Three Strkes and You’re OUT!
Introduction:
Did you know that without certain events in Christianity, without certain events in the life of Jesus, there is no such thing as Christianity?
Hebrews 4:15
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin.
Without Jesus being born through a virgin, then there is no way He could be without sin, and He would not have fulfilled the prophecy spoken in Isaiah. The sin that was passed down from the first Adam would have been on Him and He could not have redeemed the world of sin.
Micah 5:2
"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."
Without Jesus being born in Bethlehem, then either the prophecy is wrong or Jesus would not have been the Messiah.
Without Jesus going to the cross there would have been no shedding of blood and there would have been no death, both of which are needed to remove the curse of sin from man.
From Palm Sunday until resurrection Sunday, the entire week focuses on virtually all the prophecies, truths, and doctrines, all the reasons, we are who we are as believers in Jesus Christ. Yet, like Peter, when asked by the servant girl standing outside the building when Jesus was on trial, many of us, whether it be by our actions, words, or deeds, are tempting that rooster to crow over us. What was Peter asked? What was asked of Peter, the very man who said he would rather die than let something happen to Jesus?
John 18:17 "You are not one of his disciples, are you?" the girl at the door asked Peter. He replied, "I am not."
25 As Simon Peter stood warming himself, he was asked, "You are not one of his disciples, are you?" He denied it, saying, "I am not." 26 One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, "Didn’t I see you with him in the olive grove?" 27 Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.
Scripture: Isaiah 53:1-12
1 Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. 9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. 11 After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied ; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Our points today are:
Where does it Begin?
What can we Believe?
Who can we Blame?
How do we Behave?
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Where does it Begin?
The life of Jesus on this earth, as many of us know, began in the small town of Bethlehem. A town that is only about five miles southwest of Jerusalem. Actually, that town, which is several thousand years old, is the home of many Biblical events and people.
Rachel is buried there.
King David was born there.
The story of Ruth (Boaz, and Naomi) takes place around there.
And, the water from Bethlehem, according to King David, was very good.
1 Chronicles 11 (also in 2 Samuel)
16 At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 17 David longed for water and said, "Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!" 18 So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the LORD. 19 "God forbid that I should do this!" he said. "Should I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives?" Because they risked their lives to bring it back, David would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.
With such a rich history, it was and is only right that our Lord Jesus would have His beginning there, in the town of Bethlehem. It is only right that the Son of God, the manna sent from heaven, would be born in a town called the ‘house of bread.’
This is where Jesus’ earthly life began, ninety miles south of Nazareth. He did not stay there in Bethlehem very long, as King Herod wanted to kill him, and there were more prophecies that needed to be fulfilled. So Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father took the family, at the request of an angel, and they went to Egypt. After that, He, and His family were called out of that place, thus fulfilling yet another prophecy. They headed back into the land of Judea, but had to detour into Nazareth. But, that was all foreknown in God’s plan, because prophecy states that Jesus was to be called a Nazarene.
This is where it all began. In places as real as the places where you were born and grew up. As real as the house that you live in now, and as real as the stores in which you buy your bread.
These places existed, not just in the Bible, but in history, in archaeological truth, and in the hearts of the prophecies that were foretold sometimes centuries before Jesus ever walked on this earth.
This is where it all began. This is where living truth began. This is where living salvation began. This is where living hope for mankind had its beginning.
What can we Believe?
Our posters, paintings, and pictures that we have drawn and painted to depict the appearance of Jesus don’t seem to take into account what Isaiah says about Him. As looks go, Isaiah says that everything about Him was very common. Yet, we believe Him to have had this long flowing hair, beard, and a very handsome face. I can’t tell you yes or no, all I can say is what is written in scripture: He had a common appearance.
What can we believe about the Son of God? What can we believe about the Lamb of God that sacrificed Himself for each one of us? Well, first of all, we can believe that He was poor. His family, though from the line of King David, had no real possessions, no wealth, no bright future in politics, nothing that would make the world gather around Him and take notice.
Athletes, actors, singers, scientists, and philosophers all have their talents to draw people to them. But, Jesus only had the Word of God. What can we believe? We can believe that the Word of God was enough in a sick and dying world then, and it is enough in a sick and dying world today!
What can we believe? We can believe that the Son of God knew what He was doing but did not let the projected outcome deter Him.
Knowing what lay before Him, the hate and the scorning…
He willingly took up our infirmities on His shoulders
Knowing what lay before Him, the pain and the punishment,
He willingly took our transgressions on His shoulders
Knowing what awful wounds would be inflicted on His body,
He willingly took our sin and iniquity on His shoulders.
