Greg Laurie - The God Who Suffers (09/21/2017)
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Pastor Greg Laurie delivers a powerful Good Friday message titled "The God Who Suffers" from Luke 23 and John 19. He focuses on Jesus' suffering and death on the cross as the ultimate act of love to satisfy God's righteous demands for our sin. Through Christ's seven statements from the cross, Greg shows Jesus' forgiveness, victory ("It is finished"), and trust in the Father, reminding us that Jesus suffered so we could be forgiven and never forsaken.
Welcome and Easter Announcements
Hey, everybody. How's it going? Good to see you. Great to have you here tonight. This is sort of our version of Good Friday, but it's on Thursday. And we figured since we already have a service that we would make this our Good Friday service and we focus on what Jesus did for us at the cross.
How many of you are visiting Harvest tonight for the first time? You've never been to this church before? Raise your hand up. We want to say hello to you. Welcome. Glad you all could be here.
Did you see our new sign going up out there? It's not done yet, but it'll be done by Sunday. It's taken a long time to get all the permits because we asked to go a little bigger than normal. And so it took a little time, but we have permission now. So it'll be up by Sunday and we're looking forward to actually having a sign so people can figure out where our property is.
And that's especially important with Easter coming because we'll have a lot of visitors at church. You know, Easter is one of those times of the year when non-believers actually want to go to church. So we need to take advantage of that. I read a stat the other day that said somewhere around 85% of people out there would go to church if they were invited, listen to this, by someone they knew, okay? So this is where a relationship can be utilized. People that you live around or friends of yours or co-workers. You say, hey, what are you doing Sunday? Why don't you come to church with me and bring them to one of the services?
Amanda, we have a lot of services to choose from. As Jonathan was saying, of course, we have four and six o'clock Saturday night. That's a first for us. Then six in the morning. We're going to do that out there in our parking structure on the top level. So we're going to have some chairs, but we're going to ask a bunch of you to bring your own chairs. You know, beach chairs, lawn chairs, things like that. So bring your chairs. We'll be there bright and early in the morning. It'll start at six o'clock on the dot. We'll all watch the sun rise together as we celebrate the sun rising together. So that's very early Sunday morning. That all of a sudden doesn't make eight o'clock seem so early, does it? Then we have eight o'clock in the morning and then 10 o'clock in the morning and 12 o'clock in the afternoon. So that's great.
I also wanted to just sort of underscore what was said about this encore presentation of Harvest America. You know, I kind of feel like those that were viewing it didn't get to see as much as they should have seen. Especially that invitation. Because this is an amazing stadium. And we had our cameras everywhere. And I was watching it last night. The people coming forward. It is really moving. To me the most moving moment of one of these events is watching people come forward and accept Christ.
And so we're going to show you the whole thing on Thursday. And we'll edit it a little bit in the interest of time. But you'll see performances by Switchfoot, Lecrae, Mercy Me, Chris Tomlin. The message will be there. And then that invitation is so amazing to watch. Over 6,000 people go down in that field and make a profession of faith to follow Christ. That is incredible. And this will be a good evangelistic opportunity. And we've got this super big screen right here, right? And a great sound system. So it's going to be an optimal viewing and listening experience this Thursday for the Encore presentation of Harvest America.
After our service tonight, or after my message, I should say, we'll be having a communion service together.
Introduction to the Message: The God Who Suffers
All right, let's grab our Bibles. How many of you brought your Bibles? Grab your Bible. Let me see your Bible. Okay, we have a lot of Bibles. Okay, I love that. I love churches where people bring Bibles. Don't you? I love to hear the sound of Bible pages turning. That's music to my ears.
So turn now to two passages. Luke 23 and John 19. Luke 23 and John 19. And that's where we're going to land on both of those. And the title of my message is The God Who Suffers.
And why don't we begin with a word of prayer. Now, Father, as we focus on the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, how you sent your Son, and how your Son willingly came and laid his life down. No one took his life. He gave it of his own accord for us. Help us to see it with new eyes. Some of us have never even heard this story in its entirety before. Some of us have heard it, well, many, many times. But it never gets old. Because it really is the greatest story ever told. Help us hear this message with new ears tonight. Speak to us from your word we ask in Jesus' name. Amen.
