Jesus - The Ultimate Survivor
Gladstone Baptist Church - 27/3/05 am
Idea for sermon came from “The True Survivor” Tract published by the Bible Society in Australia 2002.
We live in a society where surviving is held in highest regard. Being an ultimate survivor is a characteristic that is admired and desired. Much of our life is spent trying to improve our skills to equip us for life and for the challenges we will face. School, Uni, Work experience - all are aimed at not just helping us survive, but also to thrive in life.
You only have to look at the types of TV shows that flood our airwaves. Survivor, Big Brother, The Biggest Loser, The Apprentice, Dancing with the Stars, The X Factor, My Restaurant Rules. The list Goes on and on. These reality shows all have one thing in common - the aim of surviving. All the contestants are out to survive the game through to the end. People are voted off by their fellow competitors or the public or both until only one survives and they walk home with the prize.
There is no difference in the sport we play. Australians are sports mad. But it is not just sport we love, we love the competition and we love a winning team. A Team that has survived. It is a rare person who continues to follow a sport when their team is continually losing. That is why Aussie Rules Football has grown so successful in the last 5-10 years. We love winners. The Lions are winners, The broncos and the Reds haven’t been doing so good so we are caught up watching the lions.
But when you think about it, most of our sport is also centred around surviving also. Come the finals season, the gloves come off and the struggle for survival begins with each team left in the competition trying to be the last man standing.
We all want to survive. We all want to triumph.
But I’ve got some bad news for you - many, many, many people in this world will ultimately be losers not winners. They will be on the losing team not the winning team. Yes we will all die, and that will be the end of life as we know it. But that is not the end. Death just ushers in a tribal council to beat all tribal councils where people will be ultimately judged. God will decide who will be voted off this earth and who will remain. God will decide who are the survivors who will remain with him for eternity.
You know when we talk about ultimate survivors, there is only one person who can rightly wear that crown - and that is Jesus.
2000 years ago, there was a man named Jesus who lived and faced unbeatable odds. His story was one of a resounding victory in the face of corruption, injustice, betrayal, opposition and even death.
He faced Opposition from Those in AUTHORITY
When he walked this earth, Jesus was opposed by almost everyone in authority.
„X When he was born, Herod tried to kill Him. His parents had to flee to Egypt to protect Him.
„X When he grew up, and began to minister to the helpless and the needy, the religious leaders became jealous of his popularity. They became incensed when showed up their hypocrisy. They became convicted by his moral teachings. They became threatened by his claims of being God. And so they plotted against Him. They tried to trap Him. They endeavoured to trick him and when all else failed, they determined to kill him.
Matt 26:1-5 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2 “As you know, the Passover is two days away-and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”
3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4 and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him. 5 “But not during the Feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”
Jesus had done nothing to deserve this. But the desire for power was strong and the plans became reality.
He faced Opposition from a TRUSTED FRIEND
It wasn’t just the Jewish leaders that turned against Jesus though, One of his own trusted disciples turned against Him. Judas was one of Jesus’ twelve disciples. They had walked together and talked together and shared meals and beds together. Yet when the crunch came, Judas was more interested in money than in his friend. Jesus was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver.
Luke 22:1-5 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, 2 and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. 3 Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. 4 And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. 5 They were delighted and agreed to give him money. 6 He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.
Jesus was arrested - That was on Thursday night. He was brought before the Temple court and false charges were brought against Him. The next day he was brought up for trial to Pilate and the death penalty was demanded by the chief priests. But where was justice. It had disappeared that night Jesus was betrayed.
Not only was Jesus opposed by those in authority and a trusted friend, but ...
He Faced Opposition from his OWN PEOPLE
But it wasn’t just the chief priests and some of his friends that had turned against Jesus. The people of Jerusalem had also suddenly become fickle. Just 5 days earlier on the 5A Sunday, Jesus had entered into Jerusalem as a celebrity. People cheered and welcomed him as the promised King. They sang
Matt 21:9”Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!”
They celebrated his coming, but just 5 days later their dancing turned to murderous demands. Pilate offered the people a choice he thought they couldn’t refuse. One prisoner would be set free that Passover holiday. Either Jesus who had done so much good for so many people and who was in Pilate’s eyes, faultless. Or Barabbas, a well known thief and murder who had led an rebellion probably against the Roman governors.
Matthew 27:15-18 It was an old custom during the Feast for the governor to pardon a single prisoner named by the crowd. At the time, they had the infamous Barabbas in prison. With the crowd before him, Pilate said, "Which prisoner do you want me to pardon: Barabbas, or Jesus the so-called Christ?" He knew it was through sheer spite that they had turned Jesus over to him. ... But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.
