Brother Gary Sunday Morning 4/5/15

Brother Gary Sunday Morning 4/5/15

Mat 28:1  In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

Mat 28:2  And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.

Mat 28:3  His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:

Mat 28:4  And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.

Mat 28:5  And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

Mat 28:6  He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

Mat 28:7  And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.

Mat 28:8  And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

Mat 28:9  And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.

Mat 28:10  Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

The scene of Jesus praying in John chapter 17 was on Friday before the crucifixion.  He prayed for those that were present.  You and I know that today He is on the right hand of the Father praying for us. 

He prayed that we might know life eternal.  To know life eternal is to know Jesus Christ.  It is wonderful that every man can have life eternal.  It is the desire of God that every man be saved, be sanctified, and to know and do the will of God in their life.

Many in this audience have had the literal passing from this life to eternity become real.  Even most of the children know what it is to be around a certain amount of grief.  Most of us that have reached any age have experienced losing those that we know and care for.

Jesus wanted us to have eternal life.  Time flies.  Time passes.  There are those that are looking forward to getting their drivers license.  Maybe life doesn’t race for them as it does for those of us that reached fifty and time rushed and we reached 60 and time is still rushing and it won’t be long until I am seventy.

Time does rush.  Jesus wanted us to know about eternal life.  Remember where Jesus told Mary, “Meet me in Galilee.”  The disciples were out fishing on the Sea of Galilee but Jesus already had a meal prepared and said, “Come and dine.”  God has something really good in store for you.  May we, as the song says, “Be worthy.” 

May we not miss what God has for us by being a whiner or complainer or by focusing on that which is out of our control.  God help me to have eternal life.  Jesus went to heaven to prepare a place for us.  God and the Holy Spirit are working right now making wonderful plans.  It is not only in the future, but He is making plans for us today. 

You say, “I am going to be tired.”  May I challenge you to get a new mind.  Have it in your mind, “God has good things in store for His people.

Joh 17:9  I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

Jesus is praying for you and me.  The tomb is empty. 

Joh 17:10  And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.

Joh 17:11  And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

It is vital to know whose we are.  Those that are saved are added to the Lamb’s book of Life and Jesus prayed that we would be kept in His name. 

There is no one that is saved by any other means than the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Joh 17:12  While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

Joh 17:13  And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

Joh 17:14  I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Joh 17:15  I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

In the Lord’s Prayer Jesus taught us to pray that we would be delivered from evil.  For every one of you children here, it is a marvelous thing to be kept from the evil.

A week ago Saturday I had a very tough day.  I haven’t recovered yet.  I preached Darlene’s funeral.  There was one thing that Darlene Rummel taught her children and that was the Lord’s Prayer, to pray that God would keep from evil. 

Children think, “It won’t matter to experiment a little bit with sin, lie a little bit, be a bit lazy, or be a little disobedient to my parents.”  I want to tell you, “don’t touch it.”  If you don’t touch the little sins then you will stay away from the big sins.

We have all had exposure to individuals that touched the little sins and we see that their mind is gone.  They are in poverty spiritually and many of them also mentally and emotionally.

Joh 17:16  They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Joh 17:17  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Cleansed and set apart by the blood and the Spirit of God.  This Word of God has a marvelous way of saying, “Your fruit will be bigger and your vine less taxed if you will allow the great husbandman to prune off things in your life and move it away from you.”

Joh 17:18  As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

Joh 17:19  And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

Joh 17:20  Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

Sister Karen sings, “When He was on the cross, you and I were on His mind.”  Jesus was thinking of all those that would believe.  You say, “I feel so alone.”  Jesus prayed that you would believe and love your brothers and sisters in such a way that you would be one.

Jesus prayed in Gethsemane.  (Matthew 26)  He had his disciples with Him.  He took three and told them to watch and pray.  He went a little farther and said, “If it be possible let this cup pass from me.”  The cup was full of the sins of the whole world.  It meant excruciating pain and being mocked. 

You let someone say mean things and it hurts.  May God help us to have a good filter so that we know what to say and what to keep in our mind that others say. 

Jesus was there praying; He prayed more earnestly.  He prayed, “Father, let this cup pass.  If it be thy will let this cup pass.” 

In this audience I believe I could bring some scenes up in your mind.  All of you that had daddies that were loggers, we could bring up some mental pictures.  My dad was good looking all the time.  He never got dirty working.  He had hands twice as big as mine.

Brother Sheppard and Albert were pulling logs out that were so big that they had to cut them in half.  Some of you that had military family can see them in their uniform.

I want to tell you of a scene in Gethsemane.  He was praying that eternal salvation would be bought.  He told them that “You wouldn’t be able to do this to me except I let you.  I could call more than 12 legions of angels.”  He didn’t have to do it. 

Isn’t it marvelous that an angel came and strengthened Him? 

I want to tell you about the scene of the saddest betrayal that has ever been.  A betrayal… it was the tangible that Judas went for.  The most precious thing that a child can give; there are some of you here that would have the thought, “He betrayed Him with a kiss.”  An act of love that was a betrayal.  Isn’t that terrible.

