WITH THESE NAILS
Text: Matthew 27:37
And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Introduction:
There were four nails put in the cross when they hung our Lord two thousand years ago. Many people forget about he nail which was used to hang the sign above his head and we will cover that this morning at a latter point. This is a time we have gathered to have revival in our hearts and it is my hearts desire and prayer to God that with each thrust of the nail our hearts will become joined as one with our saviour and Lord. When I was preparing for this sermon and which direction the Lord would have us go I felt sort of a marriage between those four nails, our Saviour and the cross. I am sure we all have heard a preacher or two preach on picking up your cross daily and following Jesus and that is very true; however, we have forgotten what carring the cross means. I have given each of you a nail dipped in red paint signifing the blood of the Lord. I hope the more we open God’s word and the more you hold the nail the more compassionate and tender your heart will be. We surely have forgotten God and every time that has happened in history it has meant great persecution and trouble. The bible teaches that whom the Lord loves he corrects, he disicplines, he opens a can of woopin. I preach all over about the sad shape of America and it truely is on the doorstep to hell; however, the only way we will get it back is one person, one heart at a time. God wants more than your body today friends, he wants your heart your very being. If your not a born again child of God this morning then I beg you to give him your all. With that said lets look at the nails in our lesson:
1. With this nail I thee wed you to the hand that will one day dry your tears.
Revelation 7:17 says that God shall wipe away all the tears from your eyes. We all brag that there will be no tears in heaven. Friends I am sorry to tell you your wrong for God says that he will wipe then away and after that you will never again feel the need to weep. OH! I am not sure if we will be able to weep for the joy we will feel knowing without any hidden weakness of what God has really done for us. You see I do not really think we truely comprehend all the love that was nailed to the cross that day everyone. If we did I am sure we would show Jesus in our lives what he means to us.
I remember when I was a child about eleven years old in Providence, R.I. I lived in an abusive family in every way you could imagine and more. My step father would beat me like an old dump dog. He would verbaly abuse me calling me everything under the sun but son. I was a dummy, a jerk, an idiot, not to mention the derogatory words we can’t and shouldn’t say. But worse than all that was when he would sexually abuse me I would tell him NO! and he would beat me black and blue until I gave in. I told my mom one day she told me the next time he tries anything like that to tell him God will not forgive him for that. Now we know God will friends but I tried nonetheless it just meant getting hit more. I remember the very first time he came into my room in the middle of the night and began a future that lasted many years until he was finally locked up for a whole two years for what he did. I could not talk to my mother, could not talk to siblings, I had no friends. God was never mentioned in my house unless it was in vain. I felt at one time so alone I wanted to die. Then one day I saw a bible in a glass display case. Don’t ask me how I knew it was God’s word but I did. I knew that book had all the answers I was looking for. I took the book let it fall open to Matthew 6:6 which says when ye pray pray in secret. I remember like it was yesterday: I was 11 affraid to death to walk into that great big dark closet where the boggy man was. I went in nonethe less and got on my kness and prayed for God to be the father I never had, I prayed for him to be my friend, I prayed he would take away the pain and loneliness. I called him Father: I did I know that friends? He bagan to work in me and through me. I remember one night shortly after that experience when my stepfather came home drunk: thats when he always without exception would sexually abuse me. I knew when he walked in the door what would normally come. However, before anything happened he told me to go to the store and buy him some cigarettees. What a walk that was friends: I talked to my new Friend the whole way, begging for help. I remember so good I told him how alone I felt I swear I felt his hand, yes the one my sin nailed to the cross lay on my shoulder and he said I am with you son. Wew!!! It was all I could do to stay planted on the ground. I went home Knowing God would be with me and he was glory to his Name. I remember gettting in bed the top bunk climbing under the covers shaking my feet wiggling my whole body in complete joy knowing God My God delievered me in an hour of need. Friends it was the Hands of God that night and so many more like that I remember his touch OH! the touch of God! Have you ever felt God’s hand on your cheek? On your shoulder? If you have you will never forget it!
II. With this nail I thee wed you to the feet that walked where you were suppose to walk
My friends the bible teaches the walk of death with out Jesus is the worse thing a man or woman, or CHILD will ever do. Everyday someones mommy, daddy, son, daughter, grandma, grandpa, pappa dies and goes to hell alone. OH! people another sermon brews in me when I SPEAK such things. They have walked the lonely walk of death and wound up in hell because we did not walk to them with the gospel of Christ. But praise God Jesus walked the lonely road of death for me. Now I can shout " DEATH WHERE IS THY STING GRAVE WHERE IS THY VICTORY? I may walk in this life some places where pain dwells but I know my redemeer walks the road with me with the feet I nailed to the cross.You heard the story of my childhood: can you blame me for being so passionate about my Lord? I needed him he was there. I needed his hand on my shoulder that night I really did! I needed him to touch my cheek and dry some tears and he did. I needed someone to walk with me that would not hurt me I was sooooo tired of being hurt and he walked with me and became a friend that is closer than a brother. He taught me and showed me verses like God holds a special place for the fatherless and window. Like he will take care of my every need. Yet friends all I had to give Jesus was my sins and those caused him to walk into hell for my shame. AND HE DID! AND HE DID! HE WALKED THE ROAD TO CALVARY! FRIENDS THAT WAS YOUR ROAD TOO!
I had nothing yet he gave everything I sent HIM TO HELL HE SENDS ME TO HEAVEN! I nailed him to the cross he set me free. I rejected him he shead his tears for me.
Friends we are here tonight trying to accomplish something that has not happened in many years like God wants and that is revival. We forgot what we have done to Jesus! We nailed him to the cross! If we want revival it means giving him everythin. Stop the excuses, stop the sinning, stop the pride and get on your knees!
III. With this nail I thee wed you to the cross that hung the saviour
I charge you to remember the sign hung above the Saviour’s head THIS IS JESUS THE KING listen with all your heart put everything else to the side this is what its all about friends this sermon has been in the making for thirty years for real 30 years to preach this I have been waiting now is the time I have given my testimony before but never have I had a serrmon for it. I believe with all my heart God can God will God is using what happened to me to help someone else don’t let pride keep you from him tonight friends see yourself for what you are. This is the first step in revival. Look God sees inside not like the rest of us here. He sees it all look at me I look pretty good tonight! I tried my best to wear my best for him. After all look what he has done for me. But you can’t see inside me so I am going to help you. Look when I take off a shoe doesn’t look to good now does it? Let me take off my jacket boy I look a wreck don’t I?
Conclussion:
Friends when I take off the fancy cholthes this is what God sees. The only way we can have revival is to stop trying to hide it and start laying it on the altar. please I beg you I am up here for you GOD is Here For you tonight. I know he is here will you come and meet him with me? will you lay your shame, guilt, sin up here on the altar? Don’t let pride get in the way. Are you without Jesus in your life tonight? Why don’t you come and let us introduce you to your knew best Friend?