Recent Tragedy and the Message of Hope
Well, sadly, another Islamic terrorist attack. This time in Brussels. Numbers vary on how many were killed. 32 to 34 people killed in these bombings at an airport and a subway. As well as many injured. As many as 180. And many very seriously injured.
And this is on the heels of so many terrorist attacks that have been coming of late. It wasn't that long ago we had one in our own backyard in San Bernardino. And that was fresh on the heels of what happened in Paris.
And our hearts and our prayers go out for those who lost loved ones. And here we are in Easter week. We call it Passion Week. A time when we celebrate with family and friends. And we get together. And we have meals together. And it's a happy time. And so it should be. Because we can rejoice in all that God has done for us.
But there's great sadness when you think about what has just happened. And probably what's going to happen again. But we need to remember that Good Friday and Easter Sunday are about both suffering and hope. Spoiler alert. Jesus did not stay on the cross. He Rose again from the dead. In case you don't know the story.
So there's great hope. But I want to think a little bit about the death of Jesus tonight. And consider something about Him that maybe we don't often think of.
When we think of God we consider the fact that God is righteous. God is holy. God is loving. And God is good. But here's something else to consider about God. Tonight, as we focus on the death of Jesus, God has suffered.
God's Suffering Love on the Cross
Why would anyone want to suffer if they didn't have to? But He did suffer. I mean, He didn't have to if He didn't want to. But He chose to suffer. In fact, it was John Stott in his book, The Cross of Christ, who said accurately, Our God is a suffering God. He is the God who has suffered.
Listen to Isaiah's description of what Jesus, who was God in human form, Went through when He died on the cross. In Isaiah 53, we read, He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He has borne our grief and carried our sorrows. Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted. He was wounded for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment for our peace was upon Him. And by His stripes we are healed.
He was a man of sorrows or suffering. That was Jesus. But why did God suffer? Answer, because He loved and He loves. And that means that He enters into our suffering as well. He enters into the suffering of those who have lost loved ones. He enters into the suffering of any person who is in pain of some kind.
You need to know that God cares. God understands. God suffers. He understands what you are going through. So if you are going through any kind of suffering, know this. You are not alone. Jesus has been there. And He has walked in your shoes.
Jesus Understands Our Pain
Listen to this passage in Hebrews 2. It says it was necessary for Jesus to be made in every respect like us, His brothers and sisters, so He could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. And then He could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Since He Himself has gone through suffering and temptation, He is able to help us when we are being tempted.
So you are saying, man, I am being tempted right now. I am going through hardship right now. I have been abandoned by people I love. Jesus has been there. He knows what it is like. Say, I have lost a loved one. He knows what that is like. So you are not alone in your suffering.
The Necessity of Christ's Suffering and Death
But, why did Jesus have to suffer and die? Couldn't He have just expired in a simple way? Did He have to be scourged and beaten and have the beard pulled from His face? Did He have to be insulted and mocked and ridiculed and humiliated? Why did He have to die such a cruel death?
Listen to this. Because there was no other way to satisfy the righteous demands of God. God plays by His own rules. And He said, the soul that sins shall surely die. And the Scripture teaches, without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.
In the Old Testament, when they would sacrifice these various animals, that was a foreshadowing of things that were to come. It's not like the death of Jesus was sort of added on to that. That, rather, was pointing toward the death of Jesus. Jesus was the fulfillment of all of those sacrifices. As John the Baptist said of Christ, He's the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
So Jesus was the fulfillment of it all. All of those things were foreshadowing something to come. Or I could more accurately say, someone to come. And that someone was Jesus.
Calvary: Man's Sin and God's Salvation
Listen to this. Calvary shows how far men will go in sin. And how far God will go for man's salvation. Let me repeat that. Calvary, or the cross, shows how far men will go in their sin. And also how far God will go for man's salvation.
