Good Friday 2023 - Mt. Calvary Baptist Church

Grab your Bibles.

Luke 23. I have a word to share with you. Grab your Bibles. Luke 23, verse number 44. It says these words. It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. A curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, father, into your hands I commit my spirit. And when he said this, he breathed his last. The centurion, seeing what happened, praised God and said, surely this was a righteous man.

Man.

And when all the people who had gathered the witness, the sight, saw what had took place, they beat their breasts and went away. But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things. Put a tag on this text for a few moments. Share with this thought on our minds. I'm just getting started. You may be seated even in the presence of the Lord. If you're a member of friendship, would you make some noise real quick? Come on.

I just want to know where my.

Friendship ride or die folk are at. God bless you. The Gospel of Luke is such an interesting gospel. Often it's viewed as the social liberation and social justice gospel and really our lens of understanding. For understanding, Luke is driven to his background as a physician. According to Paul in the book of Colossians. Luke, we believe, studied in Tarshish, the home of another leader named Paul. What makes Luke's gospel so interesting is remember medicine at that, that time was not the same as medicine in our time. When Luke was learning that Greco Roman understanding of medicine, he was focused on natural treatment and natural remedies of the earth. In other words, Luke didn't have Prozac and Luke didn't have Advil. Luke had olives, Luke had parsley, and Luke had wine.

So you can imagine the change and.

The shock to Luke's system when Jesus.

Comes on the scene. Here's this great physician who is consumed with the best medical practices of the Greco Roman world. And then here comes this tecton from.

Nazareth who takes spit and heals eyes. Here comes this tecton from Nazareth who someone grabs the hem of his garment.

And it heals a decade long blood problem.

Here comes this tecton from Nazareth who.

Speaks one word and someone who's been dead for four days raises back to life.

Because here's the thing I've Learned about Jesus. Dr. Lee.

Jesus does not fit in the box.

We try to put him in.

Jesus does not do what we tell Jesus to do, but Jesus will do exactly what he needs to do to reveal himself unto us. So that's what makes Luke narration of.

This text so interesting cross compared to Matthew and Mark.

Because remember, Matthew was so consumed with delineating between the Jesus who was a Jew and proving the entirety of the Torah to be correct. Mark was so consumed with the suffering servant or the messianic secret of unveiling that Jesus was all that Jesus was. But Luke, on the other hand, is showing us the righteousness of Jesus, the leadership of Jesus, the strength of Jesus. So much so that when Jesus gives his last word for Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. All Luke was trying to remind us in this text is that Jesus was giving this lament of surrender and submission beyond the submission that we have given to sin. And what Jesus does is he sings Psalm 31. All he does is remember another song like he did two words before. And he remembers how back in Psalm 31, when we submitted to sin, we.

All we had to do was cry.

Out, father, into your hands I commit my spirit. Which teaches us a beautiful lesson that no matter how dark your life gets, there's still a song inside your body. And I'm talking to somebody in the building who knows the gray hairs on your head went away when you remember the song that was in your belly. I'm talking to somebody who should have been cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs a long time ago, but thank God there was a song inside of your belly. It may have been your grandmama's song, may have been Mississippi Mass, it may have been Maverick City. Whatever that song was, I thank God that no matter how dark my life gets, God has a song inside of me. So here we are, Pastor, and I was wrestling with this text. And Easter and Christmas are two times of the year.

I love to engage with scriptures because we're coming constantly.

