The Savior Stands Before the Sanhedrin, Part 2

Father we are grateful for today a chance Lord once again to open the living and abiding Word of God that we might behold the greatness of our God Today teaches about you Lord that we might know what it means to serve the true and living God We pray in your name Amen If you have your Bible turn me to Luke chapter 22 Luke chapter 22 and we will conclude the 22nd chapter of Luke's gospel and this conclusion Brings us to the end of a very long night a night that we have studied in Depth over the last several weeks To help you understand that this Magnificent night was the most important night in all of human history Because it was a night of predetermination everything had been determined by the plan and Sovereignty of Almighty God John 13 one tells us that the Lord knew all That was going to happen When you look at Matthew when you look at Mark when you look at Luke and John you're able to understand the elements of this Particular night.

It was a night of predetermination It was a night of affection because it was that night in which in John 13 the Lord said that It was very clear that he loved his own completely and to the very end and so not only was the night of predetermination but a night of Affection on top of that. It was a night of celebration Our Lord said in Luke chapter 22. I have earnestly desired to eat this last Passover with you a night of Celebration because he would take that last Passover celebrate it making it a night of Transformation Because he would transform the bread and the cup the bread of affliction the cup of redemption.

It was a night of Transformation at the same time it was a night of prediction because he would be predict both the betrayal of Judas and the denial of Peter it was also a night of Revelation because Jesus said in John 13 verse number 19 that because of these predictions you will know that I am also, it was a night of Revelation as to the character and nature of God it was also a night of confusion because the men had a hard time understanding how it is some of Them or one of them would be the betrayer.

And so it became a night of confusion On top of that it became a night of dissension because there arose a great Argument between the men as to who was the greatest in the kingdom of God Thus making it a night of humiliation Because it would be our Lord who would humble himself once again Tie a slave's apron around his waist and begin to wash the disciples feet It became a night of declaration for Christ said a new commandment I give unto you that you love one another as I have loved you and by this all men shall know That you are my disciples it became a night of consolation John 14 through John chapter 16 was the comfort for troubled hearts and our Lord would console his men to the promise of the coming of the Spirit of God and his coming again a night of Consolation it was a night of intercession for in John 17 Our Lord would offer up that great high priestly prayer on behalf of his own men It was a night of instruction as he would instruct his men as to things Pertaining to them not only on that day that night but in the days and months ahead It was a night of supplication for they would leave the upper room they would make their way over the Kidron Valley and they would go to the Garden of Gethsemane and There they would pray or they were supposed to pray for our Lord said watch and pray lest you enter into temptation and our Lord would pray and pray with such Intensity that he would sweat great drops of blood.

It was a night of supplication it was a night of temptation because Satan would come against Christ and tempt him greatly as Well as the disciples. It was a night of temptation. It was a night of decision a decision as to whether or not these men would pray or not pray a Decision whether or not they would follow Christ closely or from a distance and they decided not to pray and they followed at a distance it was also a night of rejection because the Sanhedrin would come with Judas and The temple police because they rejected Christ as their Messiah It was a night of deception because it would be Judas who would Betray the Lord with a kiss.

It was a night of defection because all the disciples would scatter and flee it was a night of renunciation for Peter would renounce Christ as his Savior and as his Lord there in the courtroom or the courtyard of the house of Caiaphas. It was a night of Interrogation because they would bring him before Annas and before Caiaphas and they would interrogate him although there was no crime charged against him and thus the Sun would rise and when the Sun would rise it would be always as God had planned it a night of Affirmation where he would affirm once again that he is a sovereign God of the universe Exactly as he said and that was the end of the long night.

Let me read to you about the trial before Caiaphas in Luke chapter 22 verse number 63 and the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him and beating him and They blindfolded him and were asking him saying prophesy who was the one who hit you And they were saying many other things against him blaspheming when it was day the council of the elders of the people assembled both chief priests and scribes and They led him away to their council chamber saying if you are the Christ tell us But he said to them if I tell you you will not believe and If I ask a question You will not answer but from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God and They all said are you the Son of God then and he said to them.

