Sunday Sermon
Your God died for you?
PASSION WHAT IT REALLY MEANS
Date: April 2, 2007
Speaker: Sis. Elena Palomares
Reference Text: Matthew 26:1, 2

TO MOST PEOPLE THE WORD PASSION COULD MEAN LOVE, THE PASSION OF AN ORATOR SUCH AS JFK OR MLK. FOR SOME MAYBE A CAUSE IS THEIR PASSION, I.E. SAVE THE WHALES,PHYSICAL FITNESS, ETC. BUT DURING THIS WEEK THIS WORD PASSION MEANS SUFFERING !!! THE GOD THAT SUFFERED, CRIED AND DIED.

THIS IS NOT FICTION, OR A FAIRY TALE. THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISSAC AND JACOB, THE GOD THAT CREATED THE ATLANTIC OCEAN, THE NEW JERSEY SHORE, THE PA. MOUNTAINS, THE COLORFUL SHOW OF LEAVES TURNING IN THE FALL, THE GOD THAT CREATED YOU AND I, IS THE SAME GOD THAT SUFFERED AND DIED DURING THIS WEEK THAT WE CALL PASSION WEEK.

HIS SUFFERING WAS SO REAL THAT SOMETIMES WE MAY BE TEMPTED TO TURN IT OFF LIKE SOME TV PROGRAM THAT PORTRAYS VIOLENCE, SUFFERING AND PAIN.(PASSION OF THE CHRIST MOVIE)

ITS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT SUCH A SERENE SCENE AS HIS TRIUMPHANT ENTRY COULD LEAD TO ONE OF THE BLOODIEST DAYS IN THE LIFE OF CHRIST!!

YET SOME OF THE SAME PEOPLE THAT OPENLY WELCOMED HIM INTO JERUSALEM WITH CRIES OF" HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST", WOULD IN A SHORT TIME LATER CRY OUT "CRUCIFY HIM".

THE BETRAYAL BY ONE OF HIS OWN, CAN YOU HEAR THE SOUNDS OF CLANGING SWORDS AND CLUBS, THE SMELL OF THE TORCHES THAT SOME HELD IN THEIR HANDS AS THIS MADDENED CROWD COMES AFTER THIS INNOCENT MAN WITH THE INTENTION OF NAILING HIM TO A CROSS.

CAN YOU HEAR PETER AS HE LOOKS AT THE ON-COMING CROWD AS HE YELLS OUT "THEIR COMING AFTER HIM.... AND LOOK LOOK, IT JUDAS, ITS JUDAS LEADING THEM!

THE SOFT, YET SCRATCHY KISS FROM THE LIPS OF THE BETRAYER MUST HAVE HURT AS MUCH AS THE NAILS THAT WOULD PIERCE HIS FLESH.JESUS SAYS , "FRIEND, DO YOU BETRAY ME WITH A KISS?" AS THEY LEAD HIM OFF, PETER FOLLOWS AT A SAFE DISTANCE. KNOWING THAT HIS GUTSY ATTEMPT TO SAVE HIM BY CUTTING OFF THE EARS OF MALCUS WENT FOR NOUGHT AS JESUS TOLD HIM TO PUT UP HIS SWORD.

THE FALSE TESTIMONY OF WITNESSES WHO LIED ABOUT THIS INNOCENT MAN!!

AFTER BEING REVIEWED BY SOME LOWER AUTHORITIES, (THE JEWISH ESTABLISMENT), HE WAS DELIVERED UP TO PONTIUS PILATE WHO AFTER QUESTIONING HIM AND HEARING THE CONSULTATION OF HIS WIFE, (PARAPHRASED DON'T MESS WITH THIS INNOCENT MAN", SAYS "I FIND NO FAULT IN HIM."

PILATE FACING THE CROWD, SAYS,"AS IS CUMTOM, I RELEASE ONE PRISONER EACH YEAR AT THIS TIME. BARABBAS SITTING IN HIS CELL DOESN'T HEAR PILATE SAY WHO DO YOU WANT ME TO SET FREE, JESUS OR BARABBAS? BUT HE HEARS THE CROWD SAYING WITH A LOUD VOICE,"BARABBAS"!! NEXT HE DOESN'T HEAR, PILATE SAY, "WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH JESUS?" HE HEARS THE CROWD SAYING "CRUCIFY HIM"!!! SO NOW THIS CRIMINAL THINKS HIS GOOSE IS COOKED AND TO HIS UTTER AMAZEMENT WHEN THE SOLDIERS COME TO HIS CELL THEY SAY THAT HE IS FREE. HE CAN'T BELIEVE THIS TURN OF HIS FATE. (LET ME TRIP OUT IN THE HOLY GHOST FOR A MINUTE)

HE STARTS RUNNING THROUGH THE STREETS AND RUNS INTO THE WOMAN WHO HAD THE ISSUE OF BLOOD, HE SAYS TO HER WHO IS THAT MAN THAT THEY WANT TO CRUCIFY? SHE RESPONDS, "I WAS SICK SOME 18 YEARS AND YET WHEN I TOUCHED THE HEM OF HIS GARMET, I WAS HEALED AND GIVEN A NEW LIFE."

HE NEXT MEETS THE CENTURION SOLDIER AND ASKED HIM THE SAME QUESTION, "WHO IS THIS MAN?" THE CENTURION REPLIES, "HE IS THE ONE WHO HEALED MY SERVANT BY SPEAKING JUST A FEW WORDS. HE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO COME TO MY HOUSE BUT ONLY OPERATED IN THE AUTHORITY HE WAS GIVEN BY GOD.

NEXT HE MEETS THE GADERENE DEMONIAC, WHO WAS POSSESED BY LEGIONS OF DEVILS AND ASKS THE SAME QUESTION.... HIS REPLY WAS, "I WAS IN BONDAGE FOR YEARS IN THE GRIP OF DEMONS,SLASHING AND HURTING MYSELF, AND THEN ONE DAY JESUS CAME ON TO THE SCENE AND WITH JUST THE WORDS ,"COME OUT OF HIM", I WAS IMMEDIATELY SET FREE.

AND AFTER TRAVELING AGAIN SOME DISTANCE AND MEETING OTHERS THAT HAD LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCES WHEN THEY ENCOUNTERED JESUS.... SECULAR HISTORIANS SAID THAT EVEN HE, BARABBAS, BECAME A BELIEVER.

THE WHIPPING POST WITH THE CAT O NINE TAILS WIELDED BY ANGRY SOLDIERS, RIPPED HIS FLESH FROM HIS BEATEN BODY. THE PURPLE ROBE, THE MOCKING, THE SPITTLE RUNNING DOWN HIS BRUISED FACE. AND OH! THE TERRIBLE PAIN WHEN THE CROWN OF THORNS WAS DRIVEN INTO HIS SCALP, NOT JUST PLACED BUT DRIVEN!!!!

OUR THOUGHTS RUN BACK TO THE TIME HE WAS BEING QUESTIONED BY THE HIGH PRIEST AND THE OTHERS, HOW PETER STOOD AT A DISTANCE WATCHING AND WHEN HE WAS ACCUSED OF BEING A FOLLOWER OF THE NAZARENE, HE DENIED HIM THREE TIME, THE THIRD TIME SWEARING AND CURSING AND TAKING AN OATH.... THAN AT THE SOUND OF THE ROOSTER CROWING "COCKER DOODLE DOO" !!! HE REMEMMERS HIS COMMENT TO THE MASTER, "I WILL EVEN GO TO THE DEATH WITH YOU." HE WEPT SO BITTERLY THAT THERE WERE NO TEARS LEFT!!

THE THUD OF JUDAS DEAD BODY HANGING AT THE END OF A ROPE!!
THIS DESPERATE ACTION COMING AFTER HE REALIZED HE HAD BETRAYED AN INNOCENT MAN!!
YES, IMAGINE HIS ENTAILS SPLASHING EVERYWHERE AS HIS BODY ROTTED.(FOR 30 PIECES OF SILVER)

SURELY ,THIS WAS A WEEK OF GREAT SUFFERING AND TRAGIC MISTAKES!!

THE HEAVY CROSS ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE CHRIST AS HE TRUDGED ALONG THE VIA DELAROSA, AS ONLOOKERS SCORNED AND OTHERS PITIED HIM!! AND REACHING CALVARY HE LAID HIMSELF DOWN ON THE CROSS, YES, HE "GAVE" HIS LIFE!!

OUR "RELIGION", IF I MAY USE THAT WORD, IS THE ONLY ONE WHOSE GOD GETS HURT, STABBED,HAS NAILS DRIVEN INTO HIS BODY, WHO CRIES WITH PAIN FROM THE CROSS, WHO GETS WHIPPED, WHOSE BODY IS FULL OF WOUNDS AND IN IT HE CRIES, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME." AS THE FATHER LOOKS AWAY FOR THAT ONE MOMENT HE BEARS THE WEIGHT OF PUNISHMENT FOR EVERY SIN EVER COMMITED ON THIS EARTH

YES, EVEN ON THIS INSTRUMENT OF DEATH, HIS CROSS IS BECOMING A THRONE!!!

AND IN THE MIDST OF ALL THE SUFFERING AND PAIN, HEARS THE CRY OF ONE WHO SEE HIM FOR WHO HE REALLY IS AND SAYS, "LORD, RE-MEMBER ME WHEN YOU GET TO YOUR PARADISE!!"

THIS INNOCENT MAN FINDS TIME FOR COMPASSION AND SAYS, " I TELL YOU THIS DAY YOU SHALL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE".

NO ONE TOOK HIS LIFE!!!! HE G A V E IT. FOR YOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUU !!!!!

WHEN MOST PEOPLE THINK ABOUT GOD THEY PICTURE HIM IN HIS HEAVEN, SAFE AND SOUND. NO WICKEDNESS, NO HATE, NO INSTRUMENTS OF DEATH, NOT EVEN ANY SORROW. JUST PURE HAPPINESS AND LOVE AND JOY!!!!

BUT MY FRIENDS REMEMBER PASSION WEEK!! THE WEEK THAT WAS FULL OF PAIN AND SORROW FOR YOUR GOD AND MY GOD!!! HE TOOK IT ALL FOR YOU!!! AND FOR ME.

DURING THIS WEEK,LET ME HAVE SOME POETIC LIBERTY IF YOU WILL, THE THIEF ON THE CROSS SAID TO JESUS REMEMBER ME IN YOUR PARADISE. I WANT TO TAKE THE WORD REMEMBER AND BELIEVE THAT WHAT HE REALLY WAS SAYING WAS RE-MEMBER ME IN PARADISE.
LORD PUT MY MEMBERS BACK TOGETHER AGAIN IN THE PROPER ORDER. MY BODY, MY MIND , AND MY SPIRIT. THE OLD MAN MESSED UP AND I BECAME OUT OF PROPORTION. RE-MEMBER ME LORD. PUT MY LIFE TOGETHER. HOW MANY WOULD SAY THIS DAY AS WE ENTER WHAT MANY CALL PASSION WEEK, "LORD RE-MEMBER ME" PUT MY LIFE BACK TOGETHER!!!

STAY TUNED, THIS STORY ABOUT THE DEATH OF JESUS ISN'T OVER. WE ARE ABOUT TO HEAR ABOUT "THE ESCAPE". YOU NEED TO COME BACK NEXT WEEK FOR THE CONCLUSION.

ALTAR CALL AND INVITATION TO COME TO JESUS THE ROCK FELLOWSHIP AT 2 DENMAN AVE, CLARK, NJ.