THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL

(and all of Heaven held its breath!)John 19:1-16

John 19:1-16 Message Bible

So Pilate took Jesus and had him whipped. [2] The soldiers, having braided a crown from thorns, set it on his head, threw a purple robe over him, [3] and approached him with, "Hail, King of the Jews!" Then they greeted him with slaps in the face.

[4] Pilate went back out again and said to them, "I present him to you, but I want you to know that I do not find him guilty of any crime." [5] Just then Jesus came out wearing the thorn crown and purple robe. Pilate announced, "Here he is: the Man." [6] When the high priests and police saw him, they shouted in a frenzy, "Crucify! Crucify!" Pilate told them, "You take him. You crucify him. I find nothing wrong with him."

John 19:1-16 Message Bible

[7] The Jews answered, "We have a law, and by that law he must die because he claimed to be the Son of God." [8] When Pilate heard this, he became even more scared. [9] He went back into the palace and said to Jesus, "Where did you come from?" Jesus gave no answer.

[10] Pilate said, "You won't talk? Don't you know that I have the authority to pardon you, and the authority to—crucify you?"

[11] Jesus said, "You haven't a shred of authority over me except what has been given you from heaven. That's why the one who betrayed me to you has committed a far greater fault."

John 19:1-16 Message Bible

[12] At this, Pilate tried his best to pardon him, but the Jews shouted him down: "If you pardon this man, you're no friend of Caesar's. Anyone setting himself up as 'king' defies Caesar."

[13] When Pilate heard those words, he led Jesus outside. He sat down at the judgment seat in the area designated Stone Court (in Hebrew, Gabbatha). [14] It was the preparation day for Passover. The hour was noon. Pilate said to the Jews, "Here is your king."

John 19:1-16 Message Bible

[15] They shouted back, "Kill him! Kill him! Crucify him!“

Pilate said, "I am to crucify your king?" The high priests answered, "We have no king except Caesar."

[16] Pilate caved in to their demand. He turned him over to be crucified.

They took Jesus away.

TAKE HOME

• With tiny silver crosses and little rectangles of communion bread we could easily miss the horror of Good Friday.

• My soul has a price tag, and it is smattered with blood.

• Easter will be glorious and celebratory with trumpets blasting, but let's not skip over the gory part. R rated or not, I have to look at Him there.

• When I face my own horrible, no-good Fridays, it will be good to know that there really is somebody who knows how I feel.

Jesus, I can never fathom the depth of your pain and Grief, but I thank you for dying for me. I love you and will live for you!

Jesus, I can never fathom the depth of your pain and Grief, but I thank you for dying for me. I love you and will live for you!

Commitment:

Worship in SongWorship in Song

ANNOUNCEMENTS

JESUS HAD LEFT HIS ROYAL ROBE AND CROWN IN HEAVEN TO VISIT US

For awhile it looked liked we appreciated his coming to

us.

PALM SUNDAY.Matthew 21:1-11

Crowds crying out a welcome

Palm branches and cloaks paved the way

Oh, how sweet it was!

BUT THE GLORY OF SUNDAY WAS MATCHED BY THE RULERS’ HATRED

As the crowds praised him.the rulers were incensed!"Teacher, rebuke your disciples".The chief priests, the teachers of the Law and the leaders, were trying to kill him.Story of the wicked tenants didn’t make him popular. Luke 20

OH, THAT OMINOUS, CLOUDY THURSDAY NIGHT DINNER

•Passover Meal in an Upper Room •Take this broken bread, my body will be broken for you

•An inkling of bloodshed, this cup is my blood, shed for many

• Jesus foretells the weakness and flight of all of the 12 Apostles

• Yes, even you, Peter, tonight, before the rooster crows!

THURSDAY NIGHT. A GARDEN OF TEARS AND SORROW

Oh, Mercy! Dear Father.is there another way? Yet not my will.

What's this? Soldiers and the Temple Guard?Judas? You'd betray me with a kiss?Let these man go, they are innocent!

(They had watched healings, resurrections from the dead…yet had some doubts. Do you have doubts?)

WHAT IS JESUS’ RESPONSE TO SUCH DOUBTS?

Simply: “GO INTO ALL THE WORLD AND MAKE DISCIPLES.” Matt. 28:19

“GO” = Take the leap, in spite of doubts. It is a “Leap of Faith.” To not act on Faith, makes doubt your god.

IF QUESTIONS OR DOUBTS ARE KEEPING YOU FROM LEAPING INTO GOD’S WAITING

ARMS…

THEY HAVE BECOME YOUR ‘GODS’.

