely what Jesus did THAT DAY!
And He said to him, “Truly, I say to you,
TODAY you will BE WITH ME…IN PARADISE!”
-______________________________-
That is what you must do to be saved!
Romans 10.9…if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved!
He confessed with his mouth that Jesus is Lord! And, he believed in his heart that God would raise Him from the dead!
-______________________________-
And, later that afternoon, when Jesus exclaimed “Father, into Your hands I entrust my spirit!” – He may have also added something like: “Oh, and by the way, I’m bringing a new brother Home to Paradise with Me! He has believed on Me! I’m sure that’ll be OK!” And the Father would have replied, “My Son! Of course, that’s OK! That’s what I sent You to earth to die for! Bring him on!”
-______________________________-
Here is what we may learn for ourselves today from this repentant criminal:
You are never too bad or too sinful to be saved from your sins! And – none of your neighbors and friends are too bad or too sinful to be saved from their sins!
You are never too late or too far gone to believe on Christ and be saved from your sins!
OK – so you haven’t cared a whit up until now…today but, TODAY, right now – YOU CARE DEEPLY!
So, you have lived carelessly and never gave Jesus a thought but TODAY, right now – YOU WANT TO KNOW THIS JESUS!
So, you have ignored and squandered all the previous opportunities to repent of your sins and trust Jesus to die the death of punishment for your sins that you should have to die – but TODAY, RIGHT NOW – you are willing to come to Jesus Christ by the faith of your heart – and believe that He died there on His Cross in your place – SO YOU CAN LIVE FORGIVEN!
Here you are now! Here is Jesus now!
“Come, every soul by sin oppressed, there’s mercy with the Lord!
And He will surely give you rest by trusting in His Word!”
Don’t ever give up hope on anyone you are praying for and want to see saved! No sinner is hopelessly lost until that sinner has died without trusting in Jesus Christ to forgive him/her of their sins.
Don’t ever underestimate the power of a printed word – or a spoken word – that God may use to bring someone to faith in Christ! There will be scores of Grace Encounters & Divine Appointments that God will arrange and set up for you…when all we will have time and opportunity to do is speak the Name of Jesus or say a word about Jesus – or maybe leave a printed message of some kind in someone’s hand.
Be prepared – and don’t be ashamed to do what God gives you opportunity to do – as small or insignificant or weak as it may seem!
From all indications, all this dying criminal had to learn from as witnesses to Christ were
watching Christ Himself
looking at the printed placard and accusation that hung over Christ’s head
and hearing the jeering snide mockeries being hurled at Christ!
But, he did hear that! He did see that!
And that is what Jesus Himself used to bring this long-term, hardened sinner to faith in Himself.
God used all these means to shine the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ into this sinner’s darkened conscience – and brought him to see Christ as He is!
“For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but My kindness shall never depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed,” saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.
[1] When all of my plans fail around me,
and when all of my schemes are falling through…
when my fondest ambitions all go unfulfilled,
and my dreams all refuse to come true…
when my questions all hang without answers,
and a babe can my logic refute…
when my anchors give way, and my props throw me down,
LORD, YOUR LOVE IS MY ONE ABSOLUTE!
“For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed,
but My kindness shall never depart from thee;
neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed,”
saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee!
[2] For Your love never had a beginning
and will always endure without end;
never soul ever had a truer Lover,
and no one ever had a better Friend.
Then You poured out Your love on Mount Calvary,
your devotion no one can dispute.
When my soul stands in doubt of what the world’s all about –
THEN, LORD, YOUR LOVE IS MY ONE ABSOLUTE!
“For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed,
but My kindness shall never depart from thee;
neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed,”
saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee!
[3] Your sweet Love never comes with conditions,
You loved me when I was Your enemy.
I had turned You away without worship or praise,
but, in Love, You had first chosen me!
Now, in Christ, Heaven’s Love I inherit,
and no genius His worth can compute –
and when, for all I have strayed, You should cast me away,
STILL, LORD, YOUR LOVE IS MY ONE ABSOLUTE!
“For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed,
but My kindness shall never depart from thee;
neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed,”
Luke 23.32-43 | “Father, FORGIVE THEM!” | Being forgiven…and forgiving
The name Victoria Ruvolo probably won’t mean anything to you, but in Suffolk County NY, she has become the model and minister of FORGIVENESS.
Late one evening in November 2004, she was on her way home – just one block away from her own home – when a 20-lb frozen turkey came crashing through her windshield.
Some teenagers had stolen a credit card – and one of the items they bought with the credit card was a 20-lb frozen turkey. They thought it would be a fun prank to throw it through someone’s windshield. So, one of them, a young man by the name of Ryan Cushing, heaved it out of the car window as they were passing her.
The weight and force of the impact bent her steering wheel and then smashed her full in the face. It pulverized all the bones in her face and nearly killed her.
She didn’t wake up for more than a month. She remained in a medically-induced coma while they completely re-constructed her face with titanium plates – and multiple surgeries after that.