Yes, I am and they said what further need do we have of Testimony for we have heard it ourselves From his own mouth the trials of Jesus are characterized by four phrases It was an unlawful situation based on untrue accusations Which led to an unjust Condemnation with unmerciful Persecution but yet an undeniable Affirmation as to the character nature of Jesus Christ our Lord these trials one before The religious leaders one before the political leaders to trials three phases in each They bring him first to Annas we saw that last week or last time we were together at John chapter 18 they bring him to Annas first then to Caiaphas both at night then when the day Dawns, they have a quote official Trial with the Lord Jesus They would then take him to Pilate Pilate would then send him to Herod and Herod would send him back to Pilate Again we're going to cover all those in great detail But the reason they're here is because they want Jesus dead they've always Wanted him dead They've wanted to kill him ever since John Chapter 5 if you have your Bible turn back with me to John chapter 5 In John chapter 5 Jesus is at the pool of Bethesda the house of mercy and Our Lord is going to demonstrate his mercy to a man who has been paralyzed for 38 years and Jesus asked the man very simply do you wish to get well?

That's in John 5 verse number 6 And of course he wants to be well sick man answered him sir I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up but while I am coming another steps down before me and Jesus said to him arise take up your pallet and walk and Immediately the man became well took up his pallet and began to walk for 38 years this man has never walked and Jesus heals him Do you want to be made? Well? Do you want to you want to be healed? Well, I want to be healed, but I can't get into the water to be healed and Christ says take up your bed and walk He immediately takes up his bed and begins to walk There was no Rehabilitation time didn't have to go to his therapist to get strength back in his legs It was an immediate healing That's how you know God Did it?

Okay, because it was instantaneous. It was immediate and it was absolutely complete without any Rehabilitation, that's how you know Jesus did it if there's rehabilitation involved Jesus Didn't do it. Okay, you need to understand that and so this was a miracle by Almighty God and God did a great and mighty work and you would think that people would rejoice But the religious leaders did not rejoice they became angry because Jesus healed on a Sabbath and they were mad and They wanted to ask this guy who made you well the guy had no idea that it was Jesus.

He didn't know who it was because God had demonstrated his power on that day Jesus would later find him in the temple and say to him go and sin no more lest there be a greater Tragedy come upon you than just being paralyzed but that you perish in eternal fire and This man was made well Pick up the narrative down in verse number 17 the Christ says my father is working until now and I Myself am working the Jews were furious that Jesus had healed a man on the Sabbath and Jesus says that my father is working my father who is the father of mercy is Fulfilling his merciful plan and I myself and demonstrating that because I and my father are one For this cause therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to what Kill him Kill him because he not only was breaking the Sabbath But also was calling God his own father making himself equal with God They wanted him dead because in their minds he wasn't God even though he had demonstrated the fact that he was God and So what happened at the pool of Bethesda at the house of mercy the place where mercy was bestowed upon those in need Here Jesus now is being sought after to be killed so if you go over to chapter 7 verse number 1 It says this and after these things Jesus was walking in Galilee for he was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews Were seeking to kill him remember John's gospel The Jews is always a phrase used to describe the religious leaders.

It's not the Jewish people It's the religious leaders that want him dead. They were seeking to kill him in fact over in the verse number 19 Jesus says did not Moses give you the law and yet none of you None of you carries out the law.

Why do you seek to kill me? In fact down in verse number 25 of chapter 7 Therefore some of the people of Jerusalem were saying is this not the man whom they are Seeking to kill see that's how he became known Jesus was known as the man that the religious leaders wanted to kill Everybody knew that they wanted Jesus dead over in chapter 8 verse number 37 It says I know that you are Abraham's offspring yet you seek to kill Me you seek to kill me verse 40 But as it is you are seeking to kill me a man who has told you The truth they were seeking to kill him go down to verse number 59 Says in John 8 verse number 59 therefore they picked up stones to throw at him But Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple You see they have been wanting him dead for a long time But you see Jesus only dies on his timetable And he was in complete control of his death And although they might have wanted to kill him they could not kill him until It was time and on this night in Luke 22 The night leading up to Passover Was the time he was going to die and so he would give his life away on his own timetable So it's very important to understand that they wanted Jesus dead And so if you go over to John 11 after the resurrection of Lazarus after the resurrection of Lazarus It says in verse number 47 Therefore the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council and were saying what are we doing?

for this man is performing many signs if We let him go on like this all men will believe in him and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our Nation, but a certain one of them Caiaphas who was high priest that year said to them, you know, nothing at all Nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people and that the whole Nation should not perish fellows. Listen, we're going to get rid of Jesus We've been wanting to kill him. We're going to kill him We have to kill him if we don't kill him he leads a revolution we will lose our position We will lose our place in Israel.

