Ashley Song:
Series: Breakthrough 2020
Sermon: Breakthrough from the Grave! Good Friday!
Thesis: Breakthrough from the grave comes at the cost of killing God – remember Jesus is God in the flesh – yes it’s a conspiracy started shortly after Jesus birth and finds it fulfillment in the timing of God and Jesus on Good Friday. His death will mark the defeat of sin, will remove the separation from God the Father and usher in new life – eternal life - that can never be snuffed out. This is why we call Good Friday – Good!
Scripture: John 1
The Word Became Flesh
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2He was with God in the beginning.
3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
4In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
6There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John.
7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe.
8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
10He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.
11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.
12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”
16From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.
17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.
John the Baptist Denies Being the Christ
19Now this was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was.
20He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Christ.”
21They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”
22Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”
24Now some Pharisees who had been sent
25questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
26“I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know.
27He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
28This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
Jesus the Lamb of God
29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
30This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’
31I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”
32Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.
33I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
34I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.”
Introduction:
The conspiracy against Jesus to kill him! We could call it the conspiracy plan to kill and get rid of God!
Yes, there was a conspiracy to kill God in the flesh (Jesus) right after his birth - Yes, demonic people tried to claim that if they kill Jesus then, “God is Dead” – they get their way. We see our historical context of 2, 000 years ago from the Bible accounts and even more so points to the insanity of people to erase God from history and prevent Him from fulfilling His plan – they have tried to kill God by killing Jesus – killing his followers – His prophets – by banning and destroying His Word – the Bible – by outlawing church services and communion – and a host of other edicts and laws have come through history – we see the same today in our present time 2,000 years later:
This article speaks about Time’s famous cover back in 1966: See from https://time.com/isgoddead/
“DON HAMILTON REMEMBERS THE DAY WELL. THIS WAS BACK IN 1966. HE WAS 12 WHEN A CLASSMATE ASKED HIM THE QUESTION: “DOES YOUR FATHER THINK THAT GOD IS DEAD?” HAMILTON HAD TO ADMIT THAT THE ANSWER WAS YES.
Time magazine Cover - Is God Dead?
Before long, another friend’s grandmother had started lobbying to have his father, William Hamilton, who was then a professor at Colgate Rochester Divinity School in Rochester, N.Y, fired. Rather than going to church, the family started doing Bible reading at home, on their own. Eventually, they left Rochester. There was no way to hide Hamilton’s radical view after the April 8, 1966, cover of TIME Magazine asked the same question as young Don’s friend.”
“The story by TIME religion editor John Elson—and the gut-punch question on the cover, the magazine’s first to include only text—inspired countless angry sermons and 3,421 letters from readers. (For example: “Your ugly cover is a blasphemous outrage.”) The National Review responded by asking whether TIME were, in fact, the dead one. Bob Dylan even criticized it in a 1978 interview with Playboy: “If you were God, how would you like to see that written about yourself?”
Fifty years later, it remains one of the most iconic TIME covers ever produced. It has also produced songs and movies stating emphatically “God is Not Dead!”
But Time asked the question and others banned God from Schools and education and in business – They have tried to snuff out God and His Word for centuries – But God is still alive and well in the world!
By the way “Good Friday is about the day God died on the cross – Jesus was God in the flesh but the amazing story of Good Friday is God died and rose again from the grave – death could not keep him down or defeat him.” This is why Good Friday is called Good! It’s also a promise to show all of us you cannot kill God – do away with God – ban God – make church services illegal – God is still alive and moving forward with His mission.
But people – demonic people have been trying to kill off Jesus and His message since he was born! They are pawns of Satan whose mission is to wipe God and Jesus from the face of the earth! Good Friday reveals over and over how Satan fails at doing this and demonic men will continue to fail at doing this!
T.S. - Let me highlight the plan of evil since Jesus inception – the conspiracy to kill Jesus (literally):
Attempt 1 on Jesus’ life – the myth – the legend - the Son of Man – God in the flesh!
Matthew 2:1-23 – Herod kills all the children 2 and under!
The conspiracy to kill Jesus is set in motion!
The first executioner to go after Jesus was Herod The Great – the one who sent his soldiers to kill all the boys two and under in Bethlehem because he wanted to exterminate the prophesied Messiah “King of the Jew” no one got that title but him and his family – that is those he thought deserved to live – but when the men from the East came to his palace in Jericho this diabolical demon possessed mind found another reason to kill. I find his name is an oxymoron – he was not great but a demented serial killer!