IF QUESTIONS OR DOUBTS ARE KEEPING YOU FROM LEAPING INTO GOD’S WAITING

ARMS…

THEY HAVE BECOME YOUR ‘GODS’.

• Abraham  “How can I know for sure…”

• Moses struggled with his big questions.

• David admitted to times of feeling abandoned by God.

• Paul said ‘we know in part…and see through a mirror dimly’ (questions galore!)

COMMUNION!Bring everything to the table. Jesus invites you, even with

your “Lord is it I?” doubts and questions.

Confession:I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Jesus is my Lord and Savoir.

Worship in SongWorship in Song

IF YOU WAIT UNTIL YOU CAN SIFT AND SORT THROUGH ALL OF THE CLAIMS OF JESUS…

AND THE OUTLANDISH PROMISES…

YOU’LL NEVER TAKE THE LEAP

IF YOU WAIT UNTIL YOU CAN SIFT AND SORT THROUGH ALL OF THE CLAIMS OF JESUS…

AND THE OUTLANDISH PROMISES…

YOU’LL NEVER TAKE THE LEAP

• Faith trusts the character and love of God, pushing all excuses aside, and steps out of the boat…Questions and doubts in tow.

SOMETIMES OUR PAST GETS IN THE WAY…

AND EVEN PRESENT WEAKNESSES

SOMETIMES OUR PAST GETS IN THE WAY…

AND EVEN PRESENT WEAKNESSES

PAUL CONFESSED TO BEING THE ‘CHIEF OF SINNERS’

WHAT DOES GOD DO WITH SUCH A ‘WRETCH?”

PAUL CONFESSED TO BEING THE ‘CHIEF OF SINNERS’

WHAT DOES GOD DO WITH SUCH A ‘WRETCH?”

• God loves and uses us… we hold this treasure in Earthen Vessels.

• We are justified by Jesus, not our own goodness.

• He sends us into the vineyard (the world) to serve him.

• God continues to cleanse, empower and fill us.

• After all… He loves us immensely.

• BRAD: AMAZING GRACE CLIP HERE

OUR ‘GODS’ ARE SPOILERS…if we bow to them!

OUR ‘GODS’ ARE SPOILERS…if we bow to them!

• The God of Image and Public Opinion (What if my friends reject me?)

• The God of Intellect (I’ve got to figure it all out.)

• The God of Fear of Failure  (What if I have a relapse?)

• The God of Guilt  (I don’t deserve to be forgiven and go to Heaven.)

• The God of Ignorance (I have too many questions about God.)

• “YOU SHALL HAVE OTHER GODS BEFORE ME”… MEANS MORE THAN GRAVEN IMAGES OF WOOD AND STONE.

• Reminder: Whatever keeps you from taking the Leap of Faith is a god.

• SO, TODAY IS THE RIGHT DAY FOR ASKING… WHAT KEEPS ME FROM TAKING THE LEAP OF FAITH?

KEEP IN MINDKEEP IN MIND

1. Your standing before God is based on the blood of Jesus, not your great performance. No Condemnation!  --Romans 8:1

2. You will fail.  God expects you to.  You are just a human.  But he has made provision for our failure: Forgiveness!  I John 1:9,10

3. You will have your great successes and miserable failures.  Every hero of the Bible did. Do not let condemnation or self-loathing be your god.

CONCLUSION: LEAP!

GOD IS READY TO CATCH YOU AND PATIENTLY DEAL WITH YOUR WEAKNESSES.

Put those other gods behind you.  Take the leap, enter the journey and you will discover how trivial those gods really are. And how powerful your All-Mighty God is!

CONCLUSION: LEAP!

GOD IS READY TO CATCH YOU AND PATIENTLY DEAL WITH YOUR WEAKNESSES.

Put those other gods behind you.  Take the leap, enter the journey and you will discover how trivial those gods really are. And how powerful your All-Mighty God is!

PRAYER & PRAISE

Worship in SongWorship in Song

Your Offering:“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

--Jesus

Worship in SongWorship in Song

TAKE HOME• Jesus is the one. I will have no other Gods before me.

• I take the leap placing putting my flaws and haunting doubts behind me, not in front where they can block me!

• I thank God for his loving arms that receive me just as I am.

• The reality check is in… I will not surrender to other gods. So, here I come Jesus, I take that leap of faith, fully trusting you.

Lord Jesus, here I come… just as I am with problems, doubts and questions.  Thank you for your loving arms of grace and your promise to journey with me, always!

Lord Jesus, here I come… just as I am with problems, doubts and questions.  Thank you for your loving arms of grace and your promise to journey with me, always!

Commitment:

Go and Take the Leap.