We can't let that happen Rome will see him as an insurrectionist. They'll come in and they'll squash us that can't happen So we're gonna save our nation by killing one man Little did he know as verse number 51 says now this he did not say on his own initiative But by being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation and Not for the nation only but that he might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad So from that day on they planned together to kill him Okay, so all from John 5 all the way to John 11 after the resurrection of Lazarus They were looking for ways to kill them.

But now everything is intensified. It's coming up on Passover they've got to think of a way to get rid of Jesus Knowing that it says in John 12 verse number 9 the great multitude Therefore the Jews learned that he was there and they came not for Jesus's sake only But that they might also see Lazarus whom he raised from the dead But the chief priests took counsel that they might put Lazarus to death also because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus Not only do they want Jesus dead they wanted Lazarus dead because Lazarus was a Complete and total testimony as to the resurrection power of Jesus Christ our Lord He becomes the perfect classic example of what it means to experience new life Lazarus had new life His new life was so effective that the Jews wanted to kill him because many people were believing in Jesus Because of Lazarus question is how many people are believing in Jesus because of your resurrection Your spiritual resurrection You have died to self and been raised in the likeness of his resurrection and the power of that resurrection That was displayed when Jesus was raised from the dead is the exact same power that saved you from your sin and Lazarus was a man who was a Total testimony to the power of Almighty God So they want him dead They need to somehow get rid of Jesus and that's why they come in the middle of the night with torches lanterns and swords and clubs Because they have to capture Jesus they have to take him away and now they have to somehow find Something to hold against him.

That's why they go to the house of Annas first Annas, of course is the the the head mafia guy of the religious people and he is the oldest statesman He is the father-in-law of Caiaphas and they go to Annas first Caiaphas found I mean and it's found nothing against Jesus So they go across the courtyard because Annas and Caiaphas live in the same vicinity the only thing that separates them as a courtyard and they move from the house of Annas to the house of Caiaphas across the Courtyard and in between those two trials the one at Annas and the first one with Caiaphas in the middle of the night is when the denials of Peter take place and So sometime around three o'clock in the morning is the second phase of that trial We know that because of the cock crowing so we know it's around 3 a.m In the morning when you come to Matthew's account because Matthew gives us the second phase Luke's is the third phase of the trial because it goes into the daytime where they have to make it Official.

Okay, you follow me so far So you have to understand exactly what's happening because this is the religious establishment of Israel These are quote the holy people of Israel These are the people the Sanhedrin the chief priests are the ones who are committed to righteousness and to making sure that every time there is a trial it happens in such a way that the person being accused has every Opportunity to prove his innocence and yet all that goes out the window when it comes to Jesus We told you last week the Sanhedrin followed simple important laws Any false witness would pay the same penalty as the one witnessed against?

There were many false witnesses against Jesus, but none of them paid a penalty They could not prosecute the accused. They could only try him instead They persecuted or prosecuted Jesus plus persecuted Jesus No court could convene at night or in any other place Except the judgment hall, but they captured Jesus at night They tried him at night not in a judgment hall, but in the house of Annas in the house of Cainathus no hearing could convene in the late afternoon Lest justice be hurried to a hasty and wrongful conclusion and no convicted criminal could be executed The same day he was tried there had to be a day in between They bypassed that law as well a one-day interval was required No execution could be held on a feast day or the day before and all the votes were carefully counted and no One could incriminate himself by giving testimony against himself Every man was given a right to a defense Every man had the opportunity to prove his innocence yet Jesus was not there could never be a Unanimous decision by the Sanhedrin because if there was a unanimous decision the verdict was thrown out Because they would be deemed Unmerciful and yet with unanimity they came against Jesus and so when you come to Matthew's account if you got your Bible turn over to Matthew chapter 26 When you come to Matthew's account you had the second phase of the trial and those who had seized Jesus Led him away to Caiaphas the high priest where the scribes and the elders were gathered together this is verse 57 now verse 58 but Peter also was following him at a distance as Far as the courtyard of the high priest and entered in and sat down and the officers to see the outcome Now the chief priest and the whole council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus in order that they might put him to death And they did not find any even though many false witnesses came forward But later on two came forward and they said this man said that I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it In three days and the high priest stood up and said to him.

Do you make no answer? What is it that these men are testifying against you but Jesus kept silent Jesus had nothing to say against false testimony false accusations This was an unlawful situation. They were untrue Accusations and how do you defend yourself against? untrue accusations Jesus simply said nothing And then Caiaphas amidst all of his frustration in an all reality. He was supremely Frustrated you got to realize they want Jesus dead. They are looking for a way to kill him They must find a way to help the Jews understand why he must die and they must find a way to get him before Pilate so Rome could execute him because they Because of under Roman oppression Had lost the right an opportunity to execute someone and so they had to have Rome Buy in to whatever it is.

They believed Jesus did and so in verse number 63 the high priest said to him I adjure you by the Living God You tell us whether you are the Christ The Son of God I demand I charge you under oath before the true and Living God That you speak the truth. That's why Jesus speaks Because he wants the truth to be known and Because Jesus is the God of truth He will speak the truth Are you the Christ are you the Messiah? Are you the Son of God? Very important statement meaning that all Jews believed that the Messiah would be the Son of God That the Messiah would be divine Don't let a Jew tell you that they don't believe that the Messiah will be divine They do believe that because Caiaphas voiced that are you the Messiah the Son of God?

That's the question many times Jesus claimed to be the Messiah. Did he not? remember Luke chapter 4 in Nazareth When he was given the book to read in his Synagogue where he grew up in in Nazareth. He read from Isaiah chapter 61 Isaiah chapter 61 he read and explained that This day this has been fulfilled in your your ears He says the Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind To set free those who are downtrodden to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord and he closed the book and gave it back to the Attendant sat down and the eyes of all the synagogue were fixed upon him and he began to say to them today This scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing in other words listen, everybody knows that the Spirit of the Lord will be upon the Messiah and When the Spirit of the Lord is upon the Messiah, this is what's going to happen today.

It has been fulfilled in your hearing Every other rabbi said one day this will be fulfilled. But this rabbi said today it is Fulfilled he claimed to be the Messiah of Isaiah chapter 61 even the woman at the well in John chapter 4 Said I know that Messiah is coming He was called the Christ when that one comes he will declare all things to us and Jesus said to her I Who speak to you and he? He affirmed the fact that he yes was the Messiah Peter said thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God in Matthew chapter 16 You are the Messiah when asked who to men say that I am they say you're many things But none of them say you're the Messiah So Jesus says but who do you say that I am?

And Peter said you're the Christ. You are the Messiah the son of Living God and so Caiaphas asked are You the Messiah? Are you the Son of God and? Jesus would respond He respond because it's important to realize that Jesus truly is the Son of God Even Satan said he was a son of God remember Matthew chapter 4 in Matthew chapter 4 what does Satan say and the tempter came and said to him since you are The Son of God verse number 6 and he said to him again Since you are the Son of God Satan knows that Jesus is the Son of God how come Caiaphas didn't know that Jesus was the Son of God and Then the demons knew that Jesus was the Son of God over in Matthew chapter 8 verse number 28 and when he had come to the other side into the country of the Gerardines two men who were demon-possessed met him as they were coming out of the tombs They were so exceedingly violent that no one could pass by that road and behold They cried out saying what do we have to do with you son of God?

They knew that Jesus was the Son of God over in Mark chapter 3 It says and whenever the unclean spirits beheld him They would fall down before him and cry out saying you are the Son of God So even Satan and his demons knew that Jesus was the Son of God Why is it Caiaphas didn't know that Jesus was the Son of God? See this is very important Because you see that's why the Jews wanted to kill him in John chapter 5 at the pool of Bethesda My father and I are working and they knew they knew at that time That he proclaimed to be the Son of God we pick up stones to kill you We want to get rid of you because you have made yourself equal with God and that's exactly what the phrase Son of God means in other words the word for son We awesome the Greek is the word never speaks of origin, but always speaks of a quality and position I am equal with God for I am the Son of God And so Caiaphas asked him Are you the Messiah?

