It's better to be lucky than good. That's what I heard in this world, in fact, I believe that there are many who would say it is better to be lucky than have God. This world believes in luck. Gamblers especially believe in luck. Even Christians are tempted to think in terms of luck. The world has a corrupting influence. I once knew a woman who was so lucky. She didn't seem to have any faith, never joined in conversations about God, and so you would have to attribute her good life to luck. She was born into a wealthy family, was one of the most beautiful woman I have ever met. She had a great job, a wonderful reputation, was married to a self made millionaire. Had two beautiful sons. She was happy and smiling all the time. In fact, one of the reasons people were drawn to her was that she was always in a good mood, and some of that happiness rubbed off on others, if they weren't too jealous. When she talked about her life it was just a litany of good things. It made me wonder about my faith, because my life wasn't like that. I faced a lot of the problems and pains of this world and had to overcome obstacles, many of my own making. At the time, I was a single parent, trying to do the best I could for my children. I was often lonely, praying for a good wife. I did at least have a good job, that took care of my financial needs, but I had to buy a house that was falling apart and work hard to fix it for my family, rather than the million dollar mansion in which this woman lived. I wondered as we are tempted to do, what good is my faith, I mean why won't the LORD bless me in the same way as this woman, who had no faith. And then something remarkable happened. This woman's life collapsed, and as friends we found ourselves working hard at supporting her. Within two or three months, she found out that her husband was cheating on her, that he had lost most of his money on bad business investments and that one of her sons was facing a deadly and incurable illness. And right before my eyes, I saw a beautiful happy woman completely fall apart. Not only did she fall into a deep and dark depression, she began to make ungodly choices that increased her despair. Clearly she had no experience, and no way to handle these serious life problems and no hope of somehow overcoming them. She was completely and totally unprepared for the storms of life. And I began to thank God for the problems in my life, the hardships that I had to overcome, and my faith that saw me through what looked to be the impossibilities of life. I thanked God that I had been through the storm and had faith in a man. You see I know a man, who in the midst of a raging storm, stood up in a boat and (Mark 4:39) He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. I know a man who can not only calm the wind and storms of the sea, but can see me through the storms of life. I know a man, his name is Jesus, son of man, son of God, fully human fully divine. My Savior, LORD of my life, to whom I can turn and in whom I believe, and nothing in this world is too big or too impossible for him. You can have the luck of this world just give me Jesus.

I knew another man. He was focused on money. Money is good, you can do lots of good things with money. But everything for him was about money. Money became his god. He would do anything for money. There was always some scheme or some scam. He would take shortcuts, he would do was legal and what was illegal. He would even sell poison to his own people, just to make money. He didn't seem to believe in God, at least not in the word of God. For the Word of God would have told him that the love of money is the root of all evil, and focusing on money, rather than on God would become a snare for him and his family, would destroy him and his family, and haunt them for generations to come. Oh he loved money, and he thought that in this country everyone was like him. One time he asked me if I wanted to have $100,000. I said no. Now I have to tell you that part of my answer came from the understanding that he was now trying to run a scam on me, and I thought that "no" would end the conversation quickly. But I mean, he was shocked. I guess nobody had ever told him no to that question before. What do you mean you wouldn't want $100,000. Think of all you could do with that money for your family and for yourself. Don't you like to travel? You could take some serious vacations with $100,000. Instead of ending the conversation, I found myself explaining to him, that my faith told me that I was to do the work that God called me to do to the best of my ability, and leave the blessings to God. However God chose to bless me, whether it was with joy or with money or with friends, or with a great church family, however God chose to bless me would be better than anything that I could scheme for myself. I told him that I am not motivated by money, but by faith. My faith tells me, that if I do God's will, I can count on God to do what is best for me. He gave up. I mean he gave up on me, but he continued to scheme and scam, he made and lost more money than I have ever seen, and then wound up in jail. His children are being raised in poverty for their mother who is a woman without faith, has fallen victim to his schemes and his scams, and so not only has his drive for money destroyed his life, it has affected the next generation. Unless or until someone comes to know Jesus, comes in faith believing, unless there is the kind of healing only Jesus can bring, they will continue from generation to generation ensnared by his love of money and the sins that followed. I know a man, a man who said you cannot serve both God and money. I know a man who said do not worry, (Mt 6:25) Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? I know a man who said (Mt 6:19) Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. I know a man, his name is Jesus, my Savior, who has provided for me wonderfully all the years of my life. Sometimes plenty, sometimes just enough, but always what is best. You can have all this money, give me Jesus.

I know of a woman. I have heard her on the radio. She speaks often about her faith in science. Now I think science is great. I think it is so great to discover the wonders of God's creation. I believe that we are given this knowledge in order to better take care of the world that God has given us. But this woman says over and over again that science should make all of decisions. She speaks in glowing terms about how science can predict all climate changes, how it is the best way to decide what we should do as a nation. It sounded as if she had replaced her creator, with science, an understanding of the created. I thought as I heard this, I hope they do a better job predicting the climate, than they do with the weather here in Cleveland. Then I began to think of the mistakes that science had made, even in my lifetime. You see I have lived long enough to hear scientist predict with scientific certainty both a new global ice age, and an horrific global warming. Some choices based on good science still have not been good for us. It is science that created nuclear bombs and nuclear waste. It is science that has given us the ability to send rockets into far away lands. It is science that has created moral dilemmas about embryos, who owns them in divorce agreements, how many should be put in one woman's womb, what to do with the leftovers, whether or not they are life. It is science which allows people to live, long after they are dead. And so I think, I believe, that as much as I like science, perhaps our creator knows creation best. I have faith that God can help us make better choices than science. You see I know a man. His name is Jesus. He did things no scientist can explain. He walked on water. He called on Peter to get out of the boat and walk on water with him. He pulled Peter out of the water when he failed. I know a man who defied the laws of gravity and ascended into heaven without rocket fuel, without an airplane, he just rose. I know a man who can make better choices and decisions than any scientist. I know a man, his name is Jesus, you can have the science of this world, give me Jesus.

I knew a man. As he lay in his hospital bed, he said to me that your health is so important. Take care of your body, he said, and then he gave me that old saying of the world, if you have your health, you have everything. Now I did understand what he was trying to say. No one likes to be ill, and certainly all of us should take care of our bodies for they are God's temple. Good health is a good thing. But everything. Mark Twain had a different approach. He said, "The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don''t want, drink what you don''t like and do what you''d rather not." and "Be careful about reading health books. You might die of a misprint."
I knew a Doctor once who thought good health was everything. He had 80 plus years of good health, and then developed a treatable cancer. He was so concerned about losing his health that at first he refused to allow his own doctors to tell him what he had. When he finally allowed them to speak, he accused them of lying to him about the fact that it was curable, because they hadn't told him the truth from the beginning. It was so crazy, that this Doctor who should have known better, refused treatment because he no longer trusted anyone to tell him the truth. And when we were finally able to sort through what this was about, it turned out that he was so focused on health because of his overwhelming fear of death. And he was so afraid of death, because good health is everything. To him, a man who focused his life on healing people, and keeping life going, death meant the end. In his mind, if you lost your health, you were going to die, and if you died, it was all over for you. And all of this was triggered by a completely treatable illness. I know a man. A man who was not afraid of illness. In an age where everyone avoided lepers and relegated the blind to begging, he reached out and touched them. He provided healing and health, healing and hope. I know a man, who the touch of his garment and the faith behind that touch provided healing to a woman who had been bleeding for years. I know a man, who was not afraid of death. Who when he faced the loss of his own health the loss of his own life, cried out to his Father in heaven, "if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." I know a man who took on the punishment for the sin of the world, accepted the punishment of death that the law of God required, accepted that punishment for all people for you and for me, for everyone, loved us so much that he suffered and died on the cross, knowing that his loving sacrifice would make a way for eternal life for anyone and everyone who comes to him in faith believing. I know a man, who in the midst of that suffering, while his own health was ebbing away, spoke to a criminal, a man of ill repute who deserved the punishment in his own right, and assured him of a place in heaven. I know a man who gave up his own health, so that all who accept him as their personal savior, who say in faith believing, he died for me, he died for my sins, would be forgiven, all past present and future sin forgiven, would be given the Holy Spirit of God in this lifetime, to reveal truth, to fight temptation, to live lives that are pleasing to God. I know a man, who gave up his health for me, who died for me, who gave up his health for you. He died and was carried to the tomb. The tomb was sealed, guards placed around it. And when his enemies believed that they had him, that his life and ministry were over, that he was defeated, rose up from the grave, rose out of the tomb and claimed victory over both sin and death. I know a man who gave that victory to you and to me and to all who believe in him. I know a man who is the way the truth and the life. I know a man, his name is Jesus. Jesus who ascended into heaven, Jesus who sits at the right hand of God. Jesus who welcomes sinners and forgives sin. Jesus who transforms lives and gives eternal life. Jesus who gives light and life, to the walking dead, and those lost in darkness. Jesus who is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. Jesus who presents all who believe in him to the father, without fault, without sin, and welcomes us into our heavenly home. I've got to tell you this evening, that if you have Jesus you do indeed have everything. You have forgiveness. You have love. You have the Holy Spirit. You have Spiritual gifts. You have blessings. You are a blessing. You have peace. You have righteousness. You have wisdom. You have hope. You have abundant and eternal life.

You can have all the world. Just give me Jesus.

John 12:12-28, Zechariah 9:9,10

Zechariah prophecies, hundreds of years before Jesus is born, that there will be a celebration. Your king will ride into Jerusalem on a donkey, he will come in peace. For when a king riding on a donkey rather than a horse, is considered to be coming in peace. He will come, righteous, without sin, and bringing salvation. There will be a celebration. People will shout. People will rejoice. The King of Kings is coming in peace, bringing with him peace and salvation. This is an important event in God's history, for not only is it foretold, it is written in every Gospel. There will be a time of celebration, even in the midst of danger, and just before grief, there will be a celebration for the King of Kings and the LORD of LORDS.

The danger had already begun. The Gospel of John tells us that when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, Lazarus who had been in the tomb already three days, walked out at Jesus command, and when he did, there were many who celebrated. This miracle convinced them that Jesus had power over death. Oh sure, Jesus had already raised others from the dead, there was the daughter of Jairus, and the young man in the funeral procession. But three days dead? The crowds understood that this amazing miracle could only be the work of God. But from that time forward, there were others, those who had their reasons to oppose Jesus who intensified their plots and plans to be rid of him. John tells us in the words of Caiaphus, (11:50) "You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish." As these men plot and plan, Jesus continues to minister to others. In the Gospel of John, chapter 12:2 he is dining with Lazarus, and some of his followers. Martha is serving and Mary takes a pint of expensive perfume and pours it on the feet of Jesus. Judas objects. "This perfume should have been sold and the money given to the poor." And Jesus once again teaches that following some kind of law or rule is not as important as following what God is calling you to do. For God has a plan, and each person is part of that plan. Mary was listening to God and anointing Jesus. 7 "Leave her alone," Jesus replied. "It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me." There is a time for helping the poor and there is a time for anointing Jesus. There is a time for dining, and there is a time for fasting. There is a time for giving honor, and a time for serving. There is a time for celebration, and there is a time for mourning. Each in its' proper time, according to God's plan. And this is why it is so important for us to rely on our ongoing relationship with God and with each other, so that we can be a part of God's plan, even while we don't fully understand what God is doing here and now. Judas found himself, already, in opposition to God. There were others. We are told in verse 9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in him.

All of this, sets the background for what we today call Palm Sunday. There are so many people involved, some following Jesus, some who actively plotting against him, and then there were the crowds. So many people were in the crowds. Pastor Rick Warren in the book that Zondra is studying with those focused on evangelism, states that there is a great difference between the crowd and what he calls the core. The core are those people who are committed to Jesus and to the church, while the crowd, are those who may come because they are curious, or because they like the show, or because they are seeking something in their lives, but the crowd is not the committed. He maintains that true worship can only happen with the core, and the goal with the crowd is to help them become the core. At their church they have separate worship services. The core meet and worship on Wednesday, and the Sunday services are for the crowd. In Jesus day the core would be considered his followers, his disciples, and others who believed that he was sent by God. The crowd would be those who just showed up to see him, and may have joined in with the celebration, caught up in the moment, but not yet committed. The core would stick with him, even as he continued to suffered arrest, conviction, and crucifixion. They weren't always the bravest, for they had not yet been given the Holy Spirit of God, who would give them courage. And they didn't always stick close to Jesus for fear of what might happen to them. Still they knew, and their hearts their minds were committed to Jesus. But the crowd. Oh yes, the crowd would be part of the celebration. Jesus had done so many miracles among them, and he taught with such authority, surely he was the messiah. They had anticipated the Messiah for centuries, even tried to live such good lives that God would send the Messiah. And now he walked among them. Oh so the crowds loved Jesus. They loved him as they celebrated the raising of Lazarus. They loved him as he rode on his donkey. They loved him as he gave them cause for celebration. They shouted. They cried out. The crowd shouted "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Blessed is the King of Israel!" The crowd would celebrate and join with Jesus while the parade continued. And this was as it should be, for God's son, the messiah, the king of kings, and LORD of LORD's, God's only Son, entering Jerusalem to bring salvation, to bring reconciliation, to overcome sin and death, to bring about God's kingdom on earth would be celebrated. Luke tells us that if the people could or would not shout, even the stones would cry out. This would be a time of celebration.

The crowd is fickle. I would not want to be just a part of the crowd. For we know, we have seen crowds that call for peace turn violent. We have seen crowds who claim justice, damage property and injure people. Crowds can turn on a dime. But this crowd would not change quite so quickly. Between Palm Sunday and Good Friday, there were unfulfilled expectations, unwanted events, and the spread of evil talk that had a profound influence on the crowd. You see people in the crowd thought that Jesus should do things a certain way. Some wanted him to live forever, and provide ongoing miracles. They are the ones who are written about in verse 34 The crowd spoke up, "We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever, so how can you say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'? Who is this 'Son of Man'? There were others in the crowd who thought that Jesus would bring about a new earthly kingdom, replacing the rule of Rome. They would be disappointed that most of what he did that week was teach in the temple. And then there were those whose business got disrupted. Matthew tells us that when Jesus went to the temple he overturned the exchange tables where people could exchange Roman money for temple money, for a price, and drove out the animals that people would buy, paying much more than they were worth. He disrupted their business saying, 21:13 It is written," he said to them, "'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a 'den of robbers.'" And so the crowd began to turn.

The crowd is fickle. You really don't want to be just a part of the crowd. For the crowd still comes to Jesus with expectations. I want a new car. I want a wife. I want a healing. Show me the money. I want a solution to my problem, and I want it now. And when the crowd doesn't get what it wants, it begins to change, to look for other answers, to join other groups, to move away from Jesus. The crowd is fickle.

But the committed. Oh the committed. The women who followed Jesus were committed. They stayed with him, even as he was being crucified. They believed, even when they didn't quite understand. They turned their hearts over to him. Instead of coming with expectations, they came with faith believing. You are the one. You are the Messiah. And we will stick with you, regardless of what we go through personally. Even in our fear, we are right by your side. We will do our duty, even when those around us give up, or fight against us. We will accept your answers to all of our needs, even when they don't match our answers. For our faith tells us that you love us, and you know best, and you will always do what is best for us. They were the committed. And they saw the resurrected Jesus, they witnessed the glorious victory over sin and death, first. The committed, even the men, some of whom had run in fear, eventually came to their senses, and begin to meet together. Began to focus on their Savior and their mission from God.