What can we believe? We can believe that every man and every woman, like sheep, have gone astray and needed that lamb that was led to the slaughter, in order to be reconciled to God, in order to have peace .
Who can we Blame?
Who can we blame for all of this? Who can we blame for the death of Jesus? Do we blame the Romans? Do we blame the Jews? Do we blame those that laughed at Him while He carried His own cross to His own death? The answer is found in Isaiah 53:6, again, where it says:
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Who can we blame? We don’t have to look very far; we only have to look into the mirror to see who was responsible for the death of Jesus. Yes, the Romans carried out the sentence. Yes, the Jewish Ruling Council had Him sent to the Romans. But, if had not been them, then it would have been another Council, or another political group that would have put Him to death.
You see, without the cross, without His death, there is no shedding of blood, and without the blood there is no redemption. Without Jesus being lifted up, He could not have drawn all men to Him. Without His guilt offering, we would still be guilty.
How do we Behave?
Isaiah 53:11 says, my righteous servant will justify many, and Isaiah 53:12a says, he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
These are words that we need to take to heart. Yes it is good to understand the life of Jesus, the Garden of Gethsemane, the questioning and punishment before the Sanhedrin, and the cross, but what is most important to your eternal life is how does all of that apply to you and your relationship with God?
God wants to have a relationship with His creation, yet He cannot because men are sinners. Not until each and every man individually claims the blood of Jesus for his own cleansing can a man even begin to enter into a relationship with his Creator.
Jesus Christ bore the sins of the world, so that the world, through Him, could be reconciled to God. This is a very important spiritual truth, the biggest word in that statement is the word ‘could.’ It means it’s up to the world to make up their mind. It’s up to the world, it’s up to each and every individual to decide what to do with the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth.
Look at what God has to say about it:
John 3:
16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."
How, then, are we to behave? As if this actually took place, because it DID! So many times I see people, people that call themselves Christians, arguing, complaining, backbiting, ridiculing, scorning, hating, and putting people down, off, and away. It’s as if Jesus’ death on the cross has no bearing what so ever on their lives. Jesus died on the cross. Jesus died on the cross! JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS! It actually took place.
Next time you get in an argument ask yourself this question: “Why did Jesus die for me?” Don’t ask, “What would Jesus do?” because that’s a question that a mortal mind would not really be able to answer.
Instead, ask yourself, “Why did Jesus die for me?”
Did He die for me so that I could be good or bad to this or that person?
Did He die for me so that I could dump on this person?
Did He die for me so that I could call this or that person a bad name?
The question, “Why did He die,” will determine “How you behave.”
If your behavior, actions, speech, or deeds are less than what they should be, then obviously you’re having trouble understanding why Jesus died for YOU.
Summary:
Where does it Begin for you?
It begins by calling Jesus, the Son of God, Lord and Savior of your life.
Only by submitting yourself to Him, only by absolute surrender of your will to the perfect will of the Father in Heaven can you know perfect peace that transcends all understanding.
Only by submitting yourself to Him, only by absolute surrender of your will to the perfect will of the Father in Heaven can you know perfect joy that will flow out of you like a gushing fountain.
Only by submitting yourself to Him, only by absolute surrender of your will to the perfect will of the Father in Heaven can you know perfect love that will cover you like a blanket all the days of your life.
What can we Believe?
We believe that Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a sin-free life here on earth, was hung on the cross for our sin and died there with the burden of that sin upon His shoulders. And, that three days later, He rose from the grave, triumphing over death’s grip and ascended on high where He now intercedes for you and I. This is what we believe.
Who can we Blame?
Who can we blame for the awful blight of sin on the world and the destruction and death that it has caused? We have to blame ourselves, for we are the ones that are not without sin. Jesus went to the cross as a propitiation for the price of our sin against God. That price was death, and He was our substitute, and because He was our substitute, we need only blame ourselves for the death of Jesus on the cross. But, hallelujah, He paid it all for us, so through the death of one, many will be justified and will gather around the throne of God and sing “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty.”
How do we Behave?
We behave accordingly. Meaning, your life has been bought with a price. You have been purchased through the death of Christ so that you can have life. Do you behave accordingly? Do you willingly and freely admit Jesus as your Lord and Savior, or is it Three Strikes You’re OUT?
John 18:17 "You are not one of his disciples, are you?" the girl at the door asked Peter. He replied, "I am not."