Stephen Mansfield stated in his book “Killing Jesus” this about our psycho king: “During his four-decade reign, he has killed often, murdering not only wives and sons but also his uncle, brother-in-law, mother-in-law, and even those he called friends. Hundreds more have died by his hand. He has ordered people killed by strangulation, assassination, burning, drowning and cleaving in half” (Page 15).
He killed women, children, his wives, and sons and many other innocent people – Augustus said, “It is safer to be Herod’s pig than to be his son” (Page 16)
Herod knew at his death no one would mourn but instead they would all cheer the wicked king is dead – so at his death he ordered that the ruling men of the nation to assemble in the Hippodrome so he could have them executed to produce mourning even if it was not meant for him! Innocent lives were executed as his last order of king so there would be tears and mourning. Not for him of course but for the innocent ones killed by his edict.
Our demented king tried to kill Jesus shortly after he discovered his existence by the wise men – Yes the Gospel of John calls Jesus – “God in the flesh.” But this twisted demon possessed king fails as all demented followers of Satan will discover in the end times! Here is the truth - you cannot kill God or snuff out His Word! – He is the beginning and the end and you will always lose! But evil people will try but always fail!
After Herod Archelaus dies a horrible death filled with agony – worms – rotting insides. Herod Antipas his son takes over as king – He will have Jesus appear before him illegally in the night in about 28 years – right before Jesus is executed by crucifixion but he will just return him to Pilate saying – “I don’t really care!” – “I wanted to meet this Jesus and have him do a miracle for me but he did not – he did not even talk to me – so do what you want!” “Remember I killed his cousin John the Baptist because my wife wanted him dead because he was not nice to us – telling us God is going to judge us – really “I am the real King of Jews not this carpenter”! I want no part of this crazy execution!”
So what his father set in motion 28 years earlier the son fails to become involved in – the conspiracy to kill Jesus – but his father still influenced the wicked religious rulers of the day in implanting in them the necessity to kill anyone who claimed to be the legitimate King of the Jews – He made it plain there can be no chosen one by God! – no aspiring king who claims to come from God can live – Rome will not tolerate it – and the temple rulers will not tolerate it – a chosen one would expose them as frauds and thieves who make money in the worship of God – the fate of the nation is at stake – so the bottom line is people who say or do things (Like I am from God – sent by God – the king of Israel) and the like must die for the sake of the nation of Israel! (This adapted from Mansfield page 20).
Note: But Jesus had to die for the sake of the world and mankind!
T.S. – So we see the 1st attempt on Jesus life happens at a very young age but God protected Him by telling Mary and Joseph to leave and go to Egypt. But the conspiracy is set in motion by Satan to kill Jesus.
Attempt two on Jesus life: – the myth – the legend - the Son of Man – God in the flesh!
Matthew 13:53-58; Mark 6:1-6; Luke 4:16-30 Jesus in his hometown synagogue in Nazareth.
The conspiracy to kill Jesus fuels it fires as Jesus starts His ministry and exposes evil religious practices, greed and sin.
Jesus begins his public ministry in 27AD one of his first acts is driving the merchants out of the temple in Jerusalem! They are using the worship of God to exploit the people for money and Jesus is outraged at how a place of worship and prayer turned into a Walmart and rip off place! The religious leaders take alarm this teacher is not going to follow our rules and play nice.
Jesus returns to Nazareth after doing some teaching in Jerusalem and some miracles – in his hometown he speaks in the synagogue – Jesus gets up and reads from Isaiah 61:1-2
Luke 4: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Luke 4: 20Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Luke 4:28All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 29They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. 30But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.
The 2nd attempt is made on Jesus life – throw him off the cliff and kill Him!
The Pharisees and teachers of the law discuss charging Jesus with blasphemy after the Temple incident and this incident helps fuel their fire because these are capital offenses in Israel and Jesus needs to be eliminated! He is dangerous and they need to get rid of him for the sake of Israel!
T.S. – Jesus was not afraid to reveal and expose religious abuse and it enraged people to want him eliminated – Jesus also presented the truth of who He was to His hometown and they too wanted Him killed after hearing the truth. But Jesus walked out untouched because the hand of God the Father was protecting Him.
