· WELCOME
· NEXT WEEK ON SUNDAY 5PM SERVICE
· STEPHEN WILLIS
· HOLY WEEK- PASSION WEEK
· EASTER EGG HUNT-GOOD FRIDAY
BAPTISM:
· WHAT: FOR ANYONE PUBLIC CONFESSION
· WHEN: SUNDAY APRIL 27TH
· WHY: BECAUSE JESUS DID IT
· ALMOST LIKE A MARRIAGE VOW- PUBLIC
LAST WEEK STARTED A NEW SERIES: ENCOUNTER
· OPENED WITH IMAGES/LOGOS/SYMBOLS
· STOOD OVER TIME (NIKE/COCA COLA)
· THEY ARE A PRESENCE MOVING FORWARD
· THE CROSS IS THE IMAGE
· IT CASTS A SHADOW OVER HISTORY
APPLE LOGO
· THIS STARTED IN 1977
· STEVE JOBBS HIRED ROB JANOFF
· WANTED A SIMPLE LOOK
· TOOK A BITE OUT – SO DISTNGUISHABLE
· WANTED RECOGNIZED REGARDLESS OF SIZE
· MASSIVE CROSS IN EFFEINGHAM ILLINOIS
· 198 FEET TALL- 113 FEET ACROSS
· 50 PLUS MILLION YEARLY ON I 57/70
MAN AND THE CROSS
· BRANSON CROSS- BUILT IN APRIL 2019
· TALLEST IN AMERICA 218 FEET TALL
· BLUE TEAR DROPS- 8 DOWN- 8 WERE SAVED
· 5 ACROSS-3 NAILS WOUNDS, SPEAR WOUND, CROWN
· THE GRACE OF GOD EXTENDED TOWARD ALL
THREE CROSSES AT NIGHT
· ONE OF MY FAVORITE SITES
· ROUTE 81 STRASBURG EXIT
· STOPPED HERE THIURSDAY WAY HOME
· JUST STOOD BENEATH THE MIDDLE CROSS
LAST WEEK WAS THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS
THIS WEEK IS THE FORGIVENESS OF THE CROSS
MARK 27:38-39
38. TWO REBELS WERE CRUCIFIED WITH HIM, ONE ON HIS RIGHT AND ONE ON HIS LEFT. THOSE WHO PASSED BY HURLED INSULTS AT HIM, SHAKING THEIR HEADS.
MARK 27:40-41
40. AND SAYING, “YOU WHO ARE GOING TO DESTROY THE TEMPLE AND BUILD IT IN THREE DAYS, SAVE YOURSELF! COME DOWN FROM THE CROSS, IF YOU ARE THE SON OF GOD! “IN THE SAME WAY THE CHIEF PRIESTS, THE TEACHERS OF THE LAW AND THE ELDERS MOCKED HIM.
MARK 27:42
42. “HE SAVED OTHERS, THEY SAID, “BUT HE CAN’T SAVE HIMSELF! HES KING OF ISRAEL! LET HIM COME DOWN NOW FROM THE CROSS, AND WE WILL BELIEVE IN HIM.
MARK 27:43
43. HE TRUSTS IN GOD. LET GOD RESCUE HIM NOW IF HE WANTS HIM, FOR HE SAID “I AM THE SON OF GOD. “IN
THE SAME WAY THE REBELS WHO WERE CRUCIFIED WITH HIM ALSO HEAPED INSULTS ON HIM.”
PAINTING 3 CROSSES
· REMEMBRANDT PAINTING
· MANY IN THE PAINTING
· LOOK AT EACH OF THE CRIMINALS
· ONE IS IN THE DARK (DEJECTED) ONE IS IN LIGHT
LUKE 7:40
40. “JESUS ANSWERED HIM, “SIMON, I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU.” “TELL ME, TEACHER, HE SAID.
LUKE 7:41-42
41. “TWO PEPLE OWED MONEY TO A CERTAIN MONEYLENDER. ONE OWED HIM FIVE HUNDRED DENARII, AND THE OTHER FIFTY. NEITHER OF THEM HAD THE MONEY TO PAY HIM BACK, SO HE FORGAVE THE DEBTS OF BOTH. NOW WHICH OF THEM WILL LOVE HIM MORE?”
LUKE 7:43
43. SIMON REPLIED, “I SUPPOSE THE ONE WHO HAD THE BIGGER DEBT FORGIVEN.” “YOU HAVE JUDGED CORRECTLY,” JESUS SAID.
LUKE 7:44
44. THEN HE TURNED TOWARD THE WOMAN AND SAID TO SIMON, “DO YOU SEE THIS WOMAN? I CAME INTO YOUR HOUSE. YOU DID NOT GIEV ME ANY WATER FOR MY FEET, BUT SHE WET MY FEET WITH HER TEARS AND WIPED THEM WITH HER HAIR.