While the crowd? There was another crowd. After a few days, early Friday Morning, a crowd gathered before Pontius Pilate. Some among them were probably also part of the Palm Sunday Crowd, shouting Hosanna. This time the crowd was shouting Crucify him. But he has done nothing wrong, crucify him. But he is your king, We have no king but Caesar, but he is innocent, crucify him. They shouted all the louder. The crowd is fickle. At times the crowd looks like the committed. But so often to their own detriment, their own destruction, the crowd finds itself in opposition to God. Don't be the crowd. Be the committed. Be among those who know Jesus as their own personal Savior, who have received and are receiving the love and forgiveness from Jesus gives. Be among those who have been given the Holy Spirit of God to guide and direct us in God's way. Be among those who know Jesus as Savior and LORD, who seek to love and serve others. Be among the committed. Be among those who have a mission from God, to bring a part of God's kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. Be among the peacemaking children of God. Be among those who have been given abundant and eternal life.

John 12:1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages. " 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7 Leave her alone," Jesus replied. "It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me." 9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in him. 12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Blessed is the King of Israel!" 14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, 15 Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt." 16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him. 17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, "See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!" 20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus." 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. 23 Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. 27 Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!" Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again." 29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. 30 Jesus said, "This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. 34 The crowd spoke up, "We have heard from the Law that the Christ [g] will remain forever, so how can you say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'? Who is this 'Son of Man'?" 35 Then Jesus told them, "You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. 36 Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light." When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them. 37 Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: "Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" 39 For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: 40 He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn--and I would heal them." 41 Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus' glory and spoke about him.

42 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved praise from men more than praise from God. 44 Then Jesus cried out, "When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. 45 When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

This time of remembering, remembering the last weeks of Jesus life, remembering his time with us, his arrest, his crucifixion, remembering his burial, this time of remembering and celebrating his resurrection, is also a time of reflection. As we consider the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, the question often is raised why? Why did Jesus do all of this? Wasn't there an easier or better way for God to do what God did for Jesus? Faith tells us that God's plan is always the best, but we are prone to the temptation of thinking that we can do a better job than God. Surely this is at the root of our struggle when we are disobedient, or pretend that there is no creator. From the time of Adam and Eve, those created in God's image have tried to out think or at the very least, decide for ourselves, to our own detriment.

But let us, for the moment consider the question, why did Jesus do all of this? Certainly there was no personal gain. Jesus was with God from the beginning, and returns to God at the time of his ascension, gaining nothing for himself. This is what the Gospel of John tells us in 1:1 where we read, 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. We read later in verse 14 that this refers to Jesus, 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. Jesus was glorified before coming into the world, was glorified in the world and was glorified through his resurrection, but in all of that there is no more glory than what he had in the beginning. Jesus gained nothing for himself. In fact, there is a great many things that he personally suffered during his time on earth. His power was limited. He endured the criticism, the mocking of the people he created. He suffered as we suffer, illness, pain, was tortured and even died. All of this he did not do for himself. For he gained nothing more than he had from the beginning. So why? If not for himself, than for whom.

We are told the reason in John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him . Jesus came because God loves us. He came into the world for our benefit. He came so that we might be blessed. And he comes full of grace and truth. These are two of the qualities that give us a partial answer to our question. He comes into this world full of grace and truth. The truth is important because of the way in which people create untruths when it comes to our relationship with out creator. One of those lies is that there is not God. Another lie is that God does not care about the ordinary lives of ordinary people. Another lie is that we must live according to all the rules in order to be in relationship with God. Yet another lie is that there are many ways to reach God. These lies have been a part of the human experience since Adam and Eve, and so part of the mission of Jesus was tell people the truth. The truth about God. Jesus does this in parables, in sermons and by example. Every time he used the power of God to provide healing, he let us know that God cares about what we are going through daily. Every time he did a miracle he showed us the truth that God exists and has power divine. Every lesson he taught about God taught us the truth, that God love people. God has current relationship with people. God has a plan and purpose for all of his created beings. The truth is so important in our world. The Word of Jesus is so important. The truth is that we were given the capacity to love, and be loved first by God and then by each other. In that capacity we were given the truth that we are to treat each other well, with love and respect.

Jesus also game with grace. Grace is an undeserved gift. The Bible teaches us that what we deserve from God is punishment. For every sin, there is punishment, and this is what we deserve from God. John the Baptist pointed this out in John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! Jesus came to take care of the problem we have in our relationship with our creator. This problem is sometimes called the curse, or the shroud. Isaiah tells us that this is our common problem, that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. If all have sinned, then all deserve punishment. But Jesus did not come to punish, he came to take away the sin, to be the sacrificial lamb that accepts the punishment, the punishment of death for all sin, so that those who believe in him shall not perish but have eternal life. You see, you can still die for your sins. Jesus told this to the pharisees, in John 8:24 I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins." But now you have a choice. You can believe, you can accept Jesus as your own personal Savior, and through that faith, you can have all of your sins forgiven. You don't need to die in your sins, because Jesus already died for your sins.

He came because he loves us. He came full of grace and truth. He came to die for our sins. He came to take away our sin. And so through Jesus we have been given so much. We have been given the way and the truth. We have been given abundant and eternal life. We have been given victory. This is why Jesus taught with authority. This is why he performed miracles. This is why he taught the truth. This is why Jesus healed people. This is why he was celebrated on Palm Sunday. This is why he gave us our communion service on Maunday Thursday. This is why he was arrested early Friday Morning. This is why he was put on trial. This is why he was found innocent, yet beaten and mocked. This is why the crowd shouted crucify him. This is why thorns were pressed into his head. This is why he was nailed to the cross. This is why he hung there until he died. This is why he was laid in his tomb. This is why his enemies proclaimed themselves victors. This is why they sealed the tomb. This is why they posted guards. He did it all for you. He did it all for me. Yes Jesus loves us.

And so it is on the third day. The women come to the tomb to prepare the body of Jesus, something they could not do on the Sabbath. They came out of love and respect, for they had walked with Jesus and knew he loved them. But they came grieving, expecting to find a body. They looked forward to the resurrection one day, but had no expectation that something would happen today. All they expected today was a dead body. Still they came. And the men, they didn't even come to the grave. They stayed behind, also grieving and wondering. Wondering what they should do without Jesus to lead them. Their thought that their movement was over. They believed that their hope was gone. They even forgot about the words of Jesus that on the third day he would rise. And so they stayed and waited, they grieved and feared. They had thought that Jesus was everything, and now they had lost everything.

This is why the resurrection is essential to our faith. Some have suggested that even without the resurrection, the teachings of Jesus are so valuable that a person could have faith. It is another lie about a truth. Indeed the teachings of Jesus are valuable, they are essential to our faith especially living out our faith, but without the resurrection they are just another philosophy of life. As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian Church 1 Corinthians 15:17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. For he understood what God understood. The victory over sin and death is wrapped up in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. And that victory is not for Jesus, for Jesus was always victorious. He was the victory from the beginning. He was the victory while living among us. He lived victorious, even his crucifixion was victory, for no man could take his life, only he could give it.

So when Mary Magdalene met the risen Jesus, she cried out in victory, I have seen the LORD. This is why the disciples when they met the risen Jesus cried out in victory, we have seen the LORD. This is why Thomas the doubter, when he saw the risen Jesus cried out in victory, My LORD and my God. This is why the church began to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus not once a year, but every week. It is why the Apostle Paul wrote 1 Corinthian 15:56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is our victory. We are the ones who benefit.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Now is the time, Paul writes, now is the time of God's favor. Now is the day of salvation. This is written to Christians, people who already have faith in Jesus. And although this has a powerful message to those who are unsaved, it also has a message for the saved. For the unsaved, the message is consistent with the earlier passages. Jesus Christ died for all. He accepted the punishment for the sins of all people, and died in our place, out of love for us 2 Corinthians 5:14 For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all.

And so for those who are lost, the message is clearly, now is the time for your salvation. Do not hesitate, do not wait, accept God's favor, accept God's blessings, accept Jesus as your own personal Savior, and experience a love relationship with God. For the unsaved this message is clear and to the point. In verse 17, you will become a new creation, the old will be gone, the new will come, and with the new, comes a relationship with God. You are given the Holy Spirit to guide and direct your life, to give you strength when you are weak, to lift you up when you are down, to withstand evil when you are tempted. This is the time. Today is the day. There is no reason or rationale that should keep you from experiencing the wonderful love of your creator, and your Savior. It is available to you now. You can be reconciled with God (17), you can be forgiven (19), you can become the righteousness of God (21). All of this is available to you today, now is the time.

For the saved, there is also a powerful message in this part of Paul's letter, for it is in fact written for us. He writes that Christ's love compels us. It is because of the love of Jesus that we are motivated, no more than motivate, we must, we cannot do otherwise. We understand how wonderful and powerful the love of Jesus truly is, for we have experienced it for ourselves. We already know that he died for us. We have said and believe, that he died for me. We have experienced his love personally, and so we no longer live selfishly in the way of this world. We live for Jesus. This is what the Apostle Paul is writing to the Corinthian church about himself, about the other apostles, about the Corinthians, about all Christians. We do what we do, because we have experienced the love of Jesus in our own salvation. He writes in verse 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again . Therefore we live for Jesus. We no longer live for ourselves, we live for our Savior. This has so many implications, and applications. As Christians, we understand that every heartbeat is a gift from God. Every moment alive is a gift from God. And the fact that we are able to live our lives decent and in order is because of our Savior Jesus Christ. So every opportunity given to us, each and every hour of the day, becomes an opportunity to live for Jesus. This is not the way of the world. The world sees each day as a given, and each opportunity as a chance to get what I desire. The world sees people as possibilities, to use and abuse, in order to get what I want. The world is demonstrated to us every day, we see it in our e-mail, with every scam that comes our way trying to take our hard earned money from us, for no other reason than that they can. And if you don't get a whiff of the world that way, just answer the phone, and people will try to sell you what you don't need at a price you can't afford, and as if that isn't enough, all of us have family members or friends who do not know the love of Jesus who try their best to run their own games, to get what they want out of people they claim to love. The way of the world is to selfishly use and abuse people for personal gain. But this is not the way of Jesus, and so it is not our way. Paul writes in verse 16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. We no longer look at people through the eyes of the world. We look at people through the eyes of Jesus. Jesus loves people. When he looks at people Jesus sees what they need. And what every person needs more than anything else is a relationship with God. This need, Jesus went through great pain and suffering to fulfil. But Jesus did not stop their. He fed people who were hungry. He healed people who were sick. He provided people with comfort. He gave them insight into the kingdom of God. All this and more, for as Jesus encountered people, he saw them as potential children of God. So it is for us. We are to look at people through the eyes of Jesus, and see them as potential children of God. And our thought process becomes, how can we help this person move from worldly to Jesus centered? What is it that God is calling me to do, to say, how is God calling me to act, that will help this person see that they are in need of a Savior?

