Three Crosses

Good to see you Summit search all of our campuses across the triangle. Every weekend we gather in 19 different locations across tribal plus attempts are brothers in the wake County correctional facility.

We ice agrees all of you. We do that because it is a better and more efficient way we learn to be able to reach the triangle. We also allows us meeting in different locations allows us to keep the church more local and so we do that, but we all gather as one body together and that's what we do.

This weekend I would invite all of you at all of our campuses to take out your Bible. If you have it and open it to Luke chapter 2323 if you have your Bible, and I hope that you do as you are turning there. If you have ever driven along the Blue Ridge Pkwy.

You might have seen little sign that you goes, you will cross 1.1 says Eastern Continental divide. That is the line that marks the eastward and westward slopes of our continent.

It it's raindrops. They say that fall even an inch to the west of that dividing line will flow westward down toward the Mississippi River knows that fall just an inch or so to the east will go all the way out to be Atlantic Ocean. There is even one spot in glacier National Park in Montana called the triple divide peak of actually been there once. It's spot that right from that one spot water flows to either the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean or the Arctic Ocean want you to think about. You got three little sort of raindrop friends that are falling casually to the sky just chat it up they can literally land 1 cm apart from each other and end up in oceans on opposite sides of the globe.

I share that because the passage were going to work through today shows you the dividing line of eternity people that are very close, very similar in life situations who fall on opposite sides of this line are going to end up eternities apart and that's what you see when you're when you look in the loop. 23. Working to find the stories of two men whose lives are almost identical in every way but who fall by their own choice on the opposite side of the line and the end up in entirely different places in your life is to be represented in one of the two of them. Let's take a look at their stories.

Chapter 23 verse 32 verse 12 verse 13 will be jump verse 26 row quick hunt as they led Jesus away to be crucified to others. Verse 32 who were criminals were led away to be put to death with him.

By the way, based on the other places in the New Testament uses this word criminals is most likely talking about insurrectionist who wanted to throw off the power of Rome were not talking about casual loving you know George Clooney Ocean's Eleven type of these were talking about violent desperate men. Verse 33 when they came to a place that is called the skull or in the Hebrew language Golgotha, which literally means the skull. Evidently they say the rockface actually looked like a skull. The way the rocks formed and it was a very terrifying just how it looked.

The call of the skull Metro they did executions.

It was there that he crucified him in the criminals, one on his right and the one on his left and Jesus said, father forgive them.

Verse 34 for they know not what they do. This is the dividing line of history and at its pinnacle stands a skull with three crosses on one of which hangs the son of God himself, and on the other two. Two criminals you know when the president of the United States makes an important speech. He often will include with him in the press conference on the state that he speaks from Hill including those who are most important to whatever it is that he's announcing Tobit something that relates to the military to put other generals up there with him.

He's talking about what's happening in the community. Local leaders from that community. If it's a moot new policy that he starting to put people in the group that will benefit from the policy that is introducing I want you to think about this during the defining moment of God's work in human history.

He chooses to walk on the stage with two random unnamed criminals because that's what his greatest moment was about these three crosses are a microcosm of human history that tell the entire story of the human race to see a cross of redemption accuracy across of rejection and even a see across of repentance. First, let's talk for a minute about Jesus is cross the one in the middle across of redemption. Maybe you wonder how Jesus got on the cross in the first place.

After all, the last time we saw Jesus he was doing miracles and healing people and everybody seem to love them was he Jesus had gotten sideways with both the religious and secular leaders of his day. The religious leaders were jealous of him because he threatened their authority.

The secular leader thought of him as a nuisance he didn't tremble enough before the Almighty power of Rome.

The Jewish people were disappointed in him because he had thrown off Roman power the way that they know and his disciples were confused by him. So one betrayed him and the others abandoned him. So in a sense his crucifixion represents the culmination of the collective failure of the human race is crucifixion was caused by our jealousy, our arrogance, our apathy, our unbelief and our cowardice, but God. Scripture tells us had his own purpose in the crucifixion, something that he had been pursuing since the very beginning of human history. You see, from the beginning God had told his people that he would send a Savior to take their place under the curse of death.

If what we say right here.

The summer church all the time. You could summarize the gospel and forward this.

What is the church Jesus in my place.

He told Adam and Eve. God told Adam and Eve that he was in the deliverer who would crush the serpent of death.

Genesis 315 exhibit, that serpent of death is gonna bite the heel of the deliverer session like this from an if a man is in a war with a snake and on the man steps on the head of the snake in it. Cry any questions the head of the snake, but the report of a snake bite his heel. Who wins that fight since they both lose because the snake is that he got his head crushed within the guys there because he got bit by the poisonous snake on the same yes there will be a guy who will come will crush death but he's actually going to be bitten by death and die from it. From that point on the Bible. He's really good picture after picture of this throughout almost every page of the Old Testament. It's always for the year talking about. For example, after destroying destroying the world to a global flood in Noah's day. He sets a gigantic bow in the sky, a rainbow, that's a promise that God will never again destroy destroy the earth. And that way, but the way the author writes that ACE uses the word Wargo like a bow and arrow and its input in the sky. This way, which means that it's no longer pointed down toward earth it's pointed back up into heaven. It's a promise that God would absorb the air row of his judgment. The death sentence into himself, rather than firing that arrow down in the us when Abraham was about to sacrifice his son Isaac at God's command right before he took Isaac's life.

God said stop and pointing to a land that it been caught in the bushes just are just off to the right so that that that Lamb could be sacrificing Isaac's place in Isaac Masson to go free. The entire sacrificial system was built on the concept of an instance innocent substitute taking the place of the guilty to. Every year in Israel, each believing family would bring one llama perfect unblemished lamb to the temple where they would offered in sacrifice and father of that family would carry it up to the altar. Need lay it down on the altar and he would lay his hand on the head of that that llama begin to confess the sins of that family. And while he confess their sins.

The priest would take a knife and slit the throat of the Lamb showing that this land. This innocent lamb was dying in the place of that family. Isaiah the prophet said that one day God would send his servant to be the Lamb who suffer for the sins of the world and that that servant would be wounded for our transgressions, Bruce, for our iniquities the punishment that purchased art pieces will be put on him and by his stripes would be healed. When John the Baptist saw Isaiah. He cried out, behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world on the head of Jesus is going to be laid the head of Jesus is going to be laid the sins of the entire human race.

That's what's happening here.

The cross, Martin Luther said it this way, said all the prophets, all the prophets for Saul that on the cross.

Jesus became the greatest murderer. The greatest adulterer thief rebel and blasphemer that there ever was our most merciful father sent his only son into the world and said to him, Jesus, you're going to become Peter the denier you're going to become Paul the persecutor blasphemer in the cruel oppressor. Your to become David that adulterer, you will become. Adam met center which did eat the apple in paradise you're going to become the husband was neglected or abused his family, your to become the immoral woman who is destroyed not only our life through her actions, but seemingly everybody she comes in contact with your to become a drug addict become the teenage girl lying to her parents.

To become a hypocrite living a double life. Your to become the proud, the selfish and the apathetic. He did more than, the religious leader to teach us come how we ought to live.

He took the place of those of us would live opposite of how God wanted us to live on the cross he became our sin, so that from the cross, he could forgive our sin, so that from the cross, he could look out at those who had rejected and failed him and pray what he did there in verse 34.

Father forgive them, he could extend forgiveness to them because he was being punished for them. I don't have a lot of great analogies for you. But there's one I use my kids of divinity before if your parent I would encourage you to use up like this with your kids.

We talk about the cross and tell a story that I heard many years ago I heard as a true story, whether or not it's true I can't verify but supposedly took place back in a Viking country. Many many years and a thousand years ago there was a king who come in his small little country had the reputation to be the fairest king that lived on the earth, and the most loving kink on the people adored him because he was so fair and so loving the king came out to address his nation one day and said it. Someone is stealing money from my treasury meetings in the you know that I promise to take care of you.

Those you that are poor. II help us sometimes bring them into my own house he said but you can't steal money from me because I'm the ruler and I've got a take care the country and so he said whoever gets caught stealing from the game will get the punishment of 10 lashes will with Holly get punishment on those days and so couple week or so passersby comes back out a second time. He said money continues to be stolen on a regular basis.

