Speaker – James Muldoon
Good morning and welcome to K Baptist church for our 10:30 service my name is James moldun I’m one of the ministers here uh great to welcome you all in the building welcome to you online welcome to year eight meeting in the Oasis as well uh this morning we’ve got a service
Which is themed all around the question is Jesus worth it is Jesus worth it so that’s what we’re thinking about this morning now if you’re not used to being in church services like this one please don’t worry we’ll let you know exactly what to do and when to do it we’re just
Really glad that you’re here with us if you want to know more as a result of what you hear or if you just want to know more about Christianity in general there’s a number of different things you could do um you could I’ve lost mine but
You could find a visitor card uh fill in your details on there hand it in at the welcome desk at the back and we’d be able to get in touch with you and have a have a chat with you uh you could pick up a booklet there are lots of booklets
At the uh the back in the welcome area please pick up a booklet which will explain more about what Christians believe have a look through that uh as a church we often run short courses or we uh we invite people to to read the Bible
With us on a Ono one kind of level if you’d like to do that please do just speak to someone at the welcome desk as well uh and if you’d like to talk with someone or pray with something immediately uh after the service there’ll be a prayer team in that corner
Of the building where the big blue prayer Banner is and Sam Kathy and bill will be there they’ll be delighted to talk with you and pray with you after the service is over so you’re very welcome uh for those of us who are regulars we’ve got a mission meeting on Thursday evening uh
Our usual prayer and praise meeting slot but this time it’s a mission meeting 7:45 here in the chapel and friends international are going to come and talk to us about their witnessing to those who come here as students from overseas so friend International and earlier on on Thursday we have Charles Bosley’s
Thanksgiving service that’s at 2:00 here in the chapel on Thursday uh please do come along uh support Barbara and the rest of the family the family are asking us not to wear black um please wear whatever you feel comfortable with but let’s come together and to remember
Charles and to to help the family at that time well here’s a verse to get us thinking in the right lines as we ask the question is Jesus worth it uh This is Jeremiah 10:6 No One Is Like You O Lord you are great and your name is mighty in power
And it’s because of the greatness of our God that the Lord Jesus Christ is worth it there are many other reasons as well and we’re going to be thinking about that through the rest of our service but let’s just spend a moment focusing on that verse thinking about the greatness
Of our God and then I’ll pray and we’ll sing our first song So a moment or two of quiet well let’s pray our Lord God our Father in heaven we thank you that we’re here this morning or joining online or maybe even watching afterwards and we thank you for the Lord
Jesus Christ thank you that he is the the main focus of your word the main focus of the Bible and we thank you that it tells us about his life it tells us about his death and his resurrection and his Ascension and his Reign and his future
Return we thank you so much for him thank you that he is both God and man thank you that he is immeasurably great but thank you that he came into the world and died on the cross to save all who believe in him thank you that he
Died to bring us to you he died to give us eternal life uh he died to save sinners like us and we thank you for what he’s done thank you for his love and his mercy and his grace and his selflessness and his kindness and thank you Lord for these and many other
Reasons he is worth it he is worthy of our love our faith and our devotion now please help us all to understand that this morning and to come to trust in him we thank you that he is worth it in those easy times in life and for those
Of us for whom life is going well at the moment we thank you for that and we pray Lord that you’ll help us not to forget get him but thank you that he is also worth it and that he is also there in the hard times of life and Lord for many
Of us life is hard at the moment and we pray Lord for healing for those who are unwell uh for comfort for those who’ve known loss uh for provision for those who need guidance for peace for those who feel inner turmoil for harmony uh for those for whom there are broken
Relationships we pray Lord especially for Barbara and the family on Thursday as we have the Thanksgiving service for Charles and pray that you will draw near to them and we pray Lord that you will help Graham and nula and Heather and Caleb and June and Peter and Maria and
Cus and so many others in church life going through difficult times with their health and pray Lord that they will find all they need in the Lord Jesus Christ thank you Lord that that the Lord Jesus Christ is worth it all around the world thank you that this whole world is
His and we do pray for this world we pray for peace where there is war particularly Lord we pray for Ukraine two years on from The Invasion and pray for peace and Justice there but Lord also we we pray for the many other parts of the world where there is trouble and
Pray that you will help there too we pray that you will provide food and clear clean water that you will provide Justice in those places where there is is none we pray Lord that you will help all over the world and all over the world may people come to know and trust