Are you the Son of God? God now in Mark's account Jesus responds by saying I Am Ego a knee the Greek translation of the Tetragrammaton and Exodus chapter 3 those four Hebrew consonants that make up the name of God I Am this is very important because in this whole scenario Jesus proclaims and affirms undeniably that he is The Messiah the Son of God the I am the Son of Man He affirms everything the Old Testament said about who the Messiah would be in front of the Sanhedrin He affirms it very clearly.

I Am the great I am that's who I am. He's already demonstrated that right? He told him in a John 13 verse number 19 I give you these predictions so that you will know that I am I am what I am the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob I am the Deliverer. I am the Savior. I am Your Redeemer in the garden in John chapter 18 when they came to obtain him They said whom do you seek? He said whom do you seek? They said Jesus the Nazarene? I am he says and they all fall over backwards There was a great demonstration of the power of God right before them on that day on that night earlier that night Around one o'clock in the morning now, it's three o'clock in the morning Jesus says simply I Am Because the Son of God is the Messiah and the Messiah is I am Because it proves the deity of Jesus Christ our Lord.

He is God in the flesh And so if you go back to Matthew's account Remember says I adjure you by the Living God that you tell us whether you are the Christ the Son of God You the Messiah Are you claiming to be equal with God? Mark's account says he responds I am Jesus said to him you have said it yourself Nevertheless, I tell you hereafter you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of Heaven what does Jesus say he quotes Daniel chapter 7 verses 13 and 14 listen carefully where the Son of Man is Equated with the Ancient of Days God himself Because the phrase Son of Man was attributed to the Messiah who would be divine and would come and save his people and so Jesus takes them back because the phrase the Son of Man is the phrase that Jesus adopted for himself when he came to earth and Told everybody that he was a son of man And over in John chapter 5 these words are spoken John 5 verse number 25 truly I say to you an hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and Those who hear shall live for just as the father has life in himself Even so he gave to the son also to have life in himself and he gave him authority to execute judgment because he is Who the son of man?

So the Son of Man is the Son of God The Son of God is the Messiah. The Messiah is the great I am So Jesus makes it very clear as to his identity. That's why the whole evening ends with that undeniable affirmation that Jesus is the Messiah of Israel that Jesus is the Son of God that Jesus is the Son of Man that Jesus is the great I am because that's exactly who he is the mercy and grace bestowed upon Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin to be able to recognize once and for all that Jesus is Exactly who he said he was But they didn't believe their hard calloused hearts would not believe in spite of overwhelming evidence Verse 65 then the high priest tore his robes Saying he is blasphemed What further need do we have of witnesses behold?

You have now heard the blasphemy What do you think they answered and said he is deserving of death? Listen, there was no counting of votes That had to be the way it was There was no this was a mass mob He is blasphemed he tore his robes Now the book of Leviticus tells us that the high priest could never tear his robes because of his own grief And so he tore his robes over this one element that he believed that Jesus had blasphemed But in the tearing of his robes, he was the one who blasphemed the name of Christ The Bible tells us then they spat in his face and Beat him with their fists and others slapped him Mark's account says that after the Sanhedrin beat him with their fists and spat in his face that the temple police then would join in and they then would beat him with Their fists and spit in his face as well the sinless Savior before the sinful Sanhedrin And they said prophesy to us you Christ who is the one who hits you That takes us to our Account in Luke's gospel So go back with me to Luke chapter 22 verse number 66 because this all happened at night and now It's day and now they have to make the trial official because you couldn't try anybody at night That would be illegal But that never bothered them because they wanted Jesus dead So it says the verse 66 and when it was day The council of elders of the people assembled both chief priests and scribes and they led him away to their council Chamber now, they're gonna make it official Now they're gonna do it the way it should have been done from the very beginning Except all of it was based on falsehood Verse 67 if you are the Christ tell us They said to them if I tell you you will not believe If I asked you a question you will not answer But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God He says I Am at the right hand.

I am going to be at the right hand of the power of God claiming equality with God once again, oh You've judged me But I will judge you And they all said are you the Son of God then? He said to them. Yes, I am He said what further need do we have of testimony for if we have heard it ourselves from his own mouth and They would lead him away. The whole body would arise and take him to Pilate as the Sun would arise What a horrible horrible situation and yet all of it was prophesied and predicted by Jesus remember Luke 18 Jesus said these words in Luke chapter 18 verse number 31 He took the twelve aside and said then behold We are going up to Jerusalem And all things which are written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished for he will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and mistreated and Spit upon and after they have scourged him.