When the time came for Ryan’s trial, Victoria had had a change of heart. She wanted to forgive Ryan.
She asked for permission to meet with him – said she just wanted to find out who he was. She said she found out he was just a kid – he was not an ogre or monster.
He had just been out on a stupid prank and it went horribly wrong.
Ryan could have faced 25 years. Victoria lobbied with the district attorney to cut a plea deal – give him the minimum amount of time in jail. Ryan pled guilty to the crime, and Victoria pleaded with the judge to go light on him. Ryan got six months in jail and five years probation.
She said she wanted to forgive him and publicly hugged him at his sentencing – and said she wanted him to make something good out of the rest of his life.
She went on to write a book, published in 2011. She titled it No Room for Vengeance and talks about the power of forgiveness.
She still goes once a month to the County Prosecutor’s office for probation meetings and gives talks and counsels teens and young adults to reform their lives – and gives her testimony about FORGIVENESS.
And her compassion and willingness to forgive Ryan has inspired and influenced many to get over their bitterness and forgive those who have violated them. And not seek for payback and revenge.
She has even learned to laugh about her painful experiences. She came to be known as “The Turkey Lady.” So, she laughs and says, “Well, at least it was a turkey and not a ham. I could have been ‘Miss Piggy!’ ”
********************
I want to probe your conscience right now with two questions about forgiveness:
[1] What is the worst wrong that has ever been done to you or committed against you?
What is the most painful injury that you have suffered that made forgiveness most difficult for you?
[2] What is the worst wrong you have every committed?
Out of all the regrets that haunt you and plague you, what is the regret that haunts you the most?
You may even know that you have been forgiven for that wrong you have committed, but it still plagues you and haunts your memories?
********************
I was counseling with a member of our church just a few weeks ago, and we were talking about forgiveness – and how we can know we have been forgiven. We were rejoicing that we can be forgiven.
But, we both shared with each other how both of us are regretful and still haunted by the memories of our past sins.
We talked about the freeness, and the absoluteness, and the completeness of God’s forgiveness, but we are still plagued by the memories and regrets of those sins and violations we have committed.
********************
I have Good News from THE CROSS OF JESUS CHRIST for everyone of us who would like to have assurance that we have been forgiven.
I’m going to open up this message about FORGIVENESS from the Cross of Jesus Christ here – to make two life-lessons on FORGIVENESS AND FORGIVING
[1] FORGIVENESS – HOW CAN WE BE FORGIVEN OF ALL OUR SINS?
“Father, FORGIVE THEM!”
[2] FORGIVING – HOW CAN WE FORGIVE ALL THE WRONGS DONE AGAINST US AND ALL THE INJURIES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN INFLICTED UPON US?
Colossians 3.13 – “As the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive”
1 – CHRIST’S FIRST MESSAGE ON FORGIVENESS FROM HIS CROSS – HOW CAN WE BE FORGIVEN OF ALL OUR SINS?
Remember that question I just asked you: “What is the worst wrong you have every committed?”
I want to ask you a couple more questions to follow up on that one: [1] Do you know that you need to be forgiven of your sins? Romans 3.23 – “For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.” [2] Do you want to be forgiven of your sins? Colossians 2.13 – “[God has] forgiven you all trespasses…”
WHAT IS FORGIVENESS?
Keep in mind that being ‘forgiven’ means that
you are not being held responsible or accountable for making something whole again – something you owe or something you have broken
your guilt for sinning has been removed and taken away
you are no longer guilty for committing that sin or those sins
for example: if you owe a debt, and you are forgiven for that debt, you don’t have to pay it – it is canceled – it is considered paid in full – you don’t even owe it any more – no one can charge you with it and require you to pay for it
if you have wronged someone – or God – and they forgive you, that means that your relationship has been restored and made whole again – you were in debt to them for some violation – but you don’t have to ‘pay them back’ any more
if someone has wronged you or violated you, and you have truly forgiven that person, he/she doesn’t have to ‘pay you back’
Here is what Jesus is praying even as they are nailing Him to His Cross: verse 34 – “And Jesus was saying, “Father, FORGIVE THEM!…Father, FORGIVE THEM!…Father, FORGIVEN THEM!”
The reason I am repeating “Father, FORGIVE THEM!” is because Jesus was repeating it. He didn’t ask the Father just one time to forgive them for what they were doing.
I know it says here in our English text “And Jesus said…”Father, FORGIVE THEM!” – but if we could read this verb the way it is written here, it would be: “And Jesus was saying…“Father, FORGIVE THEM!”
In other words, He was saying“Father, FORGIVE THEM!”over and over again. It was an action being repeated.
********************
LISTEN TO HIS PLEA FOR FORGIVENESS!
WHAT IS JESUS ASKING THE FATHER TO FORGIVE THEM FOR? “Father, forgive them for they really don’t understand what they are doing.”
SO, WHAT WERE THEY DOING? – THEY WERE CRUCIFYING HIM!