Jesus Christ help us Lord all of us here many more around the world to see that everything we ultimately need can be found in Jesus Christ and please help us to live our lives by faith in him please help us this morning in his name amen our first song this morning is
Where oh grave is your Victory so in the Bible passage which we’re going to be reading in a few minutes time an important guy comes to Jesus and he asks him this question about how he can get eternal life and the Bible’s answer to that question quite simply is that those
Who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ receive eternal life that’s one reason why it is worth it to follow the lord Jesus Christ and that is what this song is all about so if you’re able when the music starts let’s stand and sing where o grave is your Victory all my sorrows Andress I will not be r when facing death the of I is so secure because my as calary sing has on me of because he over the with him I will be where all PR is your Victory where all death is your eternity is for me I have to
Tell On that glorious final day I will s of but gazing [Applause] on Where great is your Victory where is your s eternity is for my Is [Applause] Morality before his throne will sing and reflecting perf the Glory where all great is your Victory where all death is your ET for my all Victory is your eternity is one for Me eternal King ET is for me I if you’re standing please do sit down I’m going to invite Nigel up and he’s going to speak to the children Thanks James what a great song great song so is Jesus worth it okay spoiler alert the Rich Young Ruler in the story you’re going to hear
About a little bit later didn’t think so he he wasn’t prepared to give up everything to follow Jesus and gain eternal life this man you will see he came to Jesus expectant but he left sad maybe frustrated maybe a bit angry nobody knows what happened to this man
After his Encounter With Jesus many have tried to guess though so just imagine for a moment a madeup scene okay where the Apostle Peter who was there in that conversation between Jesus and the young man he decides to go after this man and find out why he turned away from Jesus
So maybe the conversation went something like this sir sir good sir good sir my name is Peter um I was in on your uh conversation back there with Jesus and I just wanted to know why you left the way you did Peter I’m not interested okay I’m just not
Interested what do you mean I mean you were there you asked the question how can I gain eternal life and then then you just turned away do you know I as good as dropped to my knees in front of that man and he you know he had my respect from the start
I wasn’t looking for a handout a a free gift I explained to him I’ve done the hard work I just needed to know was there something that was missing or was there some good thing that I needed to do in order to inherit eternal life and he tells me sell all that you
Ow fill it all and you’ll have treasure in heaven I’m I’m telling you Peter I’m just not interested and anyway do you know what I believed in everything he stood for I told him I I was doing everything he asked and then he says that’s not good enough I’ve got to
Do something else I got to get up give up everything to follow him no no no no that’s just not going to happen look good sir you don’t understand I am telling you it is so worth it and all of us have had to give up something to follow Jesus
Peter what have you given up tell me what did you do before you began to follow him I I was a fisherman ah so you gave up long hours rough hands smelling Dreadful amongst barrels of fish that’s what you gave up you know I was always taught the
Salvation is a reward for our life filled with good works I me my my wealth is a is a clear indication that the favor that rests upon me is from God look sir please good sir why didn’t you come back with me to Jesus and we
Can talk this through you see if if you don’t have a chance then how will any of us have a chance Peter I appreciate what you’re saying but listen I I can’t go back I just can’t it’s just not worth it it isn’t easy following Jesus and
Jesus never said it would be so why is it that there are so many people here in this room and actually all around the world who have been prepared to put Jesus first in their lives before anything else unlike this Rich Young Ruler was because of what Jesus has done for
Us see God promises they’ll always be with us he will never leave us once we put our trust in him our past is Forgiven and God by his holy spirit comes in to live within us he then goes before us he is beside us he’s behind us
He’s below us he is above us we’re in his grip and he’s never going to let us go Jesus gave up his life paying the price for us in order that we could be friends with God and as a result we gain eternal life in all the wonderful Perfections of heaven and
Beyond so don’t don’t be like that rich young ruler who valued his wealth and his status as a way to get right with God instead simply trust Jesus because he’s done it all he’s done everything you need to be saved let’s pray dear Lord God we thank you that there is nothing
We can do to get right with you because you have done it all we thank you that you paid the price for our sins and by trusting in you we can have eternal life oh we pray that everyone in this room will consider Jesus seriously in jesus’ name
