Marvin Chapel Free Will Baptist Church

THE CROWDS AT THE CROSS

Text: Mt 27:36 “And sitting down they watched him there;”

A)    The cross is a place of contrast.

1)    The place of Love -   Yet of Judgement.

2)    Place of Grace  - Yet Fulfills the Demands Of The Law

3)    Place of Salvation   - Yet it Reminds us of our Sins.

4)    Where man did his Worst - And yet God did His Best.

B)    Who Was There?

I)      THE GOVERNMENT WAS THERE.

A)    THE SOLDIERS AND POLITICAL LEADERS

1)    Crucifixions Were Routine To The Soldiers.

2)    It was a common means of capital punishment to the Romans 

3)    Made fun of Jesus’ Robe -  Reed -  Crown 

4)    They Soldiers gambled for His garments.

B)    PILATE WAS THERE Confused AND ANGRY.

1)    Like Pilate our government leaders still Confused and Angry 

2)    Isa 9:6 “The government would be on His shoulders”

II)    THE SOCIAL FAILURES WERE THERE Vs 38 “Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.”

A)    SOMETHING HAD GONE WRONG IN THE LIVES OF THESE TWO THIEVES.

1)    The High Hopes of their parents & others.

2)    Their own early hopes and dreams.

3)    Efforts of society to keep them straight.

B)    JESUS CAME TO MEET TROUBLED PEOPLE AND TO CHANGE THEM.

III)  ORGANIZED RELIGION WAS THERE Vs 41 “Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes & elders.”

A)    THEIR RELIGION WAS OUTWARD - TO IMPRESS OTHERS.

1)    They were the  prime movers to bring Him to the Cross 

2)    Thought this would secure their positions.

B)    INSTEAD HIS DEATH BROKE THE POWER

1)    The law was fulfilled in Him.

2)    Mt 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law… I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

IV)  THE BACKSLIDER’S WERE THERE Mt 26:75 “And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.”

A)    PETER WHO HAD DECLARED HE WOULD NEVER FORSAKE JESUS.

1)    Peter chose the crowd & followed afar off 

2)    Peter who denied his Lord three times.

3)    Peter who went out and wept bitterly.

B)    THE BEST THING IS BACKSLIDERS CAN RETURN TO JESUS AND BE FORGIVEN.  1 Jn 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,& to cleanse us from all unrighteousness

V)    THE CONCLUSION OF A BYSTANDER  “Truly this was the Son of God”

A)    ONLY A FAITHFUL FEW AT THE CROSS.  Jn 19:25-26 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!

B)    ARE YOU FILLED WITH GRIEF AND DESPAIR?

C)   JESUS DIED TO TAKE AWAY THOSE TEARS AND TO GIVE JOY.

CONCLUSION:

A)    Centurion concluded “Truly This Was The Son Of God”

1)    This was a believing Roman Centurion.

2)    His example is a good one for us to follow.

B)    See yourself at the Cross and Believe.

BECAUSE OF CALVARY

Text: Mt 27:33-36 And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. 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. And sitting down they watched him there;

A)    On the darkest day that ever dawned Jesus was crucified.

1)    Night before He had dined with his friends 

2)    He told them what was about to happen.

3)    Judas betrayed Him for 30 pieces of silver 

4)    Peter denied Him 3 times with a oath 

5)    He had been betrayed, beaten, spat upon 

6)    Arrested, humiliated in hands of wicked.

B)    He had had no sleep that night

1)    They drove the spikes home

2)    The pain was excruciating.

3)    He hangs there by nails driven by our sins 

4)    He was dying for our stead.

C)   The darkest hour of World History

1)    World brighter today because of that day 

2)    Because of that day there is hope for all.

3)    All He did that day was put to our account For Time And Eternity.

                   

I)      BECAUSE OF CALVARY WE KNOW THE LOVE OF GOD.

A)    DOES GOD LOVE THOSE WHO SINNED AGAINST HIM??

1)    We don’t deserve His love….

2)    He shows us His love in a million ways.

(a)  The Food we eat is because he loves us.

(b)  Clothes He gives us is because of love

(c)  Every New Day is because of His love

(d)  Every Breath we take is because of Love.

B)    HE SHOWS HIS LOVE BY GIVING HIS SON

1)    He looked at sinners & knew nothing new

2)    “There is none good, No not one”

3)    He Knew that we were not worthy of Him.

4)    We were rebellious and broke God’s Law  4. We did not look good in His sight.

C)   LOOK - THERE IS THE BEST IN HEAVEN.

1)    He is without Spot or Blemish.

2)    It is God’s own obedient Son.

3)    Jesus is the only one worthy to go.  Jn 3:16 For God so loved the world…..

II)    BECAUSE OF CALVARY WE HAVE A GREAT SAVI4OR AND A DIVINE COMPANION.

A)    IT’S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT ANYONE WHO COMES TO CHRIST CAN BE SAVED  Wherefore He is able to also save them to the uttermost that come unto God

1)    From the Uttermost to the gutter-most 

2)    From the Beggar to the richest King 

3)    From the Prostitute to the Drunkard 

4)    Jesus turns None away.

B)    HE IS OUR DIVINE COMPANION

1)    Song “Blessed Assurance” Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine what a fore-taste of glory divine!  Heir of salvation, purchase of God, Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood 

2)    He walks with us and talks with us daily.

3)    It is because of Calvary that we have a Savior who saves us in spite of sin.

4)    He’s a constant companion in life’s journey

III)  BECAUSE OF CALVARY WE HAVE A GOSPEL TO PREACH.

A)    WHAT DOES THE WORD “GOSPEL” MEAN?

1)    Good News of Salvation for a lost world 

2)    It is the Hope of Tomorrow.

