Jesus:  His Passion

Who are some people in your world who are sold out people, not necessarily Christians, but people who are committed to something?

It is rare to find a passionate person -- one sold out to a person, an idea, or a country.  Jesus was committed to something. Let's look at what Jesus was sold out to!

Introduction

Jesus Cares About Sinful People

Zachaeus, a tax collector, was changed by Jesus:

Luke 19:8‑10
8          But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."
9          Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.
10        For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."  (NIV)

Jesus was more concerned for this man than he was for his own reputation 

Another Tax Gatherer

Matt 9:9‑13
9          As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
10        While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples.
11        When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"
12        On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
13        But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."    (NIV)

Why are sinners important to Jesus?

He has simply chosen to love us.  He knows we have no hope except through him.

I.        Jesus' Love for the Lost

Jesus told the following two stories to illustrate how important it was to him that a lost person comes to know about his forgiveness: 

Luke 15:3‑10
3          Then Jesus told them this parable:
4          "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety‑nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?
5          And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders
6          and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'
7          I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety‑nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
8          "Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?
9          And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.'
10        In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."  (NIV)

Why did Jesus speak so excitedly about a person who turns to God from a life immersed in sin?

He alone understands the change which happens to us.  We change our whole destiny from being separated from his love to being lavished with his love for all of eternity.  The change is so great that Jesus gets excited for us.

 
II.       The Importance of the Soul (the real you)

Mark 8:34‑38
34        Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
35        For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.
36        What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?
37        Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
38        If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels." (NIV)

What does it mean to gain the whole world, but forfeit our soul?

We can experience all the allures of sin, and be satiated with evil, but in so doing we will be separated from God, because God cannot be in fellowship with sin.  We can think we have it all, but miss out on what is really important in life—a joy filled relationship with Christ.

The following describes a group of people at the end of history who refused to repent even after seeing God’s greatness:

Rev 16:8‑11
8          The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was given power to scorch people with fire.
9          They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.
10        The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. Men gnawed their tongues in agony
11        and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.  (NIV)

Why would people, even after seeing how powerful God was, refuse to turn from their sin and turn to God?

For some, their love for sin is so great that they will sacrifice anything for the short term experience of gratification.  Sadly they sacrifice their soul and their future.

III. What Jesus Did For Our Sin

Rom 5:8
8          But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  (NIV)

Isa 53:3-5
3          He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4          Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.
5          But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. (NIV)

Col 2:13‑15
13        When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,
14        having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.
15        And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.  (NIV)

What are we to do in response to his great love?

Just sincerely and joyfully accept it, and be enriched by all that God has done for us.

IV.     The Present – He is the Risen Lord

Matt 28:5-7
5          The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.
6          He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.
7          Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."  (NIV)

V.      The Future

          A.      The Future for Us

1 Pet 1:3‑25
3          Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4          and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade‑‑ kept in heaven for you,
5          who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
6          In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
7          These have come so that your faith ‑‑ of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire ‑‑ may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
8          Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
9          for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls....  (NIV)

What do you think the inheritance is that Peter talks about in verse 4?

            B.      The Future for Jesus

Heb 12:2
2          Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  (NIV)

Rev 19:5‑9
5          Then a voice came from the throne, saying: "Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both small and great!"
6          Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
7          Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.
8          Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)
9          Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!'" And he added, "These are the true words of God."  (NIV)

Jesus will see the fruit of his death on the cross.  There will be a huge crowd of believers from every nation and tribe of the world.  This is the passion of Christ.  He wants us in heaven with him.

Why would Jesus choose to desire us?

Just because he does.  He has chosen to love us.

The greatest gift we can give Christ in thanks for his great love is to give all of ourselves to him, because he gave all of himself to us.

A Prayer to Accept Christ's Gift of Forgiveness

Dear Jesus.  Thank you that you care very much for me, and that you do not want sin to destroy me.  Please forgive me for turning away from you and your ways.  I give my heart, my all, to you and I desire to follow your ways.  I trust you to forgive me and receive me as you have promised.   

Extra Information:  There are over 200 prophecies in the Old Testament which were fulfilled by Jesus in the New Testament.  Jesus determined long ago to come and die for us so that we could be in heaven with him.  The following are a few of the more powerful fulfillments of prophecy.

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