25 November 2007
U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris
Ord Military Chapel
Seaside CA
BIG IDEA: The Roman Soldiers were forgiven for executing the death sentence and gambling for Jesus’ garments.
REFERENCES: Psalm 22:18-23 (NIV); Luke 23:33-43 (NIV); John 19:23-25 NIV (Power only through Christ); Acts 1:22 (Casting lots for the replacement of Judas); Leviticus 16:8 (God lays out the method of choosing the sacrificial and scapegoat for the annual offering); Joshua 18:6 (The casting of lots were to determine the allotment of the lands to the tribes); 1 Corinthians 10:31 (whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God".); Proverbs 28:20 ("One eager to get rich will not go unpunished"); Proverbs 28:22 (He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil [envious] eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him); Proverbs 13:11 ("Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow".); Matthews 27:35 (KJV) And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots; Matthews 25:14-28 (The parable of the Talents); Isaiah 65:11-12a RSV (But you who forsake the Lord, who forget my holy mountain, who set a table for Fortune and fill cups of mixed wine for Destiny; I will destine you to the sword, and all of you shall bow down to the slaughter);
I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: Luke 23:33-43 (NIV)
II. READ THE PERICOPE: Luke 23:33-43 (NIV)
III. READ THE TEXT: Luke 23:34 (NIV) Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
IV. PURPOSE: To motivate the hearers to affirm to others that the Roman Soldiers displayed circumstantial ignorance and was forgiven.
V. SERMONIC THEME: “The Gamble that Paid-Off”
VI. INTRODUCTION: Our sermonic theme is a contradictory, because gambling doesn’t usually have a long-term positive pay-off. Gambling is highly addictive. There are over 6 million compulsive gamblers in the U.S., alone, and it is a growing problem.
In fact, twenty-three years ago, Walter Read - Chairman of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission, was quoted as saying, "Fifteen years ago there were [almost] no women and no teenagers in Gamblers Anonymous.” Today, in the state of New Jersey, five percent of Gamblers Anonymous are under twenty-one, while thirty-two percent of Gamblers Anonymous are women."
In fact, the latest report of the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey reports that the average compulsive gambler owes $ 25,727 and made their first bet by age 13.
Now, if those numbers are alarming, you should be aware that Gambling is a 14 billion dollar business in California;
and California is the sixth largest gambling state in the United States of America behind Nevada, New Jersey, Mississippi, Illinois, and Louisiana. California is only one of six states that don’t have high-stakes casinos.
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MOVE 1: In a recent trip from Virginia back to Monterey, I was routed through Sin City (Las Vegas, Nevada – the largest gambling state in America) and to my surprise, …
a. … when I got off of the plane, I saw something that I had never seen in an airport before – rows and rows of slot machines and people gambling.
b. I’m here to tell you, “I had never seen anything like it.”
c. Therefore, I have several questions for you to consider: What are the ethical and moral implications of gambling? Is gambling something that Christians should be doing? Why or why not?
d. While you’re thinking about the questions, at hand, you should know that those that are in favor of gambling are often heard trying to place gambling in the same category as other ventures involving risk.
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MOVE 2: For instance, those that are in support of gambling described farming, business, insurance, and even investments as gambling …
a. … because the outcome is unpredictable and losses can occur.
b. In this way they hope to transfer legitimate respect for gambling.
c. It has been said that “gambling exists in many forms and people in increasing numbers are exposed to its temptations” in places such as Sin City.
d. Therefore the responsible Christian must formulate an opinion concerning its respectability.
e. The legalization of gambling by governments or its acceptance by some religious organizations cannot be the overriding justification.
f. For don’t you remember, what Isaiah said would happened to some of the people of God (65:1-12) who in the midst of their Babylonian Captivity were trusting in the ancient symbols of chance and risk rather than God.
g. For the scriptures tell us that although the believers didn’t totally desert God altogether, …
h. … they combined His worship with the cult of Good Luck and Bad Luck (Gad and Meni).
i. Consequently, they were responsible for introducing an ungodly and unethical factor into the outlook of many of their fellow Israelites.
j. As a result, Isaiah said that they were to be destroyed. For the Word of God said:
k.. But you who forsake the Lord, who forget my holy mountain, who set a table for Fortune and fill cups of mixed wine for Destiny; I will destine you to the sword, and all of you shall bow down to the slaughter (Isaiah 65:11-12a RSV).
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MOVE 3: Likewise, as New Testament Christians, we must base our decision and attitude about gambling solely on Scripture.
a. As believers, perhaps we shouldn’t be asking what’s wrong with gambling;
b. Perhaps it’s more appropriate to be asking “what’s right with gambling?”
c. Or better yet, “what would Jesus do?”
d. Now, my brothers and my sisters, I believe if Jesus was placed in a situation where he had to decide “to gamble or not to gamble,”
e. … He would choose to make a decision that would bring honor and glory to God’s name.
f. As Christians striving to be like Jesus, we should also make decisions to bring honor and glory to God’s name.
g. And in spite of what you may have seen or heard other believers and Christians do…
h. …there is usually no long term positive pay-off in gambling.
i. … I used the word “usually” because in our text today, we find a long-term positive pay-off to Gambling.
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MOVE 5: Therefore, I contend this morning that there are AT LEAST TWO REASONS WHY GAMBLING IS WRONG.
a. THE FIRST REASON WHY gambling is wrong is because (like other sins) it is habit forming; and God is not glorified when we trust in chance or risk rather than Him.
b. For the scriptures say, "whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).
c. SO, THE FIRST REASON WHY GAMBLING IS WRONG is because God is NOT GLORIFIED, WHEN WE TRUST IN CHANCE OR RISK RATHER THAN HIM.
d. THE SECOND REASON WHY GAMBLING IS WRONG is because it is inconsistent with the work morality of scripture.
e. For as we learned last week in “The Rule of Thumb: No Work, No Food”.
f. It has been said that the Bible doesn’t only teach the importance of working;
g. … but it also teaches us to be aware of “get rich quick schemes”.
h. For don’t you remember, the Proverbial writer says, in Proverbs 28:20 - "One eager to get rich will not go unpunished" (Proverbs 28:20).
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MOVE 6: Likewise, in Proverbs 28:22, he says - "He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil [envious] eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him";
a. … and in Proverbs 13:11, the Bible says that "Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little … makes it grow".
b. SO, THE SECOND REASON WHY GAMBLING IS WRONG IS BECAUSE it is inconsistent with the work morality of scripture.
c. Likewise, a closer examination of our Scripture Reading, this morning, uncovers “the CASTING OF LOTS”…
d. … a game of mere chance and risk. A Jewish Traditional that goes back to the days of Moses and Aaron.
e. For Casting Lots were used to enable the people of God to choose between objects OR to choose people for service as an aid in justice.
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MOVE 7: But, in our text (this morning) we find the Execution Squad of 4 soldiers “CASTING LOTS” to determine who would be the lucky one to receive the Tunic of Christ.
a. For don’t you remember, a Jew clothing in the First Century consisted of five articles of clothing:
a. The headdress, the outer garment, the shoes, the girdle, and the tunic.
b. There were four soldiers; but there were five articles of clothing – the fifth being the tunic.
c. This tunic was really nice because it woven into ONE PIECE.
c. So, the soldiers agreed amongst themselves that the tunic was too nice to be divided and ruined, so they decided to CAST LOTS.
d. And one of them, no doubt, considered himself to be the LUCKY ONE.
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MOVE 8: Perhaps this was an attempt by the Roman Soldiers to add further insult to injury.
a. I don’t know; and the scripture doesn’t say …
b. But, a closer examination of CASTING LOTS indicates that the Romans were participating in a Jewish Tradition.
c. A tradition in which many believed was not a game of mere chance; but a tradition where God himself ultimately decided the outcome.
d. In the eyes of First Century Jews, CASTING LOTS was a spiritual event with spiritual outcomes.
e. So the question is … As God manisfested in the flesh … what did Jesus see when he looked down from the cross to see the soldiers who were executing Him?
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CELEBRATION: Well, my brothers and my sisters … I believe when Jesus looked down from the cross upon the soldiers WHO WAS EXCUTING HIM …
He saw them gambling for his tunic before they gambled for His Tunic; He saw a group of soldiers Ignorant of History.
He saw a group gambling for the right to WEAR what he had worn … when He healed the woman of an issue of blood;
Jesus saw a group gambling for the right to WEAR … what he had worn … when he healed a man of leprosy …
When Jesus looked down from the cross … he saw a group … gambling for the right to wear … what he had worn … when he healed a deaf and mute man in DECAPOLIS …
and the DIVINE NATURE OF HIM … screamed-out … “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
…And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