Jesus knew He was going to die from the very beginning. And He spoke of it often. No one took His life. He laid it down of His own accord. Jesus lived in the shadow of the cross from the moment He entered the world.
Sometimes people think the cross was sort of an aberration or a tragic turn of events. Where everything sort of went off the rails. No, that's not it at all. In fact, that was the plan. That was the master plan. Or should I say, the master's plan.
Jesus in Control on the Cross
I remember when I was a kid and I would watch movies about Jesus. And I was fascinated by Jesus, even as a young boy. My grandmother used to have a portrait of Christ hanging on her wall. And I would just look at that many times and think about Jesus. And whenever there was a movie about Him, I would watch it with great interest. And I was fascinated by Him.
But I always thought the story ended badly. I thought someone should rewrite this story, you see. Because everything is going on a perfect trajectory. Here comes Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary, performing miracles, healing people, raising the dead, doing wonderful things, the greatest teachings ever heard. He has a group of followers and then He gets arrested on false charges. And He's crucified and yeah, He Rose, but still, that's not good. I didn't like that story.
But that is the story. That is the greatest of all stories. That was the purpose He came for.
But how could something so senseless and so cruel have any purpose? Answer, it was the ultimate purpose. And it had the ultimate meaning. God the Father was the master of ceremonies at the cross. Let me repeat that again. God the Father was the master of ceremonies at the cross.
Sometimes people like to place the blame of the death of Jesus at the feet of the Jews. I'll say the Jews killed Him. And sometimes that's used to justify anti-Semitism, which is always wrong. But it wasn't the fault of the Jews. It wasn't the fault, in particular, of the Romans.
God's Plan Fulfilled at Calvary
Listen, you want to get real technical and be theological. God sent Jesus to die on the cross. It was His plan. In fact, the Scripture tells us in Isaiah 53:10, It was the will of the Lord to crush Him. He has put Him to grief.
Romans 8:32, God did not spare His own Son, but He gave Him up for us all. And then over in Romans 3:25, God put Christ forward by His blood to be received by faith.
In Isaiah 53:10, And yet it pleased the Father to bruise Him. He has put Him to death. Pleased the Father to bruise Him? How could the Father be pleased by the death of His Son? Well, He wasn't pleased by His death, in particular. He wasn't pleased by the suffering. He wasn't pleased by the pain Christ went through.
The Father was pleased by the redemption that was accomplished. He was pleased that the eternal plan of salvation was now fulfilled. Bill, he was pleased that the sacrifice of his son was complete. And many of us could now believe in him.
For all the evil in the crucifixion, it brought about an infinite good. In fact, the most evil act ever perpetrated by sinful hearts, that is, the sinless son of God, tortured and slaughtered and murdered, brought about the greatest good of all time. It brought about your salvation and it brought about mine.
So we can say, thank you, Lord, for the cross.
The Seven Statements from the Cross
You remember the story of Joseph, betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, and thought of his dad. They never thought they'd see him again. Of course, he survived that and ended up ascending to be the second most powerful man in the kingdom of Egypt. And one day, it would have been the perfect, you know, revenge film, really. His brothers are gathered before him and now Joseph is all powerful. And with the snap of his finger, they would have all been executed on the spot.
And instead of getting payback, he forgives them. And he makes this amazing statement. You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good to save many people alive.
And that was true of the cross. The devil meant it for evil. The Bible tells us that Satan entered the heart of Judas Iscariot. So let's not let the devil off the hook here. He played a role too.
And in a rare moment in human history, God and the devil were moving toward the same goal. Not with the same objective. The goal was for Jesus to die. Satan wanted Jesus to die so he would be stopped and silenced forever. God wanted Jesus to die so he would atone for the sin of the world.
But their objectives were different, of course. And there was Jesus fulfilling the purposes of God.
The First Statement: Forgiveness
So let's think for a moment what it was like for Jesus to do this. Hebrews 12:3 says, Consider him that endured such hostility from sinners against himself, lest you be weary and discouraged in your souls.
The word consider means think it over. Consider this. Think of what Jesus went through. For Jesus, the cross was a fate worse than death. Because at the cross he experienced his most painful moment.
What has been your most painful moment in life so far? You know, little kids scratch their knees and they get an owie. And they want you to kiss them. Jonathan asked me to do that today. He's 30. No, he didn't. He's 30, so we have to sing happy birthday to him before the night is over. My son, Jonathan. That's 30 years old. That's getting up there.
But you know, they have their little owies. And in their little world, it's a great tragedy. But then as you get older, you have injuries. The painful moments. And you know, painful moments stay with you, don't you? What's your worst? Maybe it had something to do with a dentist. And the words root canal. Might have been something to do with a doctor. It might have been an accident. Something that happened.
But we're going to look at the most painful moment of Jesus. And you'll say, well, yeah, it's when he was crucified. As horrible as that was. I don't think that was his most painful moment. Physical pain is awful. It's dreadful. But there are actually pains that are worse than physical pain. Sometimes it's a pain of rejection or betrayal or abandonment.
The Fourth Statement: Forsaken Cry
When the wife says to her husband, I want a divorce. When the husband says to the wife, I'm having an affair. When the child says to the parent, I don't want God in my life. When the pastor, after preaching two hours, says, and just a few more things. That was a joke. Okay. Just wanted to see if you were listening.
Or when you're betrayed by a friend. Or someone you did the most for. It cuts like a knife. Then there's the pain of losing a loved one. That's very deep pain.
But God the Father has felt this pain. He lost a loved one, if you will, when he watched humanity murder his son. And the son, of course, lost fellowship or communication temporarily with the Father. And that, I believe, was the most painful moment of Jesus. When he bore the sin of the entire planet upon himself.
As awful as the crucifixion was, it's nothing compared to burying the sin of all of humanity.
Now understand, Jesus, he was a strong, young man. He was in the prime of life, 33 years old. He was a carpenter by trade. And that meant that he chopped down trees and built homes and built furniture and knew how to put his back to a task. He was a strong individual. And so he was up to the task.
But yet, after a man has been scourged by a Roman whip 39 times, opening up his body and exposing his muscle and even vital organs. And then being forced to carry a 300-pound cross beam. That would be hard for any man, no matter what shape he was in.
And as bad as that was, that wasn't the worst moment of all. But it was when he was hung on that cross and God's judgment had to be poured out upon him.
The Fifth Statement: I Thirst
That brings us to John 19. We read in verse 17 that Jesus, bearing his cross, went to a place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha, where they crucified him, two others with him, one on each side, Jesus in the center.
Now this is very interesting. Why was Jesus in the center? I think you can make a pretty good case for, Jesus was not supposed to go on that cross. In fact, the man that was probably supposed to go on that cross was Barabbas.
Understand, we call these guys that were crucified next to Jesus the thieves on the cross. And we'll refer to them as that because it's familiar. But the truth is that the word used there to describe them as far more severe than a thief. Rome did not crucify thieves in general. They crucified people who were guilty of the worst crimes. And in the mind of Rome, the worst crime was to be an insurrectionist. In other words, to try to overthrow Rome.
So these men were most likely murderers who would go out and murder Roman soldiers and try to cause chaos and confusion in the empire. They wanted Rome driven out of the land of Israel. And so they were each crucified.
And I think that center cross was probably reserved for Barabbas. Barabbas, because he was the worst of the lot. And you remember, the reason he didn't go to the cross was because he was pardoned by Pilate. Pilate was trying to get out of condemning Jesus to death. And there was a tradition that they would release someone at the Passover.
And so Pilate gave the bloodthirsty crowd a choice. Do you want Jesus spared? Or do you want Barabbas spared? The religious leaders infiltrated the crowd and got them to scream out for Barabbas instead of Jesus. And Jesus was then sent to die.
He effectively was dying on someone else's cross. The cross, Barabbas' cross, but really if you want to get technical, he was dying on our cross. Those other guys who were crucified next to him were there for their personal crimes. Jesus was there for the crimes of all humanity.
They were there against their will. He was there because he willingly went. They were held to their crosses by nails. He was held to his cross by love.
And they're hanging on the cross with his back ripped open. In excruciating pain, tongue swollen. Jesus lifts himself up on the cross and gives seven statements. I'll give them to you in their proper order. They're on the screen if you want to write them down. Because I think the order of the statements of the cross are very important.
Number one, he said, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. Number two, in response to the thief who turned to him and said, Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom. He said, truly, truly, I say to you, today you'll be with me in paradise.
Looking down at the foot of the cross and seeing his mother, Mary. He said to her, woman, behold your son. And then gesturing to John, he said, John, or excuse me, son, behold your mother.
Then presumably he bore the sins of the world, giving the fourth statement of the cross. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Number five, I thirst.
First, number six, it is finished. And the seventh and last statement of the cross, to the Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.
The Sixth Statement: It Is Finished
Now the fifth word from the cross. The first of a personal nature. John 19, verse 28. After this, Jesus, knowing all things were now accomplished that the scripture might be fulfilled, said, I thirst.
Now a vessel of sour wine was sitting there and they filled a sponge with sour wine and put it on a hyssop and put it up to his mouth.
So the worst of his battle is now behind him. He's focused on the needs of others. First person he thinks of is this criminal and he pardons him. He says, today you'll be with me in paradise. Then he thinks about his own mother who now is losing her firstborn son and he's entrusting the care of Mary to John the apostle. Woman, behold your son. Son, behold your mother.
Then he bears the sins. lost here. And scientists say that thirst is the most agonizing of all pain. Every cell in the body cries out for relief and it only gets worse with time but it shows his humanity.
Now he asks for water but who does he ask for water from? Well, really, his enemies. It would have been nice if his disciples were there helping him. It would have been nice if his disciples helped carry his cross but they largely abandoned him.
In fact, some guy was plucked out of the crowd. His name was Simon from Cyrene and he was given the awesome privilege of carrying the cross of Jesus for a time but no one was around that Jesus knew really to help him so he just said, I thirst and some random person gives him water.
We don't know anything about this guy but wow, what an opportunity he had. Remember, Jesus said when I was hungry you fed me when I was thirsty you gave me drink and they said when were you hungry and when were you thirsty and he said when you did it to the least of my brothers and sisters you were doing it for me.
But this guy literally was able to reach out and help Jesus even for a moment.
Now for the sixth statement from the cross he says it is finished. Now by the way this is a triumphal shout. At the age of 33 most people are saying it is beginning. But at age 33 Jesus is saying it is finished.
But notice he doesn't say I am finished. This was not the shout of a victim overwhelmed by his circumstances. This is a shout of a Victor overcoming his enemies.
And by the way this phrase it is finished comes from one Greek word. It's tetelestai. Tetelestai. And it can be translated it is accomplished it's done.
And it was a common word by the way in that day when you would finish building a table you would say tetelestai it's done. You would finish with a piece of art tetelestai you would finish cooking the meal tetelestai people use this word.
Jesus cries out. tetelestai it's done it's accomplished it's finished. He's saying in effect the war is over. A new covenant in relationship with God is now available.
And I bet that statement reverberated both of the hallways of heaven and the corridors of hell. Oh in the hallways of heaven it was a victory shout. It was a battle cry. But through the corridors of hell man it was bad news.
Because a planet backfired and instead of stopping the ministry of Jesus the devil helped to fulfill the ministry of Jesus and of course Christ was going to rise again in just days.
The Seventh Statement: Into Your Hands
I want you to notice also that he gives this final statement now from the cross number seven and says to the father into your hands I commit my spirit.
This clearly shows Jesus was in control. You know death by crucifixion was effectively death by suffocation. You weren't killed by having nails put through your hands and feet as awful as awful as it was. you really died because you couldn't breathe.
And the crucified person would have a little footstep at the base of the cross that they would put their weight upon and lift their body up and get a gulp of air into their lungs. It was very difficult to breathe much less to speak.
And that is why when they wanted the prisoners dead they would go with a big sledgehammer and break their legs because then they could no longer support their weight.