3)    It IS Good News WHEN………..

(a)  Dr. tells patient to go home from hospital

(b)  If you would inherit a million dollars

(c)  When someone is lost and found safely 

4)    Best news is that “Christ died for the Lost”

B)    JESUS IS THE MESSAGE THE WORLD NEEDS TO HEAR TODAY.

1)    Hear of horrible crimes every day.

2)    We hear of wars and rumors of wars..

3)    Hear of terrible disaster around the world 

4)    The world needs to hear about Calvary

IV)  BECAUSE OF CALVARY WE HAVE A HOME WAITING FOR US AT END OF THE WAY

A)    MANY IDEAS HOW TO GET TO HEAVEN.

1)    Some say it is because of Good Works.

2)    “Do Good” & God will open the Gates

3)    Some rely on Religious form & ceremony -  Baptism - Join the Church -Do penitence

B)    MANY RELIGIOUS THEORIES - THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO HEAVEN.

1)    Jn 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

2)    Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

3)    Jn 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

A NEEDED REVIVAL

Text: Joel 2:28-32   + Acts 2:17

Introduction:

A)    God is in cleansing business - Not the Whitewashing business  1. People need to be cleansed from within  2. Don’t need to be cleansed from without.

B)    We need an old fashioned Revival.

1)    One that will be blood washed.

2)    Churches are dried out & without Revival  3. Not much weeping at the altar.

C)   Peter preached a sermon at Pentecost

1)    Resulted in many deeply under conviction Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

2)    Asked Men & brethren, what shall we do?

3)    Peter said "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

4)    Peter was quoting promise of Joel 2:33 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered:

5)    There are several things about this great promise of Salvation for one and all.

 

I)      THE PROMISE OF SALVATION

A)    PETER IS QUOTING FROM JOEL 2

1)    Words written some 800 years before.

2)    The first time Salvation was promised for one & all “Upon All Flesh”

(a)  Not just the Jew - Not just the Greek…

(b)  “Upon All Flesh”

B)    PROMISE FIRST MADE IN TIME….

1)    In Garden of Eden God gave First Covenant

(a)  Edenic Covenant - First of 8 Covenants

(b)  It was the first promise of Salvation.

(c)  It contains the condition of Responsibility.

2)    Gen 3:15 gives 2nd or Adamic Covenant I will put enmity between thee & the woman, & between thy seed & her seed; it shall bruise thy head & thou shall bruise his heel.

3)    Promise was made way back in eternity 1 Pet 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

(a)  Before World formed - God had a plan

(b)  Before Sun set 1st day - God had a plan

(c)  Before Man ever fell - God had a plan 

4)    Promised to send a Savior for all mankind

II)    THE PROMISER OF SALVATION

A)    THE VALUE OF ANY PROMISE DEPENDS ON THE ONE MAKING THE PROMISE.

1)    That makes it genuine and trustworthy 

2)    Convinced of the Promiser’s Integrity.

B)    WHO IS MAKING THE PROMISE HERE???  Acts 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, 

1)    This is a Devine Promise.

2)    A man made promise could fail….

C)   BECAUSE GOD MADE THE PROMISE WE KNOW HE WILL HONOR HIS PROMISE 

1)    That made it Authentic.

2)    God cannot nor will not LIE.

(a)  Titus 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

(b)  Heb 6:18 It was impossible for God to lie

III)  THE PECULIARITY OF SALVATION

A)    FIRST OF ALL - WE NEED REPENTANCE.

1)    What is Repentance Preacher????

(a)  It is a change of mind about God & Christ

(b)  It is a change of mind about SIN

2)    Can be NO Salvation without Repentance  Lk 13:3 I tell you, nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish

B)    SECOND - WE NEED REMISSION

1)    It is not enough just to repent…

2)    We must put our Trust in God.  1 Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

C)   THIRD - WE NEED REGENERATION.

1)    Need to receive a New Life…Ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost

2)    When we repent & put our trust in the Savior we are forgiven - Gives us the Spirit

(a)  We are “Born Again”

(b)  Made “Partakers of the divine nature”

IV)  THE PEOPLE OF SALVATION

1)    Any promise would not be adequate  unless it was addressed to all people.

2)    To whom does God make the Promise?  Acts 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

B)    PETER STARTS OUT WITH “UNTO YOU”

1)    Reference is to the Jews who were present on the spot listening to Peter

C)   PETER MAKES ANOTHER REFERENCE.

1)    “TO YOUR CHILDREN”

2)    The descendants of all who were listening

D)   THEN PETER SPOKE TO YOU AND ME.

1)    “TO ALL WHO WERE AFAR OFF”

2)    This includes both Jew and Gentile…

E)    FINALLY PETER SAID

1)    “As many as our Lord shall call”

2)    This includes everyone.  Jn 6:37 And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

3)    This promise is for one and all.  Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

4)    God loves the whole world and He longs for people everywhere to be saved.  2 Pet 3:9 Not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

V)    THE PLEASURABLENESS OF SALVATION

A)    PETER PREACHED TO THEM - THEY REPENTED - THEY WERE HAPPY.

1)    Acts 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized.

2)    3000 people were joyously happy

B)    RECEIVING THE PROMISE OF THE WORD WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY.

1)    Seen people laugh & cry at the same time 

2)    I have seen them shout down the aisle.

C)   RECEIVING THIS PROMISE WILL MAKE YOU THE HAPPIEST PERSON ALIVE.

1)    Dr. Bob Jones “I don’t know I am saved because I feel good - I know I am saved because the Bible says so - And I feel good because I know I am saved.”

2)    Spurgon “Salvation may come in quietly, but few people can keep quiet about it”