Easter Message from Campus Chaplain, Dr. Bill Bennett

April 15, 2011 Comment

THE BIBLE IS GOD TALKING TO ME PERSONALLY –

ESPECIALLY FROM THE CROSS ON GOOD FRIDAY

“There is a time to laugh” (Eccles. 3:4)

  1. The difference in men and women:  Women’s faults are many.  Men have only two:  Everything we say and everything we do.
  2. You know how marriage brings music into a man’s life?  He learns to play second fiddle.
  3. Death and taxes are inevitable, but death is not a repeater.
  4. If our President wants to abolish poverty, he can do it by abolishing the IRS.
  5. Many guys are at the “metallic age” – gold in their teeth, silver in their hair and lead in their pants.
  6. What is a CEO Christian?

In our Mentoring Schools which meet every Friday and Saturday, we begin by quoting our Pledge to the Bible, which says, “The Bible is God talking to me personally.”  Since this is true, what could be more appropriate than to hear Jesus talk to ME personally by His Last Words from the Cross as I anticipate Easter.  So please take a long hard look at each of His 7 Statements, commonly called “The 7 Last Words,” and ponder what these words are saying about God, man, and what they are saying to ME personally:

First Word – Jesus kept on praying,  “Father, forgive THEM for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).

  1. For whom was Jesus praying?  Has He prayed the same prayer for us?
  2. Why did Jesus keep repeating the prayer?
  3. Why did they not know what they were doing?
  4. Was His prayer answered?
  5. Were these murderers automatically forgiven?  Does the Bible answer?
  6. What noted Bible expositor believes many of his crucifiers were saved at Pentecost?
  7. What do these words reveal about the power of prayer?
  8. Personally:
    1. Does this text reveal something you should believe about God,
    2. or something you should do or not do, or something you do for Christ,
    3. to change your attitude toward someone.
    4. Do these words compel you to forgive your enemies?
    5. What if you refuse to forgive?

Second Word – “Verily (Amen in Greek) I say unto you, Today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43)

  1. To whom was Jesus speaking?
  2. What Old Testament prophecy was He fulfilling?
  3. Was the thief forgiven for his terrible sins?  How do you know?
  4. What caused the thief to call upon Jesus?
  5. What major Christian doctrine do we see in the salvation of the thief?
  6. The thief was never baptized, never partook of Lord’s Supper, never served the Lord.  Does this mean that baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and Christian services are not required of anyone?
  7. What false doctrines, taught by several major denominations, are repudiated by the thief’s conversion?
  8. Does this word mean that it is possible for a guy to be saved on his death bed?
  9. Is this word an encouragement of “death bed” repentance or a warning not to wait?
  10. Was anybody else saved that day?  Name two prominent men.
  11. Does this word shed any light on the whereabouts of Jesus after His death?

Personal:  Does this word reveal something you need to  know about God?  About the urgency of soul winning? About the way of salvation?  About death for believers?  Something for which you should praise God?

Third Word –  “Woman, behold thy Son – Behold thy mother.” (John 19:26-27).

  1. If Jesus respected His mother, why did He address her as “Woman.” (Gunai) in Greek).  Note:  The NIV translates it as “Dear Woman,” but “dear” does not appear in Greek text.
  2. How do we know that Jesus definitely honored His mother? 3 reasons.
  3. Why did Jesus turn His mother over to John and not to Joseph or His four brothers?
  4. What does this event reveal about John in contrast to the other 10 Disciples?
  5. Did Jesus follow the “both and principle” rather than the “either or principle?” (that is “take care of His obligations both to His Father and family or just one of them?

Personal:

    1. Does this word make you feel satisfied in they way you treat your parents,
    2. or does it convict you of wrong doing and attitude?
    3. Did you notice that Jesus did not address His mother as “Mother?”
    4. Does this warn us not  to worship Mary or look to her as the Great Intercessor between God and man?
    5. Do you need to call your parents and ask forgiveness of God and them?

Fourth Word: “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?”(Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34).

  1. Was Jesus just quoting Psalm 22:1 or was He really forsaken of His Father?
  2. Why did Jesus, in His First Word, call His Father, “Father” but changed to “My God, My God” in His fourth Word?
  3. If forsaken, why?
  4. Hab. 2:13, “Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil.”  But wasn’t Jesus sinless?  Absolutely.  Then why could not His holy Father look upon Him?  Read 2 Cor. 5:21; Isaiah 53:6.
  5. What does this word reveal about the horrendous price Jesus paid for sinners on the cross?
  6. Jesus spoke the 4th Word as darkness covered the earth.  What did the darkness signify?
  7. The 4th Word reveals that God paid the uttermost price for sin at the Cross.  However, if a guy will not repent and bring his sins to the cross, where will he pay for his sins?  Hell.

So God deals with sin in two places:

    1. ____________
    2. ____________

Personal:

  1. Does the awesome price Jesus paid for your sins motivate you to obey Romans 12:1-2?
  2. Does the Fourth Words move you to be a soul-winner?
  3. Do they encourage you to sacrifice every thing for Jesus?  To pray daily?
  4. To internalize the God’s Word weekly?
  5. Never to complain when asked to sacrifice time, money, feelings, etc. for the Lord?

DO YOU KNOW ANY CEO CHRISTIANS?  If so, it’s time to bring them to the Round Table next week or the Mentoring Schools either next Friday, or Saturday, April 22nd and 23rd, at 6222 Gordon Road!!

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