Attempt 3 on Jesus life – the myth – the legend - the Son of Man – God in the flesh!
The conspiracy to kill Jesus spreads throughout the region and many groups want him taken out!
John 5:1-47
In 28Ad
After Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath in a Galilean Synagogue – the pharisees and Herodians conspire to kill Jesus. Jesus healed on the Sabbath breaking a manmade rule and the religious discovered he is not following our rules he needs to go!
Matthew 12:22-32
Jesus is accused of being demon possessed so as discredit Him so they can assassinate him as demonic.
On several occasions Jesus declares publicly that there is a conspiracy to murder him. He knew they wanted to eliminate Him and His message! He was fully aware of the evil plan to take His life!
John 8:59
In 29AD
Religious leaders around Galilee and in Jerusalem seek to kill Jesus – this is why he ministered mainly in Galilee to avoid capture prematurely. He knew their plans!
In winter while he is speaking in the temple, a crowd attempts to stone him. Because he says, “I am” and “I was before Abraham!” He evades capture and leaves Jerusalem and the Temple.
T.S. – Many attempts by the crowd stirred by the religious demonically filled leaders to kill Jesus fail but note they tried to kill Jesus – over and over – they tried to Kill God to shut Him up and stop what He was doing – exposing sin and religious corruption and bringing truth to the people! To stop the healing and miracles they say for the sake of Israel!
4th Attempt on Jesus life – the myth – the legend - the Son of Man – God in the flesh!
The conspiracy to kill Jesus ramps to another level after raising Lazarus from the dead – now Lazarus needs eliminated too!
John 11:1-44
In Bethany, Jesus raises his friend Lazarus from the dead. Religious leaders in nearby Jerusalem hunt for both of them to kill them both. But they don’t find them and they fail again! God protects Jesus and Lazarus!
John 11:47-53
In a meeting at the house of Caiaphas, the reigning high priest, members of the Sanhedrin renew their commitment to assassinate Jesus. Caiaphas decided Jesus had to be stopped and he called a meeting of the chief priests. Matthew's Gospel tells us that Caiaphas told them that Jesus had to be killed and so does John’s. (Jn. 11:47, 48). It was Caiaphas who suggested that there was a solution —put this man to death (49-53). They had to for the sake of Israel! To preserve Israel and its Temple Worship – but their actions would actually cause their nation to be destroyed and the Temple destroyed!
Jesus will at His appointed time by God’s design and He will not die for Israel but for the sake of the world and mankind!
Two days before Passover and the feast of Unleavened bread, chief priests and scribes search for opportunity to arrest Jesus and put him to death.
Jesus has wanted posters all over the place – wanted dead or alive! He is the religious leaders #1 public enemy and they want his head!
T.S. – The demons of Jerusalem and of Hell are in full motion to find Jesus and kill Jesus but He keeps slipping away. He is the great escape artist but really God is protecting Him!
5th attempt on Jesus life – the myth – the legend - the Son of Man – God in the flesh!
Luke 22:1-5; Matthew 26:15 – the perfect plan comes together – one of his own want to sell Him out!
The conspiracy to kill Jesus gets help from the inside – one of his own has turned on Him!
Judas offers to betray Jesus. The religious leaders pounce on the opportunity to find him and have him arrested and executed on a cross. But Jesus knew their plan – he said so during the Passover meal!
Luke 22:47-53; John 18
After the Passover meal were Jesus predicts Judas betrayal – the Satanic minion Judas sets the plan in motion directing 100 Roman Soldiers and Temple Guards to the Garden were Jesus is praying – He betrays Him with a Kiss and there is a commotion – Peter rises up sword in hand and cuts Malchus’ ear off the High Priests servant – John 18:10 - Jesus rebukes Peter and heals the ear – can you imagine the scene? Jesus had let them all know prior to this sword wielding He is the One in John 18:6 – when He said “I am the One” and they all fell over - they could never take Him without the consent of God the Father – all the soldiers are back up or knocked down in that moment to reveal who Jesus is – God in the flesh!
But He is arrested and the time is now! He stopped Peter from defending him with the sword – The soldiers are knocked down by Jesus to show – he decides when he is arrested and the healing of the servant’s ear also shows he is in control no one there is. Jesus is in control of the situation not any of them are not the soldiers, not Pilate, not the religious leaders or the disciples!
