What the Death of Jesus Means to You: Enduring Pain on Our Behalf

Today's episode of a new beginning is brought to you by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God. Learn more@harness.org and while you're there, browse our library of free e-books designed to help you grow in your faith when you think Jesus really is the most important question from Pastor Greg Laurie was a woman born so was when the woman was no formal is all about was.

I don't think that was the moment so you would most people moment was just a moment. The rich writing weaves together a narrative what Jesus certainly the most is and what these events were choreographed by the father from the beginning of time. Surprising first century citizens seeing it in real beginning regularly presents his message with the death of Jesus means you grab your Bible and Mark Dr. Jean, the title of my messages. What does Jesus means to you.

Let me start with the question when you think Jesus experienced the most pain. You think it's when they put the crown of thorns on his head. You think of when he was beaten with the Roman web most likely a Roman job of nine tails you think it's when they drove those nails through his hands and his feet is horrible and horrific is all about was. I don't think that was his most painful moment. I'll tell you what I think is most people moment was and I'm also going to talk about the most painful moment in my own life at the end of the message.

Mark 15 says in verse 22. They brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha that is the place of the skull. They offered him wine drug with murder but he refused it and the soldiers crucified him was 9 o'clock in the morning when they crucified him to sign, announce the charge.

It was against him. The King of the Jews and the revolutionaries were crucified with them one on his right and one is left with back of the cross. For a moment. Here's Christ hanging on the cross, the crown of thorns is on his head, his back is torn open by the Roman with understand this death by crucifixion was not dying by having the nails put your hands and feet, as horrible as it was in effect death by crucifixion was death by suffocation.

The Carthaginians invented crucifixion.

Let's just say the Romans perfected it in a horrific way it was designed to humiliate a prisoner. Prisoners would often be nailed to the cross naked. It was designed as a warning to anyone that would rise up against Ron.

These were serious criminals that were hung there on the crosses and the reason you died was because you could not breathe. So you see that little step. At the foot of the cross, the crucified person would have to pushed himself up to get a gulp of air and of their lung. Obviously that would cause great pain on your hands, which were nailed to the cross. The nail pounded through the feet as well and so there is Jesus saying it so it's hard to breathe. Now you want to talk about same things from the cross extremely difficult, yet Christ gave seven significant statements from the cross. We have become a piece them together from all the gospel to get them in their proper order.

So is Jesus is hanging on the cross between two thieves are two other criminals. This first words were father forgive them for they know not what they do.

One of the criminals crucified next to them turns him and says, Lord, remember me when you come in your kingdom and Jesus gives a second statement from the cross, when he says to this man truly, truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.

Standing at the foot of the cross there stands Mary the mother of Jesus. Imagine her anguish to look up there and see her beloved son. She once guided those little tiny hands that are now nailed to a cross Isaiah tells us he was so bloodied and beaten and traumatized.

You could not even tell he was a man, and Jesus looks down from the cross and he says this third statement from the cross which is woman, behold, your son John the apostle was standing nearby and then he says to John son. Behold your mother in effect saying to John, take care of my mother for me. Then presumably he takes on the sin of the world and gives the four statement from Calvary which is Eli, Eli Lama Sabbagh Finley which is my God, my God, why have you forsaken me statement number five as I thirst. Statement number six. It is finished.

In the final statement statement number 70, says of the father in your hands I commit my spirit. Let's contemplate for a moment that riveting first statement of Jesus when he says father forgive them for they know not what they do. That's in Luke 2334 Jesus is basically same father forgive them. They need forgiveness so desperately.

They committed a sin that is wicked beyond all comprehension. Father forgive them. They don't know what they've done a by the way it's implied in the original language. He said that more than what so wasn't just one statement. Father forgive them for they know not what they do, but rather father forgive them. They know not what they do.

Father forgive them.

They don't know what they've done. Father forgive them. He was saying it over and over again now.

Initially we know the boat thieves joined in the chorus of mockery with the people standing at the foot of the cross or save if he is the Christ, if he is the son of God, let them come down from the cross, he should save himself, so at the beginning first crisis crucified. Everyone's mocking him, including the criminals on each side. Jesus gives statement number one from Calvary. Father forgive them for they know not what they do and one of those thieves comes to his senses and he believes, and he rebukes the other guy. If I get. She says that the other guy don't you fear God, knowing were under the same condemnation what woke this man up. Why did he believes so quickly, and by the way, to become a Christian. It doesn't take years. It doesn't take months. It doesn't even take hours can happen just like that could happen for you at this moment why you're listening to me speak with you suddenly realize all of this is true. Jesus is the son of God. I can come and your relationship with him. I can know God of the personal way.