Judas did it, he came with an army to Him who did no violence.  You talk about betrayal!  He didn’t have to put up with it.  He did it for one reason: that you and I could be saved.

Jesus was crucified.  All of us know what it is like to be tired.  Even children get tired.  You know what it is to get really tired.  You know what it is to become exhausted.  When you are exhausted, your emotions are however many different ways.

Jesus was exhausted.  The false witnesses lied about Him.  He was asked “are you the king of the Jews?”  It was when Jesus was exhausted that He was scourged.  From what we have been able to learn, there was a rod with leather strips on the end and on the ends of the leather strips there were pieces of bone or metal that would hit the flesh and pull out flesh with them when jerked free. 

He put on those scarlet robes: I identify with the Prophet Isaiah, “Though our sins be as scarlet.”  That which is torn from the book buried in the depths of the sea were as scarlet.  Jesus was dressed with my sins, your sins, and the sins of the whole world.

He was crowned with a crown of many thorns.  It was for the pain of humiliation.  He is, was, and forever will be the King of kings.

They chose Barabbas to be released.  The mob cried, “Crucify Jesus.”  His own people said, “Let His blood be on our hands.” 

They led him away to be crucified, “Take Him away.”  He was compelled to bear a cross, whether the bar or the whole one.  They found the man, Simon of Cyrene and he was asked to carry it.

The cross was laid down and Jesus lay down on it.  The nails were real.  They put them in the hands and then usually one in each foot but sometimes there was one nail that went through both feet.

They lifted the cross up.  Remember Jesus’ words, “If I be lifted up I will draw all men unto me.”

We know what it is like to drop a wooden fence post into a hole.  It drops in and you hear a little thud.  Can you imagine that cross being lifted straight up and down and there was a thud as it dropped into the hole. 

They put an inscription, “The king of the Jews,” on the cross above Him.

There is the scene of the cross: the scene of three crosses.  Jesus the Son of God and a thief on each side.  His mother was there.  John was there.  He said to His mother, “Behold your son.”  Then He said to John, “Behold your mother.”  What a testimony John has!  He took Jesus’ mother to his house.

The cries from the crosses of the two thieves.  It is real. The one reviled Jesus, “Why don’t you do something about our situation?”  The other said, “Remember me when you go to your kingdom.”  Jesus said, “This day you will be with me in Paradise.”

It was on that cross that Jesus said, “I thirst.”  I really identify with His thirst.  He thirsted so that He could satisfy every soul.  Men will never be satisfied with tangible things.  It takes Jesus. “If any man thirst let him come, and let him drink.”

At about 3 Jesus cried, “It is finished.”  They will hurt me no more.  A total eclipse took place and darkness settled in making total darkness. The sufferings of the cross are beyond our description.  The Father turned His head away from seeing His son being the sacrifice and carrying our sins.

There was a voice heard, “Truly this was the son of God.”  Keep Jesus real.  Those that are young, keep Jesus real.  For those of us whose work is getting less and less, keep Jesus real.

The two soldiers that came to break His legs saw He was gone and did not break His legs.  It was according to prophecy that none of His bones would be broken.  There was a soldier that thrust a sword into his side and out of his side came blood and water.

Zec 13:1  In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

We are so blessed that we know that there is a fountain opened.  If you have plunged beneath that fountain than you are blessed.  If not then you are blessed to know that those sins that are on that record can be cleansed.  Your heart can be cleansed.  Your mind can be cleansed. 

Joseph and Nicodemus took the body and prepared it for burial with tender loving care, wrapped it in fine linen and laid it in Joseph’s new tomb.  They rolled the stone into place.  The soldiers made the tomb secure and watched.

The scene of the first day of the week:  Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John all record it.  There was an earthquake and there was an angel. 

There is a God that still moves away the heaviest stone on the tomb of the soul. 

Joh 20:11  But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,

Joh 20:12  And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

Joh 20:13  And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.

Joh 20:14  And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

Joh 20:15  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

Joh 20:16  Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

Peter and John left, and Mary remained.  Perhaps her grief was so great as she wept that she couldn’t see well.  Perhaps she didn’t expect Jesus.  She asked who she thought was the gardener, “Do you know where Jesus is?” 

He called her name, “Mary.”  She turned and saw Jesus.  Dear ones this morning, don’t miss Him. 

I don’t know what is going on in your life.  I know a little of what is going on in Karen and my life.  Maybe your life is like Mary’s.  You might not shed many outward tears but you might be hurting deep inside.  Lots of weeping, heartache, and disappointment. 

You say, “How come it is me?”  That is life.  We live in a world where almost everyone wears a smile.  When they open their heart there is pain and there is hurt. 

Jesus said to Mary, “Touch me not.”

Joh 20:17  Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

There is something that Mary would have liked to have done.  If you see a child, a baby, you feel like touching them.  You see someone crippled and they have a bag then you want to pack it.  You know that there is someone hurting and you think, “Can I take a card? Maybe flowers.”

Jesus said, “Touch me not.”  But He gave her a message, “Go to the brethren and say to them, I ascend to my father and your father, to my God and to your God.”

This is why we have Easter.  Jesus paid it all.