THE ACCUSED: The Deceiver

(Read Matthew 27: 62-66).

“ ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So they gave the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first”
Matthew 27:63-64.

The Pharisees remembered that Jesus said that He will rise up on the third day. In Matthew 27, by calling it a deception, they were implying that the whole ministry of Jesus was false.

The Resurrection message is an old but timeless message that we need to be reminded of. Jesus’ resurrection freed us from the bondages of our past lives.

“And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins”
1 Corinthians 15:17.

IMPORTANCE OF BEING REMINDED OF THE RESURRECTION:

Evidence.

“After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God” Acts 1:3

Among others, Jesus appeared to Thomas whom he allowed to touch his nail scars and to Peter who, in his guilt, has gone back to being a fisherman. He was restored in the ministry when Jesus showed himself to him.

Enlightenment.

(Read Luke 24:28-34).
“Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, ‘were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’”
Luke 24:31-32.

Although we do not see Jesus physically, the Word of God renews us every time we read the Scriptures.

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul and spirit, joints and marrow, as it judges the thoughts and purposes of the heart”
Hebrews 4:12.

EMPOWERMENT.

(Read Acts 15:13-19).
After the resurrection, the disciples of Jesus Christ were empowered. Peter, who denied Jesus three times on the night he was arrested and who since has gone back to fishing until Jesus appeared to him, preached a very powerful message. 3,000 people who heard the message were saved. He, along with the other disciples, courageously faced death as they proclaimed the message of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It was the resurrection power of Jesus that gave them courage.

ACCUSATION: Jesus was a deceiver.
VERDICT: Not guilty.

JESUS RESURRECTED FROM THE DEAD

We can have victory in our circumstances. Jesus is no longer a suffering savior but a conquering King.

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die”
John 11:25-26.

Who are the real deceivers?

“When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, ‘You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day”
Matthew 28:12-15.

THE ACCUSED: A Savior who cannot save himself.

“‘He saved others’, they said, ‘but he can’t save himself! He is the king of Israel! Let him come down from the cross, and we will believe in him’”
Matthew 27:42.

Luke 19 and Matthew 21 tell of people singing “hosanna” to Jesus when he entered Jerusalem on a donkey.
Five days later, the very same crowd were chanting “crucify him!”

It was an issue of false expectations. Jesus did not deliver as the people expected. God’s greatest rescue mission was unfolding right before their very eyes but their false expectations on the Messiah blinded them from seeing this.

THE DIFFERENT CHARACTERS IN THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS:
(Read Luke 23:35-43, The Crucifixion of Jesus).

The Jewish Leaders.

“The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One’”
Luke 23:35.

The Jewish Leaders were asking a theological question: Is Jesus real? Ironically, they are the ones who knew and studied the prophesies, they knew of the virgin birth and all of what the scriptures say about the coming Messiah, and yet they missed out on the visitation of God. In the same way, we look at our circumstances and do not see God in the midst of it all.“Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts”
Hebrews 3:15.

The Roman Soldiers.

“The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself’”
Luke 23:36.

The Roman Soldiers were challenging Jesus’ authority, his might and his deity. Oftentimes, we ask God if He’s really in charge, or if He’s really powerful, or why He allows bad things to happen to us.

The Criminal.

“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: ‘Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’”
Luke 23:39.

Our attitude is sometimes like that of this criminal. We ask God: “Do you really care for me? Do you care that I’m suffering?”
We live in a fallen world and many of the painful circumstances in our lives are consequences of the sins that we committed in the past.

“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins”
Matthew 1:21.

The Other Criminal.

“But the other criminal rebuked him, ‘Don’t you fear God,’ he said, ‘since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong”
Luke 23: 40-41.

The other criminal did not see a dying person in Jesus. He saw a Messiah.

ACCUSATION: Jesus cannot save himself.
VERDICT: Not Guilty.

“Do you think I cannot call on my Father and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?”
Matthew 26:53.

Jesus freely gave his life so we can be saved. He was not a victim but a volunteer. He did not save himself because he chose to save us from our sins in his love for us.

JESUS’ VERY MISSION WAS TO DIE TO FOR OUR SINS.

“It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ When he had said this, he breathed his last”
Luke 23:44-46.

THE ACCUSED: A Friend of Sinners.

“The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and “sinners,”
Luke 7:34.

Jesus was one of the most prominent and controversial figures of his time. Because of this, he was a target of different accusations: A Friend of Sinners, a Savior who couldn’t save himself, and a Deceiver.

(Read Matthew 9:9-13, Jesus dines with Tax Collectors).

Tax Collectors during that period were considered corrupt and sinful. When Jesus dined in Matthew’s house among tax collectors, the Pharisees accused him of being friends with them.

“When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”
Matthew 9:11.

ACCUSATION: Jesus is a friend of sinners.
VERDICT: Guilty.

JESUS’ RESPONSE TO THE ACCUSATION:

Jesus seeks the sick, not the healthy.

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick”
Matthew 9:12.

We must be careful that we do not have the pharisaical attitude, thinking that we are better than others. We must learn to be instruments in restoring others to God instead of condemning others.

“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men – robbers, evildoers, adulterers – or even like this tax collector” Luke 18:10-11.

Jesus desires mercy, not sacrifice.

“ But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners”
Matthew 9:13.