Amen we are going to sing a song which speaks partly of this wonderful salvation that God has provided but also it speaks of who Jesus is Jesus didn’t just die to save us from our sins he is the Creator God he made the whole universe this is who we’re dealing with
We’re going to sing a great song called Almighty no we’re not Almighty Creator yes I say almighty God which is another great song actually but we’re not doing that one so if you can please stand and we’ll sing Almighty Creator Almighty Creator you Sp and your great power you sp there Was and you made all things to show your glory oh no things to bring you PR you created to worship you you created me to love you you to you all glory to [Applause] your now the O all creatures great and in the Earth for Nations for people for came to me for
You and you sh your blood for our Salvation so you could make you he created me to worship You you created me to love you you have made me to You glory to your thank you Nigel so Now’s the Time for the children to head off to their various different groups all the way up to year seven today year eight already meeting in the Oasis uh there’s going to be a little Gap in the service while the
Parents take their kids out and during this Gap the musicians are going to teach us our next song It’s a a new one to us as a church so while there’s this little Gap they’re going to sing a couple of verses couple of choruses from this song and then after that we will
Sing it together once the parents are back so remain seated uh listen to the next song which is almost home us s Lanka we’re almost home through every toil and danger we’re almost G how many pilgrims sing up before us go no stopping now we’re almost Home the promised land is falling we’re home and not a te fall we’re all almost home make ready now your souls for the King to CL no turning back we’re almost home all we all so PR the blessing show a prise the love where All this ch hearts together we all home until the grave forever allong what song you will sing that Happ the F of hearts with all St this life is just a v we’re almost home that Sun is setting we’re almost home take courage for the S shall great to
Home oh lift your eyes where all the St all the St where all our home the present to the blessing show oh prise the Lord where all all where all so press unto the Blessed Shore oh praise the Lord where all long To So if you followed the words as the musicians were singing that through you’ll see that song is again all about the eternal life which the Lord Jesus Christ gives this life is short and those who trust in the Lord Jesus we are almost home almost home to heaven so if
You’re able when the music starts we’ll stand and sing it’s an easy enough tune I’m sure we’ll all pick it up just be aware of a slightly um unusual perhaps rhythm in the chorus but let’s give it a go you’re able let’s stand and sing Together don’t TR s we’re through every To how Many no something now [Applause] All the prom land isly all Andar your soul for King you we all all where All where [Applause] all thisy us together all that forever we will [Applause] sing All just that is all take all To All All the M PR the Lord all All [Applause] All well done if you’re standing please sit down it’s time for our Bible reading now which is Luke 18: 18-34 and I’ve asked Radner to come and read to us this morning so the reading this morning is from Luke Chap 18: 18-34 and that’s page 1104 and the church Bible
A certain ruler asked him good teacher what must I do to inherit eternal life why do you call me good Jesus answered no one is good except God alone you know the Commandments do not commit adultery do not murder do not steal do not give false testimony honor your father and
Mother all these I have kept since I was a boy he said when Jesus heard this he said to him you still lack one thing sell everything you have and give it to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven then come follow me when he heard this he became very sad
Because he was a man of great wealth Jesus looked at him and said how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God indeed it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom om of
God those who heard this asked who then can be saved Jesus replied what is impossible with man is possible with God Peter said to him we have left all we had to follow you I tell you the truth Jesus said to them no one who has
Left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and in the age to come eternal life Jesus Took the 12 aside and told them we are going up to Jerusalem and
Everything that is written by the prophets about the son of man will be fulfilled he will be handed over to the Gentiles they will mock him insult him spit on him flog flog him and kill him on the third day he will rise again the disciples did not understand
Any of this its meaning was hidden from them and they did not know what he was talking about thank you adna well please do keep that passage open in front of you before we think about it I’m going to pray briefly thank you Lord for that very sobering passage from your word the
Bible and as we think about it now please impress its message please impress its truth Upon Our Hearts and help us to trust and to follow the lord Jesus Christ amen Phillip in is a businessman who lives in Singapore a few years ago he and his brother were said to be worth
About 12 billion doar he’s a Christian and here’s something which he said not so long ago he said this what I’ve discovered is that all of us are broken we all have a missing piece and I discovered that the missing piece was God through Jesus Christ I was always in search of a