Not just putting Him to death, but they were killing Him and putting Him to death ON A CROSS!
Read it again – verse 33 – And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.
And so, all the while – all throughout the torturous experiences of BEING CRUCIFIED, Jesus was praying to the Father: “Father, FORGIVE THEM!…Father, FORGIVE THEM!…Father, FORGIVE THEM!”
He prayed “FATHER, FORGIVE THEM…FOR CRUCIFYING ME!” – repeatedly, even as they were doing everything they were doing to Him while crucifying Him!
So, here is just a little of what they were doing to Jesus – and what He was praying that the Father would forgive them for!
He has already been up all night since He was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane last night
He has already endured over 14 hours of beatings and physical abuse – without sleep or rest – without food or water
they have dragged Him from one place to another all over Jerusalem throughout the night for six mock hearings and trials
they have not only verbally mocked Him – but they have beaten Him without mercy with their fists and wooden sticks or canes
they have already mocked His Kingship with a crown of thorns – and have beaten the spikes of the thorns into His skull with their wooden canes
they have tied Him to a post and have scourged Him with whips [later came to be known as “cat-o-nine-tails”] that had shards of glass and metal braided into the multiple strands of leather – until they had literally shredded the flesh and tissue on His back and sides – until they had even exposed His internal organs [Psalm 129.3 – “The plowers plowed upon My back; they made their furrows long!”]
He is losing blood and going into shock
and then, at daybreak, they prepare the procession through the city to march Him to the place of crucifixion – called Calvary/Golgotha/”The Skull”
around 9am, they arrive at Calvary
they strip Him naked – to humiliate Him, and expose Him to shame and indecency – “Father, FORGIVE THEM!”
He has carried His crossbeam on His own back until He had been overcome by exhaustion – they had conscripted a man named Simon to carry it the rest of the way to Calvary
they jerk Him backward and throw Him to the ground onto the crossbeam – “Father, FORGIVE THEM!”
they grab His arms and stretch Him out on the crossbeam – “Father, FORGIVE THEM!”
they search for the soft spots on His wrists between the bones and the arteries [He knows what is coming…] – “Father, FORGIVE THEM!”
the soldiers assigned to His execution take the spike-nails they have brought with them, and they pound the nails through His wrists to impale Him to the crossbeam – “Father, FORGIVE THEM!”
after they have impaled His arms to the crossbeam, they then place His feet one over the other and drive the spike-nails into His feet – “Father, FORGIVE THEM!”
then they raise the cross and drop it into the hole they have dug to stand it in – and His flesh begins to tear and rip apart – “Father, FORGIVE THEM!”
all the while, every nerve in His whole body is screaming with the pain, the cramps, and the dehydration of His body – “Father, FORGIVE THEM!”
and with every other act of torture and abuse, Jesus keeps praying to the Father: “Father, FORGIVE THEM!”
We really can’t do justice to even begin to describe just His physical agonies and pain…but over and over, Jesus keeps crying out – not for His own deliverance from the horrors and tortures of His own crucifixion [He had settled that last night in Gethsemane] – but He is praying to the Father for their deliverance…from the guilt of the sins they are committing against Him! “Father, FORGIVE THEM!”
And then, with utter disregard for Who He is or what they are doing to Him – they take the clothes they had stripped off of Him and begin to gamble for which one of them would get which few articles of clothing He had worn – “Father, FORGIVE THEM!”
This is just a little of what Jesus was praying that the Father would forgive them for!
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BUT, WAIT! – WHY IS HE PRAYING TO THE FATHER TO FORGIVE THEM? WHY DOESN’T HE JUST FORGIVE THEM HIMSELF?
You will remember that during His own lifetime, Jesus Himself had forgiven the sins of many sinners!
Luke 5.20 – “Son, your sins are forgiven you!”
Luke 7.48 – “Your sins [which are many] are forgiven!”
John 8.11 – “Neither do I condemn you [“I forgive you!”] – go and sin no more!”
But, here, He prays to the Father to forgive them! – WHY?
The reason Jesus is praying to the Father to forgive them is because:
[1] He knew the Father would forgive them because He knew this is the very reason why the Father had sent Him into our world…to die this very death He is dying – so the Father could forgive us and reconcile us back to Himself!
Of course, the Father would forgive them!
[2] Another reason He is praying to the Father to forgive them is because Jesus Himself is taking the place of these sinners – AND US!
Jesus is praying to the Father to not only forgive them – but also to forgive US of all our sins!
THE FORGIVE-ER IS NOW TAKING THE PLACE OF THE SIN-NER!
Jesus was sinless! Jesus Himself is God, the Son! Jesus had never sinned! Jesus had never committed even one sin!
But, He was dying there…this way…because He Himself was taking the blame and being punished for all of OUR sins!