That's what happened to that guy. What one him over what softened his hardened heart. It's when he saw Jesus, forgive the men would done this horrific thing to him by the way, we don't know that those thieves had been scourged. We don't believe those thieves had crowns of thorns on their heads. But Jesus had all that in addition to the horrors of the crucifixion, and that men believe because he saw this forgiveness in action. Amazing. And then he says to Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom and Jesus says truly, truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.

This is what we call a deathbed conversion my talking to someone on a deathbed right now my talking to someone whose life is coming to an end.

Let me save you no matter how you've lived no matter what sins you committed God could and will forgive you if you will call out to him.

I told you before my mother was married and divorced seven times so I know full time ministry sharing the gospel to my mom's former husband's and I tried to reach as many of them as I could. Once he was married to when her life finally came to an end. He was a man who was not open to God throughout his life and actually kinda made fun of me and what I believed, but then he got very ill. My mother died and then some time past and someone called me up and told me that she was very sick and at that store. I was on my way to a speaking engagement.

On the other side of the country had a flight to catch and.and I said you know it all go visit him tomorrow when I get back and they said will do whatever you want to do but he's really ill. I don't think you'll make it through the night and so I'm driving to the airport.

I'm telling you the Lord spoke to me and said go go to him right now so I did a U-turn and drove over to his house, walked in there he was in hospital bed in his den. Clearly not long for this world and I shared with him the gospel and I told him. Jesus died on the cross for him, and rose again from the dead, and he could believe in Jesus said would you like to do this right now and he said yes and we pray was a deathbed conversion and that I bid him God bless and set out to see him when I got back and I can't my flight and when I landed I got a text on my phone that said, he just died while got on the wire got in under the wire now. Tell you what you can call on the Lord no matter what you've done in the hope forgive you Jesus for gave this hardened criminal.

Today, you'll be with me in paradise now, and all of this moment takes place.

This is been described as the crucifixion in the crucifixion.

It's 9 o'clock in the morning suddenly the sun goes dark like an eclipse and some extra biblical sources suggest there was a universal darkness, as darkness falls on the land in the dark. This is peers for the voice of Jesus giving this board statement from the cross and Mark 1533, as darkness fell across the whole land until 3 o'clock at 3 o'clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, Eli, Eli Lama suboptimally which means my God, my God, why have you were sickening. No fiction writer would ever have kids hero make a statement like this.

Some people sell the Bible fiction sum it up know this is a true story and this is showing what Christ was experiencing. Now we know at some moment Jesus bore the sin of the world. The Bible clearly tells us this when it happened.

We can't be exactly sure what it would seem to me this is the moment when all of the sin of humanity, past, present and future is poured upon Christ. Thus he says my God, my God, why have you forsaken me. Look, Jesus had been forsaken by his disciples by a large they had fled, but he always had the father.

The father was always there with him. Jesus said in John 829 the one who sent me is with me and the father has not left me alone then in John 1632 Jesus says.

Indeed, the hour is coming and now is come in you'll be scattered each to his own and you will leave me alone, but I'm not alone because the father is with me, with no at the cross is the sin of the world is poured upon Jesus God the father turns his face away from the sun. Why, because God and his holiness cannot look at sin. The Scripture says of God is a purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on iniquity zone affect the father turns his face away as he pours his wrath on his son the wrath and anger of God that should've been poured on you.

It should have been poured on me with sport instead on Jesus and this was his most painful moment. I raise the question earlier.

What was the most painful moment was it when they put the crown of thorns on his head. I don't think so, was it when they use a woman whip on his back is horrible as I was. I don't think that was it was a when they pounded the spike through his hands and his feet again though it was when all the sin of the world was placed upon him. Why, because Jesus never sinned, ever, not even one thought out of harmony with the father.

Jesus said I always do the things that please him who could say that Jesus and it was true. But here is Jesus now separated in effect from the father but listen to this.

Jesus was first taken, so I don't have to be. Let me say that again Jesus was forsaken, so I don't have to be Jesus was forsaken of God, so I could be forgiven.

Jesus entered the darkness that I might walk in the light.

Jesus was forsaken of God for a time that I might enjoy his presence for ever.

