Being Excited

INTRO: Have you ever been so excited about something that you told complete strangers the good news? I’ve seen people go around in an excited manner telling people that the Twins won (people they don’t even know).

I remember when Felicia was born. I went around telling strangers what had happened because I was so excited about a new life!

Likewise we should have that kind of excitement about Christ because He has given us eternal life. Today we look at how Christ accomplished this and what we need to do.

I. Christ Has Done

II. Take a Stand

III. Pass It On

TEXT: I Cor. 15:1-3 (READ)

TITLE: Being Excited

I. Christ Has Done

A. Died for our sins – Romans 4:25 – “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”

1. Purpose: was to cover or wipe clean mankind’s sin.

Restore the relationship that was damaged with Adam and Eve.

a. Jesus was a ransom to pay for our sins.

Ex. Picture a broken hearted father willing to do anything within his power to bring back his lost child.

2. How: Lord’s battle began when He was born. Hardships any human would go through.

a. A lot more – brief chronology of His life.

1. Tempted by the devil in the desert 40 days and nights. No one could stand.

a. Hebrews talks about Jesus feeling full weight of sin and temptation.

Ex. Hurricane, little breeze

b. Hebrews 4:15b – “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, yet, without sin.”

Note: Many times in life, go tell someone a problem or concern and you feel they have no idea what you are feeling or going through.

2. Family thought He was nuts. Mark 3:21 – “When His family heard about this, they went to take charge of him for they said He was out of His mind.” (Overworked, meeting people’s needs.)

3. Friends do. Spend three years of His life with eating, sleeping, sharing his life with them. Let him down (denied they knew him or ran off). Could not stay awake with Him for one hour in the most difficult time in His life. (One turns Him in. His friends let him down. I know One who won’t.)

3. Mental and emotional battles

Note: Jump ahead, Jesus life

a. Jesus predicts his death. Scholars believe Jesus knew that at the beginning of his ministry. Three years (knew what was going to happen, how and why).

Ex. Being captured in a war, tortured and killed (knew in advance).

b. Garden of Gethsemane – name means oil press s- pressure intensified. See this in reading gospels together.

1. GK expressions used to describe His emotions seem to be used in a crescendo-like fashion ranging from sorrowful to being faced down upon the ground.

2. Luke gives us another image of the intense emotional battle he was going through.

“Sweat was like drops of blood” showing us the intensity of His emotions.

Note: Mental – what about physical.

4. Physical torture – spank or beat – terms don’t show intensity of what happened, like flogging.

Jesus was taken and turned over to the high priest where He is beaten, and also the soldiers beat and flog Him.

a. Flogging – wooden handle with leather straps intertwined with bone or metal. Arms tied above, two men take turns. Jews do 40 – 1 but Romans had no limit.

1. Flogging was not normally done before crucifixion. Scholars have suggested Pilate was trying to persuade the crowd not to crucify Jesus so he gave him a sever flogging but to no avail.

b. Crucifixion spikes in wrists and through arch of feet pull up to breathe, otherwise suffocate. Collarbones cut off air. Why Romans broke legs if they were taking too long to die.

Isa. 52:14 describes what Jesus’ appearance was – “His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and His form marred beyond human likeness.” (Mental and physical torture have taken its toll).

5. Spiritual battle – Most intense battle Satan and all the demons of hell are battling with our Lord.

a. Beautiful words – “Father forgive them for they know not what they are doing.”

b. Jesus taking mankind’s sins alone, entering the torments of hell alone with the souls of

all of mankind at stake. (Full weight)

1. My God, my God why have you forsaken me (God, Father would not look upon sin.)

- Hell is a place void of God’s presence “Martin Luther.”

c. The lamb being led to the slaughter for the purpose of wiping away mankind’s sin.

d. Love and sacrifice is hard to express in words, but let me try with this story: