we all learn from each other. I've listened to different sermons on that passage about why have you forsaken me from several different people. One of them by Erwin Lutzer I specifically remember and it's a blessing to be able to hear thoughts from different people and they're different thoughts but God puts them all together and just shows something through it and I take what I learned and I try to help other people and that's really all I do. I'm not trying to stand up here and say I am an expert on theology and all this kind of stuff. I learn from different people, put stuff together that God has shown me through my Bible time with the Lord and just try to share what's blessed me in different aspects and that's what I want to do again this evening. And we don't wanna talk about the cross again because again, Easter's coming up and just trying to prepare our hearts with what Christ has done for us on the cross. And this evening is just gonna be a different aspect of things. It's gonna be more of a, I don't know what you wanna call it, more of a reveling in what God has done for us again. So let's go ahead and pray and we'll go ahead and get started this evening. God, we do thank you that we all learn from each other. We do thank you that you have blessed us with the knowledge of you. And we take that for granted so often, but it's a treasure that we have, that we know you, because without you revealing yourself, we would know nothing about you. Without your word, We would be like so many other people that are just guessing what what God is like. We realize that there is a God because we are created individuals. But other than that, how far would we go to try to figure you out and how much would we know without your word? And so, Father, I pray that you'd use your word in our lives this evening and help us to just be able to revel in the cross and and what it means for us this evening. And may we Say that we've been blessed to be here because you've rained your spirit down upon us. In Jesus' name, amen. Galatians chapter one, we'll start with chapter one, verse number three. It says, grace be to you and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ. And if you want grace and if you want peace, that's the only way you're gonna find it in this world. This world's full of turmoil, but it says, Verse number four, who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world according to the will of God and our father, to whom be glory forever and ever, amen. Verse number four has a lot we can unpack tonight, and we're not gonna have sufficient enough time to pack half of it, but real quick as we go through it, it says, who gave himself for our sins. Tonight, we're gonna show forth that Christ offered himself freely. He wasn't overpowered by the soldiers. He wasn't outwitted by the scribes and the Pharisees. He didn't succumb to the pains of the cross and the suffocation of the cross itself, but rather, from start to finish, He gave himself for our sins. And the reason why is because he wanted to deliver us from this present evil world. This world is full of wickedness. This world is full of evil. And the only thing we can do The only way we can be delivered is if he gave himself willingly for our sins. It's not that somebody came and crucified Jesus and therefore now we have salvation, but it's only because he willingly gave himself for our sins that we can be delivered. And it's according to the will of God. Look over at Luke chapter number 9. If you aren't there like I'm not, you have a chance to get there. Luke chapter number 9, verse number 28, we're going to take a look at the transfiguration of Jesus. Yes, we're looking at the cross of Jesus in a second, but the transfiguration, verse number 28, it says, And it came to pass, about in eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James and went up into a mountain to pray. And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered and his raiment was white and glistening. And behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias, who appeared in glory and spake of his decease, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. Now, I've told you before and some of you might actually remember verse number 31. I love Because there's so much in there. It says who appeared in glory talking about Moses and Elias and spake of his decease When Moses and Elias came down, and it must have been such an honor, and we get a little glimpse of it, that Peter wanted to do stuff that he shouldn't have to commemorate the honor it was to be sitting at the feet of Jesus, Moses, and Elias, and be able just to listen in on a conversation. What we could learn from them But what we learn here in Scripture is they didn't talk about a lot of things that maybe you would like to know more about what Moses wrote or about the different things that happened in Elias' day. But what they talked about specifically was his decease that he should accomplish in Jerusalem. God is going to die, but he's not going to die just to die. He's going to die a specific way. Moses came down and Elias came down to go over all the prophecies that Moses wrote about in the law, all the prophecies that the prophets spoke about throughout the centuries. They came down and talked to make sure that everything was going, all the T's were going to be crossed, all the I's were going to be dotted. Why? Because this decease that he was going to do is going to be an accomplishment. It's not going to be because he was overpowered. It's not going to be because he was outwitted. It wasn't going to be because he succumbed to a death, a horrid death of the cross, no matter how many wounds he inflicted. And so this