Isaiah 53.4-6 – Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement [punishment] that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
God, the Father, made Him, God-the Son, to become sin for us! God, the Father, was charging all the blame and all the guilt of all our sins on His Son, Jesus Christ! – so WE can be forgiven of ALL our sins! [2 Corinthians 5.17-21]
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BUT, NOT ONLY LISTEN TO HIS PLEA FOR OUR FORGIVENESS – BUT ALSO LOOK AT THAT PLACARD OVER HIS HEAD!
They had written a placard and nailed it to His Cross over His head. verse 38 – “And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: ‘This is the king of the Jews’.”
That was the custom. When a criminal was executed, they would publish his crimes and indictments on a placard and nail it to his cross, so everybody could know what their crimes were. The other two criminals who were crucified with Christ also had placards. Theirs might have read their crimes like: “MURDER – ROBBERY – INSURRECTION – INCITING RIOTS” or whatever other capital crimes they may have committed.
But, Jesus had committed no crimes worthy of death. Even Pilate had protested to the Jewish leaders: “Why should I crucify Him? I find no death-worthy fault in Him!”
But the Jewish leaders had persuaded the Roman authorities that this Jesus of Nazareth had proclaimed Himself to be the King of the Jews – and therefore, He was committing and inciting TREASON against the Roman Caesar – which, of course, was a capital offense.
So, His only crime they could accuse Him of committing was “This is Jesus of Nazareth – King of the Jews!”
********************
But, what was really on that placard were YOUR sins – and MY sins!
Jesus was dying under the charge of all OUR sins! Jesus was being punished with death because of all OUR sins!
And so – you can be forgiven because Jesus was being punished for the sins you and I have committed against Him and the Father!
Here’s what the apostle Paul wrote in Colossians 2.13-14: And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, HAVING FORGIVEN US ALL OUR TRESPASSES, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross.
Jesus died on His Cross to be punished for the sins we have committed! And, when He died, He was canceling [forgiving] all the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands…and He set it aside – He canceled it – He paid it in full! He took all our sins and put them away – He paid for them all.
And so, God’s grand and resounding verdict is: “HAVING FORGIVEN US ALL OUR TRESPASSES!”
So, right now, think of all the sins you have committed against the Holiness and the Love of God – I know you can’t even remember or think about them all [but God knows them all!] – but GOD FORGIVES ALL OUR TRESPASSES!
Yes, you – ALL YOUR TRESPASSES!
Yes – even that sin!
Yes – even all those sins!
All of our sins were blamed to Jesus – and all our trespasses were nailed to the Cross in Jesus Christ as He died there for us!
YOU CAN BE FORGIVEN OF ALL YOUR TRESPASSES!
And so, I ask you again: do you know that you need to be forgiven? Do you want to be forgiven of all your sins!
You can be forgiven of all your sins – because Jesus Christ died on His Cross under the charges and the blame of all the sins we have committed!
-____________________-
II – and now, JESUS’ SECOND MESSAGE ON FORGIVENESS FROM HIS CROSS – HOW CAN WE FORGIVE ALL THE WRONGS DONE AGAINST US AND ALL THE INJURIES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN INFLICTED UPON US?
That was the other question I asked you at the beginning of this story: to think of the most painful wrong you have ever suffered from someone else – the deepest pain anyone else may have inflicted upon you…
WE MUST FORGIVE! WE CAN FORGIVE!
“But,” you say, “I can’t forgive that! I won’t forgive that!”
Jesus Himself commanded us to pray this very same prayer He Himself is praying – and to pray it like He Himself is praying it! We must do that!
Jesus taught and commanded us in Matthew 6.12 – “Pray like this…forgive us our trespasses…as we forgive those who trespass against us!”
And then He went on to say [Matthew 6.14-15]: For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
So easy to say – so easy to recite – so hard to do! But, we must do that!
Here, again, is what the apostle Paul taught the church at Colosse – and all of us churches – how and why we should forgive one another: [Colossians 3.12-13] Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
And, again, in Ephesians 4.31-32 – Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
We must forgive one another – and we can forgive one another – because God has forgiven us in the Cross of Christ.
If we are Christians – if we are followers of Jesus Christ – if we are saved and forgiven of our sins – if we are raised with Christ in new life – then CHRIST HIMSELF LIVES IN US AND PRAYS IN US!
And this is what He continues to pray: “Father, FORGIVE THEM!”
And by the power of the new birth – and the very Holy Spirit of Christ Himself who lives in us when we are born again through faith in Him – we can forgive any and all wrongs that are done against us by the same Grace and Love that has forgiven us!
No other person has ever done anything against us that even comes close to what everyone of us has done to God – and to Jesus Christ!
Remember: it was my sin – and your sin – that nailed Jesus Christ to His Cross!
And, all of those sins that you and I have been reviewing – that you have been remembering – that still haunt you and torment your memories – Christ died to be punished by the wrath of God in your place – JESUS PAID IT ALL!
Remember these words: “HAVING FORGIVEN US ALL OUR TRESPASSES!”
28 May 2017 | The Lord’s Day AM | Thompson Road Baptist Church
Philippians 1.1-11 | I thank my God in all my remembrance of you
[TRBC Resignation Message]
Philippians 1.1-11
Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now.
