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April 11, 2022 9:00 am
Today on Summit life with Jeannie Greer. Jesus never ever gives up on you his grace to forgive is greater than you could ever imagine his power to restore a life that is ruined by sin is beyond your wildest believing the gospel is basically coming to realize that you are more wicked than you ever dreamed simultaneously, more love and acceptability ever dared over the same time, Raleigh, North Carolina.
As always, I'm your host Molly benefits part of the reason the events surrounding the trial of Jesus are recorded so clearly shows that here the ones who actually are on trial. In these stories, we should see ourselves and they should make us consider how we are responding to Jesus. We are sometimes today we are often Peter and today will see that we are also those involved in the trial and conviction of Jesus, we know you don't want to miss any of Pastor Jenny's messages so if you ever need to catch up. You can hear the previous broadcasts from the instead of me teaching theories that are currently in. By visiting online@jeanniegreer.com but for now let's return to our teaching titled cues for me. There's Pastor Jane Jesus because they were envious of his popularity and authority. In other words, he occupied a position that they desperately wanted to have in Jesus's presence meant that they could have their way so they just got rid of it now course is really easy for you and I should shake our heads now was that while it never done that.
It's terrible what is ash this way. Maybe that's because you and I simply have never been pushed to a point where we actually have to choose between Jesus and ourselves as Lord.
I can stand in here all day long until you the Jesus demands control of your life and what can you do. You can leave here, you can turn it off and you can just not think about it. You could even pat me on the shoulder and a way out and say, well, nice message Pastor. That was great. It's not like I can force you to actually choose.
You can leave Jesus at church so to speak, and then deal with him on the terms you want to do it them you can lay out for several weeks and come back and you got a dull your conscious do it.
You never really have to choose out of sight out of mind. What else, what if you actually were pushed to the point that Jesus is control in your control of your life could not coexist. One had to give way. If that really were the choice, which one would you choose, but here's another dimension.
The Sanhedrin likes to think of themselves as the good guys in Jesus keeps insisting that they are but they were really no better than anybody else the menu to be saved like every other criminal or prostitute in the Roman Empire. Jesus is present meant that they couldn't hold on to their position of pride. They couldn't hold onto this idea that they work better than other people to rather than deal with that rather than deal… They were as bad as the worst criminals out there. They killed him again.
You hear the same message and you just leave your you can you can settle want to deal with how desperate he is telling me that I have for God's grace and you does not deal with it.
But what if Jesus's presence meant you had to abandon all pretense of pride and own before everyone that you are utterly desperate for God's grace and that unless Jesus died for you.
You would rightfully be condemned alongside the worst criminals in history.
What if we were pushed to the place that they were pushed then you might rethink how they are responding and you might not be able to say why never would've done that because I can promise you listen you will never step foot in heaven. If Jesus Christ is not the Lord of your life and a son decision you make there. That's a decision you make here, you will never step foot in heaven.
If you do not understand that there is no goodness that separates you from somebody else that you really have no reason at all to boast in your only hope is the grace of God when I was growing up. It was always explained to me this way. In every heart there's a throne across itself was on the throne. Jesus must be on the cross, Jesus is on the throne selflessly on the cross in every single one of your heart. There is a throne and there is across Summit's throne is on his Alabama cross none.
We prefers, also the throne, and Jesus asserted in the copilot seat but is really only two slots are thrown across her Jesus memo throne in your to be in the cross.
What that means is that you have died, to control your life as you give it all to him. And you also died any supposition that you are good enough to be able to earn his favor to earn your way to heaven. You can only be in one of two postures in relationship to Jesus Christ right now, you're either totally surrendered to him or you are in rebellion the reader on your knees and worship her with your fists raised in the air saying crucify him. Which of those two best describes you. By the way, you should note that this group is composed primarily of religious people rule followers religiously active people just don't want to let Jesus have control rule followers who don't want to own their own desperate need of God's grace mantra be negative here, but I wonder wonder this week how many people in this church would fit into that group.
The decent people the religiously given offering sometimes there are only two categories you either totally sold out to Jesus. We were ultimately resistant to him like the Sanhedrin in every heart there is only a throne and only across itself was on the throne. Jesus was real across Jesus is on the throne selflessly in the cross whose and what position in your heart because you can't share there's number two second-grade pilot and referred a pilot is the distracted but distracted like a soldier pilot knows Jesus is in a somebody's unwilling to act on it because other things are important to him and there's other things on a sugar important not to sympathize with pot a little bit.
I hope you can and he wants to keep his job. But honestly, even with all the pressures that are on the him with all the thin thread that his job is being held by is there anything that compares importance of the decision that you make about Jesus. You know when something bad happens to you and it just seems like it so bad for a while and then something worse happens to you, and in the first thing the Cincotta Majesty totally forgot about it on my you break a nail I'm speaking is a familiar moment, but you break a nail and end-user houses so bad within you like jam your toe against your stubbly totally bad you feel about the nail you were not your foot. Now you lose a job in that's one thing but then your marriage collapses are the test results come back positive and also losing her job. Seems like nothing.
No, I can guarantee you that 100 years from now the only thing that will seem significant to you at all, is where you stand in relationship to Jesus Christ. Yes, pilot was under a lot of pressure, but those pressures are nothing compared to the significance of eternity. Pilot represents a person who knows the truth about Jesus, but is just too distracted with other things right now to really take the question seriously, the person is too distracted to really consider what the Bible teaches us about Jesus. This is something you say I'll think about when I'm older, you tell yourself a may when I'm an adult. When my careers been settled. What woman we have kids and I really I really deal with this right now you just the fun you're having the how to do Tom, your friends, establishing yourself in your career. Whatever those things are just too consuming to really give much thought to Jesus. Don't you see how foolish that is not even guaranteed tomorrow you could die today. Why would you gamble with your soul like this I I would honestly say Ganymede to be negative. That's it will be 50% of people listening to me right now fit into that category is so distracted with other things that you never really give that much attention. You don't reject Jesus outright is put them all to the side so to speak.
For more convenient time. And Jesus talk about this today. One the most famous statements ever may want to profit a man to gain the whole world lost his soul. Dana Holdaway described that you before like this and you been writing for me do this, but imagine somebody were to offer you an enormous $10 billion to make you up at 10 time billionaire.
I say here's the condition there's a condition in order to give us $2 million. I want to cut off the pinky of your left hand rationalizes sizable students like us because resumes is a $10 billion.
We left Peggy, who was in use about three quarters of the audience. All the guys use about half the girls are like God do it for $10 billion you got my bank is always okay right to grant up how many of you if if if I cut off not just your left pinky of if they go to cut off your left arm up to the elbow $10 billion lose your left arm of the elbow.
How many want use about half and go down the circuit… Keep going all the way up to the to the shoulder here. I'm leaving for $10 billion would just get rid of your your your left arm altogether uses about 20% of the audience left at this point I say okay let's say $10 billion in cash on stage to bring you up here and cut off not just your left arm at your right arm, both legs really gouge Rozell stopping her touched on the top of your ears $10 billion. Who would take that offer right, everything was down for some reason there's always one guy you like Jane them, and you're an idiot. Okay, because what to you is $10 billion. If you have no faculties of life with which to enjoy it and the question that Jesus presents to us is why is it that some people are tipping four are far more to gain far far less. What does it profit you if you gain the whole world and then lost your soul. That's what pilot is is treated as trivial things are eternally giving way to some things that don't ultimately matter, but taken notes. Write this down. It is not unbelief that sent pilot to hell.
It was indifference. It's not unbelief that sent pilot. Hell, it was indifference listen to Spurgeon's warning here trifle.
Not what Christ whose hands and feet were nailed of the accursed tree for sinners such as you trifle, not with his precious blood for that is your only hope of redemption trifle map of the Holy Spirit. For if he should leave you to perish your case would be hopeless trifle, not with the gospel. What would the loss to hell not giving your one other one more proclamation immersing the devil does not trifle. The devil is honestly right now seeking your destruction God in Christ to the Holy Spirit about trifling with you and I'm not trifling with you either don't trifle don't treat as casual, the things of in just a moment, but I wanted to remind you about our featured resource investment for 10 day devotional through some of the parables of Jesus accomplished, cannot, as we are currently studying the events leading up to his dad. This resource reminds us any pins learned throughout the life and ministry of Jesus. Dig deeper by giving us a call at 633-5224. Check out Jeannie Greer.com now to get back to the trial of Jesus and find our final take away for today's message here is Pastor Jane third person, Barabbas or authority to call him the spared the spare the replaced this character Barabbas might give us the clearest picture at all the Gospels what this whole thing is about understand the Barabbas was not Robin Hood. It was a blood criminal. He was a thief and a murderer domestic terrorist. He was aided by Jew and Roman alike in that afternoon by the choice of the crowd. Jesus died and Barabbas walks free. Think for a moment about what it must have been like to of been Barabbas that day you wake up that morning. Your some assorted impasse you are condemned to die.