So here is the schedule of what transpires after his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane – note the Times are approximate.
4:00 to 6:00 a.m.
Jesus’s trial before Annas and Caiaphas all illegal according to Jewish law by the way - trials were illegal at night – or at Passover – but they broke the law anyway. (Matthew 26:57–68; Mark 14:53-65; Luke 22:66–70; John 18:12–28)
6:00 to 8:00 a.m.
Jesus’s trial before Pontius Pilate and Herod. Jesus appears before Pilate, is sent over to Herod, and then back to Pilate where he is sentenced to be crucified. (Matthew 27:1–26; Mark 15:1–15; Luke 23:1–25; John 18:28–19:16)
8:00 to 8:30 a.m.
Jesus carries his cross, with Simon of Cyrene’s help, to Golgotha. (Matthew 27:27–32; Mark 15:16–22; Luke 23:26–33; John 19:16–17)
9:00 a.m. (Crucifixion)
Jesus is crucified: “It was the third hour” (Mark 15:25). For the Jewish people, the first hour of the day was 6:00 a.m.
(Matthew 27:35; Luke 23:33; John 19:18–22)
9:00 to 9:30 a.m.
The soldiers divide Jesus’s clothing. He prays for them. (Matthew 27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:34; John 19:23–24)
9:30 to 11:00 a.m.
The soldiers watch over the crucifixion and mock Jesus: “He can’t save himself. Come down from there, Son of God.”
(Matthew 27:36–43; Mark 15:29–32; Luke 23:35–38)
11:00 a.m. to Noon
Jesus speaks from the cross to the thieves on either side. The repentant thief asks Jesus to remember him, and Jesus promises, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” And to his mother, Mary, and to John, Jesus says, “Woman, here is your son. . . . John, here is your mother.’” (Matthew 27:38–44; Luke 23:39–43; John 19:25–27)
Noon
A three-hour darkness descends upon the land: “When the sixth hour had come, there was a darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.” (Matthew 27:45; Mark 15:33)
Noon to 3:00 p.m.
The earth quakes, the temple curtain is torn, and Jesus thirsts. (Matthew 27:51–54; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45; Matthew 27:46–50; Mark 15:33–37; Luke 23:35–38; John 19:29)
3:00 p.m.
Jesus dies: “At the ninth hour, Jesus cried out, ‘My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?’” “Jesus said, ‘It is finished,’ and he gave up his spirit.” (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34–39; Luke 23:46; John 19:30)
So comes the end to Jesus life and ministry to all looking on!
Question: “Did Jesus – God in the flesh really die on Good Friday?”
Question 2: “Are we here celebrating The Day God Died today?”
The answers to these questions are “Yes and Yes.” This is what makes Good Friday - Good – God died for us and for our sins so as to open the door for New Life – a Born Again Experience - Eternal life brough by love-grace-mercy and forgiveness all seen in the willing sacrifice of Jesus on Good Friday – God in the flesh! Dies!
Here are some thoughts to ponder!
Romans 5:8: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Jerry Vines on sermoncentral.com from his sermon “The Day God Died” states this about our verse and Good Friday’s message:
''Christ died for us.'' Two thousand years ago, outside the city of Jerusalem, at a place called Calvary, a man named Jesus died on a cross. It was actually the day God died. The cross was in the heart of God from all eternity. In Revelation 13:8 the Bible says that the Lord Jesus was the lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Before the world was created, before time began, it was determined that the Lord Jesus would die on a cross for the sins of the whole world. When the Lord Jesus came to this earth He carried a cross in his heart as well. As a boy, the Lord Jesus said, ''Did you not know I must be about my Father's business?'' He's talking about the business of dying for the sins of the world on the cross.
Jesus knew His mission and purpose in life! To die for the sake of the world and mankind!
Jerry adds, “Throughout His ministry the Lord Jesus Christ made references to the cross. On one occasion the Lord Jesus said this, ''My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.'' The night before the cross, the Lord Jesus said, ''Father, the hour is come.'' He was talking about the hour of the cross. He was talking about His death on the cross. It was the day God died. Jesus wanted to know if there was another way but there was not so he agreed in conversation with the Father to do His will and Not His own for the sake of the world!”