6 And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
-______________________________-
I think it is probably safe to say that out of all the scores of churches that the apostle Paul either personally gathered and founded himself – or else nurtured and ministered to – no church was nearer and dearer to his heart, or more beloved to him than this church in Philippi
He loved all the churches, but he probably used terms of endearment when he addressed this Philippian church that he didn’t use to address any other church.
We just read some of them:
verse 7 – It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart
verse 8 – For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus
And so, please allow me to borrow and echo some of Paul’s words and sentiments here to express my own feelings and commitments to you all this morning.
I won’t be but a few minutes – but I want to use three of Paul’s anchor statements here to speak for myself also:
#1 verse 3 – [Paul said…] I thank my God in all my remembrance of you…
[I say…] I WILL REMEMBER YOU – AND THANK MY GOD FOR THE MEMORIES
#2 verses 7-8 – [Paul said…] It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart…For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
[I say…] I LOVE YOU
#3 verse 9 – [Paul said…] And it is my prayer…
[I say…] I PRAY FOR YOU…AND WILL PRAY FOR YOU
-______________________________-
1
verse 3 – [Paul said…] I thank my God in all my remembrance of you…
[I say…] I WILL REMEMBER YOU – & THANK MY GOD FOR THE MEMORIES
Note that he doesn’t even say “I thank YOU for the memories…” [i.e., referring to the Philippians themselves]. He does thank them for the memories – because he had made the memories with them. They had created and experienced the memories together by their personal interactions with each other.
But, he says, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you”
The reason he says it this way is because Paul recognized that he had God to thank:
that he even knew them at all
and that he had any relationship with them at all
and for all the memorable experiences they had shared together
Of course, every church relationship is a God-thing. Only God can gather a church and create a church body. The church is the very body of Jesus Christ – a human physical incarnational Presence of Jesus Christ. Paul tells the Philippian church that they are a church “in Christ Jesus”: verse 1 – “To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi…”
And so, we are NOT just a gathering or society of mutual friends.
We are NOT, first of all, just friends with each other – we are first of all friends with Christ [John 15.12-17].
We are NOT, first of all, partners with just each other here in the church – we are first of all partners with Christ [1 Corinthians 3.5-9ff.].
But, just think about this church at Philippi. Just remember from Acts, chapter 16, how this church came to be. This church was an “uh-oh” church – [as far as human intention and planning had to do with it]. Paul and his missionary partners had not planned to establish this church in their own purposes and vision.
Paul and his missionary team had no intentions of being in southern eastern Europe [where Philippi is]. They were trying to go back into Asia Minor when the Holy Spirit just stopped them cold and re-directed them across the Aegean Sea into Macedonia and on to Philippi [Acts 16.6-10].
And then, if you will remember, when they got to Philippi, there was no Gospel presence in that Roman colony.
But there were three episodes of “God-things” that got that church started:
God opened Lydia’s heart in a gathering of women to pray down by the river and she became a believer [verses 11-15].
God expelled a demon from a slave-girl and she became a believer [verses 16-24].
God sent an earthquake and dismantled the prison where they were being held and the jailor became a believer [verses 25-34].
No doubt these three new believers [along with others] became the founding nucleus and charter members of the church at Philippi. And they continued to befriend Paul in his ministry and travels to other places during the next ten years up to the writing of this letter.
But when Paul says “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now…” – what he is remembering most of all, and thanking God for most of all, is those first memories and experiences of how they came to know each other to begin with – and how they first became partners in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Every one of those experiences was a “God-thing” – “an act of God.”
God had brought them together through extraordinary, unexpected, unintended, and supernatural Providences. God had opened their hearts. God had bundled them together – not only in the bonds of human experiences and relationships – but more so, in the bonds of Gospel witness and the service of Jesus Christ.
And so, even now – at this very moment – as I stand here and look at you all in this room, my heart is awash with thanksgivings to God for bringing me here to this place the first time – and knitting our lives together in this body & this ministry.
Because [if I may go personal on you here] – my very first memories for which I thank my God – go back even beyond 35 years ago when Debbie and I came here to serve in this church. I go back even 10 years before that, to another February of 1972, when Pastor Hamilton asked me to come here & preach in the Youth Conference that was hosted by this church.
He picked me up at the Bluegrass Airport and brought me to their house to stay, and I first laid my eyes on their daughter, Debbie – and I was very impressed. It may not have been the fabled “love at first sight,” but I was very impressed!
She was a Phantom of delight
When first she gleamed upon my sight;
A lovely Apparition, sent
To be a moment’s ornament… [William Wordsworth, 1804]
And then four years later, we were married right here where I am standing now.
But, after that and beyond that – I thank my God for bringing us together for the past 35 years in this present relationship to serve, work, and labor together in this partnership God has created and given to us – and we have forged together in the ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
And I do mean all of you – and all of those many others – who have given to us and shared with us the love, the ministry, and the God-given memories of the past 35 years.
