It is all about JESUS

Sunday Sermon on Oct 20th by Pastor Rajesh Mathew, The Cornerstone church

John 19:30-37- 30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. Jesus’ Side Is Pierced. 31Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 32Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. 33But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. 34But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. 35 And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. 36 For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.” 37 And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.”

The greatest message is a message about Jesus

The greatest poetry would be a poem about Jesus The greatest song would be that which sang about Jesus

• Jesus is the greatest message that you can ever proclaim to anybody! Proclaim your love for Jesus. The greatest gift you can give to somebody is the Person of Jesus Christ
• We can preach about Him, His life, His miracles, His teachings and also about His death, His resurrection, and His second coming. Jesus is the only one about whom we can preach anywhere and at any time. Those who honour that and who are not ashamed of that, glorify His Name.
• Pastors have to preach during weddings, funerals, dedication of homes and children, or when there is a new car; they preach from the way side, from the pulpit! Jesus can be preached in any situation, without being ashamed.

This portion of scripture is talking about the death of Jesus. Because He died, we have eternal life through Him, and because of His sacrificed on the Cross, we can walk in blessing and healing and not in curse. Even this morning by the stripes of Jesus, there is healing. It is because the Lord crushed the head of Satan on the cross, we can take victory over every plan of darkness. Because He was sacrificed on our behalf, we have peace with God the Father.

In John 18, in the garden of Gethsamane, Jesus called three of his disciples with Him to pray. They were James, Peter and John.

• Peter is called the apostle of hope because when you read the first and second letters of Peter, the word hope is used the most number of times.
• John is the apostle of love; that is why he leaned on the heart of Jesus. He called himself the disciple whom the Lord loves.
• James is called the person who has camel’s knees. The one who prays on his knees.

Jesus took these three to the garden with him. If you read the scriptures you will find that when Jairus’s daughter was raised up from the dead and when certain other important miracles happened in the scriptures, Jesus always had these three with Him. If you have these three, there is a deliverance, anointing and breakthrough coming your way.

It means that if we have hope, love and prayer, anything is possible. These three will help you have faith for the impossible.

Some say that the time of miracles is over. God will do it even now. Till He comes back the second time, miracles will continue to happen. May this week be a miracle week for some of you!

PRAYER: The biggest example of Prayer is Jesus

1. Jesus prayed all night

The Holy Spirit in these days is looking for people who pray. He is not looking for people who preach but who pray.

The devil is not afraid of people who preach but of people who pray. Heaven will rise up a generation that prays.

Be a generation that prays. Ask the Lord to make you a praying child! Jesus prayed through the entire night. We usually pray long payers either to get a visa, to complete house construction, for a business breakthrough, for success in interviews or to get our children married. But Jesus did not need any of this. Then why did he pray all night? Because He loved the Father.

Prayer, is spending time with the Father you love.

You pray because you know that the Father has the solution to all your issues.

Watch and pray—when you do so, situations will change. The direction of your life will change, the depth of the revelation that God gives you will change.

The New Testament Acts of apostles talks about two churches

1. The early church, the one in Jerusalem- this was a church where the disciples sold everything they had and laid it at the feet of the apostles. They were a surrendered church

2. The church of Antioch- The uniqueness of this church at Antioch is that they were a church that prayed and fasted. (Acts 13)

It is good to give to God but learn from the Antioch church to pray, fast and worship and surrender. They may have had fund crunches but did not lack of prayer. You may have lack of funds but if you pray, God will work for you and His grace will still abound. He will give you spiritual direction.

2. Jesus praised and prayed in all situations

We praise God only when He has done something or us. But Jesus praised God at the tomb of Lazarus, even while Lazarus whom he loved was decaying! It is better to praise God even in the midst of the decaying situations of your life. If you praise Him in advance, God will send forth a breakthrough your way.

When things don’t work for us, we become upset. But that is where you need to praise.

When you face a problem, look to Jesus. Tell Him to descend into your situation and act.

3. Jesus prayed with cries and tears

Hebrews 5:7- 7 who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear.

Is it the same Jesus who walked over the waters? Is this the same Jesus who stilled the waves and the wind? Is this the same Jesus who resurrected the dead? Is this the same powerful Jesu who is crying vehemently? YES!

He set an example. There may be things that you are going through alone. You are crying alone and your heart is broken and you can’t talk about it with anybody. Jesus is your example. If you cry and pray in tears before the Lord, HE will send your answer from heaven.

Anecdote: When I (pastor) visited Jerusalem, in the garden of Gethsemane, I saw the olive trees that were 2000 years old still there. The Gidron valley beneath it and the Mount of Olives too. I was overwhelmed when I was there. Jesus would have sat under one of those trees and prayed and cried.

Jesus came up thrice and all the three times he saw that the three with Him were sleeping. But He continued praying to the point that he began to sweat blood.

Any situation that you are crying about has a solution in heaven.

 Daniel prayed thrice, as usual, he opened the windows towards Jerusalem and prayed

 Paul the apostle, had a thorn in his flesh and he prayed thrice to the Lord asking to be freed from it. But God said, “My grace is sufficient. In your weakness My Strength is made perfect.” Every prayer has an answer. Even if you did not see the answer in the way you had expected, God will send HIS grace that can sustain you.