Better life a better purpose a better me a better everything I was just looking at all the wrong things but I realized that there is no better me or better things without Jesus then it all snapped into place maybe we have to look deeper I treasure
My faith more than anything so I just wish for everyone to have that peace and joy it sure beats a lot of money and material things that you may have now the question I want to ask you is this is Philip in right uh is it better to have Jesus than loads of
Money is it better to have Jesus than loads of stuff uh you might want to say that actually it’s quite easy to say that Jesus is better than money and stuff if you’re a multi-billionaire but is Jesus worth it is he actually worth it that’s what we’re going to think
About this morning now in our morning Services here at kry we’re making our way through Luke’s gospel uh Luke’s gospel is a historical account of the life of Jesus Christ and as the book has gone on we’re getting towards the the the closing stages of it we’re watching
As Jesus gets closer and closer to Jerusalem where we know he’s going to die on the cross now as the book goes on we’re finding opposition to him increasing Page by page now in this morning’s passage Jesus meets this Rich ruler that Nigel was telling us about and Arna was reading to
Us about the rich ruler well he starts to conver ation going but it’s Jesus who takes charge of how the conversation goes and he confronts the ruler with one simple question am I worth it is Jesus worth it so let’s follow the story through and let’s learn the Bible’s answer to that
Question we’re going to do it in two steps first what isn’t worth it what isn’t worth it so listen listen again to verses 18- 23 certain ruler asked him good teacher what must I do to inherit eternal life why do you call me good Jesus answered no one is good except God alone
You know the Commandments do not commit adultery do not murder do not steal do not give false testimony honor your father and mother all these I have kept since I was a boy he said when Jesus heard this he said to them you still lack one thing sell
Everything you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven then come follow me when he heard this he went away very sad because he was a man of great wealth Matthew’s gospel another historical account of the life of Jesus says that the man walks away at this
Point well what do we learn about this guy well four things first he’s a ruler so he’s got some standing in Society second he’s religious that he comes to Jesus because he thinks he’s a rabbi and he’s interested in eternal life third he’s clean living he doesn’t sleep
Around he’s not a murderer he’s not a thief he’s not a liar he honors his parents at least that’s what he says he’s proud of his saintliness and fourthly he’s Rich that last bit of verse 23 says he has very great wealth so there he is important religious clean Living
Rich and the way Luke tells the story we can see that two things are especially important to him uh first he’s in love with his own morality look again at verses 20 and 21 Jesus says you know the Commandments do not commit adultery do not murder do not
Steal do not give false testimony honor your father and mother all these I have kept since I was a boy he said now that is a strong thing to say isn’t it I wonder when you last had a conversation that that went like this I’m not as good
At two-way things as by the way but here’s you have you always done what is right here’s your friend yes I never swear I never lie I never cheat I never lust I never hate I pay my bills I respect those in Authority I honor my
Parents I always treat my wife the right way I’m perfect you what friend well okay there was that time when I was seven when I scraped my friend’s bicycle and I didn’t own up but that’s it what would you think about your friend you’d think that he’s completely self-righteous wouldn’t you you think
He’s holier than thou actually you’d think that he’s got a very superficial view of himself but that’s exactly what this ruler is like he’s pleased with himself he’s proud of his virtuous life he’s pompous in his own self-righteousness he’s in love with his own morality which is precisely why Jesus
Speaks the first words he does in verses 18 and 19 a certain ruler asked him good teacher what must I do to inherit eternal life why do you call me good Jesus answered no one is good except God Alone no one is good except God Alone only God is
Perfectly good only is only God is as good as this ruler thinks that he is no one is good except God alone and so Jesus invites this ruler to reflect on the true state of his heart he invites him to see that he’s not quite as good as he thinks he
Is he invites him to see that he is in fact self-righteous not truly righteous and I wonder if you’re a bit like the ruler in this I wonder if you’re confident in your own goodness I wonder if when you think about yourself you think well I’m better than
Most I wonder if your confidence in your own virtue you I wonder if you’re in love with your own morality but if so please hear Jesus words no one is good except God Alone however good you may think you are you are not radically good you are not
Perfectly good you are not as good as God you are not as good as God demands you to be and so you are not good enough to meet God’s standards because he demands absolute perfection so if you’re in love with your own morality please see yourself as Jesus sees you self-righteousness is not