“I will remember you…and thank my God for those memories!”
-______________________________-
2
verses 7-8 – [Paul said…] It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart…For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
[I say…] I LOVE YOU
I have already pointed out how Paul unashamedly and unabashedly expressed his passionate love for these dear people.
And, this was not just a perfunctory “OK – I have to love you, so I do.” He was real, genuine, sincere, transparent.
“I hold you in my heart…”
“I yearn for you all with the affections of Christ Jesus…”
So, just allow me to tell you again, “I LOVE YOU ALL!”
I love you for your faith
I love you for your commitment to Jesus Christ
I love you for your partnership in the ministry of the Gospel and serving Jesus Christ – just think of everything we have done together over the past 35 years
I love you for your personal friendship to me
I love you for all the expressions of your love, affection, and appreciation you have shown Debbie and me and our family over all these years
I love for all the ways you all have taken care of us in every way we have needed to be taken care of
And, our love will go on…
“God is my witness – I LOVE YOU with the affections of Christ Jesus!”
-______________________________-
3
verse 4 – [Paul said…] …always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy; and in verse 9 – [Paul said…] And it is my prayer…
[And I say…] I PRAY FOR YOU
I pray for you…everything Paul prayed for this church
I pray, first of all, that God will continue to do greater “God-things” here through the ministry of this church in these days to come
verse 6 – And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
God has begun this good work in us – has continued doing His good work in us to this day – and I am sure He will work it to completion…until the Day of Jesus Christ [whenever soon that Day will be…]
There is no one day – nor groups of days during our lifetimes and histories that tell the whole story of what God has done – is doing – and will do through us – between now and the Day of Jesus Christ.
Everyone of us – and all of us together – are on-going works in progress.
And, I will continue to pray and hope that the best days of Thompson Road Baptist Church are still ahead of you & yet to come.
The ministry of this church will continue to go on. The church has no way to go but forward. Commit yourselves to the call of God to continue to press forward. And, I pray that you will.
8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Greater things are yet to come. You should commit yourselves to your mission and vision and follow the call of Jesus Christ to reach this community and city with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1.27 (Christian Standard Bible)
Just one thing:
As citizens of Heaven, live your life worthy of the Gospel of Christ.
Then, whether I come and see you or am absent,
I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, in one accord, contending together for the faith of the Gospel…
[To announce my intentions to resign from my then-pastorate]
John 12.20-33
Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks.
21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’ But for this purpose I have come to this hour.
28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
29 The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”
30 Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine.
31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.
32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die.
-______________________________-
A PARABLE TO LEARN [a PARABLE about FOLLOWING]
24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
When Jesus employs this short parable in verse 24, He is actually using it to illustrate two examples of FOLLOWING.
[1] First of all – this parable is His own personal testimony of FOLLOWING His own Father’s will and instructions to come to our earth – be planted in death in our earth by dying on His Cross – and then being raised again in resurrection to save us from our sins.
If He had just come and lived a perfectly sinless life of obedience to His Father – but had not died – He would have just remained alone in His sinlessness.
But then again, if He hadn’t been planted in the earth in death, He wouldn’t have been sinless – because His death was His supreme act of obedience in following His Father’s will.
John 10.17-18 – “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
The Father had sent Him here to us – and commanded Him – to die on the Cross as punishment for our sins.
Jesus says in verse 23, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified”
This “hour” – this event had been appointed to Him by His Father. And the time has come for Him to FOLLOW His Father’s will and wishes to His Cross.
Philippians 2.8 – He became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross
And so – He FOLLOWED the Father’s commands and will and purpose – and FOLLOWED the Father’s will all the way to the Cross.
He Himself explains this parable as it applies to His FOLLOWING: verse 27 – “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour…”
verses 32-33 – “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die.
And so, this grain of wheat seed that falls into the ground and dies is, first of all, Jesus Himself dying on His Cross – to bear the guilt of our sins upon Himself – to be punished for the guilt of our sins – and then to be raised again from death to show that our sins had been actually forgiven and taken away.
This “much fruit” that He bears is all of us whom He saves when we believe upon Him for the forgiveness of our sins – and the free gift of eternal life
And, He did this to FOLLOW His Father’s will and commandment.
-______________________________-
But, there is also another reason why Jesus employed this parable.
[2] This parable also illustrates how He is calling each of us to FOLLOW Him and give Him the service of our lives – wherever He wants to plant us to live for Him and serve Him and bear fruit for Him.
-______________________________-
A PRIORITY TO APPLY
He explains how we FOLLOW HIM in the very next verse, verse 25: [read verse 24 again just to set it up and connect it… Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.]
verse 25 – Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
“Whoever loves his life…”
To “love your life” means that you want to keep your life to yourself – and live it the way you want to live it. You are NOT following Jesus Christ – you are following yourself. You are NOT serving Jesus Christ – you are serving yourself.
You retain ownership of your own life. You reserve all the rights to your own life to yourself.
