Pastor Ron Blake
Detroit First Church of the Nazarene
Northville, Michigan
Detroit First Church of the Nazarene
Northville, Michigan
This Sunday is Palm Sunday, the day we celebrate the triumphant Christ entering Jerusalem. What a difference a week makes! We will gather in our churches this Friday to celebrate what we call "Good Friday." A lady who was born in Russia, told me this morning that in her country it is called "Bad Friday."
Many of us ponder the words of Christ spoken from the cross. There seems to be a fascination with last words. Napoleon last words were "I die before my time, and my body will be given back to the earth. Such is the fate of him who has been called the great Napoleon. What an abyss between my deep misery and the eternal Kingdom of Christ." Voltaire's last words were "I am abandoned by God and man! I will give you half of what I am worth if you will give me six months life." Thomas Hobbes last words: "If I had the whole world, I would give it to live one day. I am about to take a leap into the dark." Christ on the cross as He is giving His last words, has control of his faculties and displays His love and compassion. His words show us that He understood that He was the atoning sacrifice for our sins. "Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing." As He is dying a painful, cruel and lingering form of death, He offers a prayer of forgiveness!
It is this prayer that no doubt captures the heart of the penitent thief. Jesus reminds that forgiveness always has a cost. Though grace is free, forgiveness is always costly. Costly, but necessary. Who are you needing to forgive? If Jesus could offer forgiveness to His tormentors from the cross, you and I must be dispense forgiveness for the hurts and slights we have received at the hands of others. Three Crosses----The Savior in the middle, and a thief on either side. Two Decisions---- Am I going to receive Christ, realize my sin and ask His forgiveness, or am I going to curse Him and refuse the gift of eternal life?
Each of us will make one of these two decisions. One Savior----There are not many ways to be saved! We must all come to the cross in the middle and confess our sin and receive eternal life through Christ and Christ alone. What a Savior!!
Many of us ponder the words of Christ spoken from the cross. There seems to be a fascination with last words. Napoleon last words were "I die before my time, and my body will be given back to the earth. Such is the fate of him who has been called the great Napoleon. What an abyss between my deep misery and the eternal Kingdom of Christ." Voltaire's last words were "I am abandoned by God and man! I will give you half of what I am worth if you will give me six months life." Thomas Hobbes last words: "If I had the whole world, I would give it to live one day. I am about to take a leap into the dark." Christ on the cross as He is giving His last words, has control of his faculties and displays His love and compassion. His words show us that He understood that He was the atoning sacrifice for our sins. "Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing." As He is dying a painful, cruel and lingering form of death, He offers a prayer of forgiveness!
It is this prayer that no doubt captures the heart of the penitent thief. Jesus reminds that forgiveness always has a cost. Though grace is free, forgiveness is always costly. Costly, but necessary. Who are you needing to forgive? If Jesus could offer forgiveness to His tormentors from the cross, you and I must be dispense forgiveness for the hurts and slights we have received at the hands of others. Three Crosses----The Savior in the middle, and a thief on either side. Two Decisions---- Am I going to receive Christ, realize my sin and ask His forgiveness, or am I going to curse Him and refuse the gift of eternal life?
Each of us will make one of these two decisions. One Savior----There are not many ways to be saved! We must all come to the cross in the middle and confess our sin and receive eternal life through Christ and Christ alone. What a Savior!!
