Youth Service in Malang, March 26, 2011 (Saturday Evening)

There are 7 things about the misery of Jesus Christ upon the cross.

ad. 6. The Crucifixion Misery about His Death
Mark 15:39-41
15:39
So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, "Truly this Man was the Son of God!"
15:40 There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome,.
15:41
who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.

The purposes of His death upon the cross are:
  1. To salvage His people (namely The Israelites) from sins.
    Matthew 1:21, 15:24
    1:21 "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."
    15:24
    But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

    Some of The Israelites are being hard-hearted and refuse Jesus, so there is a chance for the Gentiles to believe in Jesus and be salvaged us from sins.

    Romans 11:25-26
    11:25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
    11:26
    And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;

    Mark 15:39
    15:39 So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, "Truly this Man was the Son of God!"

    The Israelites are represented as women looking on from a far while The Gentiles are represented as the centurion.
    First The Israelites are added with The Gentiles, and then all of them become The Spiritually Israel who is salvaged by His death upon the cross.
    Salvation = Being free from God's punishment.

  2. To reconcile The Israelites and the Gentiles.
    Ephesians 2:13-16
    2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
    2:14
    For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,
    2:15
    having abolished in His flesh the enmity, [that is], the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man [from] the two, [thus] making peace,,
    2:16
    and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.

    The Israelites and The Gentiles are reconciled by the death of Jesus upon the cross so both of them become a new man means becoming the one perfect body of Christ, the Bride of God.

    Therefore, if we are willing to take part in the fellowship of the perfect body of Jesus, we must be reconciled i.e.:
    • Confessing sins to God and the neighbor. After confessing sins, do not live in sin again.
      When sins that have been confessed are repeated again, it can be permanent so there will be no forgiveness fromsins again.

    • Forgiving other people that confess sins to us.

    I Corinthians 5:11
    5:11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortionernot even to eat with such a person.

    The sins that divide us are:
    • Impurity (Sexually immoral) = To sacrifice the spiritual things in order to get the physical things like Esau that sacrificed his birthright (the right to go to heaven) for a bowl of red beans soup.
    • Covetous = could not give any, for example giving time for praying.
    • An Idolater =someone who loves something more than God, including fortune-telling.
    • A Reviler.
    • A drunkard, including cigarette and drugs.
    • A Cheater/Extortioner, a liar.
    If we can confess and forgive to the other, our heart will be filled with peace.
The results of peaceful heart:
  1. God stretches His merciful hand to help us just in timemeans every problem (even the impossible one) will be solved by God.
    Hebrews 2:17-18
    2:17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like [His] brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things [pertaining] to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
    2:18
    For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

  2. God gives a future full of hope to us.
    Jeremiah 29:11
    29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

  3. God preserves our life physically, also sanctifies and changes us spiritually until we become blameless/perfect.
    I Thessalonians 5:23-24
    5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
    5:24
    He who calls you [is] faithful, who also will do [it].
God blesses us.