And so as they are breaking the legs of the prisoners to bring this to an end they come to Jesus and he is already gone. So they didn't break his legs did they? But then to make sure he was dead a soldier thrusts a spear into the side of Christ and out of it comes blood and water which would indicate that there has been a complete breakdown of the heart and so forth and so Jesus was dead but no one took his life he said okay I am done I am out of here it is done in your hands I commit my spirit and he leaves he was in control the whole time.
he could have got out of that can you imagine I mean you are hanging on the cross he could have said I don't want to do this I don't want I don't want to die. And most of all, I don't want to bear the judgment of the Father that these people ought to bear. But He did it.
The Joy Set Before Him
Why did He do it? The Bible says, for the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross, despising the shame, and now is set down on the right hand of God.
Something kept Him going. Something kept Him going. What was it? Well, it was you. It was me. It was us. It was all people who would believe in Him.
I remember when I was in high school, I ran track and field. And you'd have to practice. This was over at Corona at Omar High School. And you know, it's that same track that there was there when I was a kid. They haven't changed anything. Where do our tax dollars go in Newport Beach? Anyway, so I drove by that track the other day.
And I remember there's a young boy running around that track, practicing. And I hated to practice. But I remember if there was ever any pretty girls watching. I ran faster. You know, hey, better run fast. Impress her.
Well, Jesus wasn't doing this for a pretty girl. He's doing it for ugly sinners. Us. Living in rebellion against Him. But that's what motivated Him. He did it because there was no other way we would ever be brought into a relationship with the Father.
So, He goes through with it.
I want you to notice that three times on the cross, Jesus addressed the Father. Three times. His first words were, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. His fourth words were, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? And His last words were, Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.
Jesus addressed the Father at the beginning, the middle, and end of the crucifixion.
Serving God from Beginning to End
You know, one day we're going to breathe our last breath. We're going to have our last meal. Our last moment on earth. And then we will be in eternity. And I hope we'll be calling on our Father then.
Often in our youth we think of God. But then sometimes we stray and throw away years of our life. But what a joy it is to know the Lord in the beginning, in the middle, in the end of your life. You'll never regret that. You'll never regret it.
You know, I became a Christian when I was a pretty young guy, 17. But I wish I'd even had done it sooner. I wasted some years, made some bad decisions. But I'm glad I did it when I did. I've never looked back and said, Oh man, I wish I did it when I was like 30. So I could, you know, have some more fun. I've never looked back and thought of my life that way. I'm just thankful I did it when I did it. Wished I had done it sooner.
Oh, but I know people who say, Man, I threw away a decade. I threw away 20 years. I threw away so much time. How great it is to serve the Lord when you're young. And then serve the Lord in middle age. And serve the Lord in your later years. Serve the Lord from the beginning, the middle, and the end.
And then we go into God's presence.
Preparing for Communion
Well, here we are now with Jesus accomplishing the purpose he came for. And he did this for you.
No, he's asked us to do something for him. He's instituted something we call the Lord's Supper or communion. Symbolized by a cup with wine or the grape juice. We use grape juice here. And bread. It symbolizes his shed blood and his broken body.
And he gathered his disciples in the upper room. And he said, This do in remembrance of me.
So this is something we are to do.
And going back to that statement I brought up in Hebrews 12. Consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself.
As we receive these elements, I want you to think about Jesus. I want you, as much as possible, to try to take yourself back in time. And imagine yourself at that cross, looking at Christ, hanging there for you. And I want you to think about how much he loves you. And with appreciation and with love and with gratitude, you do this in remembrance of him.
Invitation Before Communion
But before we start with communion, I want to just close with an invitation. Because there are some folks here that have joined us who may not have this relationship with Jesus Christ yet.
He died on the cross for your sin. Because every one of us have sinned. And every one of us have broken God's commandments. And every one of us need help. But that's why Jesus died.
Therefore us, Jesus said, For God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten son. And whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
He did it because he loved the world. But you could take out the word world and put your name in its place. For God so loved you. For God so loved Josh. For God so loved Mary. For God so loved John. For God so loved Tiffany. For God so loved Mortimer. There's someone named Mortimer. Even you, Mortimer.