accomplishment was just going to be exactly that. This death was going to be an accomplishment. Jesus Christ is known as the way, the truth, and the life. How does the life perish? How does the life die? If the life dies, then it's an accomplishment, isn't it? But, I don't wanna get ahead of my notes, but I don't think I am when I say this. When Jesus Christ died, it was an accomplishment for this reason. He died a death that nobody else did. He died a willful death. When anybody died in scripture, They died because of old age or because of war or famine or something came at them. Jesus Christ didn't die because something came at him. He died willfully, not because he had to. Whenever he died, it was an accomplishment. Go ahead and turn over to John chapter number 10. We're just going to bounce around for a little bit tonight. John chapter number 10. I'm thinking about where I want to insert this. In scripture, you have different people being raised back to life. You have the widow of Nameson, you have Lazarus is probably the most prominent. Elijah, when he went down into the grave, or Elisha, I should say, when he went down into the grave, his body touched a dead man in the tomb that they put him in, and that dead man came back to life. It's easy for us to think about sometimes that somebody has come back to life when it's an outside source doing it. It still is beyond comprehension that somebody has come back to life. But when somebody came back to life, it was an outside source, right? Look at what Jesus says here in John chapter number 10. Look at verse number 17. It says, therefore, doth my father love me because I laid down my life that I might take it up, take it again. No man take it from me, but I lay it down to myself. I have the power to lay it down and I have the power to take it again. This commandment I have received of my father. So Jesus has the power to lay down his life, and he has the power to take it up again. When Jesus raised Lazarus, it was an outside source raising a dead man. The dead man didn't get up on his own. He was raised. When we say that Jesus' greatest miraculous act was his resurrection, and it's undoubtedly so, that he was raised from the dead, that's the greatest act that he ever could show. It's absolutely true. But there is an equal. And that's his death. He says he has the power, in verse number 18, to lay it down. He has the power to take it again. No man took his life. If some man took his life, it's not an accomplishment. If some man took his life, it's a failure. A failure to live. a failure to keep on with the ministry that God gave him to do. If the scribes and the Pharisees outwitted him, then he is not the greatest show that's ever lived. He's not the miraculous person that he claimed to be because he failed at his mission. But if he willingly laid down his life, now it's an accomplishment. If people didn't steal his life through beatings and through the torture of the cross and he succumbed to the wounds of the cross, if he did, it's a failure because he didn't lay down his life willingly. It was taken from him. But if he willingly lays down his life, that's an accomplishment. Look with me at Matthew chapter number 16. Matthew chapter 16. I'm going to show you some examples of exactly what I'm talking about here in just a minute. But I'll even give you one. Luke chapter that we read and in Luke chapter 9 we read that his death which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. When Moses and Elijah came and they talked with Jesus, they were talking about all the things that's going to take place and when it's going to take place and where it's going to take place. because there's prophecies of what is actually going to take place and how it's going to take place. When Daniel wrote about the prophecy of the 70 weeks, it said from this time to the Messiah is going to be cut off is going to be exactly this number of years, this number of days. He prophesied it. We read for the opening of the sermon tonight, or the service tonight, we read that in the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his son made of a woman. There's a certain timeframe that God gave that the death of Christ was going to happen. The Pharisees, the scribes, the religious leaders, they all wanted to kill Jesus. But Jesus said, I'm going to go to the cross. I'm going to die at the Feast of Passover. And I didn't write down this reference. I believe it's in Mark. I can find it for you after church if you're interested. But he said, I'm going to die at the Feast of Passover. The religious leaders, just a couple verses around that, said, we want to take him. We want to kill him. But there's one time we will not take him. at the feast of the Passover. Jesus still was crucified when he said he was going to be crucified. Look at Matthew chapter number 16 verse number 21. He said, from that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples how that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed and rise again the third day. Then Peter took him and began to rebuke him saying, Jesus is telling the disciples exactly what to expect, so when it happens, they can be knowing what's going on. He told them that he is going to go, he's going to suffer, and he's going to die. But that's not the end, that he's going to rise again. But Peter takes him and he begins to rebuke him. And the Bible says that Jesus turned to him and said, Peter, unto Peter, get thee behind me Satan. What a sharp rebuke Peter took, but as often as Peter opened his mouth, maybe he deserves some of that, I don't know. But he got a sharp rebuke from Jesus himself. Why did he get that rebuke? Because Jesus said, this is what's going to