Worth it we can never be good enough for God we can never be good enough for that eternal life which this ruler is wanting please start to Grapple with that truth because actually grappling with that truth might be the very first step in you finding your way towards true
Goodness so the ruler he’s in love with his own morality but there’s something else which he loves even more listen to verses 22 and 23 again Jesus is speaking you still lack one thing sell everything you have give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven then come follow
Me when he heard this he became very sad because he was a man of great wealth and you see what’s happening there don’t you Jesus is exposing the one thing the ruler loves more than everything else he’s exposing what is first place in his life and it’s his cash his bread his do
His folding stuff his muler his frog skins the god this ruler is actually following it’s money and is it worth it well watch this man walk away from Jesus his head is down he’s dragging his feet he’s miserable he’s chosen money over eternal life and it hasn’t made him one little bit
Happy you know there’s another book in the Bible where a wise man called the teacher tries to find true meaning in money uh he becomes staggeringly rich Elon rich but does it work for him well listen to what he says about it in Ecclesiastes 5 uh this is verse 10
Whoever has money never has money enough whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income this to is meaningless verse 11 as Goods increase so do those who consume them and what benefit are they to the owner except to Feast his eyes on them at verses 13 to 15 I’ve seen a
Grievous Evil Under the Sun wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner or wealth lost through some Misfortune so that when he has a son there’s nothing left for him naked a man comes from his mother’s womb and as he comes so he departs he takes nothing from his labor
That he can carry in his hand and that’s right enough isn’t it however much money we have we always seem to want more and we can’t take it with us when our time comes there’s no point tucking your credit card in your coffin and as the ruler trudges
Off Jesus says some very poignant words listen to verses 24 and 25 Jesus looked at him and said how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God indeed it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a
Rich man to enter the kingom om of God and perhaps you can picture that is a camel is a needle and a camel tries to thread its way through it’s it’s a funny picture isn’t it now between 2009 and 2014 the London fire brigade had to free
165 children who got themselves stuck in railings banisters and Gates but a camel a camel wouldn’t even get far enough through the eye of a needle to get stuck would it and so why is it so hard for the to enter the kingdom of God cuz often they’re just like this
Ruler they love their money more than God they will not serve God if it means parting with their money if we want eternal life God must have first place in our lives but so often we put money before him and so we reject him and we reject
His offer of Salvation maybe in fact you are doing that this morning fact is choosing money over eternal life is not worth it look again at the sadness written all over the face of this important religious clean living rich guy in Luke 18 and see that money isn’t worth it really
Isn’t and actually I could say the same of any other God substitute you might be tempted to love first in your life if anything other than the Lord is first place for you it will let you down in the end it’s not worth it it will not win you eternal
Life well so much for the negative that’s what isn’t worth it but what about Jesus is he worth it let’s see what the passage says about that so secondly why Jesus is is worth it why Jesus is worth it now I’m going to skip forward in our passage to verses
28 to 30 one of Jesus original followers called Peter he’s now speaking to Jesus Peter said to him we’ve left all we had to follow you I tell you the truth Jesus said to them Peter and the disciples no one who has left home or wife or
Brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and in the age to come eternal life so let’s think carefully about those words Jesus gives us two reasons there why he’s worth it and there’s a
Third reason coming a little bit later in our passage too now Peter he’s taken on board what Jesus has said in the earlier part of our passage and he gets that it’s hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of God because there is always that danger that they’ll prioritize
Their money over Christ but he and his fellow followers of Jesus he says they they’ve left everything to follow him and they have so is he worth it is he worth leaving all of that stuff to follow oh yes and reason one is this no one who has left home or wife or
Brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age what’s Jesus saying he’s saying that those who give things up for him will by no means lose out in this life in fact he says those who are
Willing to give up if necessary what is most precious to them home and family will by no means be the poorer for it in this life now what does that mean does it mean if I put 10 quid in the offering box suddenly I’ll find out A1 transfer
Into my bank account if following Jesus means losing my one bedroom flat does that mean he’s then going to give me a four bedroom house no it doesn’t mean that but what it does mean is that what Jesus gives us in this life will be worth far more than
Anything he calls us to give up what Jesus gives us in this life will be worth far more than anything he might call us to give up he’ll give us Priceless gifts like these he’ll give us peace a peace which transcends understanding a peace which can flood
Our souls even when we’re in the depths and it will give us joy a joy which is there even when we suffer a joy which comes from knowing him a joy which therefore nobody can ever take from us he’ll give us a huge family the family of the worldwide Church uh a few
Weeks ago a friend of the church here called Hillary was interviewed in our evening service she she lost her dad at age 14 and she spoke about how the church this church had been such a means of comfort and strength and help to her and her family uh when we first trust in
Jesus we enter into this this worldwide family of the church and that is amazing and he’ll give us access to his heavenly father when we believe in Jesus Christ we have access to God we can come into His presence at any time in prayer whenever we want wherever we are
Whatever our circumstances we can talk to him few things in life are more precious than that and he’ll give us his Spirit when we trust in Jesus God the Holy Spirit the spirit of Christ he comes and takes up residence in our lives we actually have God in us
Every moment of every day when you trust in Jesus Christ you will never be truly alone from that moment onwards what could possibly compare to that that’s just a few examples Jesus says no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the
Sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age is he worth it oh yeah just ask any Christian what we gain from Jesus Christ what we gain from knowing him far outweighs anything we might be called to sacrifice What A Savior he’s willing to
Be and that’s just reason one why he’s worth it here’s reason two is Jesus worth it well yes because of this I tell you the truth Jesus said to them no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for
The sake of the king of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and in the age to come eternal life Jesus gives eternal life to those who follow him remember that’s exactly what the rich ruler was after in the first
Place I wonder if you’ve ever had one of those days where You’ just said to yourself I wish today would never end I don’t know what it is for you uh maybe a visit to the state ium and reading are actually winning maybe a day at a spa with your
Friends uh maybe a day on an Adriatic Beach maybe a day out with your family and nobody fights what would it be you know what what Jesus is offering us here is like the absolute best day ever and a a literal Best Day Ever which will never end because he’s offering it
Eternal life and it’s not just eternal life in a world like this which has been ravaged by frustration and deterioration and pain and loss the Bible says that one day Jesus Christ will return all things will be renewed and then there will be no more death no more mourning
No more crying no more pain no more wrongdoing no more backstabbing no more unfaithfulness no more cancer no more redundancy no more failing health no more accidents no more domestic violence no more stress no more mental illness no more disappointment no more poverty no more allergies and so on instead a world
Of perfection a world of bliss and Jesus offers that kind of eternal life to all who believe in him listen to that Uber famous verse 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 and
There it is eternal life to all those who believe in Jesus Christ is he worth it oh yes she is no fool who gives what she cannot keep to gain what she cannot lose eternal life in the presence of the Lord himself well that’s two reasons why
Jesus is worth it but there’s also a third in verses 31-33 listen to those verses again Jesus Took the 12 aside and told them we’re going up to Jerusalem and everything that is written by the prophets about the son of man will be fulfilled he will be handed over to the
Gentiles they will mock him insult him spit on him flog him and kill him on the third day he will rise again what’s reason three why Jesus is worth it because he loves us so much that he was willing to endure torture and death to save
Sinners I mean just look at what he says is going to happen to him in verses 31 to 33 he’ll be handed over to the Gentiles he says just imagine for a moment that you’re Jewish some of you perhaps don’t need to imagine that but just imagine
That today the whole Jewish people hated you so much that they handed you over to Hamas and said something like you can do with her as you want that would be awful beyond words and that’s just what happened with Jesus his own people hated him so much
That they handed him over to the enemy of the day the Romans to kill him and in love for people like us he was willing to endure it and he says he would be mocked and insulted and spat on wonder if ever anyone has ever mocked you or insulted you publicly it’s
Humiliating wonder if anyone has ever spat at you that’s a a sign of pure contempt isn’t it I can still remember the time someone spat at me because it just spoke of of pure derision and yet that’s exactly ly what happened with Jesus he was mocked he was
Insulted he was spat on as the Romans took charge of him and prepared to crucify him they did all that but in love for people like us he was willing to endure it and he says in those verses he would be flogged and he was listen to Matthew chap 27:
26-31 pilate had Jesus flogged and handed him over to be crucified then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the pretorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him they stripped him and put a Scarlet robe on him and then Twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on
His head they put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him hail King of the Jews they said they spat on him and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again after they’d mocked him they took off
The robe and put his own clothes on him then they led him away to crucify him it’s nauseating yet in love for people like us he was willing to endure it and he says he would be killed and he was crucified no less stripped nailed na to a cross suspended from his
Wounds Jered at suffering Suffocation and muscle spasms until he died but in love for people like us he was willing to endure it and says Jesus having suffered all that he would rise again which is precisely what the Bible says he did here’s where this gets personal for
Us Jesus loves people so much that he was willing to endure torture and death for people like us the amazing truth which the Bible teaches is that he did go through all of that for people just like you and people just like me he died in our place he died to win
Eternal life life for us listen to 1 Peter 3:18 this is a monumentally important verse Christ died for sins once for all the righteous for the unrighteous to bring you to God and what that verse shows is this when Jesus suffered and died he did it to take away
Our sin to take away our wrongdoing and to bring us to God when Jesus suffered and died he did it to take our sin away and to bring us to God and so he W eternal life for us he loves us that much so is he worth
It oh yes why would you ever want to hold yourself back from someone who loves people that much is Jesus worth it 100% he gives us so much in this life he gives us eternal life in the next and he loves us so much that he was willing to
Suffer and die to secure that eternal life for us he is worth it well let me try to pull it all together we’ve seen some things which are not worth it and we’ve seen why Jesus is worth it so let me ask you what is your response right here right
Now what is your response Al here is the right response if you never have won’t you turn to Jesus Christ now won’t you admit to your wrongdoing and confess it to God In Prayer won’t you turn away from living for yourself and live for him won’t you
Put your faith in Jesus Christ who died and Rose to save Sinners won’t you become one of his followers won’t you take Jesus Christ right now as your savior and your lord in the end nobody else is worthy of your absolute devotion and nothing else is worthy of your absolute
Devotion so come to him come to him now now and forever he is worth it I’m just going to give you a few moments to to ponder that and then we’ll sing Our Last Song our last song is all I once held dear uh the Lord Jesus Christ really is worth it
And and that is what this song is all about about he is greater than anything else this world could possibly offer if you’re able when the music starts please stand and we’ll sing together after we’ve sung please sit down and I’ll close the service in Prayer I once my life all this world and to for I was I have count and wor compared to this GL you Jesus you that is great you’re my you’re the rest you’re my joy my rightousness and I love You now my heart is to know you more to be in you I know to possess by faith for I good not suring of Rightousness Glory you Jesus you there is the of you my all you’re the best you my joy my rightous and I love you Lord the power of your r life and to know you your sufferings to become like you in your death my Lord so you to Never you Jesus no you there is so you’re you’re the you my joy my rightous and I [Applause] Love if you’re standing please do sit down and let’s pray our Lord God our Father in heaven we thank you so much for the Lord Jesus Christ thank you for everything he was willing to suffer to save people like us from our wrongdoing thank you for the
Way he allowed himself to be tortured and even killed dying in the place of people like us dying to take our sin away to bring us to you to give us eternal life please Lord help us all to trust in him thank you for everything he
Gives us in this life thank you for the eternal life which he gives us in the age to come please Lord help us to trust in him and to live our lives for him help us not to be distracted by any of those other things which might clamor
For our attention and might want to be our God instead may we put him first may we love him and trust him and live for him may we find great joy in knowing Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord thank you Lord for this time we spent together please bless us as we
Spend some time together chatting now please help us through the rest of the day and please bring us back to worship again tonight and we ask all of that in Jesus name amen well that’s our service over there are Refreshments being served at the Oasis just one building down uh on the
Corner there please do stay for a Couer uh and Vicki if you can if you’ve got children in the different groups please do pick them up and remember that they’re your responsibility once you’ve done that and please just have a an idea of where they are uh those who are in
The building here children in the groups here please pick them up pretty much immediately around the corner not until noon so you’ve got a little bit of time the prayer team will be there in a moment Sam Kathy and Bill we’ve got a prayer meeting at 5:30 through there and
Tonight we’re looking at Malachi 2: 10 to 16 a great and very challenging passage so please do come back at 6 if you can but that’s our service over thank you