BRUTALITY and INJUSTICE
A few years back, there was a man accused and convicted of a crime he did not commit. Come to find out, he was truly innocent. He was betrayed to the courts by a close friend for blood money. Some friend. What is amazing is that the man was aware of his friends' plan before the betrayal and stuck around. The accused man was arrested and went before several courts that failed to give him due process and a fair trial. They looked for false evidence to indict him quickly. He was never allowed to be innocent until proven guilty. He had many opportunities to defend himself but he chose not to. He watched as one of the courts let a criminal with a long wrap-sheet free instead of setting him, an innocent man, free. He not only was given a guilty verdict, but was sentenced to the death penalty with a severe beating administered before execution. This mans' story reeks of injustice!
GUILTY: TOLD THE TRUTH
What did this man do to deserve such a punishment? He told the truth. He told the world that he was God's son, and because he was not believed he was charged with blasphemy. See if you believe: During his execution, the sun stopped shining for 3 hours. Yikes! kinda creepy, huh?!? When this man finally died, the whole earth shook, the rocks split, the tombs of dead people opened and holy dead people came to life. I'm pretty sure this has NEVER happened when anyone else has died. Not even close! It is obvious that these things were unprecedented and he was no ordinary man. The guards who were guarding this man's body started freaking out at seeing these events and said something to the effect of: "oh poop! this guy really was who he said he was! he was God's son!" (my paraphrase) Believe yet? Keep reading...
SUPERNATURAL
Not everyone (the higher-ups) was convinced though, and decided to take extra precautions to make sure that this crazy, guilty, blasphemous mans body did not accidentally do what he claimed it would do (raise from the dead). There was no way on their watch that the cult followers would get to the body so that they could claim it raised 3 days after death! Bodies don't just do that on their own! So the high up important people made sure that the grave was impenetrable. On the 3rd day after this man's death, there was another earthquake and an angel rolled back the rock covering the grave and sat on it. This completely freaked out the guards, protecting the body, so much that they shook and looked dead. Maybe this is where the phrase "scared to death" came from :)
COVER-UP
The dead mans body was gone! His body really did raise from the dead on the 3rd day after death just like he said it would. Only God could do such a thing. The angel at the grave told the mourners that this man would appear to them soon and talk with them. The guards went to the high up people and told them what happened. Instead of recognizing that they put an innocent man to death, the higher-ups began a cover up. They gave the guards money to say that the cult followers came and got the body from the grave when the guards were sleeping.
MORE SUPERNATURAL
There are accounts of the raised-from-dead man appearing to his followers and then ascending into the sky in front of witnesses. Everything the man claimed in his life became evidenced in his death and resurrection. He was the son of God and no cover up could cover up this truth. Still today, everyone is talking about this guy. His story just will not go away.
WE ARE GUILTY AND DESERVE DEATH
This man that claimed to be God's son demonstrated power in his death and resurrection from the dead that only God himself could pull off. So why didn't the God-man demand his rights, gain legal counsel, and show off his God-powers to save his life? He could have! This innocent perfect man chose to take a guilty persons death so that all the truly guilty would not. We are the guilty ones. We sin against God and deserve eternity without God for this crime. The man loved every person that would ever live so much that he died in all of our place. He did not want us to get what we deserved. God sees the sacrifice made by his perfect son as payment for crimes against him. All who receive the death of this man as payment for their sin will be found innocent by God for eternity; for He is the ultimate judge.
THE INNOCENT MAN TOOK YOUR GUILTY VERDICT AND DEATH PENALTY SO YOU COULD LIVE!
The mans' name is Jesus. (I've been wanting to type his name for awhile now)
Ask for his death to cover your crimes against God today. No one is innocent but Jesus himself.
Jesus will save you. No need to accept a death penalty for eternity that Jesus already took on himself...that's just being stupid.
Make decisions in your life that are worthy of the death penalty Jesus received for your guilt. Honor him with your life because he honored you in his death.
If you die on this earth without accepting Jesus' sacrifice for your crimes you will be found guilty before God our judge and sentenced to eternity apart from Him. The ultimate death penalty is a very real place called hell. Hell is no bueno to put it lightly.
Do business with Jesus and then share with the guilty how they can be exonerated of their guilt. Don't keep this to yourself.
You now know about the worlds greatest hope...Jesus! Receive the free gift offered to you by an innocent man that was executed willingly, so you might choose to live!
Contact me if you would like to know more about Jesus!
My Source: The Holy Bible