Paul writes the answer for us in verse 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! We are a new creation. We are to act, to speak to be a new person in the eyes of those we meet. This calls for a consistency in our faith and our works. This is why James writes that faith without works is dead. Part of being consistent is to be clear about who we are seeking to please. For if you are seeking to please yourself, you will eventually leave your faith out of something you say or do. You will please your temper by swearing or becoming violent. You will please your spending, by greed or stealing. You will please your lust by moving from one used up person to another. And you will never be satisfied. If you are trying to please another person, you will also eventually leave your faith out. At some point they will ask you to do something that is not pleasing to God. I have met enough people in my life who married someone who claimed to be a good person, but either not a Christian or not an active member of a church, and at some point in the marriage, began to criticize their wife or husband for spending so much time at church. Some of the people they were criticizing weren't even at church all that much, sometimes one Sunday a month, and yet they would receive this criticism, and come to me because they were not sure what they should do. Should they cut back on church to please their spouse, or should they go to church, which is pleasing to God. Even with encouragement to continue in their faith, some choose to please their husband or wife, choose to leave their faith, even convert to another faith, only to find their marriage in more trouble, because the spouse just found something else to criticize and now they didn't even have their faith to carry them through the difficulties they were facing. This is the kind of falling back into the old that Paul is warning us about. Don't lose your faith in God. Don't lose your Savior Jesus Christ. You can lose the whole world and still win with Jesus, but giving up your faith, you will be lost forever.

The old is gone, Paul writes, you are a new creation. Live like a new creation. Talk like a new creation. Walk like a new creation. Love like a new creation. No matter what the problem, no matter the circumstances. Even in temptation. You are a new creation. You have access to the Holy Spirit of God. You can live your life pleasing Jesus. This means that we are part of the reconciliation effort, part of the solution rather than the problem. The way that the Apostle Paul explains this, is through the word reconciliation. 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. When we think in terms of reconciliation, what often comes to mind is a marriage headed for divorce, where the two people are in such disagreement that they feel that they can no longer live and work together. Yet there is the desire to try to work things out. And if they work at it, if they go to counseling and begin to settle their differences. If they start working together toward mutual goals, if they move toward a positive relationship with one another, then we say that there has been reconciliation. This is how the Apostle Paul describes the human relationship with God. We are created in relationship with God. God loves and creates every person for a purpose. We are created in the image of God, for relationship with God. Our sin divides us from God. For a righteous God will not be in a positive relationship with unrighteousness. The relationship is broken. We are headed in different directions. We are divorcing ourselves from God, and at some point in our lives, without Jesus we are at cross purposes with God. We find ourselves fighting with our creator. God, out of love for us, has given us the way to reconciliation. For when you accept Jesus as your personal savior, you are a new creation, your sins are forgiven, you are made righteous, and now can be in a loving relationship with a loving and righteous God. With Jesus you are now reconciled, your sins, past present and future, are not counted against you. Jesus already paid the penalty, accepted the punishment for those sins, and so you continue in this relationship that grows in love and depth, maturing into the wonderful person God created you to be.

Once in this relationship, and as this relationship grows, the Apostle Paul writes, that you have a message of reconciliation. We have a message of reconciliation for each other, that through Jesus Christ, everyone can live in love, can grow together, can work together, can live in harmony with creation. And we have this message of reconciliation which states that the way for each person is through Jesus. This is our message. Jesus is the way. Paul writes that 20We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Now we have a job to do. We are becoming the righteousness of God in an unrighteous world. We see the world through the eyes of Jesus. We live our lives as God calls us to live. We love like Jesus taught us to love. We are ambassadors for Jesus. God is making his appeal to an unrighteous world, through us. It is important how we live. It is important how we love. It is important how we act. It is important how we speak. All of what we say and do is part of the appeal that God is making through us. And that appeal to an unrighteous world bent on destruction is that there is a better way. There is a way through Jesus where everyone can change. There is a way through Jesus that all can be reconciled to each other and to our creator. There is a way through Jesus where each and every person can be reconciled to God. And the Apostle Paul writes that we are in this together, he along with the Corinthian church in his day and time, we at Lee Heights Community Church in our day and time. He writes: 6:1As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. 2 For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you."I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation. This in our challenge. God has indeed heard us, in the time of favor. God has indeed helped us in the day of salvation. Now is the time, now is the day. We have received, and are not to receive God's grace in vain. Now is the time, now is the day, to reach out to a lost world, to be an ambassador for Jesus. To show our world, to tell our world about Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:14For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 6:1As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. 2 For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you."I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.