Celebrating Jesus

CELEBRATING JESUS

Good Friday – 29th March 2013

GOD HAS ALWAYS HAD A PLAN

Genesis 3:15 - And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.

Even before man ever fell into sin and disobedience, God had a plan through His Son to reconcile us back to Him.

Isaiah 53:3-5 - he is despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from him; he was despised, and we did not esteem him. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by god, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed.

John the Baptist saw Jesus the prophetic Lamb of God that was slain before the foundation of the world.

John 1:36 - And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!”

The blood of animals was accepted by God under the Old Covenant as an offering for sins. God never allowed the sacrifice of human flesh and blood. Jesus was sinless and His blood sacrifice was acceptable to God.

Jesus became a sacrifice once and for all for everyone in the present and future as He was the spotless Lamb.

Jesus suffered in the flesh for all of us and went through extreme physical pain and emotional trauma for us. His Father allowed His Son to suffer for us because God’s sacrifice is powered by His love for us.

John 3:16 -For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

There are a number of lessons we can apply through the death of Jesus.

1. WE CANNOT BUY OUR SALVATION

Jesus bought us with His blood and no further payment or sacrifice is necessary. He sees us through His blood and finds no fault in us.

We should also learn to see others through the blood of Jesus.

2. WE CAN ENGTER HIS PRESENCE BOLDLY

When Jesus cried “It is finished”, it meant that there were no more barriers and obstacles to His presence. We simply step into his presence boldly and say “Father”.

There are no more works or rituals that need to be done before we enter into the Holy place.

3. JESUS TOOK AWAY THE CURSE

Galatians 3:13 - Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"),

We are no longer under any curse and no-one can curse us because Jesus became the curse for us and has blessed us.

The curse of sin, sickness, and poverty can be overcome. We are blessed coming and blessed going out.

4. HE HAS GIVEN US HIS NAME

He has given us His name which is above every name. We do not come in our own name, but we come in the name of the Lord.

Those that reject Jesus will receive the name of the devil which is ‘666’.

5. QUALITY OF LIFE

We can enjoy each and every day and live a quality life.

He loads us with new benefits every day and wipes away the failure of yesterday through His mercies.

We can live a full and abundant life because of His death on the cross.

6. WE HAVE A NEW FAMILY

The church represents a new family where we meet our brothers and sisters in Christ and worship our Father.

7. ETERNITY BEGINS NOW

All God’s the promises are for now and can be enjoyed during our lifetime on earth. We do not have to wait to die to access heaven’s blessings.

When we die and go to heaven, our life simply continues. Heaven is an extension of our abundant life on earth.

1 John 4:17 - ….because as He is, so are we in this world.

8. FULFILL YOUR COMMISSION

The completed work on the cross represents the fulfilment of the Jesus’ life purpose and means that we can fulfil our diving purpose on earth during our lifetime.

We have not been paled on earth to life and die, but to fulill a divine plan which adds to God’s Kingdom.

Matthew 28:19 - Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,

baptizing them in the name of the father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

9. YOU ARE NOT ALONE

Through His death, Jesus was able to send the Holy Spirit to empower ordinary believers for extra-ordinary ministry.