Not my will but yours be done

Jesus prayed and cried. HE said, if possible, let this cup pass over. Then HE said this---Yet NOT MY WILL BUT YOUR WILL BE DONE.

 Lot of people get stuck in their lives and don’t experience breakthrough or grace because they are unable to surrender to God’s will. Because they forget to say this- not my will, but your Lord.

 A guy with a PhD will pray for a wife who has a PhD too. If he gets one, good for him. He doesn’t get one, and if he still says “Lord Your will be done”, God will give him at least a B Com graduate.

 Many people’s weddings don’t come through because they are unable to surrender to God’s will. People make decisions that “I want to study only in this college, or I want to marry only this person or build a house only in this place.” No! Don’t do that.

Jesus is our example--- He cried- Not my will but Your will be done.

When Jesus prayed for God’s will, the angels of God came down and strengthened Him.

Anecdote: Some time back, in a prayer meeting somebody brought a girl whose marriage wasn’t happening to the prophet. The prophet began to prophesy. He said, “just like the Lord brought a black raven to Elijah at brook Cherith, God brought you a dark man but because he was dark, you refused him. That is why your marriage did not happen. Even now, if you repent and pray, God will open a door for you.”

 Nothing wrong in asking God for a fair or tall person to be married to. But we must surrender to God’s will. Or else your future will be stuck.

 When you pray ‘not my will but YOUR will be done’, the angel of God will come down and strengthen you.

How did the angel strengthen Jesus?

Hebrew 12:2- 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God

The Angel strengthened Jesus by showing Him the glory that was going to be revealed in future.

 When Jesus bent His knees and cried in the garden of Gethsamane, He might have seen people spitting on His face but when he prayed for God’s will, that same face that was full of spit was shining bright in great glory!

 When Jesus cried and prayed, He might have visualised people tearing His clothes apart and Him being put to shame. But the angel showed him the glorious clothes and His descent upon the cloud.

 When He may have seen Himself falling bearing the cross; the angel showed Him the 1000 years reigning in power on the throne in Jerusalem.

 If you surrender and pray for our problem, the angel will come and strengthen you and show you the glory that is kept for your future. Surrender it to God’s will.

Anecdote: When I underwent my knee surgery, every time I prayed, I thought I will never be able to walk again. But after surrendering to God, the Holy Spirit told me that with the same knees and legs I will travel the nations of the world for the gospel, I will swim in rivers, ride bikes, and climb mountains!

 When you surrender to God’s will, God will show you another image---The glory that is to come in future.

 There is coming a blessing over your life. If you surrender to God, you will see it!

 Whatever you see in your life is short-sighted. But it is God who knows and who sees beyond your ‘today’ and who has a much better plan than yours.

 In the midst of your gethsemane situation, cry and pray and call upon the Lord and surrender, God will do a miracle!

In John 18, we see that Judas, one of the disciples, came up to Jesus, planted a kiss on His cheek and gave Him up to the Roman soldiers. They took Him, arrested Him and He was beaten, dishonoured in many courts, He walked bearing the cross to Golgotha. Roman soldiers told the Simon the Cyrenean to help Him carry the Cross. Jesus never asked for help. He doesn’t need our help.

In chapter 19, we see that Jesus was hung on the Cross between two robbers. Something happened there.

The Jews had asked for four things concerning Jesus and the Cross:

1. They asked for Barabbas instead of Jesus.

 “Give to us Barabbas and crucify Jesus”- Pilate heeded their request because he needed the support of the Jews and so gave up an innocent Jesus to be crucified.

2. They wanted “King of Jews. Jesus of Nazareth” written on the cross, off.

 They wanted that off. The usual practice was that the sin committed by the person being crucified would be engraved or written upon the Cross. Since Jesus had no flaw, KING OF JEWS was written. . Pilate however, in response to their request to remove that, refused saying “What is written is written”

The Holy Spirit is saying, no matter who or what tries to change whatever God has written about you, they will not succeed. If HE has written that you are an apostle, no matter who tries to destroy you, pull you down, what is written is written, God has written only good things about you and He will make sure that it stands.

Colossians 2:14-15- 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

 Whatever is written against us is erased. God has plotted out the handwriting of ordinance that was against us!

 This morning at the cross of Jesus, remember one thing, whatever is written against you by black magicians, the devil, neighbours, the envious, doctors, the Lord will erase and make sure that only what heaven has written about you remains. Receive it in the Name of Jesus! Heaven will erase out whatever is written against you. Your sins, your mistakes, you wrong doings, are erased the moment you say ‘sorry’.

3. They wanted his bones to be broken on his knees.

 Joseph wanted his bones to be carried and buried in the Promised Land. He had a testimony that he would be buried in the Promised Land. Will you say that in faith? Will you say that will not remain in the situation you are in, but you will go to the Promised Land, even your bones will testify it.

2 Kings 13:21- Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man's body into Elisha's tomb. When the body touched Elisha's bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet.

 One person was laid next to where Elisha was buried but when the body touched the bones of Elisha, he received life. Two things Understood here

a. Elisha was doubly anointed; yet he wasn’t given a proper burial place. His tomb did not even have a proper slab! There are people who will not honour even a doubly anointed person.

b. God said- the people who threw that man must have said, It is over for him. People who thought they will finish you and bury you, will be surprised to see you arise and run in their sight.

God is ending you new beginnings in the very places where you thought you are finished (defeated).