Other than Jesus, what is the main message of Christianity?S28e170Lk24:45

When Jesus shows Himself to the disciples after the resurrection, He tells them what their message should be:

First of course, is Jesus Himself. His life, suffering, death and resurrection.

Second, is repentance for the forgiveness of sin. Other than Jesus, this is the main message of Christianity.

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Transcript

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Other than Jesus, what is the main message of Christianity?S28e170Lk24:45

Context is Jesus appears to the disciples late in the day of Resurrection Sunday. Scene 12 of the resurrection.

But then Jesus Himself appears. They receive the SPIRIT. Their eyes are opened to SCRIPTURE and they get a SENDING.

Today you will hear the charge as to What is the big message that they are to take as they are SENT.  What are they supposed to BRING on the Sendin?

1.   Jesus. 2. FORGIVENESS. The topic is forgiveness.

Luke 24: 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

We’ve already talked about the first big message. Spent a lot of time on the cross, the suffering. The resurrection. Why?: No cross.No story NoSuffering.No salvation. No resurrection? No restoration of relationship.

Now, BIG POINT for today: no JESUS no justification.

You can have forgiveness of sins.

Let’s talk about your standing before God because of your sin on scale 1-10

0 is perfect. Ten is Hitler. Jeffery Dahlmer. Jeffery Epstein. Pick your worst.

You say, hey, but on that scale I view myself as a 4. I’m not as bad as hitler

         Maybe 4 is enough to make it to heaven. Anything less than a 6.

Here is the uncomfortable truth. All have fallen short of the GLORY of God

         If you are not a 0, you ain’t going to heaven based on your rightness

We don’t compare ourselves with Epstein, we compare ourselves c GLORY

Nobody, not one, not you, not me, makes it on our righteousness

         First, We judge ourselves too leniently. You aren’t a four.  We have to count all the thought sins too: all the foul, unholy, violent, THOUGHTS too.

         Wait, just a minute, I’m NOT OK here. I’m NOT making it on my good.

Listen to what Jesus is telling the disciples what their main message should be from this day until their last day; from this place, JESUSALEM, unto what ever place. Whatever DAY, whatever PLACE, whatever PERSON. Tell em 2

Tell them about me. Suffering and resurrection. No cross no story.

Tell them about their big problem: SINS. Falling short.

         Have YOU fallen short today? Just say yes. It is sooooooo hard

         Self-righteousness is no righteousness at all

         May our indwelling Spirit bring the conviction of sin

                  I hope and pray your sin is before you. In front of you.Trip over it

         Stumble over this: what will you do about your sin? A: nothing. yikes

WHY? So you hear the main message: there’s a way out

that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

God can make your sins positionally disappear

         God can change reality and take sins that are ever before you, and move them as far as the east is from the west Psalm 103:12 

12    as far as the east is from the west, 

so far does he remove our transgressions from us. 

Isaiah 38:17 for you have cast all my sins

behind your back. 

God can change reality. God can change history. Make it like it never happe

God can choose NOT to see your sins and give you what is deserved. HOW?

By the Father choosing to SEE JESUS, having given HIM what He did NOTdeserve. This is the great substitution. The great switchero. Spiritual slight of hand—by that I mean not trickery, but amazement

What are the essentials of Christianity?

1.   Jesus. Cross innocent suffering. Substitutional penalty

2.   Forgiveness is possible. Forgiveness is to be proclaimed. Other than Jesus Himself, this is the MAIN MESSAGE OF CHRISTIANITY.

Other than Jesus, what is the main message of Christianity? Ready?:

Forgiveness of sin. A way has been made to make you glorious.

How glorious? Glorious enough to NOT FALL SHORT.

Glorious enough that you can make it

Glorious enough that you can stand before a Glorious God. 

SO HOW TO I PUT ON SUCH GLORY? Does it come automatically? To all?

that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name

There is this pesky little word BEFORE forgiveness; before the divine foregetting, before the making you right with God: REPENTANCE.

“I could be wrong about this”. I was wrong. I shouldn’t think that. What I did was wrong. I agree with you God. I want to see my sin as you see my sin

For many of you this will be the hardest thing you have ever done.

May the Lord hit you with the sledgehammer of conviction.

Then say: I’m sorry. Then say: Help me.

Have confidence in this: this is His main work. This is His main message.

I am in the forgiveness business. I have sent the substitutional Jesus. He tok your punishment, so I can forgive all who repent. You can repent. You can do this.  

The main message? Jesus on the Cross. Forgiveness for those who repent