The Cup of God's Wrath - Part 3

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Thanks for listening and thanks for choosing the truth. Podcast network. This is the Truth Network do you feel like you're on a religious treadmill. Do you feel like Christianity is just a system of rules and regulations, I can do this but I can't do that do you feel like your efforts to reach God find God and please God do you feel like your faith is dead or alive today.

Pastor Russ Andrews will walk us through Scripture to answer these questions join us on finding purpose of local tribal ministry glorifying God by helping men find their purpose for living. For more information and to connect with Russ Andrews and finding purpose could visit us online@findingpurpose.net or connect with us on Facebook.

Now let's listen to Russ Andrews as he teaches us how to be a Christian without being religious joy that we have our hearts we know you. Thank you Lord for the piece that we have in our hearts as we know you. Thank you Lord for the future that we have in store for us because we know you will thank you for your word Lord is always prior. Pray that your word will go forth tonight and not return void, but accomplish the very purpose for which you intend in your name I pray, amen.

So tonight on the messages entitled the cup of God's wrath part three will be look at Mark chapter 15 verses one through 20 of the last two weeks we've been studying in-depth the details of Jesus drinking the cup of God's wrath in this fall.

We've learned several things. First, as we know from the Old Testament the cup is a symbol for God's judgment and wrath, and so imagine this cup holding God's wrath and bid being tilted toward his son as he hits to the cross where he would drink the cup down to its dregs. Secondly, we see this cup being poured out upon Jesus in four stages Sage number one watches was in the garden. Remember he was overwhelmed with agony is the full realization of the pain-and-suffering of the cross came into focus is stage II. Jesus felt the shame and humiliation as he endured the trials in which he was. Time after time, falsely accused by the legislators in stage III. Jesus stands before politics were once again is falsely accused and then brutally scourged and marked by the hardened Roman soldiers and finally in stage for which we will get to next week we will see Jesus hanging on the cross, taking upon himself the sins of the world being separated from his father's fellowship and then dying the death that you and I deserve that brings us to Mark chapter 15 we see Jesus delivered over to Pilate.

So to follow with me as I begin with verse one is what Mark writes in a soon as it was morning, the chief priest held a meeting with the elders, and scribes, and the whole counsel and they found Jesus and led him away and delivered them over to Pilate and appellant asked him are you the king of the Jews and Jesus answered him, you've set aside the chief priest accused him of many things in Pilate again asked him you know the answer to make. Don't use any charge to bring against you but Jesus made no further answer. So the polyp was literally astounded he could believe it. And then in verse six is is now at the Passover feast polyp that he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked, and among the rebels in prison who committed murder in the insurrection. There was a man called Barabbas and the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them and answer them, saying, do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews. We know this will Pilate really wanted to.

For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests and delivered them up, but the chief priests start of the crown Devon release for them Barabbas instead and pallet and consider them than what shall I do with the man you call the king of the Jews and they cried out again, crucify him and Pilate said to them why he was dumbfounded, what evil has he done, but they shouted all the more literally they were there were yelling at the top of their lungs, crucify him. So Pilate wishing to satisfy the crowd release for them, Barabbas, and having scourged. Jesus delivered them to be crucified.

Verse 16 and the soldiers led him away inside the palace, that is the governor's headquarters and the call together the whole battalion.

By the way.

That's about 600 soldiers. They closed him. The soldiers did in a purple cloak and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on literally jammed it on his head and they begin to salute him hail, King of the Jews, they will striking his head with a radome rod and spitting on him, and kneeling down homage to him making fun of him when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his clothes on him and he let them out to crucify him the last point we learned that Jesus was found guilty three separate times for some about anise and then BackOffice it was the high priest and then finally at daybreak. He was brought before the full Sanhedrin and they call for his death. So here in Mark 15 Jesus stands on trial before Pilate, as we learned last week Pilate found him innocent of any sin to Herod who just happen to be in Jerusalem. Herod found him innocent Vincent about the polyp. So tonight we want to focus on this final trial before Pilate listed his will to do tonight while we are examining what happens to Jesus. I want us to examine ourselves. She would always need to be examining our hearts. First we want to determine if we are truly in Christ and if we are in Christ. We want to see how we are living as followers of Jesus out in the world was not easy second printing starting spouses examine yourself to see whether you are in the faith test yourself.

Do not realize that Christ Jesus is in you, unless of course you fail the test and I hope no one fails the test. Here's I want you to examine yourself tonight. I'm going to show you that there are five types of men in this passage of Scripture. First we have the religious man, office.