If you really want to understand what Christianity and Easter is all about, it is all about having to go to the cross to find power over the grave, sin and death. The cross of death leads to New Life in Jesus!
The symbol of the cross by Max Lucado:
Max states, “The cross. Can you turn any direction without seeing one? Perched atop a chapel. Carved into graveyard headstone. Engraved in a ring or suspended on a chain. The cross is the universal symbol of Christianity. An odd choice, don’t you think? Strange that a tool of torture would come to embody a movement of hope. The symbols of other faiths are more upbeat: the six pointed star of David, the crescent moon of Islam, a lotus blossom for Buddhism. Yet a cross for Christianity? An instrument of execution? Would you wear a tiny electric chair around your neck? Suspend a gold plated hangman’s noose on the wall? Would you print a picture of a firing squad on a business card? Yet we do so with the cross…Why is the cross the symbol of our faith? To find the answer look no farther than the cross itself” (He Choose The Nails Page 113-114).
We see it plainly and illuminated on Good Friday – the cross of Jesus comes into the light for all to see – he becomes sin for us on the cross – Jesus receives the blow of our sin on the cross – the sin is punished, but you are safe - safe in the shadow of the cross!
Jerry adds this thought, “If someone said to me, ''What is Christianity?'' I have to explain the cross to them. In I Corinthians 1:18 the Bible says, ''The preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but to us who are saved, it is the power of God. I cannot explain to you what salvation is without taking you to the cross where Jesus died, where God died. At the cross we see humanity at its worst. With wicked hands they took Him and crucified Him. But it’s at the cross we see God at His best. This verse of Scriptures says that God commends His love toward us. This word, commend, is a beautiful picture of what happened at the cross. The word literally means to put together. God put it together at the cross – he fulfilled His plan to redeem us back to Him – restore our position in His family.”
So, the Cross takes on a new meaning that Day! The day God died is Good Friday? We celebrate the death of God today – the killing of Jesus! Yes, this is the day God died on a cross!
But His death is not the end – are you with me! This is why the cross took on new meaning – the meaning of Love – Hope – Peace – deliverance – forgiveness – mercy and grace! And the cross even took on the meaning of JOY!
Everyone expected he would remain in that tomb even Satan, because that’s what happens with those who are dead and buried. They stay dead and they stay buried. But that is not God’s plan! Jesus was unlike any other god or person in history because He did not stay dead – Death did not consume Him or contain Him. This makes Jesus so unique, so different in light of what others said about being a god or their beliefs in mythological god’s.
In my research I came across a book written by an atheist who was trying to deny God, Jesus and the message of Christianity. He cites the essay of H.L. Menchen, “Graveyard of Dead Gods” He even lists all these gods by name –
Here is the list (put on power point screen): 100’s of them!