He did it for you. He did it for all of us.
But what I need to do is tell God I'm sorry for my sin and ask Jesus to come into my life to be my Savior and Lord.
I already told you. He died. He Rose. That's what we'll celebrate on Sunday. We can certainly celebrate it now. We don't have to wait until Sunday. And He's alive in here. He's alive. He's with us right now. And He's ready to come into your life. And He'll forgive you of all of your sin.
Maybe you're suffering right now. Maybe you're in pain right now. Maybe you're saying, man, no one knows what I'm going through. God knows. He knows all about it. And you know what? God cares. He's the God who suffers. And He'll enter into your suffering and help you through it. So you don't have to be alone.
Yeah, Jesus had to have even the Father turn away from Him for a time to satisfy God's righteous demands. But listen to this. Because of that, I will never be forsaken of God. Ever. Ever. Ever.
Jesus said, I will never, ever, ever leave you or forsake you. Because He was forsaken, I never will be if I put my faith in Him.
So if you've not asked Jesus to forgive you of your sin, if you're not sure right now that you'll go to heaven when you die, if you want to begin this new relationship with Him, respond to this invitation as we close in prayer.
Let's all pray together. Father, thank you for loving us so much that you sent Jesus. Lord Jesus, thank you for coming and dying and suffering and pain for our sin and then rising again from the dead. Now we pray for those who have joined us who may not yet know you. Lord, help them to see their need for you. Help them to come to you, we would ask now.
Invitation Response and Prayer
Now when our heads are bowed and our eyes are closed and we're praying together, how many of you would say tonight, Greg, I need Jesus in my life. I want my sin forgiven. I want to know that when I die, I will go to heaven. I'm ready to ask Jesus to come into my life right now. Pray for me.
If that's your desire, if you want Christ to come into your life, if you want Him to forgive you of your sin, if you want that void in your life filled, if you want to go to heaven when you die, would you raise your hand up right now wherever you are. And I'd like to pray for you. God bless you. Anybody else? Raise your hand up where I can see it, please. God bless you. There in the back. God bless you. God bless you. Anybody else? You want to get right with God. You want Jesus in your life. You want to go to heaven when you die. You want your sin removed. Raise your hand up. Let me pray for you. God bless you. Anybody else? Raise your hand up now if you haven't lifted it yet. I'll pray for you. God bless you. Back there in the corner. I'll wait one more moment. There might be a few more of you. Raise your hand up. Let me pray for you. God bless you there in the back. God bless you too.
Now I'm going to ask that every one of you, if you would please, that have raised your hand, I want you to stand to your feet and I'm going to lead you in a prayer of commitment to Jesus. Just stand to your feet. Every one of you that have raised your hand, saying you want Jesus in your life, stand up and we're going to pray together. Just stand up. That's right. Stand up, you guys. God bless you. Anybody else? God bless you. Even if you did not raise your hand, but you want Christ in your life, you want Him to forgive you of your sin, stand up now. And we're going to pray together. Maybe you're a prodigal son or daughter. You've fallen away from the Lord. You need to make a recommitment to Him tonight. Why don't you stand to? And we'll pray together. Just stand up now. God bless you. Anybody else? Stand now. We'll pray together. Anybody else? God bless you. If you're watching the video screen, stand to your feet right now. I'm going to lead you in the same prayer. If you're watching outside in the amphitheater, stand up. And we're going to pray this prayer. One final moment. Anybody else that wants to make this commitment or recommitment to Jesus Christ, stand to your feet. And we're going to pray. Anybody else? Stand now. God bless you. God bless you. Anybody else? Stand now. All right.
Prayer of Commitment
All of you that are standing, I want to lead you in this prayer. And I want you to pray this prayer out loud after me Right where you are. Again, as I pray, pray this out loud after me. Pray this after me if you would. Out loud. Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner. But I know that you're the Savior who died on the cross and shed his blood for my sin. I'm sorry for my sin. I turn from it now. I choose to follow you, Jesus, from this moment forward. Thank you for calling me and accepting me and forgiving me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.