He said would have to double this penalty from 10 lashes that the 20 lashes another week goes by money been so everyday so we comes out of 1/3 time and says – and 20 lashes the 40 lashes, which was in essence the death penalty two days after the king made this final proclamation they caught the thief red-handed was the king's mother now that point I always look at my kids and I say sources king and I do it's always fun to hear my kids, you know like begin argue about it in one of kids as I well he is you have to eat. He asked of the punishment because maybe it was anybody else. He punished them and so it's not fair if he does let's rock it. It's his mom that's not fair to all men, one mother kids, but I gather that you really can't begin heard it, mom. It's his parent.

You know Mike, that's a really like that you think that but here's how do you resolve the dilemma. He's the most fair and the most loving well according to the story. The king retires into his chambers and asked for some time to think about it comes out.

A day later and says you gotta give her the punishment the law the law.

The law does not make exceptions if I can make an exception. Just because she's my mom and so they take her to the place where they gave the whippings and a toddler for me to off the back of her shirt in the on the garden takes the weapon, he pulls it back and is about to bring the first of these 40 lashes across the back of his mom and the king since the stop became walks over to his mom. Everybody thinks is to say goodbye buddy embraces her but instead of letting go of 300 holds on in the looks of the gardens is now want you to enter the courses I can hear you're right in the way.

If I try to hit her on the you the king set I gave you a command and a command is to hit her, so the guard tries to hit the mom but instead of hitting mommy hits all 40 times.

He is the king instead of his mom Megan whether or not that story is true.

I don't know but I know that what it illustrates is 100% true that what God did at the cross.

As he took the place so that he would fulfill the law that was against us, that the soul that sins shall die and that he did it in a way that he could save us, and he could bring us to heaven with him. That is why we say the gospel is Jesus in my place. I realize this can be a little hard to grasp. Or think of it this way.

When you forgive somebody when you forgive somebody you agree to absorbed the consequences for their action into yourself. That's what forgiveness is, for example, say so many lies about you and destroys your business in their lives caused financial harm to you. What are your options at that point. Well, you could prosecute him in prosecuting a take away their business or take money back away from them that you could go out and you get back at them by exposing them and tell everybody what a liar. They are ruining their reputation. But if you choose to forgive them what you are saying is I'm gonna let the staying of that person's sin in didn't meet and I'm not going to retaliate and I'm not going to even the score. I'm not gonna put this thing back in the van. I'm going to absorbed this thing of suffering for their sin.

What God did on the cross was exactly that.

He refused to give the sting of death in the us and he took it into himself.

He suffered so that we didn't have to do you understand what is the gospel for words. Jesus say when Jesus in my place. That's why we say Jesus did not just dive for you.

Jesus died instead of you. He took your place. Now we turn to the other two crosses on either side of him. The two criminals because they are to demonstrate for us the division. The dividing line of the entire human race were 39 one of the criminals who were hanged railed at him and said you're not the Christ, save yourself and us. Verse 40 but the other rebuked him.

Do not fear God sent do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation, and we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds. But this man, this minister nothing wrong verse 42, and then he turns to Jesus and he says Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

Verse 43 and Jesus said to him, truly I say to you to day to day you will be with me in paradise.

Now first talk about what these two guys have in common. First are both equally bad.

It didn't say that one of them was worse than the other. That one was a varsity level center one is a JV level. The both equally bad above under the sentence of death. In fact gospel. Matthew's account gospel.

Matthew tells us that both of these criminals started out both of them mocking Jesus, not just the one we know that both of them are minutes away from dying. We know that both criminals would've been happy for Jesus to have delivered them from death verse 39. Even the one that ultimately rejects Jesus says hey, if you're really the Messiah, save yourself and us. That's partially applied and partially sincere. He would love for Jesus to come down off the cross smitten the Romans delivered them, and let an insurrection against Rome right to both of them want Jesus to deliver them. But one thief begin to understand some things, things that are necessary for true conversion and understanding these three things I want to give you is the dividing line of the human race. He is right and be very careful about visas number one. He knew the difference. This repentant thief and seeking help from God and seeking God for himself. He knew the difference in seeking help from God and seeking God for himself you see on verse 40 repentant the third mastery taken down from the cross.

Look at liver 40. He Dedan asked me taken from the I'm sure y'all he would have been happy if Jesus had offered. I hate you know what I'm in a take you down from the cross and you're not going to die today. I'm sure he would've been overjoyed when he called out on Jesus for help. He doesn't mention being taken out of the cross. All he says is, remember me when you come into your kingdom because the thief realizes listen that what he needs is not a change in circumstance what he needs is a change in what his life has been centered upon.