They will kill him in the third day. He will rise Again, this is the way it's going to happen. He told them that He predicted it. He made sure they understood it He prophesied Because he is a prophet And what did Jesus say in Luke chapter 13 verse number 34 Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem the city that kills the prophets and Stones those said to her And that's exactly What they did to Jesus But all of it under the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God the Father This past week my daughter and and I had a conversation about her trip to Uganda Said daddy they've asked me to to teach some Sunday school classes and to do some Bible studies with the children What would you suggest I teach them?

And don't give me none of that alliteration stuff that you do all the time either dad They're not gonna get that. Anyway, I said, okay. All right, I Said well, I tell you if I was going to Uganda If I was going to Russia if I was going to Argentina if I was going anywhere like I would be going across the street In Fontana or West Covina It's always the same because the gospel is cross-cultural The gospel goes against or goes across cultures and it is true in every situation It's relevant to everybody in every age no matter when they lived or where they live And what's the most important thing they need to know?

Who is? Jesus and Once they know who Jesus is what must I do to be saved? That's it That's all you got teaching who is Jesus In this text before us tells us who Jesus is Everything in the Bible is about the revelation of the Christ the Messiah who is Jesus Christ? Because that's the ultimate question, right? Who is Jesus and I told her I said, you know, we have a little booklet called what the Bible says about Christianity I gave her one of these She's probably never read it.

So I gave it to her anyway. I Said you need to read this. I said we translated it in Russia. We translated it in Spanish Because of its importance that people understand what the Bible says concerning Christianity It tells you about the common confusions that people have about Christianity and then it tells you about the convictions That everybody who is a Christian has without question and Then it tells you What must you do to be saved?

so it talks to you about the identity of Christ and who he is and what he did and What must I do to be saved? And I said, it's basically the ABCs of Christianity I Said you read this and you can go through the ABCs of children in Uganda of what it means to be saved Admit that you're a sinner and that you're separated from God For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, right? The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord all have sinned And come short of the glory of God admit that you're a sinner and that you cannot save yourself Why because that's the Bible says It's not by works of righteousness, which we have done the book of Titus tells us by the washing regeneration Renewing the Spirit of God you want to be saved admit that you're a sinner and you cannot save yourself then be believe in what the Bible says and Who Jesus is?

You must believe what the Bible says Concerning the identity of Jesus Christ our Lord You must believe that he is the Messiah of Israel.

You must believe that he is a son of God He is a son of man. You must believe that he is the great I am He is God in the flesh who came to die on Calvary's cross for your sins and for mine Was buried rose again the third day and it's coming again.

You must believe that Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by a word concerning the Christ Admit that you're a sinner. You cannot save yourself believe in what the Bible says Concerning the identity of Jesus Christ our Lord and then see commit your life to Jesus Christ as Savior and as Lord Nobody was ever saved who did not commit their life to Jesus as Lord and the Savior because that's his identity That's who he is.

He is Savior and He is Lord then D Deny yourself Take up your cross and follow him Nobody is ever saved without Luke 9 23 Deny yourself take up your cross and Follow me when you are saved It's no to me and yes to whatever Jesus says that salvation and then he express your gratitude to God for his indescribable and unspeakable gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord That's what it means To be a Christian That's what it means to be saved And I wonder today You're not in Uganda.

You're in West Covina But the same is true here as it is there Because it's the Word of God that goes against or goes across every culture It's the same gospel Everybody's a sinner Everybody's in need of a Savior and we are to tell People who that Savior is He is Jesus Christ the living risen God Who died for you that you might live? for his glory And I wonder if that's you today that you have made a profession of faith in the Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior Let me pray with you Father we thank you for today.

We thank you for the Word of God That expresses to us the truth of your identity And we ask Lord that for all who are here That none would leave without knowing for certain that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior And that father they would know and give glory to God For your finished work on Calvary What happens with Caiaphas Annas Sanhedrin Pilate and Herod was all designed by the sovereign God of the universe Because you would die on That Friday on that Passover for the sins of the world For that we are grateful For those of us who have given our life to you.

We express our gratitude For those who haven't we pray for them that today would be the day of their salvation in Jesus name Amen