In 2010 from Teague, Tx, a 54yo grandmother, Shirley Dygert decided she needed some more excitement in her life. So, she signed up for her first lesson to leap out of a plane from roughly thirteen-thousand feet. When the big day arrived, Shirley suited up for her jump and strapped herself to her instructor, Dave Hartsock. After jumping from the plane, instructor and student pulled the rip cord, but it did not work properly, as the parachute became tangled and only opened partially. They then pulled the cord for the reserve parachute but unfortunately, the primary parachute had wrapped itself around the emergency shoot and neither could fully open. As the instructor tried to untangle the two parachutes, he realized they were running out of time. Spiraling toward the ground, the instructor gave Shirley a strange command: Lift up your feet. Although she didn't understand the request, she obeyed. Hartsock then rotated his body under hers in order to bear the impact of their landing—knowing this was the only option.
Shirley Dygert walked away from the impact relatively uninjured. Dave Hartsock survived the fall but became paralyzed from the neck down. In an interview, Hartsock told CBS News, "People keep telling me that it was a heroic thing to do. In my opinion it was just the right thing to do. I was the one completely responsible for her safety." What a tremendously touching quote.
Not necessarily as dramatic as this event, but each of us can probably testify to something or someone whom we are grateful for in either saving our lives or doing something really special for us. Speaking for myself, when someone does something special for me, I do not forget it as it truly touched my life. Then I want to share it with others because just as it made an difference in my life, I know it can help others too. I’m sure you know where I’m going with this. Can you guess whom I’m talking about? That’s right! Jesus! No doubt friends, the life of a believer in Jesus the living Christ is one that no one else can mimic, take away or even destroy, but is absolutely necessary to share. As a matter of fact, the very day that we willingly accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior is the last day that we would ever make a decision alone! No one else on earth can compare to Gods glory, majesty and saving grace, whereby no matter what we have ever done, we can be forgiven! Isn’t this something you would want to share with others?
Just not too long ago I had someone call and ask me a serious question that I never was asked before. “Could God had done it another way in order to spare Christ the suffering for all mankind?” Astonished and beside myself with such a loaded question, the first thing that came to my mind was how could I answer this question without first realizing just how important it was for Jesus to freely do what he did for each of us, especially since I, Donald, deserve death, hell and the grave! Think about it. The horrific scene, bloody trail to the cross, the tears of agony, the permanent scaring of the flesh, the suffocation while hanging from a cold stalked piece of wood, the dull tipped nails being driven into the sensitive parts of the body, the screaming and crying of pain that fell on deaf ears, the agony of having no relief insight, hanging there, near naked, hearing His own gasping breath while being surrounded by a host of people mocking Him, spitting at Him, giving Him the mockery title, Here is Jesus, King of the Jews. All of those who followed Jesus closely had seemingly forgotten who Christ was! Did not God say, “this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.” Forgetting their eyewitness accounts of Jesus healing the lame, the crippled, the deaf, the mute and the blind—all the time Jesus was giving God all the honor and glory He proclaimed it very clear, “He who sees the son, sees the father.”
My friends, why shouldn’t we hold high the cross of Jesus Christ for all to see? It is by the cross that we are saved. Amen. Why are we so embarrassed, ashamed and afraid to tell everyone “This Jesus that I know, helped me, guided me and saved me from eternal death to eternal life.” Who knew! God did, and those who follow Him. Next week on Maundy Thursday, we will be hearing the story, just as we do each year, about how the savior of the world came to die for our sins. But what seems to escape us friends is the genuine true reality that the modern-day man seems to neglect and even ignore their salvation as if its something not necessary or even not real to consider since God is being taken for granted rather than being taken seriously! Scripture tells us Do NOT neglect so great a thing as your salvation. Even during the days of Jesus, the Pharisees said this in John chapter 12 So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are not accomplishing anything; look, the world has gone after Him! [Jesus]” They knew it! They seen it first hand. They felt threatened to be exposed for what sin had done. Out of sight, out of mind. Sin condemned an innocent made to die on the cross by which it was in God’s ultimate plan in accordance with His Holy Promise. Galatians 1 verse 4 tells us “The Lord Jesus Christ is the One “who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.” He gave Himself for our sins; He paid the penalty and provided atonement.” The world has gone after Him. We see why! The savior of all mankind is now present, here at this very moment asking each of us, Donald, Susan, Jane and John Doe, come to me and I will save you. In our Gospel reading this morning people came to Philip and asked “sir, we wish to see Jesus!” Isn’t that what each of us want and desire? To see Jesus? To experience Jesus? To hear Jesus? This surely is the reason why people come to church today to not only say hello to their fellow friends and neighbors but to absolutely want and desire to get closer to God! SO let me close with these few elements that you can take away from this message on lifting up the cross.
Firstly, in Johns Gospel, cross, is not just where Jesus was humiliated and horribly tortured to death, it is also part of the astounding exaltation or extreme happiness of Christ. Jesus draws out the meaning in his word, “hour,” in his final hours of life, He will be exalted, which is exactly what happened, not to mention prophesied.
Secondly, the cross shows that we not only honor what God has done for us, but we are now charged to carry on the great commission in making disciples, not volunteers. Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself but must remain in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me…. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you.
Third, the cross is the full response to our salvation, all because of not what we have done, but what God has done in our behalf. We cannot save ourselves, but Jesus could. We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. Our righteousness is like filthy rags. Our sins have made a separation between us and God. Our sins have hidden us from Gods Holy face. And yet, while we each deserve eternity in Hell, God said NO! Here is my only Son who will shed His blood for you as an atonement for all sin.
There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. We have no reason to be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus the living Christ. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost which is exactly who we are, sinners, saved by grace. We have every reason in the world to lift the cross of Jesus Christ high on top of every mountain and hill. Why? Because we who believe, we who put our full faith and trust in the living God, we who have a relationship with God, are redeemed—and so can everyone else. And yet, the true question we each should ask “What must I do to be saved?” The answer Jesus gave to Nicodemus is first to be born again—to become a new creature in Christ. Scripture tells us “if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Friends, be joyous and be glad in the Risen Christ. Hold the cross High. Let everyone see this instrument of torture which has become your display of faith, know for sure and for certain that as He was on the cross, we were on His mind. Regardless of the circumstances we are in, God is working behind the scenes. And it is this same God whom we all should share to all others, telling people, “Hey, I know this man who can help you, and His name is Jesus.” Amen.