You believe that you will be dead by sundown. But that evening you're sitting down having dinner with your friends and this strange man that you probably knew very little about up to this point who embody perfect goodness is hanging on a cross that was intended for. You see, we know that three people cruise about that day in the people to Jesus, right, left or called a thief and a robber same description were given a Barabbas which means that they were likely partners of his in crime. And maybe they were all friends with each other and hear what you have is Barabbas now looking at three crosses, one of which he is supposed to be hanging on in the middle. But instead of him. It is Jesus, and as he watches it happen what you think he's thinking on the inside. You see, Barabbas is the very first person in all of the Bible who could say Jesus died not just for me. He died instead of me. Scholars point out, by the way, the Barabbas's name is pretty odd because it's so generic bar in Aramaic means son of a boss means father to Barabbas that name literally means son of a father, which pretty much describe every man on earth. Barabbas means son of a man. Barabbas is supposed to represent the every man because he like Barabbas we are rebels against the rule of God and Jesus Amanda perfect goodness died in our place. He took the cross intended for us. He didn't just die for us. He died instead of us which also by the way, helps us understand why Jesus remained silent throughout this whole trial. Why did Jesus even refused to answer the charges brought against it is clear they were to kill them anyway so why not at least exonerate himself or any judge will tell you that when you remain absolutely silent in the face of accusation and you make no defense whatsoever than you are conceding what dealt Jesus. What guilty of what they were accusing out.
So why did he remain silent when the New Testament tells us is because Jesus perceived behind Caiaphas is pointing finger behind pilots pointing finger. Jesus perceives the finger of the father pointing at him. Accusing Jesus a Barabbas of sin of our sin and that was an accusation he willingly pled guilty to. He willingly took it.
He pleaded guilty in my place for my guilt, not his own guilty vile and helpless we spotless Lamb of God would see pure atonement can it be, alleluia. What a Savior. It was most curious to me about Barabbas a story. Maybe we never really find out how he responded. We don't know if Barabbas ever return to Jesus are found.
Jesus later we don't even turn to when the moments that man thank you so much I owe you everything. We don't know if he joined the church later. That's because Barabbas a story is supposed to present to us a question. You are Barabbas will you do when you fall on your knees and worship and gratefulness are you passed by casually ignoring the one who died in our place with one final person in here we have really talked about yet, in this section of the story is Judas again the story to suicide is talk right here.
The middle recall him the despairing, the despairing, why is the story of Judas just talk right in the middle.
The narrative breaks up the flow of events that it get her over here and also you jump over here and then you come back to the events. Maybe, maybe, is to show us what every person who rejects Jesus is essentially doing to themselves.
Maybe authors are trying to say you to choose Jesus's offer of life are you to self-destruction. But I think it's also when there to show us how utterly unnecessary and unnecessarily tragic Jewish Judas of suicide was when Judas realized how wrong what he had done had been and he feels remorse. He tries to give the money back any candy probably assumes about 20 could never be forgiven, but there was no hope. But he was wrong how we know he was wrong. Also betray Jesus like everyone the disciples had forsaken and was on the last week every single one of them would be forgiven and go on to play an important role in the future of God's kingdom, but Judas still can't grasp as he had never been able to grasp that Jesus came to reclaim ruined sinners, which is why call him the despairing is when you finally see yourself when you finally see the guilt you have before God and you finally see the mess that you and I've made of our lives in others lives. We despair I call him the unbelieving because he didn't believe that he could be forgiven. He didn't understand that Jesus's death as awful as it was, was done for him to deliver him from his sin. He did not understand that though he was so bad it was true that Jesus would have to die to save him. He did understand Jesus love them so much that Jesus was glad to died to save him some of you a believer in the same place you think he done so much damage you made so many mistakes of life is really over for you, but God.
Of these, even Albert could never really forgive you.
Are you what you can have a role positive role anymore in his kingdom on somebody else's life so you come in this weekend. You sit here this week and with a sense of despair, like there's nowhere to go, nowhere to turn. Perhaps, like Judas, you are literally on the cusp of taking your own life, you need to see you need to see that Jesus never ever kiss up on you his grace to forgive is greater than you could ever imagine his power to restore a life that is ruined by sin is beyond your wildest hopes believing the gospel is basically coming to realize that you are more wicked than you ever dreamed. I've heard it said, and simultaneously more loved and accepted that the you ever dared hope at the same time. And you know it is true. You may indeed made another mess of your life probably worse and you realize that there is still more over you than you ever dreamed because of the power of Christ to redeem yet. Maybe you finally seen what a mess that you have made of your life.
