Thankful for Lessons Learned

His chief goal now was to teach His disciples as much as possible. As unpromising material as they doubtless seemed to be at this state, the future of the church and of God’s program for the next two millennia were in their hands. It was far more important that He teach them than that He heal a few dozen more sick people.

I love how he said, “As unpromising material as they doubtless seemed to be at this state...” He was speaking of the disciples. They were “unpromising” and yet the Lord had specifically chosen these individuals to be the ones who would implement His program called the “local church.”

As you look back through your life, aren’t you thankful for those teachers who have invested in your life even though you were, at times, “unpromising material?”

As I look back, I am so very thankful for my teachers who invested in me even though they were most definetly working with “unpromising material.”

Mrs. Stille, my kindergarten teacher

Mrs. Hannahs and Mrs. Jaspers, my 1st and 2nd grade teachers

Mrs. Jaspers (the daughter in law of the previous Mrs. Jaspers), my 3rd grade teacher

Mrs. Miller and Miss Christopherson, my 4th grade teachers. (Miss Christopherson became my sister in law!)

Miss Morris, my 5th and 6th grade teacher. (I don’t know how she did it. She had a class of at least 25 students each year!)

Those were just my elementary teachers. And, that doesn’t include the teacher’s aids. I also can’t forget my junior/senior teachers and coaches!

I’m thankful for lessons learned.

One of the most frustrating type of student that a teacher can “minister” to is the student who is stubborn and just refuses to learn. That’s the type of situation that we have in today’s passage of Scripture.

This message has three parts. However, this morning, we will only look at the first part...

The Lesson

Mark 9:31 KJV 1900

For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.

For He taught...

It was a very straightforward lesson: Christ was going to be delivered into the hands of men, He would be killed, and He would rise again the third day.

Christ was giving them the Gospel!

The Apostle Paul, in writing to the Christians in Corinth, wrote:

1 Corinthians 15:1–4 KJV 1900

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Christ died for our sins!

There are three truths, about the Gospel, which we must all learn and which we must all acknowledge.

Truth #1 - The Problem of Sin

Before we can fully comprehend this good news - the Gospel, we must understand the bad news. God, who is absolutely holy, cannot tolerate sin, God’s standard is perfection, Jesus said...

Matthew 5:48 KJV 1900

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

God is perfect, and He, therefore, demands perfection. Yet we all know that we are not perfect. The Ten Commandments alone reveal how grossly imperfect we are (e.g. taking God’s name in vain, dishonoring parents, adultery, stealing, lying, coveting). This is why the Bible says...

Romans 3:23 KJV 1900

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

We all fall short of God’s standard of perfection. Therefore, sin disqualifies us from getting to heaven by our own ability. Now, the good news is coming, but consider this first. Since God’s standard is absolute perfection, and yet no one is perfect, hew many will make it to heaven on their own merit? Obviously none. This is the problem of sin.

Truth #2 - The Penalty of Sin

Romans 6:23 KJV 1900

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

God, who is perfectly just, must judge sin. While many people bemoan the injustice that is in our world today, God is one Judge who always administers perfect justice.

Genesis 18:25 KJV 1900

That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

So, can God overlook our sin? Of course not! Even if He could “overlook” our sin, would that be fair?

No, justice demands that sin be judged. This is why the Bible says...

Psalm 9:17 KJV 1900

The wicked shall be turned into hell, And all the nations that forget God.

Truth #3 - The Payment for Sin

Romans 5:8 KJV 1900

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Jesus Christ, as God, paid the penalty we deserve to pay. The Bible says...

1 Peter 2:24 KJV 1900

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

The Bible also says, “When He had by Himself purged our sins” (Hebrews 1:3). It is not Jesus-plus-my-efforts.

Hebrews 1:3 KJV 1900

Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

Remember, what is God’s standard? Perfection. If salvation is based on what we can do, can we meet that standard? No.

Thankfully, Jesus paid it all! Also, Jesus’ perfect righteousness can be credited to your account so that God’s standard of perfection is met. The Bible says...

Romans 4:5 KJV 1900

But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

So Christ died for our sins, and when Jesus rose from the dead, He conquered sin, death, and hell. This is good news!

The Bible says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).

Acts 16:31 KJV 1900

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Notice it does not say believe about the Lord Jesus. It says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus.” This is the difference between acknowledging Jesus as your Savior and depending on Jesus as your Savior. This is also the difference between Hell and Heaven, Jesus said...

John 6:47 KJV 1900

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

It is not depending on Jesus plus what we can do - good works, baptism, going to church, etc. It is a simple choice to depend only on Jesus to save you from sin and Hell. Like a child simply trusting his father by jumping into his arms, jump into the open arms of Jesus, and trust Him to save you. He will give you His very own eternal life.

This morning, as we prepare to celebrate the Lord’s Supper, the question you must ask yourself is..

Have you ever transferred your complete dependence to Jesus alone and received...

His payment for all of your sins (past, present, and future)

His righteousness credited to your account, and received

Eternal life, which is forever and which, therefore, cannot be lost?

The question was asked in Acts 16:30:

Acts 16:30 KJV 1900

And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

The answer?

Acts 16:31 KJV 1900

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

He will save you if you depend on Him. So will you decide to depend on Him as your personal Savior right now and become a recipient of the good news - the Gospel message?

If so, sincerely pray:

“Lord, I admit my problem of sin. I admit I deserve the penalty of sin, which is Hell. But I also realize that You are my full payment for sin. The best I know how, I depend on You to save me from sin and Hell right now. Thank You for forgiving all my sins, crediting Your righteousness to my account, and giving me eternal life. Amen.”

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