“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.
“Barabbas,” they answered.
“What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked.
They all answered, “Crucify him!”
“Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
The people who had celebrated him 5 days earlier as king were now calling for his killing.
Jesus was being eliminated. He was seen as the one who was expendable and needed to go. So he was EXECUTED in the cruellest of fashions - by crucifixion. He died that Friday afternoon and with it died the hopes and dreams of many. Jesus, the Son of God had been voted off the planet in a most undignified way.
So how can he be the ultimate survivor you ask. And I’d answer, because the story doesn’t end there.
We read in Matthew 28:1-10 that
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week [Sunday], Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ¡¥He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
Jesus is the ultimate survivor because he Rose again to CONQUER DEATH. Despite the rejection, despite the opposition, despite his physical death, you can’t keep a good man down. Jesus came back to life 3 days after being killed and lives today.
He is Risen. [He is risen in deed]
Jesus was in a competition - but it was a competition for more than just money. God doesn’t need any money because he owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He owns this earth and everything in it. No the stakes of this competition Jesus was in were far higher than a couple of million dollars or a new job or anything like that - what was at stake was life and death - not his, but ours.
One of the curses of sin is that we all must die. Old, young, healthy, unhealthy, rich, poor, good looking, ugly as, we all will one day die. No one can escape death and so eventually we all become losers. Not one of us could be called a survivor, because we all die physically.
But Jesus conquered death. He is the ultimate survivor. On that first Easter morning, he rose again and lives even today. He rose and conquered death so that we could similarly be raised. He rose to OFFER US ETERNAL LIFE
Rom 6:8-10 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
1 Tim 1:8-10 - So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life-not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
Jesus died and came back to life so that, if we trust in Him with our lives, we can also be SURVIVORS and live forever. But there is a choice we must make. We must choose which team we want to be on. Yes like any good competition, there are 2 teams. But only one team will be ultimate survivors. Only one team will be raised back to a new life shared with God for ever. The other team after death and judgement will be raised from death, but will not enjoy a new life, they will suffer eternally in pain, torment and separation from all that is good and lovely.
One team will be eternal winners and the other will be eternal losers. Which are you on now? Which do you want to be on? Do you want to be an ultimate survivor
Jesus said in John 10:7-11 “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
You want to be a survivor that outlasts others. You want a full life - then you need to be on the winning team. You need to be on Jesus’ team.
How do you do that? 4 simple steps - the ABCD of Faith...
1) ADMIT that you are a sinner and need to be forgiven. God knows this already, but you have to come to the point of admitting your need of a Saviour.
2) BELIEVE that Jesus died on the cross for you and that He wants a relationship with you.
3) CONFESS your sins and ask God to forgive them. Jesus has already paid the penalty for your sins. God is ready to forgive them - you only need to ask
4) DEDICATE your life to living for Him. God wants you to make the most of your life. He wants you to live a full life and a contented life and the best way to do this is to live it in a way that God designed you and I to live.
Some of you here this morning are maybe here because of the celebrations at Trinity College. You have benefited from a great education and a loving environment, but let me tell you that your future is more important than your past. This goes for everyone here. Whether you end up being a survivor or not in eternity will far outweigh any career success, financial wealth, social status or the like that you will achieve on this earth. All your wins in this life will pale into insignificance when you consider winning for all eternity.
Some of you sitting here today may not have yet made the decision to join God’s winning team. You come to church every now and then, but you don’t have a relationship with Jesus. You have never personally surrendered your life to him. I encourage you to consider this important step today. You only have a certain number of breathes left in your life - don’t leave it too late to make your decision.
I am going to close today by praying the ABCD prayer of Faith. If you have never accepted Jesus to be your Lord and saviour, then I would invite you to pray this along with me this morning. If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour before, pray for those in this building, in this town and in our world who still are not on the winning team.
Pray ...
Lord Jesus, we come to you this morning and admit that we are sinners. We have done things which have hurt others and which are contrary to your will. Lord we admit that we need forgiveness for these sins. We want to thank you for your death that first Easter Friday. I believe you died on that Cross for me so that my sins can be forgiven. I believe that you want a relationship with me. I thank you that you love me so much you would consider dying for me. So now, I want to ask you to forgive me for the things I have done wrong. Wipe the slate clean I pray. Jesus, I want to dedicate my remaining days, weeks, years to living for you. I want to live a life that is all you intended it to be, so I ask that you come in and take control. Thank you for all you have done for me. Amen.
If you prayed that prayer this morning. I encourage you to speak to someone this morning before you go home. Solidify your decision and celebrate it with others. I’ll be down the front after the service and I’d love to encourage and pray with you.
