He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.  You are witnesses of these things.”  Luke 24:46-48

• When the Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons were murdered in India, his widow Gladys forgave their killers.

• She quoted the words of “Because He Lives” as the reason for her actions.

• The risen Christ’s appearances to his disciples changed everything for them.

1.  THEY RECEIVED PEACE WICH OVERCAME THEIR FEARS.

• Jesus greeting “Peace be with you” brought great relief.

• Inner turmoil, anxiety, fear and terror are terrible to experience.  How wonderful it is to be delivered from them.

• The presence of the risen Christ comes with us into all of life’s challenges.

2.  THEY RECEIVED JOY WHICH OVERCAME THEIR SADNESS

• The disciples were transformed by Jesus; presence, and the transformation endured.

• Stephen died as Jesus did, forgiving those who killed him.

• Gladys Staines and Keith Moulton forgave those who murdered their loved ones.

3.  THEY RECEIVED UNDERSTANDING WHICH OVERCAME THEIR IGNORANCE AND DOUBT

• As he did with the two going to Emmaus, Jesus opened their minds so that they could understand the Scriptures.

• We need his help to gain understanding also.

4.  THEY RECEIVED A PURPOSE FOR LIVING WHICH OVERCAME THEIR HOPELESSNESS AND EMPTINESS.

• The defeated, demoralised disciples were given the great task of preaching in Christ’s name to all nations.  The became “world-class Christians.”

5.  THEY WERE PROMISED POWER WHICH WOULD OVERCOME THEIR WEAKNESS.

• Jesus promised that his disciples would receive power from on high, the blessed Holy Spirit.  It was the Spirit who mad the difference in their lives, in Paul’s life and in our lives.

Bible readings:  Acts 3:12-20, Luke 24:36b-48

 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals, one on his right, the other on his left.  Luke 23:33

In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus spoke 4 times after he was condemned to die and while he was nailed to the cross.

1.  “DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM, DO NOT WEEP FOR ME….” (LUKE 23:28-31)

• Jesus repeats what he said as he entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.  He foresaw the time, about 37 years later, when Jerusalem would be destroyed by the Romans.

• Destruction is the fate of all who refuse to repent of sin and Jesus grieves over the stubbornness of those who reject him.

2.  “FATHER, FORGIVE THEM, FOR THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING.”  (Luke 23:34a)

• Jesus’ offer of forgiveness is for all people.  We all share responsibility for Jesus’ death.

• Forgiveness is to be accepted, treasured and passed on.

• How Agnes Sanford helped an unhappy person receive forgiveness and healing.

3.  “TRULY I TELL YOU, TODAY YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE.”  (Luke 23:43)

• One of many things we learn from Jesus’ encounter with the criminal beside him on the cross is that while there’s life, there’s hope!

• Two men were about to die horrible and shameful deaths.  Beside them, though, was the one man who could save them.

• All they can do is believe, which one does and is promised a place in heaven.  The other, incredibly, hurled insults at Jesus and misses his opportunity.

4.  “FATHER, INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT.”  (Luke 23:46)

• Jesus had taught his disciples all they needed to know; he had made sure that his mother was cared for; he had forgiven those who killed him; he had reached out to the criminal beside him; for 6 hours he had borne all the sin of the world in his body.  Now it was time to give up his life.

• There is a time to live and a time to die and Jesus shows us how.

Bible readings:  Isaiah 50:4-9a, Luke 23:26-49

• Good Friday service at 9am in the church

• Easter Sunday sunrise service at 6:30am at the Dripstone cliffs

• Easter Sunday morning service at 9:30am in the church

Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  1 Corinthians 13:4,5

• There are many facets of Christian character such as courage, discipline, vision and endurance as we saw last week.

• The most important, the most fundamental, the most basic facet is LOVE.

• This love, best described by Paul in 1 Corinthians 13, comes from the Greek word “agape” which means a commitment to others’ well-being, a desire to see the other person blessed and receiving the highest good.

• The love is best demonstrated in the life of Jesus and is both tender-hearted and tough-minded; it is sacrificial and it is radical.

1.  LOVE IS TENDER-HEARTED.

• The teachers of the law and the Pharisees demonstrated their heard-heartedness in their desire to punish the adulterous woman and to use her to trap Jesus.

• Jesus knew that people need forgiveness more than they need condemnation.

• We can become more tender-hearted by living by the Golden Rule: do to others what you would have them do to you.

2.  LOVE IS TOUGH-MINDED

• Jesus challenged the Rich Young Ruler to give up his wealth, not because of contempt but because of love.

• Jesus knew what a blockage money was for this man’s commitment.

• How Bill and Lynne Hybels learned about tough-minded love in marriage.

3.  LOVE IS SACRIFICIAL

• There is a cost of being loving.

• Christian love is more closely related to work than to play.  It has a lot more to do with being a servant than a hero.

• Because love is costly we need to be regularly “refuelled” for service.