Going to be engaging with the scriptures that are on TV, that are on YouTube, that are in movies. And you've heard this text, preached for years. So I live for interrogation. I studied Matthew, I studied Mark. But something changes in the Aramaic in Luke because I kept trying to understand God. What are you trying to show me? And then it hit me. Luke did not write this book to a community. Luke wrote this book to a person. Remember, the books of Luke and Acts were written together to unveil the story of Jesus to one person, a man named Theophilus. Luke, chapter one, verse three. The text says Theophilus, according to Josephus, was one of two people. He was a high priest of great influence. And we believe that Theophilus was the One who was standing in the middle of the place where they were wanting to crucify and kill Paul, John, Mark, Peter, Peter and others. Theophilus pastor had a great weight of influence. Theophilus had a great weight of communication. Theophilus was trying to do the right thing for the followers of Jesus. So Luke sends this letter to Theophilus to let him know that the reason that Peter and Paul and John are willing to die for the sake of the gospel is because that's exactly what Jesus did for them. And Theophilus, I want you to know that it's not easy communicating this truth. It's not easy communicating how crazy it is to die for people who don't like you. But Jesus fulfilled every single scripture, even unto death. See Pastor, this quote was not just a quotation of Psalm 31. For Luke, Jesus was not just another martyr. For Luke, Jesus was not passive, he was agreeing aggressive. For Luke, Jesus was not random. But Jesus was setting a precedent for every disciple to follow after him.

That you serve the Lord until death and past death. To Theophilus, Paul won't give up because.

Jesus died for him.

To John Mark, Paul will. John, Mark will not give up because.

Jesus died for him.

That's why John Mark will preach. That's why Peter's going to talk about Jesus Because Theophilus, I want you to understand they may seem Christ crazy to.

You, but they're only doing what Jesus already did for them. And so pastors, I assume my responsibility. Today the Lord was very clear. He said, justin, I need you to talk to discouraged pastors. I need you to talk to discouraged deacons.

I need you to talk to discouraged.

Trustees because often we don't get a chance to get poured into. I came to talk to ministers of.

Music and musicians who feel like you have the weight on your shoulders to.

You'Re just like Theophilus. I came to every praise and worship leader who's been singing every single Sunday and nobody wants to stand and sing with you. I came to talk to Theophilus. I came to talk to every discouraged, miserable pastor who feels like giving up on your church.

I came to those of you who want to leave your church because you're.

Frustrated by nappy headed negroes that don't.

Tithe in the first place. I'm talking to folk in the building who want to throw in the tithe howl on this gospel.

I'm talking to people in the building.

Who can't do another church meeting. You can't deal with any more people.

Coming to you telling you how terrible your church is.

I'm talking to ushers who are tired of folk not talking to you when you walk inside a building. I'm talking to preachers who are afraid to declare the goodness of God in the land of the living. I'm talking to deacons who are tired of defending your pastor to people who don't even show up. I'm talking to trustees who are tired. Tired of people questioning every decision that you make. I'm talking to pastors who want a fair shot. I'm talking to pastors who've been on their face for their people. I'm talking to Theophilus. You got the weight on your shoulders. You got anxiety on your shoulders. You have decisions on your shoulders. But I want you to imitate what.

Jesus did for you.

You don't have to die for his church. Jesus already did that. So why don't you give the church back to the one who made the.

Church in the first place?

You weren't made to handle everything. Give it to the one who made it in the first place. You weren't made to make every decision. Give it back to the one who made it in the first place. You weren't made to lead people to worship. You were made to remind them the reasons they need to worship. Give it back to the one who ended it in the first place. And Jesus says, father, I give you back this gift.

I am strong enough to know my limits. Hallelujah.

I'm wise enough to know my influence, and I'm strong enough to yield myself.

Back to the Father. So to every discouraged leader ready to give up, quit dying for God's church, Jesus did that.

I ain't scared of none of y'.

All. Father, I give you my church.

I wish I had a witness.

Father, I give you the praise team. Father, I give you my ego. Father, I give you my ministry. Father, I give you my sermon. Father, I give you the offering plate. Father, you see, none of y' all ain't talking because you holding on to God's church. And it ain't your church in the first place. I came to talk to every person who's ready to release your body so you can be filled with your worship. Father, into your hands, I give you what I have. I'm tired of trying to be Jesus, because Jesus already died for his church.

Pastor, we. We sing. I surrender all. But then we don't surrender all. We sing.