Maybe you finally felt the weight of the decisions you have made what you need to do now is look upward and hope to the greatness of God's grace.
Yes, sin is great and it's terrible. But God's grace is greater sale but Judas can perceive that. So he killed himself. Here's the tragedy. In so doing, he cut himself off from the only hope that was out there.
Felt hopeless, like it was nowhere to turn but there was in fact in three days. Jesus was good to get out of a grave with the power to forgive the power to restore the power to make all things new. The power to rebuild from the ashes lives that are been ruined by the worst kinds of sin. Just imagine a match for just a minute that Judas just waited.
There's three or four days just waited before you carried out the suicide just see to see what God might be up to to give God a chance. Imagine if he stumbled and appearer found. In Genesis that Peter is no hope.
I betray Jesus or so, back to an odorous body sale Judas but there is there is hope betray Jesus to but he was dying because of your betrayal and my betrayal. Many resurrected and he found me and he forgave me and Judas is looking for you is looking for you to he wants to forgive you see Judas robbed himself of the chance to experience God's grace by making the decision to kill himself for some of you that might be the exact same situation this weekend.
Listen what you do understand that there is no accident, it is no accident that you were here today. Would love to show you where that kind of hope is found, the kind of hope that you put together a life that's been ruined by sin. The kind of hope that can shot a ray of light into the deepest chasm of despair dark is the stain I cannot hide dark what can avail to wash it away.
Look, there is flow in the Crimson Tide whiter than snow.
You can be today. Grace grace God's grace grace that can pardon and cleanse within grace grace God's grace grace that is greater that all my sin. Which of these four groups you find yourself in. You never really understood what Christ is done. Many see now that you are Barabbas you are the person who was replaced you've never personally received is you don't receive this by coming to church being religious, or learning Bible verses a really good person you receive this by personally embracing it as your own, you see yourself why these characters maybe resist Jesus because of the threatened beer. The distracted like pilot maybe now for the first time to really see who Jesus is and you're ready to surrender to give you a chance to receive a maybe you're in despair. Can you pray with me right now is that you can use a God I'll take a chance on you at least have that first conversation to see what you might be doing and to hear more about this power.
This guys tell me about that is able to put my life back together. I'll at least have a conversation if you never received Christ in you, want you right now it would sound like this, Lord Jesus. I believe he died in my place instead of me. I surrender to you is Lord and I receive you a Savior. Thank you for saving me know if you make a decision right there.
We are sitting dark is a saying that I cannot hide what can avail to wash away. Look, there is flow in the Crimson Tide whiter than snow. I can be today because of grace grace God's grace. Thank you God for God's grace and pray in Jesus name, amen. Beautiful grace.
What a powerful truth here on Senate life with Judy Greer if you like this teaching and want to hear more just like it you can find us online@judygreer.com or search in your favorite podcast that like I mentioned earlier, our current resources attend a devotional guide called listing up to an interactive devotions from the parables of Jesus and Ginny. I know you had a specific name in mind when you created this so we help listeners will take away from this study. You know Molly using an interactive devotional like this will help you take just a little time each day to better understand some of Jesus's important teachings do parables check for this will do is take those things in and drive them deep in your heart see your life changes as your learning.
This is not a seminary course that there is short readings with a couple of key points, followed by a couple of of introspective questions that will help you process what you're learning is written is 10 days, but you can take 10 days 10 weeks or whatever pace works for you. Each of these sections is going to include a Bible-based devotion couple of reflection questions and then a prayer prompt to get you started praying the Scriptures with the goal of creating this is a habit for you every day to study God's word and talk to God want you to take a look at this. I think you'll find it really helpful understood JD grid.com and find out how you Senate life wouldn't be possible without the generosity of friends like you were a gift truly does make a difference after Pastor JD's listener when you give a donation today five dollars or more.
You can also request it. When you join our team of regular supporters call our gospel partners give us a call and thinks 552 20 and remember to ask for the 10 day devotional my pastor gaining title must not number again is 866-3352 20 or you can get a request online@clear.com I Molly benefits were so glad to say doing Tuesday as we continue our teaching series that we've been in on Senate life changed by prayer ministry