Jesus and gives his fifth statement from Calvary. I thirst, I thirst.

This wasn't any normal thirst that he was just dying there dehydrated and he cries out. I thirst bringing us and by the way, that shows the humanity of Christ. Yes, he was God walking among us but he was also a man. He felt that pain when they struck him in the face. He felt that pain of the crown of thorns. He felt that pain as a Taurus back open when they mail them to the cross and he felt the pain of separation from the father now statement number six.

It is finished. Jesus was 33 when he died at the age of 33.

Most people are saying it is beginning but Jesus is saying it is finished, but he did not think I am finished. This is not the shout of the victim. This is a shout of of Victor overcoming his enemies in the Greek it's one word. It is finished as one word in the Greek to tell a sty to tell us thought it was a war that was commonly used in the language of that day in and many situations. If you built a table is finally completed, he would say to tell a sty it's done, or even for a great meal was prepared you'd say to tell a sty the meal is completed. So he says to tell a sty they knew what that word meant. It's a word that meant it's finished. It stands finished and I will always be finished by the way, he cried out with a loud voice he didn't just say to tell a sty he said to tell us thought it is finished since completed it's done. The war is over. A new covenant now is been established with God and man, and I think what I call the battle cry of the cross reverberated through the hallways of heaven as well as the hallways of hell.

The mission had been accomplished. The job had been completed, the death of Jesus satisfied the righteous demands of the father. Now the final statement of Christ from the cross.

He says to the father, into your hands I commit my spirit. The Roman soldier was shocked to see that he had died and normally they would take the mallet the hammer and smash the legs and so the crucified person would collapse and could no longer breathe and that's how they would kill them.

But Jesus did not need that done. The Bible says they haven't broken a bone in his body that's prophesied of Christ he gave his life up. See, no one took the life of Jesus.

He gave his life he laid his life down. Jesus said, greater love has no man than this, and he lay down his life for his friends notice three times on the cross, Jesus addressed the father's first words father forgive them for they know not what they do, its fourth word, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me in his last words father, into your hands I commit my spirit. Jesus addressed the father at the beginning in the middle and the end and we should do the same in life suddenly address God in the beginning when you're young man with a young woman, commit your life to the Lord, do it in the middle of your life and obviously you want to do it at the end of your life so the question is raised earlier. Why did Jesus die for us on the cross. What does the death of Jesus mean to you answer it means everything he did this for you because he loves you and he want you to come into a relationship with the father the beginning of the message I said I was going to tell you what I believe God's most painful moment was now some mention, I wanted to tell you what my most painful moment was if you know me Yorty know what I'll say. But if you don't the most painful moment of my life happened in 2008 when my son Christopher died in a tragic automobile accident at the age of 33. It was the darkest moment of my life and I called out to God and you know, God knows what it's like to lose a son destiny, but I don't think it's really accurate to say have lost my son because I know worry is I know is in heaven.

I know that I will see him again and why will I see him again because of what Jesus did for me on the cross and Jesus did for me rising again from the dead. This is the hope that I have now some might think the cross was an aberration.

It was a mistake. It was a tragic turn of events, but actually was all part of the plan of God is already said God was the master of ceremonies at the cross.

Isaiah 5310 says it was the will of the Lord to crush him in the put them to grief and Romans 832 God did not spare his own son, but keep him up for us all, then Isaiah 53 says it please the father to bruise him. How could it possibly please the father to bruise his son. How could it possibly be something that had any merit are good and it is a simple answer because of what it accomplished God the father was not pleased by the suffering of his son in the English of his son. He was pleased that his son was able to purchase eternal life for all of humanity. This is the most evil act ever perpetrated by sinful hearts this sinless son of God, tortured, slaughtered and heartlessly murdered in cold blood get from this horrible event came the greatest good of all time. The salvation of countless souls. Your salvation and mine. Jesus died for you. Jesus died for me and because of his death we can live Jesus was born to die there. We might what an amazing event. It was and now this same Jesus who hung them across and died for your sins, rose from the dead and now he stands at the door of your life, and he knocks. Let's pray father I pray for everybody watching this right now. If they don't have a relationship with you.