Aa, Aah, Abil Addu, Addu, Adeona, Adjassou-Linguetor, Adjinakou, Adya Houn'tò, Agassou, Agé, Agwé, Ahijah, Ahti, Aizen Myo-o, Ajisukitakahikone, Ak Ana, Aken , Aker , Äkräs, Aku, Allatu, Altjira, Amano-Iwato, Ame-no-Koyane, Am-heh, Amihan, Amon-Re, Amun, Amurru, Anapel, Anath, Andjety, Anhur, Anit, Anu, Anubis, Apsu, Arianrod, Ash , Ashtoreth, Assur, Astarte, Aten, Atum, Ayida-Weddo, Ayizan, Azaka Medeh, Azaka-Tonnerre, Azumi-no-isora, Baal, Bacalou, Badessy, Bagadjimbiri, Bahloo, Baiame, Bakunawa, Bamapana, Banaitja, Ba-Pef, Baron Cimetière, Baron La Croix, Baron Samedi, Barraiya, Bata , Bathala, Bau, Beltis, Beltu, Belus, Bernardo Carpio, Bes, Biamie, Bilé, Binbeal, Boli Shah, Bossou Ashadeh, Budai, Budai, Bugady Musun, Bugid Y Aiba, Bunjil, Cai Shen, Ceros, Chenti-cheti, Chi You, Chimata-No-Kami, Chun Kwan, Cihang Zhenren, City god, Clermeil, Congo (loa), Consus, Cronos, Cunina, Dagan, Dagda, Dagon, Daikokuten, Damballa, Dan Petro, Dan Wédo, Dauke, Dea Dia, Dhakhan, Diable Tonnere, Diana of Ephesus, Diejuste, Dimmer, Dinclinsin, Dragon King, Dragon King of the East Sea, Duamutef, Dumu-zi-abzu, Ea, Ebisu, Edulia, El, Elali, Elder Zhang Guo, Elum, Engurra, Enki, Enma, En-Mersi, Enurestu, Erlang Shen, Erzulie, Ezili Dantor, Fan Kuai, Fei Lian, Feng Bo, Four sons of Horus, Fu Lu Shou, Fu Xi, Fujin, Fukurokuju, Furrina, Futsunushi, Gasan lil, Gasan-abzu, Goibniu, Gong Gong, Govannon, Gran Maître, Grand Bois, Guan Yu, Guangchengzi, Gunfled, Gwydion, Hachiman, Hadad, Hakudo Maru, Han Xiang, Hapi, Hapy, Heka , Hemen, Hermanubis, Hermes , Heryshaf, Hoderi, Hongjun Laozu, Hoori, Horus, Houyi, Huang Feihu, Hung Shing, Iah, Ibong Adarna, Iku-Turso, Ilmatar, Ilmatar, Imhotep, Imset, Iron-Crutch Li, Isis, Istar, Isum, Iuno Lucina, Izanagi, Jade Emperor, Jar'Edo Wens, Ji Gong, Julana, Jumala, Jupiter, Juroujin, Kaawan, Kagu-tsuchi, Kalfu, Kalma, Kara Khan, Karora, Kerridwen, Khaltesh-Anki, Khepri, Khnum, Khonsu, Kidili, Kini'je, Kitchen God, Kneph, Kojin, Ksitigarbha, Kui Xing, Kuk, Kumakatok, Kuski-banda, Kuu, Ku'urkil, Lagas, Lan Caihe, Lei Gong, Leizhenzi, Lempo, Ler, Li Jing , L'inglesou, Llaw Gyffes, Lleu, Loco (loa), Lü Dongbin, Lugal-Amarada, Maahes, Ma-banba-anna, Mademoiselle Charlotte, Maîtresse Délai, Maîtresse Hounon'gon, Maman Brigitte, Mamaragan, Mami, Mamlambo, Manawyddan, Mandulis, Mangar-kunjer-kunja, Marassa Jumeaux, Marduk, Maria Cacao, Maria Makiling, Maria Sinukuan, Marinette, Mars, Marzin, Matet boat, Mayari, Mbaba Mwana Waresa, Meditrina, Mehen, Melek, Memetona, Menthu, Merodach, Mider, Mielikki, Min , Molech, Mombu, Morrigu, Mounanchou, Mulu-hursang, Mu-ul-lil, Muzha , Na Tuk Kong, Nana Buluku, Naunet, Nebo, Nehebkau, Nergal, Nezha , Nga, Nin, Ninib, Ninigi-no-Mikoto, Nin-lil-la, Nin-man, Nio, Nirig, Ni-zu, Njirana, Nogomain, Nuada Argetlam, Numakulla, Num-Torum, Nusku, Nu'tenut, Nyyrikki, Odin, Ogma, Ogoun, Ogoun, Ogyrvan, Ohoyamatsumi, Okuninushi, Omoikane (Shinto), Ops, Osiris, Pa-cha, Pangu, Papa Legba, Peko, Perkele, Persephone, Petbe, Pie (loa), Pluto, Potina, Ptah, Pugu, Pundjel, Pwyll, Qarradu, Qebehsenuef, Qin Shubao, Qingxu Daode Zhenjun, Ra, Raijin, Randeng Daoren, Rauni , Resheph, Rigantona, Robigus, Royal Uncle Cao, Ryujin, Saa, Sahi, Samas, Sarutahiko, Saturn, Sebek, Seker, Serapis, Sesmu, Shakpana, Shalem, Shangdi, Shango, Sharrab, Shen , Shennong, Shezmu, Shina-Tsu-Hiko, Simbi, Sin, Sirtumu, Sobek, Sobkou, Sojobo, Sokk-mimi, Sopdu, Sousson-Pannan, Statilinus, Suijin, Suiren, Suqamunu, Susanoo, Tagd, Taiyi Zhenren, Tala, Tam Kung, Tammuz, Tapio, Tenenet, Tengu, Tenjin, Theban Triad, Thoth, Ti Jean Quinto, Ti Malice, Tian, Ti-Jean Petro, Tilmun, Todote, Toko'yoto, Tomam, Tu Di Gong, Tu Er Shen, Tuonetar, Tuoni, Ubargisi, Ubilulu, U-dimmer-an-kia, Ueras, Ugayafukiaezu, U-ki, Ukko, UKqili, Umai, U-Mersi, Umvelinqangi, Ungud, Unkulunkulu, Ura-gala, U-sab-sib, Usiququmadevu, U-Tin-dir-ki, U-urugal, Vaisravana, Vaticanus, Vediovis, Vellamo, Venus, Vesta, Wadj-wer, Wen Zhong , Weneg, Wenshu Guangfa Tianzun, Wepwawet, Werethekau, Wollunqua, Wong Tai Sin, Wuluwaid, Xargi, Xaya Iccita, Xevioso, Xuan Wu , Yama, Yau, Yemaja, Youchao, Yuanshi Tianzun, Yuchi Jingde, Yunzhongzi, Zagaga, Z