So instead of asking God for the life he wants. He wants to make God his life. Do you understand the difference you understand the difference in seeking God to give you the life you want and wanting God to become your life is the difference between loving God for himself and finding God as a useful means to some other hand, John Piper says that many people. For example relate to God like a tire iron tire irons are really useful instrument. Very helpful in pinch, but nobody really loves a tire iron.

Nobody brags about the Taira annuity displays her tire and will probably device is a gonna come over look at my tire iron that you hide in the trunk, you would want to be caught without it, but you don't love it, your tire iron is useful for taking care of what you really care about what you really care about your car your car. That's how many of us Piper say it says see God. God is useful for some in we need him for he gives us peace in life he gives us a stable family Health Center marriage.

He's going to take us to heaven when we die, but he's not beautiful in and of himself to us so we seek him as a means to an end. God is useful for getting the life that we want but we don't want God to be our life. Which of those two better describes how you see God do you find him useful refining beautiful is God merely the best means of the life you want or do you want God to be your life in the same way. There's a big difference in trying to appease God and really loving him and we all know it is an illustration like a man who is mistreats his wife and neglects her and after many years of putting up with this. She just says I'm leaving and so he suddenly panics and he starts to make all the changes in the agreed to go to counseling with Ernie start to go to church with them within the story.

After several times, or the summa church and in the unit source make all these changes, but after a while after he's not a danger. The ends of going back to his old ways because when the danger is gone and he doesn't think she's gonna leave he's never really corrected the core problem is hard and that is it, and give his wife the place in his heart that she deserves in the same way, our repentance has to be a genuine change of heart toward God, not merely an attempt to appease God.

Many people wonder about deathbed conversions. Her that I will can somebody live an evil life, never do anything good or think about God all and then in the moment right before they die. Repent to God, go to heaven when the answer from the stories. Yes, thank God, yes. This story shows you that but it also shows you listen, it has to be true repentance. It can't be God, give me my get out a hell free card without a change of heart. This is God. Up until now I center my whole life on everything but you and that changes from this moment forward, whether I got five minutes left for 50 years. I'm not just trying to make a deal with you so that I can use you to get to heaven. I want you to become the center of my life and the fact that this guy didn't has to be delivered from the cross but did ask Jesus to remember his soul shows you that that change it happen in him. Here's my question for you. Have you truly repented. Why do you want Jesus in your life what you want this because you think it would give you a better marriage is to get you out of a jam is is it because you think he can heal you or prosper you because you think he'll take you to heaven or do you want him for him even if it means that you for the time being, have to stay on the cross of bad health, or a bad marriage or not happy home or tough circumstances in your job.

Listen, you have got to get more serious about your soul than you are.

Your skin because ultimately what salvation is about is not changing the circumstance of your life. It's about reconnecting you and restore your God regardless of the circumstance of your life that you truly repented before God, ready just tried to arrange a deal with God that if I wanted him to let me give you a handful of signs you've never really repented right. Here's one letter agent taken notes you got areas a compromise before God. Some of you believe this lie that you can accept Jesus as Savior not surrender to him as Lord heart that when I was kid putting such is the Savior Naumann and then you know I mean one that you might really universe surrender that's the Bible never makes that division. Imagine that you know you got married your girl. You get married and you know as soon as receptions done, you grab your keys your head to the door and your new husband. What are you going to like another spin that I would now boyfriend right. That's not a marriage at all. People who accept Jesus as Savior but not Lord are attempting to do the same thing that I okay Jesus I want to be reunited with you, but you know I not really you if he is not your Lord is not your Savior. B. You don't have a growing relationship with you. Don't spend daily time with him reading his word and praying. After all, he's the center of your life, you'll talk with him constantly and will study his word if he really is the center of your life.

Meet your relationship with Jesus consists of come in here and here to pep talk for me every week and then you going throughout the week trying to be a fairly moral person but you never really talk to Jesus.

Beyond that, you have no relationship with any more than I would have a marriage to my wife Veronica have all I did was get together with a friend talk about her once a week now. Is it we come together, my friend. We talk about how awesome Veronica's wings Simpsons on the bar.

Veronica and we come out next week. Do the same thing.

That's not a relationship. What makes me married. What makes my marriage relationship is not that I talk about somebody else but that I commune with her throughout the week. But here's another you are involved in things like small groups or Bible studies are growing relationship with him. It shows the memorable event in the center of your life meters C you're not actively involved in his mission. Your tendency in churches sporadically stay on the sidelines.

How can you say is the center of your life.

If you're not living out his will for your life doing the things and ministries told you to do those things might indicate that you're trying to use God rather than really love him. Limited back to this repentant thief and I'll see what else is true about first thing is that he knew the difference in seeking help from God and seeking God for himself. Number two.

He understood his guilt before God. He understood his guilt before God Tim Keller who stood right here on the stage to skilled Asia Tim Keller says that this second thief says something that is impossible to admit without God's help verse 41 he looks at this other criminal and he says we are punished justly, getting what our deeds deserve. Like I told you at the beginning, the word that the other Gospels use for these two guys is lace day lace day which means something more like insurrectionist. These were guerrilla fighters that were freedom fighters. There is no way I guy who is been a freedom fighter is going to say that he is being fairly and justly put to death by Rome. He believed he was fighting for justice. He believed his cause was just so when he says we are getting what we deserve. What is he talking about is not talking primarily about Rome's punishment of him on the cross what he saying is we deserve to be abandoned by God to be punished for our sins. We deserve before God to die. You see, repentance recognizes that sin is first and foremost against God. King David committed what had to be one of the most egregious public sands in history. He sleeps with a woman who is not his wife, who happens to be married one of his best friends who was also his Matt right hand man at arms so after his inability to cover up this pregnancy that she has because of them sleeping together. He arranges for his best friend to be killed, and then he lies about it and covers it upward entire year in front of Israel. When God after a year finally brings in repentance. David writes a song recording his repentance.

Psalm 51 and right at the beginning of that Psalm. David says against you, Lord, and you only have I sent. How could he say that Matt imagine when he said that that somewhere in heaven. Uriah was like I thought you said against me to have. I bet she was said yeah you sin against me and the baby that died because of that about the babies that you sin against me like the entire nation Israel said you also sin against us.

How could he say gives you and you only have eyes and is not because he didn't recognize the wrong done to others, or that he needed to repay them.

It's because God was so big in his heart that this was the most important one he sinned against. Is that how you feel about your sin, you see repentance has to be first vertical before its horizontal. There's a difference between feeling remorse for the mess that sin is made of your life and feeling actual repentance toward God because of it. Second Corinthians 710 says that there's actually two kinds of sorrow for sin. This is very important understand because a lot of times we think any sorrow is good sorrow anytime their tears and church. All that's gotta be assigned the God working in our life also is not at all as long. People weep over sand and weep over and grab the shaman rings on the harm they cause somebody else.

He said that's a worldly sorrow that ultimately will not lead anywhere. He says godly sorrow is directed toward God and godly sorrow is not measured by the amount of tears of light your eyes as measured by the change that happens in your heart that sadness that you feel about your sin. Is it because of what your sin is done to others is a because what your sin is done to you is because of the mess you've made. Or is it because you actually understand your responsibility to God that he is the main one you sin against he was your creator.

He's a wonderful July for goodness he's the father you spurn and who you pushed out your life. You see, as long as you think only about the horizontal dimensions of your sin. I heard my wife. I embarrass myself. I felt my kids will never really change this thief recognize first and foremost his relationship with God that he had spurned in and torn apart. Have you repented toward God because your sin. Here's the third thing we see about him.

He boldly dared upon Jesus Christ. Nobody. Think about it. What this thief ask is because Lacey right.

Think about I know that you're the perfect Lord from heaven. But whenever you get to where we are going into whatever award you come into which you stop and remember a guy you met for about 15 minutes who was being executed because of treason and murder and would love nothing more than his wife. That is a Lacey request knowing crazier than the request is that Jesus grants it, why would Jesus do that. What did Jesus have to gain from granting this request.

This guys never to do anything useful for Jesus, this guy can help because he's never going to give testimony to a single person is never going to go on a mission trip is never to contribute a single dollar to the church. This got nothing to offer Jesus.

He got a few minutes to live, that's it.

Did Jesus grants the request.

Why is God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, so that the world through him might be safe. We beheld his glory, the glories of the only begotten father father full of grace and truth is a grace is what you show when you really love somebody here we see the father in Jesus's parable of the prodigal son welcoming home. His lost son.