4.  LOVE IS RADICAL.

• Love is not always nice, or reserved for those who can generously repay us.

• Jesus commanded his followers to “go the second mile”.

Bible readings:  Mark 10: 17-22,  John 8:1-11

 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love endurance and gentleness.  1 Timothy 6:11

• In the modern world, we like to measure as many things as possible.  The cost of living, the level of unemployment, the rate of inflation, the value of the dollar are all carefully measured and reported.

• What we cannot measure is a person’s character.  What is the state of our character as a nation and as individuals?

• Bill Hybels says that your character may be defined as “who you are when no-one’s looking”.  That’s the real you, the real me.

• Failing to accurately assess a person’s character can have disastrous results.

• The development of godly character in people, says Bill Hybels, is the world’s most pressing need.

• Four important aspects of the character of a Christian are:

1.  COURAGE.

• We regularly make choices which demonstrate that we are courageous or cowardly.

• We need courage to face our fears concerning friendships, marriage, having a baby or offering for Christian service.

2.  DISCIPLINE

• Discipline has been described as “delayed gratification”.  In many situations, short-term pain leads to long-term gain.

• Practising the piano, saving to buy a house, disciplining children, facing issues in marriage may not be fun at the time but can have great results.

• We may have trouble hearing from God, but how seriously do we listen?

3.  VISION

• We can develop the ability to see beyond the obvious.

• It’s often a matter of willingness and trust.

4.  ENDURANCE.

• Quitting is easier than enduring but it also leads to regret.
• God helps us in our weakness.  The Holy Spirit produces fruit as we cooperate with him.

Bible readings:  2 Kings 6:8-17, 1 Timothy 6:11-16

“But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take car of my needs.”  Philippians 2:25

• On our journey through life, God provides us with many fellow travellers.
•  There are people who encourage us (mentors).
•  There are people we encourage (mentorees).
•  There are people who are soul-friends (brothers and sisters in the faith).
•  Paul had these 3 kinds of relationships.

1.  BARNABAS, his mentor.

•  Barnabas, “son of encouragement”, is first described in Acts 4.
•  Then, in Acts 9, we read how Barnabas helped Paul after his conversion.
•  In Acts 11, we read how Barnabas helped to train Paul in ministry.
•  I have had numbers of mentors over the years who have taken an interest in me, encouraged me, inspired me.

2.  TIMOTHY, his mentoree.

•  When Paul visited Lystra he met a young believer called Timothy whose mother was a Jew and his father, a Greek.
•  Paul must have seen Timothy’s potential and took him with him on his missionary journey to Macedonia and Greece.
•  Timothy was like a son to Paul.  Paul loved him and gave him careful instructions in two letters he wrote to him.
•  Mary and I have been incredibly blessed through our mentoring of a couple in Sydney.

3.  EPAPHRODITUS, his soul-friend

•  Paul refers to Epaphroditus as his brother, co-worker and fellow soldier who risked his life for Paul.
•  Friendship is one of God’s greatest gifts to us.
•  Jesus, remarkably, called his disciples his friends.
•  David and Jonathan’s friendship is a model relationship of kindred spirits.
•  Friendships are precious and should be nurtured and protected.

Bible readings:  1 Samuel 18:1-4, 19:1-7, Philippians 2:12-30

“In your relationships with one another, have the same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had:  Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage,”  Philippians 2:5,6

• In the classic book, In His Steps, the writer imagined what would happen if a person asked the question, “What would Jesus do?” when faced with a decision.

• Paul urges his readers in Philippi to adopt the same attitude of mind that Jesus had when they dealt with people.

• We are to follow Jesus; to do what he did; to say what he said; to be committed to what he was committed to.

• Our actions are not to be motivated by selfish ambition or vain conceit.  We are to take the humble path.

• Humility is the most important evidence of Christian character.

• It is the opposite of pride, which is the worst of all sins.

• In Numbers 12, Aaron and Miriam tried to undermine Moses’ leadership.  Their pride contrasted with Moses’ humility.

• God opposes the proud.  He says that he hates pride and arrogance.  (Proverbs 8:13).

• About Jesus, Paul says:

1.  VERSE 6: JESUS IS IN VERY NATURE GOD.

• Jesus is equal to, one with and undivided from God.  He did not need to snatch at or seize this position.  He did not use it to his own advantage.

2.  VERSE 7:  JESUS MADE HIMSELF NOTHING.

• Literally, he emptied himself of his glory and was made in human likeness. He shows us how God behaves when he is fully present in a man.

3.  VERSE 8:  JESUS HUMBLED HIMSELF.

• He was totally obedient to God in all he did.  His humility was demonstrated especially in his washing of his disciples’ feet and ultimately in the crucifixion.

4.  VERSE 9:  JESUS WAS EXALTED BY GOD.

• As a result of his obedience, Jesus is exalted to the highest place and one day every person will acknowledge his as Lord.

• Jesus’ way of living is to be our way.  In our relationships, do we have the same attitude of mind that Jesus has?