If they don't know you in a personal way. Let this be the moment that they believe we commit them to you now bring them to yourself. We pray in Jesus name we ask Pastor Greg Laurie and as you listen to a new beginning today. Maybe you feel you need to make a change in your relationship with the Lord pastor Greg would like to help you do that in just a moment's stay with us if you missed any part of today's moving message. Just take a moment to go online to harvest.org you can hear this program from start to finish, or just the part you missed look for the title what the death of Jesus means to you pastor Greg we been talking recently about Billy Graham. Yes of course you just released her new book, Billy Graham, the man I knew you and your revealing 10 things 10 surprises about Billy that most people just don't know you've already mentioned that Billy first dreamed of being a major-league baseball player by which the next on your list: case number two. He had his fair share of trouble. Billy Graham is a young man was what we would call today. Hyperactive, somewhat mischievous and he actually wasn't born walking on water. He teased his siblings. He didn't have blinders on when it came to pretty girls he got into scrapes with the schoolmates he wasn't crazy about sitting in church on Sunday morning and he would shoot wads of chewing gum paper a women sat with a strong rubber man according to his brother Melvin effect. He went to see a doctor and the doctor said he was simply built differently and it was I think God was going to take that energy that coursed in the veins of building it and use it because he had such a long ministry such a long career he actually lived almost 200 but preached for a good part of his life so that energy served him well here's another thing Billy Graham used to be a Fuller brush salesman and it was actually during this time of the Fuller brush company that Billy was able to develop confidence at either not previously have.

We also had to deal with rejection of one lady some coming and dump the whole pillow water on his head as he stood on her doorstep, but it was actually working as a door-to-door salesman. Billy was developing a way to get over his shyness and and become more confident what he was saying. And these are just a couple of things I mentioned I mentioned a whole lot more in my new book, Billy Graham, the man I knew.

I intentionally went out of my way to share things about them that maybe people don't know really wasn't born walking on water. He was out human like the rest of us, but he was used in the singular way by God.

So in this book I'm trying to share with you. Here's what I've learned by observing him and by being with them one-on-one, you know, Dave, some things are caught some things are taught so you know I would watch Billy preach and I would read his books and listen to him on cassette tapes updated so those are things that are taught but other things are caught. That's what being with the person observing them in their interactions with other observing them in their interactions with you. And so it made a great impression on me and there were take away truths from those things that I wanted to share with the readers of this book, which is simply titled Billy Graham the men I knew available for you for your gift of any size whatever you send, you can be assured that will take that money and use it to reach people with the gospel. If there's one thing I learned from Billy Graham. It is that we should leverage every opportunity, be it on radio or on the Internet or on television or in a movie or whatever platform are using at the moment, in the written word to get the gospel to people and so that's were all about your harvest. I think you know that if you been listening for a while. So if you believe in the power of the gospel you want to see more people come to Christ, then order your copy of Billy Graham, the man that I knew and give what you can and will use it to reach more people for Jesus. That's right. And we appreciate those who partner with us. Your generosity helps change lives and will thank you. With this new book from Pastor Greg is one you will be able to put down. It's a fascinating look at the life of history's greatest evangelist and will send you a copy to thank you for your investment in making these daily studies possible.

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We can take your call anytime again at 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and look for Billy Graham, the man I knew and then the pressure just before we go. Would you mind praying with the person listening who wants to make a change today in the relationship with the Lord.

I'd be happy to Dave you know is you been listening to this today. Maybe you've heard another voice. By that I mean yeah you heard me say a few things, but you heard God's voice speak to you deep in the recesses of your heart and it suddenly dawned in you.

This is what I need order stated more accurately. This is who I need I need Jesus. And I want Jesus, but maybe you don't know how to make that connection. Let me help you pray this after me right now if you want Jesus Christ to come into your life. Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner and I am sorry for my sin and I need your forgiveness right now. Would you come in to my heart, my life as Savior, as God as friend. I choose to follow you from this moment forward. Thank you for calling me and accepting me and for giving me an Jesus name I pray, amen.

I know there was a relatively short prayer.

Maybe you felt something as you prayed it. Maybe you felt nothing, that doesn't really matter because God's word says these things we write to you that believe on the name of the son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. It doesn't say so. You may think you have it or you may hope you have it of gods in a good mood. No that you can know it and I want you to know if you pray that prayer and minute Jesus Christ, the son of God has come into your life. So congratulations, you're now a Christian now continue to follow the Lord and to help you with that would like to send you some resource materials we call our new believers growth package, it will answer many of the questions you might have and get you started off right in your new relationship with the Lord.

So get in touch and ask for it will send it free of charge.

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