He's not evaluating what his son to be able to do for him. He's not evaluating what it's gonna cost to bring them back. He's just so in love with his lost son, but all he thinks about is the joy of having him back until you just want to miss interaction of thought. Gotta take off my shoes.

This is holy ground. Marvelous grace of our loving Lord grace that exceeds our seminar Guild yonder on Calvary's mountain outpoured.

There were the blood of the lamb was built. Grace grace God's grace, grace, and will pardon the claims within grace grace God's grace grace that is somehow greater that all my sin, you may not have anything else you may have spoiled your entire life away you may have nothing left to offer to God. But you still have the ability to reach out to him you have the ability to call out to Merce for mercy to him and that you find is enough numbers 43 look specifically at what Jesus says in response to there some really important that you learn there to just responses one line today. Today you will be with me in paradise. The key point of emphasis in Jesus statement is the phrase with me because the essence of salvation. You see is being united with Jesus right them Christian conversion is not a change of circumstance like that and suddenly become better guy stayed on the cross. Christian conversion is not a change of circumstance. It's not even primarily a change of behavior. You don't immediately become a perfect person. If the change of status is a change of position you are now identified with Christ. Some of our staff to your pastors and elders have been memorizing and in recent weeks. Certain parts of Ephesians and Ephesians 26 Paul describes salvation this well of this verse watches you read this and probably read right over top of this, but it's really strange and God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him now, and it's not English class. What tenses that burden past tense. He seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus shouldn't be, will be seated like one. They'll be seated with him in the heavenly places. No, no, according this verse we are already positionally seated in the heavenly places.

Because salvation is a position change that's what conversion is he took our sin. We got his position before the father. It's as sure as if it's mom is a power already seated there. I'm already seated in heavenly places, and I'm literally at the right hand of God with him. So Jesus says to this thief as of right now, you're with me from this point on, whether living or dying to be identify with me and what I have belongs to you. So today, when you die you have as much access to paradise as I do not would you get this concept that conversion is essentially Jesus giving his identity to use your own a few radical changes that happen in your life without you trying even make them happy just happens that I would say these almost service test for whether you've really understood salvation. Here's a person A.

You sure your salvation. Nope. You give Cerda there's no more that I can make it other than good enough grades on the curve you realize you're as sure of heaven as Jesus is John Bunyan who got repelled in progress said for years he struggle with doubting his salvation as he always wanted like about sorry enough about my sin and operate enough to understand enough about the Bible we talk about a vision he had someone else walk into this field a looked up into heaven, it seemed, and he said there I was like I saw God the father in Jesus, my salvation, seated in his right hand and I knew that as long as Jesus my salvation was seated there but I was assured of my position before the father that my salvation was in heaven.

It was a move was no longer resting upon me of something I had to earn it was in heaven already and I was seated there with and it was waiting for me said when I realize that was like this burden, his backpack just fell off of my shoulders as long as Jesus is seated there because his position became my I cannot be lost. First John 21. John says he says we are, we have an advocate before the father, Jesus Christ the righteous advocate. All it means is lawyer were they would use better than a lawyer whenever I read that verse. Here's what always thought it meant business. But me in high school always pictured Jesus as my advocate before the father and the conversation would go like this. They bought a big case about Mark Greer and have all the stuff that I done on that week and you know, didn't Jesus would lay down he be like okay I got Greer's case it's been a rough week. Thought I was going to tell you it's not been pretty miserable and very ligated. This again in all this is wrong and this one right out of the spouse back in here in your hundred dollars with what document and all the stuff and he lay it all out there and then Jesus, my advocate would say but but dad, I want to go easy on I want to go easy on because you he's a good kid. He's trying.

This is best and I get to it.

Don't don't unleash the wrath on them, just give them one more chance, have mercy on him do it for me dad because you know what the hold go with our thing and you know so you owe me. So do it that's allowable a conversation with until I read the three forces right before first John 21 for someone not if we confess our sins he is faithful and you this word order just not merciful and say he's faithful and merciful to forgive our sins, he safely just means he couldn't do anything else and still be righteous. Here's how that works. When the subject of JD Greer comes up before the father Jesus Christ says during the file arena father Scott anything about him because everything that he's ever done was put upon me, and it would be unjust for the father to bring backups and I committed it would be unjust for God to punish the same sin twice, and if God has put on Jesus, the penalty for all my sin, it would literally be unjust for him to hold me accountable for it to Jesus of the right hand of God is not plea for mercy, he pleads for justice. See when you understand that you become assured of salvation because no longer is it resting upon you. You say well okay so I know he seated there but how do I know that he belongs to me. The easy answer is because of claim them. I put my hand on the head of that lamb.