There is no need for us to suffer for our sins to be near God. The finished work of Christ on the Cross has restored us to God.

Jesus came for the sinners, not for the righteous.

“ But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners”
Matthew 9:13.

“I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent” Luke 15:7.

Jesus came to save and restore us, making us into new creations. He has the heart for the people who do not know him: Sinners, drunkards, thieves, robbers, outcast, and the unaccepted.

JESUS CAME TO SEEK AND SAVE THE LOST.

CHURCH IS BORING: Active Participation

“What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up”

1 Corinthians 14:26.

Church is not a spectator’s event. Everyone is significant in church. Church is boring if we continue to sit in the sidelines and do not take participate. Our active participation benefits both the church and us.

ACTIVE PARTICIPATION BENEFITS THE CHURCH


Massive size and Massive strength.

“What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up”

1 Corinthians 14:26.

Size is not the indication of a healthy church, but its strength. The involvement of the people determines the strength of an organization. Everything that happens in church benefits us. The worship, the teachings, and the prayers help strengthen the church.

Bodies up in buildings or building up the “body.”

“So it is with you. Since you are eager for the gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church”

1 Corinthians 14:12.

We must use our areas of strength in getting involved in the church ministries and activities.

Numerical growth and spiritual growth.

“From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work”

Ephesians 4:16.

We all have a part to play in building up the church. Everyone has a vital role.

Gracious service and the grace to serve.

“Each of you should you whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms”

1 Peter 4:10.

American billionaire investor, Warren Buffett contributed $37B to Bill Gates Foundation citing 2 reasons: Because they (Bill Gates Foundation) is good at it and that “Philanthropy is no fun for me.” We can get involved in the church ministries and activities by giving support to those who are gifted for them.

ACTIVE PARTICIPATION BENEFITS US

Spiritual growth and maturity.
We begin to honor God with the talents and abilities that He has deposited in us.

We take part in Making Disciples.
As we get involved, we establish new friendships and expand our circle.

Generosity becomes a lifestyle of many.
Service moves from discipline to delight as we generously share our time and talents.

Unity in church becomes stronger.
Unity is promoted when team members work together unselfishly toward a common goal.

HOW TO TAKE PART

• Pray and discover your God-given talents and abilities.
• Be part of a Small group.
• Know more and serve in the ministries based on your strengths.
• God has blessed us with talents so that we may bless others.

CHURCH IS BORING: Prayer

Read Mark 11:15-19.

“And as he taught them, he said, ‘Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations?’ But you have made it ‘a den of robbers’”
Mark 11:17.

“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ” 1 John 1:3.

Prayer is primarily to have fellowship with the Father. Many people do not pray because of many reasons: A. They don’t know how to pray. B. We think that our concerns are too small for God. C. We are not sure that our prayers will make a difference. Why should we pray when God already knows our needs and wants? What is it that God wants of our prayers? To understand prayer, we must first know what Jesus meant by the words, Den of Robbers and House of Prayer.

DEN OF ROBBERS

“Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say ‘We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things? Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers?”

Jeremiah 7: 9-11.

Jesus was angered by the Jews who came to the temple to pray and offer sacrifices to God; but once they step out of the temple, they continue to do things that are against God and His laws.

HOUSE OF PRAYER

“And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant – these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations” Isaiah 56: 6-7.

Jesus reminded the Jews who were making business out of selling to the Gentiles doves and other things to be used for sacrifices, that the foreigners can have access to Him.


THE ESSENCE OF PRAYER

The real essence of prayer is our relationship with God. We pray simply because we have a relationship with God. Church is life through prayer.

1. Pray honestly.

“But when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words”
Matthew 6:7.

Jesus was critical of dishonest prayers that were just made long. We pray because we have a relationship with God and not to have a relationship with God.

Pray for everything – big or small.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God”
Philippians 4:6.

God is interested in our concerns because He is concerned about us.

Be aware of the Presence of God all the time.
“Pray continually” 1 Thessalonians 5:17.

CHURCH IS BORING: Authentic Community

“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of death will not overcome it”
Matthew 16:18.

“As you come to him, the living Stone --- rejected by human beings but chosen by God and precious to him --- you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ”
1 Peter 2:4-5

How do we see church? The most common misconception of the church is that it is a structure or a building, often times, with a cross on top. When Jesus spoke about building a church, he referred to people as like living stones that make up the church. Living stones are stones that are part of a structure; It is built on top of each other, designed to carry weight. Dead stones, on the other hand, are stones that are not part of any structure, and therefore, considered useless. We, as living stones that make up the church, must understand that church is about relationships.

TWO QUALITIES OF A CHURCH.

Authentic. The relationships among the church are genuine and real. They always last.

“One who has unreliable friends soon comes to a ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother”
Proverbs 18:24.

“I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ”
Philippians 2: 20-21.

Community. The friends we make in church accept us for who we are regardless of background. These are people who endure with us through the good and the bad times.

“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God” Romans 15: 7.

Award-winning author and respected speaker on family relationships, Dr.Gary Smalley said, “Life is relationships. Everything else are just details.” We are all designed with a need to belong, a need to be accepted, a need to be significant. We are designed to be connected with one another. The church is about genuine connections where these needs can be met. The Church is an Authentic Community.

“The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone”
Genesis 2:18a.

“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ” 1 John 1:3.