You don’t want to confess that Jesus is Lord – and give your life to Him to serve Him – and follow Him and obey Him in everything you do.
“Whoever loves his life loses it…”
If you insist on keeping your life for yourself – then you will lose it…you will lose your life during this lifetime – and you will lose your life forever separated from God. Your life will wasted during this lifetime, and you will be wasted for eternity.
“Whoever hates his life in this world…”
On the other hand, if you “hate your life” – that means that you don’t consider your life as belonging to you…you turn over the title and ownership of your life to Jesus Christ – to belong to Him, to obey Him, to serve Him, to please Him. You FOLLOW Jesus.
Acts 20.24 – But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the Gospel of the grace of God.
When you do that, Jesus promises you will keep your life to life eternal.
-______________________________-
A LIFE-PLAN TO FOLLOW
So, let me give you three simple rules for living a life worth living. You’ll find these three simple steps in the next verse:
1. FOLLOW JESUS
“If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me.”
To “serve” Jesus means that you confess that He is Lord – and Lord of your life, and you obey Him. You live your life at His pleasure. You read His Word – you learn His will…what pleases Him…what He wants from you and for you…you learn from Him what He commands you to do, and you do it. [Matthew 11.25-30]
And, in so doing, you FOLLOW JESUS. When you FOLLOW JESUS, you do what He commands you to do. You go where He wants you to go – Jesus gives all life assignments. We just follow…
-______________________________-
2. SERVE WHERE JESUS WANTS TO WORK THROUGH YOU
His next words are: “…and where I am, there will My servant be also…”
“But, wait…” you say, “I thought Jesus was everywhere!” He is.
But, when Jesus says “…and where I am, there will My servant be also…” – He means to say that He leads us and places us and assigns us to serve Him wherever He chooses to be working through us. That is how “where I am, there will My servant be also…”
Jesus can be everywhere at the same time – but we cannot. We can be in only one place at a time – so we want to be in that place wherever Jesus has led us…and we have followed Him there.
Also, we cannot do – not even one thing – on our own. We cannot do anything – except what Jesus Himself is doing through us. He tells us in John 15.5: I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
So, if we are going to do anything – it must be where He Himself is…living and working through us. And so, we just want to be where Jesus wants us to be:
so we can be doing whatever He has given us to do
so He can be working through us
to accomplish what He wants to do through us
1 Corinthians 15.10 (CSB) – But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
And so, FOLLOW JESUS to be sure you are where He wants you to be – and where He wants to be working through you to do what is pleasing to Him.
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And then, that brings us to the third step in FOLLOWING JESUS…
3. YOU WILL PLEASE THE FATHER WHEN YOU FOLLOW JESUS
Jesus gives this blessing on whoever FOLLOWS Him: “If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him”
That is strange language, isn’t it? You mean: “God, our Heavenly Father, will HONOR us when we serve Jesus?” Yes. That’s what Jesus says.
How does the Father HONOR us when we serve Jesus?
The Father honors us by BEING PLEASED WITH US – He honors us with HIS PLEASURE. The greatest honor our Heavenly Father could ever confer upon any one of us is to say to us:
“Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your Master’s joy!” [Matthew 25.23 CSB]
“You did good!”
“I’m happy with you!”
“It wasn’t perfect – but you did what I gave you to do – and you did it the best you could with the gifts I gave you to use!”
You want to please the Father, don’t you?
Nobody pleases the Father like His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus said in John 8.29 “And He who sent Me is with Me. He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him”
Three times, the Father audibly spoke and thundered from Heaven [as here in John 12.28] and said: “This is my much-beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased – HEAR HIM [listen to Him, obey Him, serve Him, FOLLOW HIM!]” / Matthew 3.17; Mark 1.11; Luke 3.22
And so, the Son PERFECTLY pleases the Father, and everyone who follows the Son pleases the Father also.
“If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him!”
I want the Father to honor me by just giving me the assurance that He is pleased by my serving His Son, Jesus Christ – and FOLLOWING JESUS where I believe Jesus is leading me – and being where Jesus wants me to be and doing what Jesus wants me to be doing…by His working through me.
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And so, having said all this about FOLLOWING JESUS – let me give you just a word of testimony about FOLLOWING JESUS…and then I want to make an announcement about FOLLOWING JESUS…
A WORD OF TESTIMONY about FOLLOWING JESUS
Debbie and I came here to Thompson Road Baptist Church 35 years ago – the end of February, 1982. Upon our arrival that week, I preached that Sunday night, 2/28/82, from Matthew 13.1-9 ff “Sowing for Souls” to announce my intentions to devote my ministry to this church and community – to ‘sow’ and plant our lives here for the Gospel.
We believed we were following Jesus Christ to come here. And, we believed we were following Jesus here to serve Him here.
We believed that this is where Jesus wanted to live through us and work through us – and hopefully to please Him.
When we came here, we fell into this part of the earth and died – in the sense that we have given the past 35 years of our lives here…to Jesus Christ, to this church, to you, and to this community.