If you place your hand on the head of Jesus and say that's my sin bear, Jesus will never move it off got lost a little unclear on that. I wrote a book called stop asking Jesus into your heart okay and I would never use a church service to promote a book as every time you promote a book like that an angel loses his wings and a puppy doesn't have as I would not do that, but I would just say that I don't make any money off the boat we sell here so you get a copy of that if you can afford.

I'll give it to you to help you answer the question. Those who cannot answer the question of whether they know for sure they are saved quite often are not say because they don't understand salvation.

They still think that whether they go to heaven is at least partially based on them so you say are you sure you're going to heaven will be like this another one answer I get by the way, from people inside the church.

Well my 95%.

I think I am. I try my best faster read my Bible. I'm asking for forgiveness. You still think it's all about you.

It's not about you it's about him. It is finished the wall on the work that needed to be done is been done and it's offered to you as a gift if you will receive an you are saved by works is not your works is saved by his work that you receive as a gift to see when that happens.

B you lose your fear of death kicking you imagine how this these outlook on life changed in that moment. Up until that moment.

This represented the end of everything for him. Now this is simply the gateway into a new existence existence knowest not want to die. I want to leave my kids that only my wife. I don't want to leave you but I'm not afraid because I know that whenever that happens before the corner officially pronounces me dead. I will be in the presence of Jesus, who will welcome me into heaven, which means I'm not afraid of it. If I die prematurely. If I die in the next few years was how much I'll have a funeral that would others little studying but never in this room is like when outbound RBC Center something to bring a lot I want came to Sigma funeral and Molly and I want you to like you like using evangelistic Lee I get Nick Cage a new part of the eulogy I make it a big deal.

Okay him him and cry cry die development field in heaven. If you're crying and missing don't cry for me right we we can cry for those we leave behind, but I'm not afraid of death because in Jesus. It's nothing but a gateway into this very afternoon. I'll be in paradise when you get that C you'll gain a new confidence in life you'll win when you get the head, you could gain a new confidence of God is the that will live but can't you imagine any quit caring about all the people around them, who cares of all the people around me are taunting me or the religious leaders are condemning me this Kang the real King is paradise in front of him, that King's Formula One is kingdom makes this look like trash and I with him.

When you embrace your position in Christ criticism quit bothering you was much you will know that what you want to know how you really embrace your identity in Christ. Criticism doesn't really bother you like it used to. Here's our thing about zero billion on like a legitimate full on multibillion and you say your get your attacks again and you get out and you pay the driver and it's $20. In fall 20 and as you point out a $10 bill your blows and the winds are blowing on the street and blows crosstraining to go get it because you would your dog running across street are you going to be depressed for the rest of the day. Could you also $10. Are you going to be like upset for the rest of your life because you lost $10 course not. You're a billionaire what's $10.

We ask you, are you a Christian you toss and turn at night because somebody snubbed you like a billionaire on their knees looking for that $10 bill you got Jesus the King and his love and support of you.

What's the matter with you. If you're worried about a $10 criticism when you know who you are in Christ, whether not you succeed in life becomes less important. You cares about Megan being who cares if anybody knows my name or thinks of me as a successful care for them.

I make lots of money. I got his approval. I got a stake in his never ending kingdom. When you become a Christian. What happens is you positionally change so that what's in Christ becomes yours.

It's what we often compared to him. Marriage: how to break down.

This breaks down as well. But it's like when I got near when I got married Veronica July 28, 2000 up to this point she'd been.

Veronica Marine dictators I was earning the greatest day of her life. She became Veronica Marie Greer. Now here's where the analogy breaks down. She was like a poor beggar and I was like a rich millionaire… For Connecture was superintended on that day. She becomes a Greer and all the millions of millions of dollars. I have suddenly become hers. If later that week. She's worried because she didn't think we can pay the bill because up until now.

She's never had the money to do anything at some point.

