#GOODNEWS
Week Four
The
Gospel of Matthew
Pastor
Kris Freeman
Revolution
Church
A Revolutionary Concept
Matthew
27:32-44 (NLT)
The
Crucifixion
32 Along
the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene,[g] and the
soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. 33 And they went out to a place
called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”). 34 The soldiers gave
Jesus wine mixed with bitter gall, but when he had tasted it, he refused to
drink it.
35 After
they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by
throwing dice.[h] 36 Then they sat around and kept guard as he hung there.
37 A sign was fastened above Jesus’ head, announcing the charge against
him. It read: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” 38 Two
revolutionaries[i] were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his
left.
39 The
people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. 40 “Look
at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple
and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save
yourself and come down from the cross!”
41 The
leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders also mocked
Jesus. 42 “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! So
he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now,
and we will believe in him! 43 He trusted God, so let God rescue him now
if he wants him! For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 Even the
revolutionaries who were crucified with him ridiculed him in the same way.
Who
are the two REVOLUTIONARIES ?
What
is a revolution and why were they “revolutionaries”
1.
An
overthrow of a political or government system - NO
2.
A radical
change in the social structure of society - NO
3.
A sudden or
marked change in culture/art - NO
4.
Pervasive
behavior accompanied by violence - MAYBE SO
5.
One single
turn. - Hmmmm….
A moving or circular
rotation on a central point, a complete turning around of an object or an idea
- YES!!!!
The
last few chapters of Matthew deal with the last day of Jesus on earth including
crucifixion, resurrection and the first part of The Great Commission.
- Matthew 24 - Jesus Tells of the Future, End Times
- Matthew 25 - Parables, Regarding the Judgment
- Matthew 26 - Last Supper, Judas, Peter, Jesus Arrested
- Matthew 27 - Trial, Crucifixion, Death, Burial, Tomb
- Matthew 28 - Resurrection and The Great Commission
The
word revolutionary in a Biblical sense comes from “robbers or thieves” and is
(Gr.) lestes, also found in Matthew 21:13:
He said to them,
“The Scriptures declare, My Temple will be
called a house of prayer, but you have turned it into a den of thieves.”
It
was also used to describe the bandits in the story of The Good Samaritan (Luke
10:30), the enemy and false prophets (John 10:1-10), and the criminal Barabbas
(John 18:40), and it was used by the Apostle Paul describing his journeys in 2
Cor. 11:26
On
this day - Jesus REDEFINED the revolutionary.
Revolution Church
began with LOVE backwards in the logo.
Why? This was a branding trick to signify the mission that Revolution Church exists to see the love of Christ “turn lives around.”
The
“Revolution” of the Thief - One got it, One didn’t. Reading the synoptic
Gospels we are told that Jesus redeemed one of these men but the other
continued to rail on Jesus and died in his anger and resentment that Jesus
wouldn’t physically save him.
1.
Two
revolutionaries, one revolution - LIFE CHANGE.
2.
Two lost
men, one found - LOVE OTHERS LIKE GOD
3.
Two
helpless individuals, one sacrifice - SERVE THE WORLD
One
thief was defined by his whole life. The other thief was defined by his final
moment. How will your moment define you?
10 The thief’s purpose
is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and
satisfying life. 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices
his life for the sheep. - John 10:10-11 (NLT)
The Gospel of Matthew is an original series of Revolution Church.
Pastor Kris Freeman and Revolution Church © 2016. www.liveloveserve.us
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