Bible readings:  Numbers 12:1-16, Philippians 2:1-11

I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.  For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  Philippians 1:20,21

• The Christian life has sometimes been wrongly described as being problem-free and difficulty-free.

• Jesus never said this would be so and neither did Paul.

• Straight after his conversion, Paul was told that he would suffer greatly on behalf of Jesus.

• How two Christians respond totally differently to great losses in their lives.

• We can be sure that Paul did not welcome suffering , but could see how his suffering advanced the gospel.

• In Romans 8:28 he wrote: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

• Perseverance through trials qualifies us to speak and testify with power and effect.

• When Jerusalem was under siege during the time of Jeremiah, King Hezekiah had a new respect for the prophet when it became clear how he endured suffering.

• The Belgian priest, Father Damien, struggled in his ministry to lepers on the Hawaiian island of Molokai until he, too, contracted leprosy.

• Similarly, those who have suffered from cancer are best placed to empathize with those diagnosed with cancer.

• Paul was not looking for escape from his trials.  “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21)

• Paul demonstrates what a man in prison awaiting execution can achieve.

• John Bunyan, writer of Pilgrim’s Progress, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer also achieved great things during imprisonment.

• Lindy Chamberlain wrote this about her experience of wrongful imprisonment: “Many was the lime I could not see which way God was directing, but I could look back later and see the reason for it.  Often I wondered why I was going through a particular rough patch, and then a letter would arrive from a stranger; somebody who wanted to tell me that, because of my example, because of what had happened to me……..then they could cope with their problems too.”

Bible readings:  Jeremiah 38:1-13, Philippians 1:12-30

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,” Philippians 1:9

• The gospel came to Philippi in Macedonia through Paul, Silas and Timothy between 49 and 52 A.D. as described in Acts 16.

• Philippi was a Roman colony and an important centre.  There were few Jews there and no synagogue.

• As a result of Paul’s preaching beside a river, a woman called Lydia believed.

• Then, after being imprisoned, Paul and Silas witnessed to a jailer who became a Christian.

• These people would have helped to form a new church in Philippi.

• Paul had a great affection for the people of the growing church and wrote to them, probably from Rome where he was a prisoner awaiting execution.

• His purposes were to tell them of his situation; to encourage them to persevere; to inform them of his plans in sending Timothy and Epaphroditus to them, and, above all, to encourage a spirit of unity among them.

• His letter begins formally with a greeting; “grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

• He then overflows with thanksgiving for the Christians of Philippi who he praises as partners in ministry with him.

• We should treasure those who support us: Jesus did; David did; we all can.

• Paul prays, firstly, THAT THEIR LOVE MAY ABOUND MORE AND MORE IN KNOWLEDGE AND DEPTH OF INSIGHT.

• Love is the heart and soul of the gospel, so we would expect that this is what Paul would pray for.

• He prays that love would abound in knowledge and insight.  He wants their love to be INFORMED and INTELLIGENT, not ignorant and indulgent.

• Secondly, Paul prays that this informed and insightful commitment will lead the people to discern what is best and result in them being pure and blameless.

• The good can be the enemy of the best.  The best for us is what Paul describes in verse 11: the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ.

• The fruit of the Spirit is the character of Jesus, reproduced within us.

Bible readings:  Proverbs 11:2-31, Philippians 1:1-11

 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered.  “May it be to me according to your word.”  Then the angel left her.  Luke 1:38

• Imitation, the Parkes Elvis Festival and the art of impersonation.

• Who do we imitate?  Who do we follow?  Who do we serve?  We serve somebody.

• Mary, the mother of Jesus, sets us a great example of risky discipleship.

• There is much we do not know about Mary – but we do know that she was of humble background and humble nature.

• She must have been an extraordinary person to have been chosen to bear God’s Son.

• 3 things the angel said to Mary:

1.  SHE WAS HIGHLY FAVOURED.

• Along with God’s favour goes great responsibility.  To whom much is given, much is expected.

• Bringing up and guiding children is a great responsibility.

• Children are great imitators.  As recipients of grace we are to be gracious and faithful.

2.  GOD WAS WITH HER.

• Mary would be supported by Joseph, but more importantly by God.

• She faced up to incredible challenges and God was with her in all of them.

• The Cross is the ultimate evidence that God is with us in all circumstances, especially those that cause us grief and pain.

3.  THE HOLY SPIRIT WOULD COME UPON HER AND THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH WOULD OVERSHADOW HER.

• A miracle would take place in and through Mary.

• Mary’s responsibility at first was to believe what she was told and accept that God would do what he said.

• A Christmas miracle happened in drought-stricken Peak Hill in 1994.

• As Christians we are highly favoured people; God is with us; the Holy Spirit wants to come upon us and the Most High overshadow us.

• Our response?  I am the Lord’s servant.  May it be to me according to your word.

Bible Readings:  2 Samuel 7:1-16, Luke 1:26-38