For whatever good or lack of good we may have done – Christ will be the judge of that. For whatever fruit – or lack of fruit – we may have borne along the way, Christ will be the judge of that also.
But, what we have done is given our lives away to anyone and everyone who either asked for it – or whom we thought needed what service we have had to give.
If we had loved our lives, we could have tried to keep more of it for ourselves. But, we haven’t…we have been willing to give it all away…and we have.
Everyone may judge the effectiveness or fruitfulness of our service according to their own perceptions – and perspectives – but those judgments don’t count – and won’t count in the end. Neither will my own perceptions and perspectives on my own service. The only evaluation that will count and stand in the end is the one Jesus Himself will give each one of us in the Last Day.
But what we would say is [in the words of Paul…] 1 Corinthians 4.1-5:
This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.
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But, we believe that the time has come for us to FOLLOW JESUS somewhere else. We just believe that whatever Jesus led us here to do – and whatever we followed Him here to do – we believe that that work has been fulfilled & completed.
It is time for the church to move forward under new leadership. We are recognizing that.
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And so – I HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO MAKE about FOLLOWING JESUS
I am giving the church a one-week’s notice that I will be presenting my resignation to the church next Sunday – to resign from my position as Senior Pastor. I will be asking the church to recognize and accept my resignation next Sunday morning.
I know this is sudden and abrupt – and surprising to some of you
I apologize that we haven’t been able to give everyone a personal head’s up… and advance notice.
But, I will have to make the announcement for the first time…some time – and now is that time.
Also, as much as possible, I wanted to be as fair as possible to you all and tell everyone at the same time.
This is not a sudden decision and commitment. We have arrived at this decision after many weeks and months of praying, fasting, and seeking to know where Jesus is.
Jesus says: “And where I am, there will My servant be also…” Every time an event would transpire – every time some development would occur – we would join our hands and pray and ask: “Jesus, is this You? Jesus, are You leading in this? Jesus, is this where You are going? Is this where we need to go to follow You?”
It has never been easy. It has always been unsettling. But, we are very much at peace with where we believe Jesus is – and where we believe Jesus is leading us and we are following Him.
So, next Sunday morning, I will formally present my resignation to the church body and that service will fulfill and conclude my ministry among you.
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Everyone of you needs to know that our love for every one of you – and all of you – and for Thompson Road Baptist Church – has not changed and will not change. Our mutual love will go on. And, our friendship will go on. And, our personal relationships and fellowship will go on. And not just for our lifetimes here, but for ever and ever and ever. And, as I have told you repeatedly over the past several years – “forever and ever and ever is a very, very, very long time!”
And, I will continue to pray for…and seek the blessing, favor, and approval of God upon you.
WHY WE CAN PRAY WELL WHEN WE DON’T KNOW HOW TO PRAY OR WHAT TO PRAY FOR – the Holy Spirit Himself prays through us, with us, and for us!
HOW THE HOLY SPIRIT INTERCEDES FOR US!
How many times have you read those words in Romans 8.26-28 and wondered what those “groanings which cannot be uttered” are? And, what are those “infirmities” (weaknesses)?
Here’s another quote from Timothy Keller’s book “Prayer” (pages 72-73):
“According to Paul, however, ‘Abba’ prayer is not the only kind of prayer we are given by the Spirit” (referring to his previous treatment of Romans 8.14-25). “Paul doesn’t speak merely of the Spirit of adoption but also of the Spirit as ‘intercessor’:
Romans 8.26-28: Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. And He who searches the hearts of men knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. We know that in everything God works for good with those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
“There has been debate over the meaning of ‘the Spirit’s groans.’ Some believe this is the Spirit helping us when we are desperate and groaning, but it is unlikely that this is describing only times of depression.
“Rather, the ‘weakness’ referred to in verse 26 is the weakness described in the preceding verses, which refer not just to times of despondency, but to our entire human situation of frustrated longings as we await the future glory (verses 18-25, especially verse 23).
“We know that God is working out all things for our good according to His will (verse 28), but seldom can we discern what that good actually is.
“In other words, most of the time, we don’t know exactly what outcome we should pray for. The Spirit, however, makes our groaning His groaning, putting His prayers to the Father inside our prayers.
“He does so by placing within us a deep, inexpressible longing to do God’s will and see His glory. This aspiration – this ‘groaning’ desire to please Him – comes through in our petitions to God.
“In every specific request, then, the Father hears us praying for what is both truly best for us, and pleasing to Him, ‘and the intercession of the Spirit is answered as God works all things for our good.’
“The Spirit enables us to long for the future glory of God and His will, even though we don’t know how the specific thing we should pray for here and now.
“Prayer is the way to experience a powerful confidence that God is handling our lives well, that our bad things will turn out for good, our good things cannot be taken from us, and the best things are yet to come.”
WHAT MUST I PRAY FOR EVERY DAY – WITHOUT FAIL?
~Dave Parks 