No Greater Love!
Introduction:
A. On 9-11 there were firefighters, and policeman that lost
their lives to try to save some of the people in the towers.
1. They went inside the buildings while they were burning.
2. Many of them were still inside them when they came down.
3. After the towers fell, they worked 24-7 trying to pull
survivors out of the debris.
B. Why did they do it?
1. It wasn't for the money.
2. It wasn't for fame.
3. It was because they care!
C. In the war with Iraq, special forces put their lives in jeapardy to
save a female soldier who had been taken prisoner, and was
being held in a hospital.
1. They could have been walking into a trap, and could have all
been killed.
2. Some of these soldiers are very young.
3. Some of them have wives, and children waiting for them at home.
4. Why would they put their lives in danger to save one person?
a. Duty!
b. Training!
c. Loyalty!
d. Because they care!
C. We call these people heroes, but there is one that died for all of
us, and that, of course, is Jesus.
What should we call Him?
I. Friend - John 15:13.
A. Jesus truly is a friend, for He laid down His life for us.
1. Think about what He did for us.
a. Left the glories of heaven and became a man.
b. Ridiculed by men throughout His life.
c. Betrayed by Judas.
d. Deserted by the apostles.
e. Lied about by enemies and strangers.
f. Beaten by gaurds.
g. Scorged with a whip.
h. Crucified between thieves.
i. Mocked by the crowd.
2. Why did He do it?
a. Because He had to?
b. Because He loved us - I John 3:16.
B. We need to remember what He did for us.
1. Not just on a yearly basis.
a. Some commemorate what He did today (Easter).
b. We need to do it: when He wanted us to; and how
He wanted us to..every first day of the week:
1) Do this in rememebrance of me (Luke 22:19).
2) On the first day of the week - Acts 20:7.
2. We remind one another what a friend He is in song:
a. What A Friend We Have In Jesus (255).
b. There's Not A Friend Like The Lowly Jesus (152).
II. Savior.
A. He saved us from a fate worse than death.
1. He saved us from the wrath of God.
a. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living
God (Hebrews 10:31).
b. Those who have not been washed in the blood of
Christ will face His wrath - II Thessalonians 1:7b-9.
2. He saved us from the horrors of hell.
a. A place of weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth.
b. Utter darkness.
c. Unquenchible fire.
d. A place reserved for the devil and his angels.
3. He saved us from eternal punishment.
a. If this suffering were just for a moment, or a little while,
it would be horrible, but it could be suffered through.
b. But, it is going to be for all eternity - Matthew 25:46.
B. He did what no one else could do.
1. He gave us freedom from sin.
a. Some trust in priests to give them "absolution"
(freeing from guilt); forgiveness; remission of sin"
Webster.
b. Only Jesus can give us remission of sin - Ephesians 1:7.
2. He has made appeasement for us with God.
a. I John 2:2 (propitiation = appeasement).
b. He satisfied the debt we owe because of our sin, and
made us right in the sight of God.
c. Some people pray to people they call saints, or to
Mary (the mother of Jesus), believing they can appease
God on their behalf, but only Jesus can do so.
1) It took a person w/o sin to die to appease God.
2) Only Jesus was w/o sin - Romans 3:23.
3) Therefore, only Jesus could die to appease God.
3. He did what we could not do for ourselves.
a. He enabled us to have peace with God - Romans 5:1.
b. Because He died on the cross, we do not have to fear
the wrath of God.
c. Jesus has made peace for us. He took away that which
causes the emnity between man and God....SIN!
d. We could not do it ourselves - Romans 5:6.
e. Some people think they do not need christianity/ church.
They believe they can live a good enough life so that
God will accept them on their own merits.
1) We need to live a godly life - I Peter 1:15.
2) No matter how good we live, we all sin - Romans 3:23.
3) The wages of sin is death - Romans 6:23.
4) But, there is no condemnation for those who are in
Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).
III. Lord - Galatians 1:3.
A. Jesus is the Lord (master) of all christians.
1. When we put Christ on in baptism we make Him our Lord.
a. Lord = master.
b. As christians, we need to do all things whatsoever our
master (Jesus) has commanded (Mattthew 28:18-20).
2. Jesus said..."Why call me Lord, Lord, and do not the
things that I say" (Luke 6:46).
a. He has told us how to be saved.
b. He has told us how to live.
c. He has told us to do good unto all men.
c. He has told us how to worship the Father.
B. We need to submit to Him in all these things.
1. We need to do what He says we need to do to be saved.
a. Believe and be baptized - Mark 16:16.
b. Repent - Acts 17:30.
c. Confess - Matthew 10:32; Romans 10:10.
d. There are those who say all you have to do is believe,
but that is not what Jesus says, and we need to obey
Him, not men.
2. He has told us how to live.
a. Holy as God is holy - I Peter 1:15.
b. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of
darkness, but rather reprove them (Ephesians 5:11).
c. He says we need to purge ourselves from ungodliness
that we might be fit for the masters use (II Tim.2:21).
d. When we choose to live otherwise, then we are not
treating Him as our master.
3. He has given us instructions in how to worship the Father.
a. Certain acts: singing, preaching, Lord's supper, giving,
praying.
b. When: Lord's supper every 1st day of the week (Acts 20:7);
giving on the first day of every week (I Corinthians 16:1-2).
c. Where: with those of like precious faith..."not forsaking the
assembling of ourselves together" (Hebrews 10:25).
Conclusion:
A. We call people heroes when they put their lives on the line for other
people, but Jesus put His life on the line for all of us. Because
He did, we should call Him...
1. Our friend...for no greater love hath any man, than to lay down
his life for his friends.
2. Our Saviour...for He did what no one else could do for us. He
died so we could be: sanctified, redeemed, washed.
3. Our Lord...for when we put Him on in baptism, so that our sins
can be forgiven, we make Him our master, and we need
to submit to Him.
B. Have you done what He requires of you?