I'm a look at her and say hey my name and with my main him all the stuff you have to live in this reality, you gotta live in this reality when you become a Christian, you positionally take Jesus's place. And suddenly this thief looks up and he's assured of heaven. He's not afraid of death, and he's no longer dependent on the praise of others or success in life to fill meaningful that's what it means to become a Christian had you see here the cross we see a microcosm of the whole story of the Bible. The whole story of humanity.

Each of us is going to be one of these two criminals working to share in the destination of one of these two bees to look identical in life right now as we speak. One of them is in heaven with Jesus.

Menus listen to this message, no the L1 right now is in hell when it all goes back to what they did with Jesus. She liked these two thieves were guilty like them were dying. We may not be hanging on the cross. Just a few hours from death, but death is uncertain for us as it was for them like this thief. We cannot possibly hope to earn God's salvation like this thief. We generally are not an offer to God. You might not only have a few you made a few days longer to live than he does what you have is just as worthless to offer to God is what he had just like with these two thieves.

He's right there right there walking that you will choose an let you go to see him not as a means to the change in circumstance. Unlike not as an end to something else you think Abraham but he's right there.

The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day, and there may I file as he washed all my sins away.

You gotta choose him.

He's there won't force himself on one of my professors in college and go to a Bible college, but one of my professors in college was Christian as an African-American gentleman would spend the first few years of his adult life in prison for several armed robbery.

He told me that for three months after he got released every night lay in bed considering whether not to go back to his old lifestyle.

You could get a job. He was a convict an ex-convict yet and he was married yet still get nothing to live for every night you think should I go knock off another convenience store. Maybe this is the only way I can make it.

Xenophon I got a job at a hotel making minimum wage as it was barely making ends meet in late one night I got assigned to go clean up a bathroom that was covered in the vomit of voice and look like had to be 15 people is of the walls were covered with an inch thick on the floors and I was furious and down on my hands and my knees and there's this voice inside of me telling me the only reason that having you do this is because you're an ex-convict you're never to get any respect in life. Many thought he said no. He said it's because I'm black. I've never been given a fair shake because of that, and I'll always be thought of a second class Ms. Prof. said as I stood there just fuming with bitterness cleaning up that vomit. The spirit of God came upon me and made me realize that in this moment. I had a choice I can keep making excuses and go back to my old lifestyle Moroccan repent of my sin and give myself to God. He said somewhere in the middle of cleaning up somebody else's vomit my life forever change God broke me. I admitted that yes, while I have certainly face discrimination my life.

I deserve what I had received my new God had better for me and asked that he said here's what he said."

I was arrested by the Holy Spirit that night and my soul was set free on my knees in someone else's vomit. I was broken and then put back together God release me from my captivity to sin, and I stood up free to serve and live for a new master real people like that here this week we have people who need to make the same decision unite might not be a recognized criminal, but you are not under the same condemnation of death for your sin. Ultimately, your dying and you will face judgment, but he's here, he's ready to say if you simply turned to him you say Lord, remember me, remember me. I surrender to you. I repent of my sins and I trust you as my Savior. He will say much about your headset all over campus is bow your heads. I told you last week. We are a hospital for the broken out a spot for the saved trees every week.

We have people like this come in here I don't know what circumstance you ran but I know that some of you this is the decision that's in front of you. You want to own your sin is yours you want to repent of it and are you willing to trust Christ as your Savior. Have you received is a personal choice you have to make you'll get it because your parents were Christians. You don't get it because you come to church.

It has to be a personal decision like this thief made the trust Christ as your Savior. If you never have. You could do it right now this very moment you can pray to God something like this Lord I know that I'm a sinner and I believe you took my place.

I receive you as my Savior. Satan will not receive you as my Savior, I surrender to you is my Lord. Right now, with every head bowed to Mantua? I know I can't see everybody at all nine campuses.

I know that but if you right now.

Pray that prayer either for the first time for the first time that you thought you understood that our campuses could you just lift your hand up. I know I can't see Arab I would just hold out as I want you to acknowledge between you and God are seen, but on hold for the second thought I pray for every hand that is raise right now. I pray that I know that you are hearing their crying you were saving them, but I pray that you would establish yourself in the center of their life and that everything from this point on the look forward given the courage to tell somebody given the courage to act on this in and do what comes naturally pray in Jesus. Jesus