Secondly, we have the powerful man Pilate is the man I added we have the imprisoned man Barabbas and forth we have the man who follows the crowd and then lastly we have the man Jesus was begin with a religious man is the question I want you to ask yourself which man you more like in verse one we found the chief priest the elders and the scribes, all of whom comprise Sanhedrin of the Sanhedrin was a hostile Jewish counsel in the first century it was responsible for formulating all the rules and regulations regarding Jewish worship and really Jewish life in general. So you should think of it is sort of like a religious Jewish Supreme Court, the Sanhedrin, consisted of the 71 ruling elders of the nation was presided over by the high priest, and generally the Roman governor allowed the Sanhedrin to exercise a lot of autonomy and authority but we see from this trial of Jesus, that the Sanhedrin did not have the power to execute someone that's what they brought Jesus to Pilate is what I really want you to see and understand about these religious leaders. First, they were steeped in tradition. They knew the Old Testament backwards and forwards.

Apparently they could drive a nail in the Old Testament and their exam was to turn the pages they could fill in the hole with the right word. That's how they memorize the Old Testament and they meticulously observed all the Jewish religious laws. They took the law of Moses and then edit how many over 600. They made the below odious. It was a burden to the people see what was really sitting. They kept a low outwardly but inwardly they broke the main law which was to love the Lord your God with all their hearts with all the souls with other mines but is instead they love themselves. And this is why Jesus said to them, you think about this. 71 man spin around with clerical collars and roads and Jesus looked at them they said you hypocrites. Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you. These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain. Did you know you can do that. There teaches all the rules taught by men. This is what the prophet Amos said list of these wars now this is God speaking to Amos. I hate I despise you religious assemblies. I cannot stand your assemblies even though you bring the burnt offerings and grain offerings. I will not accept them digitally got filled the strongly about dad religious orthodoxy do no one got patriot religion.

He hates it because religiosity actually works to harden a man's heart and driving further and further and further what from God. In my opinion this is the condition of the modern church here in America it is anemic and dead it it is religious and lost like a sheep without a rudder. If this is what Jesus said to the church of Laodicea. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you either one of the other. So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold. I'm about to spit you out of my mouth. David Jeremiah said that he believes that the Laodicean church is the church of our day here in America and you want to harp on the so much because Jesus did. So did Peter, James and John Paul in Matthew 23 verses 27 through 28 again picture though 71 elders of Israel standing around the temple with their robes own Jesus and woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites you like whitewashed tombs which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones, and everything unclaimed in the same way on the outside. You appear to people as righteous from inside your full of hypocrisy and wickedness. No wonder they wanted to get rid of them.

If this is what the chief priest stirred up the crowd to release Barabbas rather than Jesus milligrams once a religion is like a vaccine to stop you from getting the real thing whenever someone comes up to me this is happened before us is Russ I hear you very religious as a way just a minute.

Don't ever call me religious. I'm not religious, Christian, and a follower of Jesus Christ. The religious is the last thing I want to be known as to suggest a religious man, I hope you're not a religious man, that is, consider the powerful man. Pontius Pilate was a very powerful man police he thought he was in one sense he was because he literally held the keys of life and death for everyone who lived under his rule, which was the entire population of Judea. But Jesus cast a different light on his power in a conversation that he had with him and we can read about this in John chapter 19 says when Pilate heard this, that is when he heard that Jesus claim to be the son of God. He was even more afraid some you may know that his wife and had a dream in a dream she saw lots of about Jesus, and she went back and said don't have anything to do with that man and that the fear of God in him. But now is even more frightened as they went back inside the palace, and he asked Jesus where do you come from as per your question, but Jesus gave him no answer D refused to speak to me. Pilate asked, don't you realize I have power either to two free you or to crucify you and Jesus said to him you would have no power over me. If you are given to you from above.

Therefore, the one who headed me over to you is guilty of the greater sin see here in man lies the problem with power, it usually causes a man to feel that he is in control of his own world power in this world comes from primarily two sources position and money, wealth, and use of the two go hand-in-hand. All you have to do is look to Washington DC and observe a lot of politicians say that the problem with wealth is that it causes a man to think he doesn't need anything else. He becomes self-sufficient, independent of God, who needs God when you have everything.

I think this is the number one Sandman face of really tickly wealthy man. Self-sufficiency, independence from God. They go through their days.