happen, this is what's going to take place, and when it's going to take place. But Peter stood up and he's trying to tell Jesus, it's not going to be that way. But it was. You keep reading and everything that Jesus said would happen did happen when he said it was going to happen. Turn with me to one more passage before we get into some examples. Luke chapter number 4. Luke chapter number 4. Look at verse number 28 once you get there. Luke 4 number 28. Did the religious leaders want to kill Jesus? Absolutely. Did the scribes not like Jesus? Absolutely. They all wanted to kill Jesus. But watch this. In verse number 28 it says, And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. But he, passing through the midst of them, went his way. Did Jesus come to die? Yes, he did. But it's not his time to die. The crowd forced him out, took him against his will, so to speak, up to the brow of the hill, and they were about ready to cast him off the hill headfirst to destroy this man. But something happened. He didn't just disappear. He walked through the midst of them and went his way. Why? You get this phrase throughout John, throughout the whole book of John, mine hour is not yet come. Mine hour is not yet come. Mine hour is not yet come. Jesus had a specific time. There was another time they took up stones to stone him. And the Bible says he escaped. Why? Because I'm going to die when I said I'm going to die. I'm in complete control over this whole thing. Nobody's gonna take my life. I'm going to lay it down of myself. Let's take a look at that in John chapter number 18. I like this passage, John chapter number 18. For a little bit of background before we read our passage, Jesus was up in the upper room. with his disciples celebrating the feast. As the celebration is going on, he sends out Judas on an errand, the errand to betray him. Jesus knew that he had the devil. He knew what Judas was going to do, but he still sent him out to do the act that he was going to do. Then in chapter number 17 is what we call Jesus' high priestly prayer. Chapter 18, when Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples. So he left the upper room, and he went forth with his disciples over the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, into which he entered and his disciples. And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place. For Judas oft times resorted thither with his disciples. Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with the lanterns and torches and weapons." Now if Jesus was trying to get out of being crucified, don't you think it's a little odd that he went to the place where he knew Judas would come with the soldiers? And then, not only is that odd, but even further, Judas comes in with the soldiers, and verse number three says, with lanterns and torches. You can, in the dark, when you don't have streetlights like what we have, you can see lanterns and torches a long ways off. Don't you think that Jesus could have ran and hid somewhere and let them pass by and not been captured? Verse number four. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. As soon as he said unto them, I am he, they went backward and fell to the ground. Now again, if they're sending soldiers out to arrest Jesus by force, they're going to send a pretty good band because there's 11 people that could resist them. And when they came, Jesus confronted them and said, I am he. And when they said, I am he, they all fell backward to the ground, showing what? There's not enough force here to take me. I'm still in control of this thing, though you're coming after me. I'm going to go with you willingly. You're not going to take me by force. Because again, if they overpower him, it's not an accomplished death. It's a defeated death. Jesus Christ, he defeated death. He wasn't defeated by death. Verse number seven. Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? They said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he. If therefore you seek me, let these go their way. That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake of them, which thou gavest me, have I lost none? Verse number 10. Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear, and the servant's name was Malchus. said Jesus unto Peter, put up thy sword into thy sheet. The cup which the father hath given me, shall I not drink it? Then the band and the captain and the officers of the Jews took Jesus and bound him and led him away to Annas first. So here's another interesting aspect of this thing. And people view this differently, so if you view this differently, that's okay, we have a difference of opinion, no worries. But the storyline I see, Jesus, I am he. The soldiers fall backward to the ground. At that moment, I believe, is when Peter got out his sword. Because if you know your Gospels, you know that Peter carried a hidden sword. Nobody else carried a sword, Peter carried a hidden sword with him. And the way I see it, there was enough soldiers there to put down a small rebellion. Because again, there's 11 people that can fight back and try to escape out of this group of people that are coming to arrest you. So they're ready for conflict. This is a religious leader. He's popular. He has followers that love him. They're ready for conflict if it should arise. But now the soldiers are falling backward to the ground, and I believe it's at that moment that Peter, who's a fisherman by trade, was willing to take on soldiers by trade. I don't think Peter got out his sword willing to fight trained soldiers when he doesn't know how to handle a sword, and you can see he doesn't know how to handle a sword because when he swings at somebody, he lobs off somebody's ear. And