LUKE 7:45-46
45. YOU DID NOT GIVE ME A KISS, BUT THIS WOMAN, FROM THE TIME I ENTERED, HAS NOT STOPPED KISSOING MY FEET. YOU DID NOT PUT OIL ON MY HEAD, BUT SHE HAS POURED PERFUME ON MY FEET.
LUKE 7:47
47. THEREFORE, I TELL YOU, HER MANU SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN- AS HER GREAT LOVE HAS SHOWN. BUT WHOEVER HAS BEEN FORGIVEN LITTLE LOVES LITTLE.”
LUKE 7:48
48. THEN JESUS SAID TO HEAR, “YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN.
· STARTING IN 1940
· MAN HAD A PASSION SHARING THE GOSPEL
PICTURE OF MAN CARRYING CROSS
· ARTHUR BLESSIT- CARRIED A 12 FOOT CROSS
· CARRIED CROSS 43,000 MILES- 85 MILLION STEPS
· 324 NATIONS
· 50 YEARS
· ALMOST HALF THE CHURCHES SAID NO
· JANUARY 14TH, 2025 PASSED AWAY
INVITATION IS THE SAME FOR US TODAY-COME AND DIE
LUKE 23:33
33. “WHEN THEY CAME TO THE PLACE CALLED THE SKULL, THEY CRUCIFIED HIM THERE, ALONG WITH THE CRIMINALS-ONE ON HIS RIGHT, THE OTHER ON HIS LEFT.
LUKE 23:34
34. JESUS SAID, “FATHER, FORGIVE THEM, FOR THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. “AND THEY DIVIDED UP HIS CLOTHES BY CASTING LOTS.
LUKE 23:39-40
39. “ONE OF THE CRIMINALS WHO HUNG THERE HURLED INSULTS AT HIM: “AREN’T YOU THE MESSIAH? SAVE YOURSELF AND US!” BUT THE OTHER CRIMINAL
REBUKED HIM. “DON’T YOU FEAR GOD, “HE SAID, “SINCE YOU ARE UNDER THE SAME SENTENCE?
LUKE 23:41
41. WE ARE PUNISHED JUSTLY, FOR WE ARE GETTING WHAT OUR DEEDS DESERVE. BUT THIS MAN HAS DONE NOTHING WRONG.”
DID YOU SEE THE ORDER:
1. MOCKING BY EVERYONE BASICALLY
2. MOCKING INSULTS BY CRIMINALS PLURAL
3. JESUS SPEAKING “FATHER FORGIVE THEM”
4. ONE CRIMINAL STILL INSULTING
5. ANOTHER CRIMINAL NOW DEFENDING
LUKE 23:42-43
42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. 43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
VERILY- 76 TIMES- TODAY- NOT LATER, NOT GO IN A HOLDING TANK- TODAY.
· HE ACKNOWLEDGES A KINGDOM
· HE SAYS “WHEN”
· WONDER WHO IS HERE TODAY FIGURES THEY WENT TOO FAR?
· APPROXIMATELY 1/3 AMERICANS CRIMINAL RECORD (77 MILLION) YOU GONE TOO FAR?
· YOU HAVEN’T DONE ENOUGH GOOD STUFF?
WHAT WOULD YOU BE SAYING THAT DAY?
· ON WHAT BASIS ARE YOU HERE?
· THE MAN ON THE MIDDLE CROSS SAID I CAN COME
· IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE BASING IT ON?
QUOTE THE MAN ON THE MIDDLE CROSS
· SO INTERESTING WHY MOST CASES 3 CROSSES
· BECAUSE ITS AS IF THE QUESTION IS STILL BEING ASKED- WHAT SIDE ARE YOU ON?
TODAY AN OFFER FOR YOU TO COME
YOU SAY I ALREADY DECIDED- HALLELUJAH PRAISE GOD
SOME OF YOU WOULD SAY I’M STILL OVER THERE
SOME MIGHT SAY I HAVENT WANTED TO GET TOO CLOSE
MIGHT GET SOME BLOOD ON ME
LORD FORGIVE ME- FOR TAKING YOUR FORGIVENESS LIGHTLY
SOME THINK YOU HAVE GONE TOO FAR
LAST WEEK WAS THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS
THIS WEEK IS THE FORGIVENESS OF THE CROSS
ONE WANTED OUT- TAKE ME DOWN
THE OTHER WANTED IN- TAKE ME UP
IN HEAVEN THERE WILL ONLY BE FORGIVEN PEOPLE- IN HELL THERE WILL ONLY BE FORGIVEN PEOPLE
THE INVITATION IS THE SAME FOR IS- COME AND DIE
WHY DO WE THINK WE ALMOST ALWAYS SEE THREE CROSSES TOGETHER
CALL IS TO COME AND DIE