They have a little dip that on a blessing. Being a temple blessing it too busy making more money. This is why Jesus said it is hard for rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. I cannot tell you it is easier for a camel to go through the needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. The two greatest impediments to entering heaven a religion and wealth. And when you combine these two it's deadly welcome to America and if you throw in education, welcome to the RTP as we got it all. We got religion without education and we got wealth back to the church of Laodicea again. Jesus is younger Jesus standing was when he speaking to the church of Laodicea is on the outside the church runner that is rubbishing through 20 says here I'm a standard door knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door out. He's try to get into the church. Jesus, if you say I am rich Guinea talking to this church have acquired wealth and do not need a thing but you do not realize that your wretched, pitiful, poor, black connected. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire before that date. Thus, the gospel to you can become rich.

A son of God and white close to where close of the righteousness so you can cover your shameful neck in this and salve to put in your eyes so that you can see BC he just told us that church is blind, pitiful, wretched door, and neck. It describes a person is lost.

That church is full of lost people. That's why Jesus on the outside. Try to get in. Do you have a position of power you wealthy… Nothing wrong with being wealthy. The Bible doesn't say that money is the root of all of this is what the love of money got a lot of wealthy Christians, who hold their money loosely. They let God bring it in and let God take it out. You know what, the more God takes it out the more he puts in their things like you don't believe that's correct try mount start giving generously leaving sacrificially and you'll find how generous God is this a be very careful, wealth, power and religion work against the advancement of the kingdom of God and nearly always lead people down which road the wide road she Pilate believed himself to be powerful, but he really wasn't, in fact, he was just the opposite. It was a very weak man who, instead of doing what was right and just. He did this he gave into the dictates of very small crowd and released the imprisoned man Barabbas does the third man who is Barabbas. Barabbas is you and me. Barabbas was a rebellious murderer and he was in prison he should've been the one crucified. But Jesus did what took his place. That's a picture of the gospel.

Romans 323 says that we are all sinners because we fall short of his glory God's and Romans 623 says what the wages of sin is death and Romans 58 says, but while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us in Roman. Romans 1013 says, and everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be what saved and that's the gospel. So a lot of people in mass call on the name of Jesus to be saved to know why because the phone the proud. That's the fourth man. The man who was following the crowd.

Look at verse 11 through 14. Again, the chief priests started the crown to have them have him release for them. That is Pilate Barabbas instead and probably consider them.

What should I do with the menu called the King of the Jews in the crowd out again, crucify him.

Pilate said to them, why, what evil has he done, but they shouted all the more crucify him. So Pilate wishing to satisfy the crown release for them, Barabbas, and having scorched Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. This is what Pelletier is what nearly all politicians today hold of their finger to see which way the wind is blowing that determines what they do for them. It limits your question is that what you did you more concerned about pleasing people pleasing God and listen. We all go back and forth even the greatest Christian who's ever lived.

Sometimes gives in to wanting to please man think I will do it, but the general direction of your life should be one when your heart wants to please God.

John 12 versus 42 and 43 says, yet at the same time. Many, even among the leaders believed in him because of the Pharisees, they would not confess their faith for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue that is excommunicated for they love praise from me, and more than what more price from God. We see the synagogue was the center of Jewish religious and social life is where everyone hung out with some of what he wrote a religious country club, and no Jewish person ever born to lose that privilege.

Is says here that many of the leaders believed in Jesus. However, they were not confess the faith in him. Dear why peer pressure celebrate her faith was genuine. I don't believe it was true saving faith balances even the delete demons you claim if you believe you got good even the demons believe that sampling. This describes the faith and I'm sorry to sound harsh, but I'm just trying to just get us all to wake up okay for not having this describes the fate of so many so-called Christians in America. This in America are Christianity is a joke compared to the Christians who are suffering in Muslim countries and in the underground church in China. We discussed no roof like this and what it means to really be a follower of Jesus to the somebody Christians who claim to be Christians. They say they believe in God but there's no real evidence that the really following Jesus effect gas going forward. Somebody asked you what you will faith you as you say, just answer like this. I'm a follower of Jesus. Don't say I'm a Christian because people think Americans are Christian, just as we live here no semi presbyterian or Baptist or whatever. I'm a follower of Jesus in Matthew chapter 7 Jesus said this unit through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.

But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it. I have the privilege of the Bible study with about 15, €19-€20 NC State gas sold by the football game. I'd throw that out sorely that you get is that we got Caleb Luna lying but it was as if the deck you go back and forth when water than there is it well here's the truth. While as long as you want road you always have the opportunity to enter through the narrow gate get on the narrow road history goodies want you on the narrow road is impossible to go back to Joe that visual narrow. You may not look like your analogy times what you own it is only one with Alisha have and what what is that I asked these galaxy hemorrhoids are they going from from the time a man is born to Tommy – how many rows many passes have achieved choices they have in life to see what will it was the night the wide road in the narrow we read the same passage right here on Monday at 4 o'clock yesterday so if you want to find your way to heaven.

Employee enter through the narrow gate, but you did. Be prepared for this truth often you be traveling alone. Finally, let's examine the man Jesus. Jesus literally took up his cross and died on man that is a picture of the Christian life and that's why most people are interested in it in Matthew chapter 10 versus 3839 Jesus is and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me who finds his life will lose it. Hoover loses his life for my sake will want do you want to find life and thought. Life is full and abundant lose your life you know why most people, the vast majority Americans would not choose to follow Jesus is because following Jesus is costly you will you have to be willing to give up your life, your desires, your loans, your comfort, your popularity everything they make it there.

Think back to you gently want to give him up. He was fluent delusional life.

Jesus is come and follow me following Jesus is a radical life altering commitment is not about joining the church.

Even though you should is not about trying a good person is about truly following Jesus is a radical change in the direction of your life.

You going this way, you hear Jesus say, follow make you say I will turn you go this way is that radical and thus you can't make that radical change in people not notice it.

If people don't notice that you made that change and I was so you haven't made it yet to say goodbye to the world unit in the popularity of friends and you have to be one the loose in France made many friends you have, USA, Jesus, Jesus, my life is yours. I will follow you wherever you lead me no matter the cost. You want to say that Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian struggled to follow Christ in the midst of Nazi Germany pin one of the great Christian books of the 20th century entitled the cost of discipleship every minute issue rated in his book he wrote that the first call every Christian experiences is the quote the call to abandon the attachments to this world and the theme of this book is summarized in one powerful sentence when Christ calls a man he bids him come in.when Christ calls a man young men out there, and you will man he bids us to come in.so nasty. Are you willing to follow Jesus, knowing that data plans book radical. He writes the following list of this. Your life is free to be radical when you see death as reward. This is the essence of what Jesus taught in any says I believe it is the key to taking back your faith from the American dream. The key is realizing and believing that this world is not your home. If you are ever hope to free our lives from worldly desires. Worldly thinking worldly pleasures, worldly dreams and ambitions that we must focus on another world that you and I live in the United States of America. Now we must fix our attention on a better country heavenly one.

Hebrews 11 says all these people talk about the Old Testament believers were still living by faith when they died they do not receive the things promised, they only sold them and welcome them from a distance and they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.

People say such things so that they are looking for country of their own if they been thinking of the country. The left, they would've had opportunity to return.

Instead, there were longing for a better country heavenly one.

Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. Charles Spurgeon said I'll close with this they could run and envision what you think that heavenly city will look like. By the way, it will be physical. You will be glorious. Believers from all time will be there will be the citizens love ones will be there.

I believe your favorite pet might be their king through that.

That's what I'm hoping. I believe that we will explore that we will work it will be any hole in our work and will enjoy friendships will make new friends and we will live with Jesus.

However with the God who created us to know him. Spurgeon says we see an abiding city. Beyond the skies and we shall not be disappointed this point. Heavenly father, thank you for your word level I record and I long to see that heavenly city Laura I said I'm actually looking forward to my death. Not that I want to happen to you because I believe you still have work for me to do here belong of the deaths will be a reward from the innovators of their war for everybody in here who is on the narrow road for the someone here tonight. A man who's not sure if his own. The narrow road show them how to enter the narrow gate calling to yourself, help us totally want to turn away from the pole of the world to be for everyone to follow you because it's deftly an upgrade.

It's deftly a step up Lord we love you we need you so much. We pray for country that you have mercy on us at last to be with these men draw them to yourself open their eyes to look and see that you love them that you want him to be that heavenly city. One day we will live.

Being a Christian is not about being religious but about having a dynamic alive relationship with Jesus Christ you been listening to finding purpose with pastor Russ Sanders local triangle ministry glorifying God by helping men and their purpose for living.

You can discover more about finding your purpose in life by checking out the resources finding purpose.net connect to finding purpose on Facebook pastor Russ would also like to extend a special invitation for you to join him in over 300 other local tribal men study God's word together every Tuesday night at 7 PM in downtown Raleigh.

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