His argument against us Christians is basically summarized in this statement: “In the course of human history, there have been countless other believers in gods different from and mutually exclusive to your god. They were all sure that their god was the only or best game in town. They felt the same conviction you do. They thought their religion had the privileged place in history like you do…So a reasonable person would have to ask herself: If my god and his relationship to me in history looks just like their god and his relationship to them, and if their god isn’t real, what exactly makes mine different? Is it reasonable to think that mine is different and that it’s only me and the tiny group of people who happen to believe just like I do that you got it right?”
I must admit he asks a good question: “Why do you believe in your Triune God: God the Father/Jesus the Son/Holy Spirit and not in these other now dead gods?”
The word “WHY?” screams at us tonight! “Why?” Jesus! Why Christianity? Because of the cross!
I answer with a few simple thoughts tonight because of what happened on Good Friday with Jesus death and then His amazing resurrection coming on Sunday! The cross did not win – Jesus did – death lost and Jesu rose from the dead!
I answer with Jesus impact on history and the world! We are not a small group of people but a vast number of people! We number in the billions! We have existed since his death and our numbers continue to grow!
I answer with how Jesus impacted me personally in my own life – how HE Spoke to me – Loved me and embraced me – I felt Him and I experienced Him – in my life today 2,000 years after His death/resurrection and ascension! I discovered he was no dead but alive – he came off the cross and walked out of the grave and too can walk out of the grave with Him.
Jesus asked the question “Who do you say I am?” he challenged all of us in the past, the present and even the future to answer this majestic question for ourselves. Tonight, you need to answer this question for yourself!
Who do you say Jesus is and was? The God who dies on the cross and then grave discovered it could not keep Him – He walked out of the grave to New Life and told us we can do the same if we believe on Him!
Scripture Verse: Mark 12:27 “He is not the God of the dead, but of the living” this is what sets Jesus apart from all other God’s – He is not dead but alive and living today and he lives through His Word! He also lives in us as Born Again believers!
Conclusion:
What do we need to know from this message?
Jesus is not just another dead god – He is God in the flesh and we must make a decision in our life to personally know Him – know who He really is and seek to draw closer to Him. Jesus did have a conspiracy out from His birth to kill him but it did not happen until God deemed it so! God knew the perfect time for Jesus to die!
Why do we need to know from this message?
We need to understand the price God paid for our sin – we cannot take the act of Jesus death lightly or disrespectfully – we need to understand “He is the One true God.” He is the only way into Heaven! He chose to die for us in love so we could be saved from the bondage of the grave! He could have said “No” they cannot kill me – but instead he agreed to the plan and will of God the Father and said “Yes, Lord.”
What do we need to do in light of this message?
We need to honor God in our lives daily – we need to show Him respect and reverence – we need to spread His fame to the people around us every day! We need to share His Story! We need to fear God – Keep His commandments and understand we will be held accountable. But more than that we need to tell people He loves us and desires to live in us!
Why do we need to do this?
It’s the expression of our love for Jesus and for what He did and it’s about being willing to love you neighbor enough to share Jesus with them who could set them free! Who could comfort them at this crazy time and discover He is real – He is not dead but alive!
Ashely Song:
