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The Defiance of Christ
Title: "The Defiance of Christ" Subject: The victory of Christ over the world Intro: The subject this morning is "The Defiance of Christ." The idea of defiance sounds foreign to the ears of a Christian, since we are taught that meekness, humility and unconditional love best represent our lives as Christians. But the Bible reveals that there is room for righteous defiance, just as there is room for righteous anger. First, let me say that defiance comes after victory (repeat)! If you are defiant before the victory, you are disobedient. We are going to see where the Lord Jesus Christ first gained the victory, then exhibited righteous defiance. Now, we need to know what the word "defy" (defiance) means. This word is not used in the New Testament, and is used only 11 times in the Old Testament. So our definition comes from the Old Testament and means "to set at naught (nothing) the strength of an enemy." You might say it means to "disregard" or "pay no attention to" the circumstances surrounding you. In other words, because you are settled in your mind that God is right, you disregard what others do to you. You "defy" them by not giving in to them. Words that mean the same thing include: "challenge, resist, disregard, withstand, stand up under." Now let's look at an Old Testament example of defiance to help us understand a this concept little better. 1 Sam. 17 We find Saul and the men of Israel, and Goliath and the Philistines facing each other across a valley for battle. Goliath stands 9' 9" tall, and is fully armed (160 lbs) for battle! He defies Israel. 17:9-10 Jesse sends his son David to the battle front with some food. 17:17 17:26, 29, 32, 37 Here is David's victory! 1) (v26) Knowledge of the Living God 2) (v29) Knowledge of the cause or reason to stand 3) (v32) Willingness to go (he could have been killed!) 4) (v37) Unshakable trust in God . No matter what happened to David at the had of Goliath, he already had the victory!! (We think the victory is getting out of situations, but the victory comes from our willingness to go through situations!) 17:45-47 Here is David's unshakable confidence! 1) (v45) I come in the Name of the Lord 2) (v46a) This day the Lord will deliver thee into mine hand 3) (v46e) The earth will know of the God in Israel 4) (v47) The battle is not with sword & spear, the battle is the Lords . Here is God's Deliverance 17:48-50 Here is David's defiance. 17:51 Goliath was dead, but David cut off his head! To defy means "to set at naught (nothing) the strength of an enemy." Now, let's look at the example of Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Jn. 19:17-30 (19:28-30) -- "The Defiance of Christ" -- prayer We will consider the victory of Christ, and the defiance of Christ. As we look at the Lord, who is our example in all things, we must ask ourselves, "do I have the victory?" And if I have the victory, "can I defy the circumstances of life?" I. THE VICTORY OF JESUS CHRIST (Mk. 14:32-42 Note: If we look superficially at the circumstances surrounding the death of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary, we might consider each new circumstance and/or trial a victory for the Lord. 1) Jesus was betrayed by a friend, yet did not accuse Judas. 2) Jesus was tried before the religious Jews, yet did not seek for religious relief. 3) Jesus was tried before the Romans, yet did not seek for political relief. 4) Jesus was tortured and crucified by the Roman soldiers, yet He asked God that they be forgiven. 5) Jesus was condemned and taunted by the Jewish citizens, yet He remained their King. 6) Jesus was crucified, dead, and buried, yet He came back triumphant over the grave. And I could say to you this morning, "If you will stay true like Jesus did, you too will get the victory!" But my friends, this was not THE victory of the Lord Jesus Christ. And though we might be physically persecuted, we will never walk the same vale of tears that our Lord did, but we can have the very same victory that our Lord did! Mk 14:32-36 What are the steps to victory as seen in Christ? A. Fellowship & Accountability (v32-34) 1. Fellowship. He went with His disciples 2. Accountability to God & man. He took Peter, James & John a. He was not afraid of what they might see or hear So fellowship and accountability are indispensable to gaining the victory, and you can do them! B. Prayer (talking to God) (v32) 1. Determination to pray (v32) 2. A place of prayer (v32) 3. A purpose in prayer (v35) So prayer is indispensable to gaining the victory, and you can pray! C. Acknowledgment of Condition (v33-34) 1. "Sore amazed" = terrified surprise, utter amazement 2. "Very heavy" = severe troubled (mental distress), distressed. The strongest Greek word for depression. 3. "Exceeding sorrowful unto death" = overwhelming grief that can lead to death Note: Now I am talking about the Lord Jesus Christ, God come in the flesh, who came to do His Father's will--terrified, distressed, and sorrowful unto death! "For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Heb. 4:15 a. Jesus expressed this before the inner circle b. Jesus expressed this to His Heavenly Father Note: Have you told God EVERYTHING??? Have you reached down into the septic tank of your life and pulled out your deepest distresses, your mental anxieties, and your fears and sorrows--you know, the ones you are ashamed to admit--and said, "These are mine too, Lord, and I need grace to help in this time of my need." So acknowledging your condition to God is indispensable to gaining the victory, and you can! Note: Are you here this morning and you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, for whatever reason? Why don't you just go to God in prayer and tell Him that you don't get it! Tell Him you don't want it (though you need it)! Tell Him you don't believe, but you want to! D. Request (v35-36ab) "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." Philip. 4:6 1. Based on human possibility (it was not divinely possible) a. "If" = since [humanly] possible b. God CAN change your circumstances! 2. Request: That the hour ("this definite time") might pass from Him 3. Based on an intimate relationship with God a. Abba (Daddy), Father (He who wants the best for you) 4. Based on the limitless possibilities of God a. God CAN do anything He desires to do! Change you!! 5. Request: Take this cup ("lot/portion") away. Note: The hour that had been determined before the foundation of the world was here! The cup that had been filled to the overflowing since Adam sinned against God in the garden was before Him! Jesus, as a man, looked directly at it and said, "Let it pass; take away this cup!" He was not afraid to request the impossible! He was not afraid to reveal His deepest distresses! In every person's life there is an hour and there is a cup! Look it in the face, feel the fear, and take it to God! So making your request known to God is indispensable to gaining the victory, and you can! E. The Victory (v36c) ("Victory" = to utterly vanquish) 1. Not what I "will" = not what I desire, have in mind, take pleasure in 2. But what Thou "wilt" = the will of God which "must" be done, including the doing of it Note: What was the will of God regarding the Lord Jesus Christ? That He fulfill the hour of His death. That He drink the cup of His suffering. Is that God's will for you, that you fulfill the hour of your greatest trial, and that you drink the cup of suffering and sorrow? I don't know. It is possible for God to change your circumstances! And it is possible for God to change you! But I don't know if He will! But I do know that you can get the victory, no matter the circumstances, if you will fully and totally submit to the will of God for your life! THAT IS THE VICTORY, total submission to the will of God! It does not matter what men or circumstances might do, YOU HAVE THE VICTORY! You too can gain the victory! II. THE DEFIANCE OF JESUS CHRIST (Jn. 19:27-30) (19:30) A. The Preparation 1. "After this" = the care of His mother (v28) a. He settled family concerns (v27) 2. That all things were now accomplished (v28) a. Everything that Christ came to do was now done or as good as done! 3. That the last scripture was fulfilled (v28) 4. That His spiritual thirst was at a peak and about to be satisfied. (v28) B. The Defiance (v30) "IT IS FINISHED!" A. "It" = The totality of all God determined in Jesus Christ; from His leaving glory, to his containment in human flesh; from His birth to His death; from His work as a carpenter to His work as a Saviour; from His sinless to His becoming sin for us; from His words to His works; from His acceptance by the people to His rejection by the people; from His statement 'That I must be about My Father's business,' to His statement, 'I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh to the Father but by Me.'; everything that God sought to do for you and me through the Lord Jesus Christ was accomplished! B. "Is" = present tense, continuous action. It was so when Jesus spoke these words, and it is so now, 2,000 years later! The accomplishments of Jesus Christ have a continuing action on the lives of every individual, and especially on those that believe. They could believe then, you can believe now! C. "Finished" = to bring to a close; to complete; to carry out the commands of another; to perform the last act of completion; and to pay in full "IT IS FINISHED!" 1. Never to be repeated: "IT IS FINISHED!" 2. Never to be added to or subtracted from: "IT IS FINISHED!" "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Heb. 10:10 "IT IS FINISHED!" This was the cry of a conqueror, the defiant cry of One who finished the course that God had set out for Him. Jesus defied the desires of the flesh (without sin), the lust of the world, and the intrigues of Satan. Note: Just as David had defied his fears, his family, his king, Goliath and the armies of the Philistines 900 years before Christ by cutting of the giant's head with the giant's own sword, so Jesus Christ defied the works of darkness, the depravity of man, the world, and his human flesh to cry out to every man, "IT IS FINISHED!" Concl: First the victory, then the defiance! (Repeat) Do you yet have the victory? Have you taken the steps necessary, as taken by Jesus, to gain the victory over your darkest foe? Fellowship & Accountability Prayer Acknowledge Condition Make Request The Victory Is the foe fully vanquished? Could you stand with David having cut off the head of your greatest enemy and defy the enemies within and without that still seek your life? No I don't know your greatest enemy, but you do! Will you determine today to have no rest until you have the victory? And when you gain the victory, then you can defy the enemy! You that are here without Christ--you are defeated, condemned, controlled, and the conclusion of your life reads like a cheap novel! But you can get the victory over sin and death by coming to Jesus Christ this very day! |