27/4/06
Acts 5:27 Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 28 "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name," he said. "Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood." 29 Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men! 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead--whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him." 33 When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death.
John 3:31-36
John 3:31 ( John the Baptist compared Jesus to himself ) "The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."
At the Virginia Tech University we have once again witnessed how fragile life is, and the evil that is in people.
We can take two things from this passage that is relevant to this, and other situations.
There are two ways to live.
One way is to reject Jesus. To follow a way of aggression, violence, even murder. The murderer in Virginia took it upon himself to take the place of God. To take people's lives away from them. Some evil inside him felt justified to carry out such an act.
That evil is lurking within each one of us. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus warned his disciples that to be angry with someone can be tantamount to murder. ( Matthew 5:21 ) "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, `Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment."
How should we live then? We are to follow the other way, to believe in Jesus, verse 36. The word "believe" is a trusting word. It does not mean to merely to accept that Jesus lived, died on a cross, or even that he rose again. It is to trust in Him. To give control of our life to him. To know, understand and follow His teaching. To imitate Him. To rely on his death for us on the cross and the resurrection life that this brings. To live in the light of eternity.
On 20th April 1999 13 people were killed in the Columbine High School shooting. Some students who survived last the attack recounted that when one of the gunmen asked if anyone believed in God, 17-year-old Casssie Bernall stood and answered that she did. Then the gunman shot her. In a statement released at her funeral. the family said "Cassie's response does not surprise us. Her life was rightly centered around our lord Jesus. It was for her strong faith in God and His promise of eternal life that made her stand."
My second point is:
There is one way to die.
To put it more fully. The best way to physically die is to do it knowing and trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ. Then that relationship will blossom into eternal life. A perfect life lived in fellowship with God and all other believers from human history.
This means that we can live this life fearlessly. Nothing can harm us in the light of eternity. Cassie Bernall knew this. The apostles knew this in Acts 5. They told the religious leaders that they had killed Jesus but God had raised him from death and glorified him above everyone. The apostles were inspired and empowered by God's Spirit who is given to everyone who trusts in Jesus.
This teaching has two, immediate challenges.
It challenges everyone to follow Jesus.
It challenges those who are followers of Jesus to tell others. Receiving the good news of Jesus carries blessings and responsibilities. One responsibility is to show and tell the good news to those who face an eternity without God if they continue to live for themselves.
As a church and as individuals what are we doing to reach out to people who are facing an eternity without God?
and finally...
In dying on the cross God, in Christ, shared all of the suffering, rejection and pain of those who were murdered, injured and are bereaved. they are not alone. God has drawn alongside us in His Son, through His Spirit. He gives love, comfort and support to those who will come to Him. He offers another existence outside our world of sin, hatred, and murder to one where there is perfection, joy and no suffering, pain or mourning.
another sermon on this passage...
John 3:31-36 27/4/06
JOHN 3:31 ( John the Baptist compared Jesus to himself ) "The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."
John the Baptist mentions four facts about Jesus
(1) Jesus came from heaven and spoke with a higher authority than anyone from earth;
(2) he spoke from observation, what he has seen and heard, not from theory;
(3) he spoke the words of God;
(4) the Father's love caused him to give Jesus complete authority to carry out his purpose.
These qualities made Jesus superior in every way to John the Baptist, though the latter had an vital ministry, to prepare the way for Jesus. John spoke as one "from the earth." Jesus was from heaven and is the one in whom people should trust.
There are, then two ways to live.
Our way: Reject Jesus rule and try to run life our own way.
Results in being condemned by God and facing death and judgement.
God's new way: Submit to Jesus as our ruler, relying on Jesus' death and resurrection.
Results in being forgiven by God and given eternal life.
Since the beginning of human history people have rebelled against God. This resulted in death, separation from Him, spoiling our relationship. No-one was good enough until Jesus came to earth from heaven. He was God and man. He always followed God's will and never sinned. His relationship with God the Father was good until he took the punishment for the sins of the world on the cross. He was separated from Go, which was we he cried out "My God, why have you forsaken me?"
Three days later Jesus rose from the dead to show that God the Father had accepted his self-sacrifice on the cross. It showed that the way to God is open to all who radically trust in Jesus. It means that we can be forgiven and know Jesus who is alive.
We need to take the step of deciding to follow Jesus. Everyone needs to take that step. If people do not then they retain their sins. This results in God's displeasure against sin, although he still loves the sinner. "God showed his love for us in this, whilst we were still sinners Christ dies for us" Romans 5:8. Christians have given their sins over to Jesus.
This teaching has two, immediate challenges.
It challenges everyone to follow Jesus.
It challenges those who are followers of Jesus to tell others. Receiving the good news of Jesus carries blessings and responsibilities. One responsibility is to show and tell the good news to those who face an eternity without God if they continue to live for themselves.
As a church and as individuals what are we doing to reach out to people who are facing an eternity without God?
We need to pray and seek God's will for our church.