I give myself away but I' ma.

Hold on to my ministry, Huh?

I give myself away but I'm gonna.

Hold on to the early service. Don't know. Young people better come to my early service.

I give myself away, but these kids.

Better stay in kids church. So when God says surrender, we get frustrated with surrender because the Lord says.

Love your neighbor, God.

How far down the street? The Lord says tithes. It was we say God, that's the old covenant. The Lord says serve, but God, you know how busy I am. The Lord says worship, but you know it. Don't take all that to every Theophilus in a difficult moment in your life when you're trying to carry all the weight, I'm came to tell you, stop trying to do it by yourself. Stop trying to figure it out by yourself. There's a father who can handle that.

And Jesus at the peak of his.

Ministry says father, into your hands. And if Jesus can trust the father, you can trust him too. Glory to the Lamb of God. So how can I do this? I'm finished. I got four minutes.

I'm finished.

Number one, I'm just getting started. Because I only trust the Father with my true self. The text says, the last time we see Jesus say with a loud voice, he cries out, eli, Eli lamda Sabach.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Now fast forward an hour and a half. His heart was rupturing, his ribs were puncturing his lungs. He did not drink of that drink they wanted to give him. So his vocal cords were dry out.

And he pushes up on the two tendons left between his ring finger and middle finger and says, father, into your.

Hands, I give you my spirit. Now it's interesting here, the Greek word, here is the word pneuma. The Hebrew word is the word ruach. Literally when, remember when we were created. Created, we receive the ruach breath of God. We literally have the one thing that connects us back to the father.

Jesus says, I'm giving you my authority. I'm giving you my power. I'm giving you the one thing that.

Represents you in my body. Father, I give you my spirit. A breath that creates, a breath that gives strength. Jesus is challenging us. Do we give God our best or does God get our leftovers? I got three minutes. I want to stay there for like two more minutes.

Pastor, does God past preachers, when's the last time your members caught you on the altar giving your best? Or is the only time you pray preachers is when you get up to preach? When's the last time musicians at the members caught you on your face giving the best of your service, but you want people to worship with you, but they never see you seeking God's face. Deacons, when's the last time you were on your face? Space for the church, not to defend the pastor, but to pray that God gives you overflow. God is challenging us in this season, pastor, to not give him our leftovers. But my grandma said if. When you give the best of your service, telling the world that Christ has come, don't be afraid if the deacons don't like you, don't be afraid if the ushers can't stand you, don't be afraid if the associates don't understand you. Because I'm not here to serve you, I'm here to when I get to heaven, that he'll understand and say, well done. Am I talking anybody in the building that God, in this season of my ministry, you won't get my leftovers. You'll get my best. Pastor.

I gotta go.

Pastor.

It's crazy to me that we keep getting giving God the same old predictable worship.

When we serve a God who does.

Unpredictable things, we give God the same old invocation, the same old call to worship. Sing one fast song, send one slow song. Same old giving call, same old sermon, same old song from Mississippi Mass before the sermon.

Same old invitation, same old three people joining every year. I wonder if I got somebody that.

Can shift the atmosphere this morning.

I can say, but from going forward from this day, God, you going to get my praise. God, you going to get my mouth. God, you going to get my belly. God, you going to get my bible. God, you going to get my time. God, you going to get my to do list. I'll praise you on Monday because you good on Monday too. I'll serve you on Tuesday because you blessed me on Tuesday too. I'll lift my hands on Wednesday because I want to see another side of his glory.

I'm just getting started. Trust God, my best self. I'm gonna throw this in there really quickly. I may go over really quick, but secondly, I'm just getting started because I've learned to follow through. The text says, father, enhance my spirit. Then he breathed out his last. Here's what I want to give you. Jesus didn't just say he was committed, he did it. I'm gonna just say this really quickly. Pastor, this is a season of the church where God is tired of us just saying it. Okay, Can I stay there for one second? Okay. Maybe that's why folk don't tithe because we say it, huh? You want to open window of heaven, but don't even crack the window. You.