yet, Jesus confronts him and says, look, I am going to go through with this because this is what the Father has for me. And if you know your scripture, a comparative gospel says that he says also to Peter, I could ask the Father and he could send 12 legions of angels to defend me. But he doesn't. Why? Because he is going to the cross. It's his time to go to the cross and he wasn't taken by force. Turn with me to Mark chapter 15. We were there this morning. Mark chapter number 15. Mark chapter number 15, look at verse number 25. It says, well, first of all, let me say this. You can see there's lots of different passages. that we could go and examine what I've been saying here. Even in the trial of Jesus, standing before Pilate, Pilate took Jesus aside because Jesus wasn't answering the questions that were being thrown to him. Pilate took him aside and said, basically, why aren't you answering me? Don't you know I have the power to kill you? You remember what Jesus said? You don't have the power. Not this time. The only power that you have is what's been given to you, and I am going to the cross. You don't have power in this day, and I'm paraphrasing. You can go back and look at it, but I have the power. Even through the trial of Jesus, He was still in control. But Mark chapter number 15, look at verse number 25, it was the third hour and they crucified him. Verse number 34, and at the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? So he's been on the cross now six hours. And some of them that stood by, when they had heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. And one ran and filled a sponge full of vinegar and put it on a reed and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone let us see whether Elias will come to take him down. Jesus cried with a loud voice. Jesus cried with a loud voice and gave up the ghost. Verse number 39. And when the centurion which stood over against him saw that he cried, So cried out and gave up the ghost. He said truly this man was the Son of God Jesus as we explained this morning had been brutally Beaten to a bloody pulp if you want to put it that way before he even was put on the cross The cross as we mentioned again this morning was a death of suffocation You hang there and over time you just get weaker and weaker and eventually you can't lift yourself up enough to take in a breath and breathe normally before you die. And so you die of suffocation. When they came to the two thieves and broke their legs, the reason they broke their legs was because that was going to hasten the suffocation process because now it's too painful to even push up with the legs and they can't hold themselves up with their arms very long. And so they hastened the deaths of the two thieves, but then they came to Jesus and he was already dead. What's amazing about that is six hours has transpired. That's not normal crucifixion death. It's recorded that people lasted sometimes days on the cross before they ended up suffocating and dying. Jesus, six hours, and he's dead? But furthermore, we read in verse number 34 and in verse number 37 that Jesus cried with a loud voice. If you're dying of suffocation, You're not going to cry out with a loud voice right before you die. You get weaker and weaker until, at the most, you can start whispering as you're trying to yell, until you die from lack of air. But Jesus, right before he died, he cried with a loud voice, showing what? He's not succumbing to the wounds. He's not suffocating on the cross. He is still very much in control of life itself. And yet, John chapter 10, he said, I have the power to lay it down. I have the power to lay it down. No man takes my life. I have the power. Turn over to Romans. Romans chapter number five. And herein. is why I focused in on this this morning. Some of the most amazing Bible passages of scripture deal with this. John 3, 16, for God so loved us. He so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. He gave, it wasn't taken from him. He gave us a gift. Romans chapter number five, Well, we'll start with verse number eight. But God commendeth his love. He showed his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more than being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Over and over and over we can take you to passages John 3 16 We can take you to passages Romans 5 8 Romans 5 10 where it talks about the reason he did this It's because of his great love wherein he loved us We were sinners and yet He died We were enemies but he died that we might be, verse number 10, reconciled to death, or reconciled to God by his death of his son. The reason Jesus did this, the reason we're focusing in on the cross is because of Easter coming up. Why did he do that? He gave his life. He gave his back to the smiters, the Bible says. He gave, he gave his only begotten son because he loved us. This Easter, Don't let it be just another Easter. We celebrate his resurrection. Let it be an Easter. We're overwhelmed by the love of God that he gave himself. He wasn't taken by force. He wasn't outwitted and outsmarted by the Pharisees and the scribes. He wasn't even succumbing to the pain and the suffocation of the cross. The reason he did it all is because he loves us. And we ought to be reveling if I can say that word right, we ought to be basking in that love. Let's pray. God, we are thankful for it. Oftentimes we take that for granted, that you love us. Help us never to take it for granted. Help us never to just assume that you love us. Help us to understand truly who we are. We are sinners. We were enemies of yours, but yet you still died for us. and it was willingly out of love. Thank you for that. In Christ's name, Amen.