Maybe the reason people aren't praying in.

Our church is, Pastor.

Maybe the reason why this area has the number three, number five, and number.

Eight, most unchurched and biblically illiterate areas, is because we're comfortable saying we're disciples.

Okay?

He says, number one, I'm just getting started. I'm gonna get out of here. But number one, I'm just getting started because I trust God, my true self. I'm just getting started because I've learned to follow through. And I'm just getting started because I'm privileged to reveal his identity. Text says when all of this happened, he died. And the centurion said, surely he's a righteous man. Okay? Now, Mark and Matthew say he was innocent. Luke says he was righteous. Because Luke is suggesting here, Pastor. That Jesus was guilty. He was guilty of being Jesus. He was born to die. So Luke says, Jesus's righteousness has nothing to do with his innocence.

That's why folk can't stand you.

Okay? But then the centurion says, surely he was a righteous man. Pastor. What got me was not what he said, it was what he saw. And if you remember the Gospel of Luke, the Luke and narrator, seeing was vision. Okay? So he saw the veil torn. He saw darkness. He saw Jesus die. This was not physical vision.

This was prophetic vision that when he.

Saw Jesus die, died. The Lucan narrator suggests here that he.

Really saw a glimpse of what happens when you get connected to heaven. Because he saw the darkness, which was.

The effects of sin. He saw the veil torn, which was heaven meeting earth.

He saw Jesus committed to the Father, which meant that he trusted what heaven can give. And the only thing he saw, the only thing he could say after he had good vision was surely this man was righteous. Preachers and pastors, here's what I came to tell you and the word that.

God put in my belly.

You have the authority and the anointing to reveal the identity of Jesus. And woe unto us who use this pulpit for reasons not to lift up the Savior. To every preacher who's discouraged, keep talking about Jesus. To every deacon who wants to leave the church, keep. Keep talking about Jesus. This is the season where God is coming against political partnerships. You better save that mayor. You better save that city manager. You ain't here just to talk to me. I'm here so you can see. Surely he's a righteous man. And God is using churches and leaders to ensure that we get over our fear of being saved. We get over our worries about what people may say. Because all I'M here to do is is lift up Jesus I'm a lift Jesus Till my children come back home I'm a lift Jesus until my church turns around I'mma lift Jesus until we meet budget I'mma lift Jesus until marriages are restored I'm going to lift Jesus because all I know is when I lift up Jesus all the centurions who don't know him will say surely he's a righteous man and I wish I had somebody in the building that's how you gonna buy that community center Lift up Jesus that's how you gonna pay off your bills Lift up Jesus that's how you gonna get that new house Lift up Jesus because the songwriter said how to reach the masses Men of every birth for an answer Jesus gave.

The key and the Lord said that if I be lifted up I will.

I'll draw me unto to me Good evening now, y'.

All.

I wish I had somebody who's been seated for three hours that can help me lift up Jesus on a Friday afternoon. Because I heard the church can go up on a Friday night. And is there anybody here that knows in your belly All I'm called to do is to lift up Jesus Higher and higher Is there anybody here that can help me close this sermon? And lift up Jesus because he healed.

Your body Lift up Jesus. Because he restored your marriage Lift up Jesus. Cause he saved your soul Lift up Jesus. Cause he made you whole Lift up Jesus. Cause he brought your child home Lift up Jesus Cause he restored your mind Is there anybody here who's unafraid to lift up Jesus? Well help me close this sermon Stand.

On your fe and lift up your.

Hands and lift up Jesus Higher, higher. Cause he's been good, he's made a way I wish I had some Christians who could care less about your neighbor and toss your head back Open up your mouth and lift up Jesus didn't he do it for you? Didn't he make a way for you? Didn't he open doors for you? Well let the redeemed of the Lord Lord lift him up say it say it's.