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21AUGUST2014BODYOFCHRISTNEWSIfyouhaveseenthemovieThePassionoftheChristyouhavehadaglimpseofthehorribletri-alsanddeathJesuswentthroughtopaythepriceformysinandyoursin.HewasbeatentothepointthatHehardlylookedlikeamananymore.PilatetheRomangovernorinJerusalemhadHimscourgedwhichmeantawhipwithpiecesofmetalandstoneonittoreawaythefleshonHisbackthirty-ninetimes.TheyplacedacrownofthornsonHisheadandthesethornswererazorsharpandaboutthreeincheslong.BeforetheyevengaveHimHisCrosstocarrybloodhadpouredfromHisheadHisfaceandHisbackanddeepbruisescoveredHisbody.AsJesusstruggledtocarrytheheavyCrosstoGolgothaHekeptstumblingandfalling.HehadlostanincredibleamountofbloodalreadyandfinallytheguardsmadeanothermancarrytheCross.JesuspushedHimselfupCalvaryshillandcollapsed.TheguardslaidHimontheCrossandmorepainshotthroughHisbodyasHistornbackhitthehardwood.ThentheybroughtoutthelongspikesandnailedHimtotheCross.BloodflowedfromHishandsandfeet.TheguardsliftedtheCrossandplaceditinadeephole.AstheCrosssettledintotheholeJesuscouldfeeltheweightofHisbodypullingatthewoundsinHishandsandfeet.Historianssaythattheworstpartofcrucifixionisthatitslowlysuffocatesyou.TobreatheJesuswouldhavetoputweightonHisfeetandliftHimselfupwhichwasextremelypainfulforHisnailedfeetandhands.Breathingwasnowextremelypain-ful.ThephysicalpainwasnottheonlypainJesusenduredontheCross.TheBiblesaysinIsaiah534-5thatHesufferedeverymentalandemotionalagonyandsicknessahumanbeingcansuffer.Heliterallyexpe-riencedeverysinandtheconsequencesofallsins.Buttherewasoneconsequencethatwasworsethanevery-thingelse.ForthefirsttimeineternitytheSonwassep-aratedfromtheFather.JesuscriedMyGodMyGodwhyhaveYouforsakenMeMark1534.HehadliterallybecomeoursinallthesinsanyhumanbeingwouldevercommitandoursinhadseparatedtheFatherfromHisBelovedSon.GodhadtoturnHisbackonHimandthiswastheworstpartofitforJesus.HehadneverbeenapartfromHisFatherHisFatherwhoislovelightwarmthandeternallife.OntheCrossJesusexperiencedfeardarknesscoldanddeath.ThisistherealityoflifeapartfromGodtheFather.WhydidJesusdothisHebrews122ital-icsminegivesustheanswer.LookinguntoJesustheauthorandfinisherofourfaithwhoforthejoythatwassetbeforeHimenduredthecross.JesusenduredthepainandsufferingoftheCrossforthatjoyandthatjoyamazinglyenoughwasyouandmeTheFatherlovedusbeforeweeverkneworlovedHim.JesuslovedusanddiedforusbeforeweeverkneworlovedHim.JesusbecameahumanbeingjustlikeyouandmetopaythedebtforoursinsonceandforallsoGodcouldforgiveus.BecauseJesuswaswithoutsinHewaslegallyquali-fiedtopurchaseourforgivenessfromGodwithHisbloodandthatistheultimateexpressionofloveTheGospelisallaboutforgiveness.ThereasonJesuslivedasinlesslifeinfrontofothersinfulhumanbeingsdiedthecruel-estdeathontheCrossandwasresurrectedfromthedeadwastopayourdebtforsinsothatGodcouldforgiveus.TheonlywayGodcouldadoptusasHischildrenandlivewithusforeverwasforustobeforgivenofoursinspastpresentandfuture.JesuspurchasedforgivenessfromGodforuswithHisownsinlessblood.ForgivenessfromsinthroughthebloodofJesusismorethanGodsittingupinheavensayingIforgiveyoueverytimewemessup.Whenwereceiveforgive-nessofoursinsthroughthebloodofJesusChristwearecleansedofallunrighteous-nessandmadeholyuntoGod.TheBiblesaysthatJesusobediencetoenduretheCrossandpaytheeter-naldebtforoursinwassothatwecouldbemaderighteousRomans519.Forgivenmeanswearefor-everrightwithGodandspir-ituallychanged.WearenewcreaturesinChristJesus1Corinthians517.AndthatisreallyGoodNewsYoumightbethinkingLookPastorDIvebeeninchurchmywholelife.Iknowthisstuff.WhyareyougoingoverthisagainImgoingoverthisagainbecausethisiswhattheGospelisallaboutandtoomanyChristianshaveforgottenit.TheythinktheGospelisallaboutnameitandclaimitgettinghealedandhavingalltheirdreamscometrue.YesGoddesiresforustobeblessedbutblessingsareonlyaby-productoftheGospel.TheGospelmeetsthemostimportantneedinapersonslifetheneedtobeforgivenbyGodandtoberestoredasHischild.Maybeyouaretrulysavedbutyouhavestruggledwithforgivingthosewhohurtyouandoffendedyou.Itneverfeelsright.ThatsokayThefactthatyouchoosetoforgiveiswhatGodislookingfor.WhenyouchoosetoforgiveyougiveHimsomethingtoworkwith.Forgivenessisnotafeeling.Itisachoice.JustkeepchoosingtoforgivebecauseForgivenessMattersFormorefromPastorDlogontoHeritageChristianCenter.comHeritageChristianCenter14401EastExpositionAvenueAuroraColoradoByPastorDennisLeonardTheGospelmeetsthemostimportantneedinapersonslifetheneedtobeforgivenbyGodandtoberestoredasHischild.TheUltimateExpressionofLoveSCRIPTUREDennisLeonardtrunk.YouwannaputyoursuitcasehereNothanksIansweredstraightback.Theimageofbeingforcedempty-handedoutofthecarwasclearinmymind.Idratherkeepitwithme.ThatscooltheT-shirtsaid.SothereIwasentrustingmylifetowhatIhopedtobepositivemaleenergy.IwasthinkingweshouldgowesttoLincolnAvenue.Weheadedeast.NowwhatButthenweturnedsouthandsoonwewereonafreeway.IknewitcouldhavebeenstupidbutItookoutmywalletremovedatwentyandsaidtothedriverHereIwanttopayyounow.Thedrivertookitwithasimplethanks.SohereIamguysIsaid.Isurehopeyouregoingtotakecareofme.T-shirtsittinginthebackseatwithmemysuitcasebetweenussmiledknowinglyandsaidItsokayman.Weregoodguys.InoddedandshruggedIsurehopesobecauseifyourenotIminbigtroublearentITheyalllaughedandthenT-shirtspokeup.SowhereyoufromBaltimoreIanswered.Ohmanitsnicebackeast.Thatswhattheysay.Greenandeverything.IsmiledandnoddedYeah.AndbackeastL.A.isourideaofheaven.Naahitsroughhereman.Itshard.T-shirtwasclearlygoingtobethespokesman.HowoldareyouguysIasked.Theyweresixteenandseventeen.Theywereallinschoolandhadpart-timejobs.Tshirtandthedriverworkedinarestaurant.Thequietyoungmanridingshotgundidntsay.Tellmeaboutthegangs.AretheregangsatyourschoolTheresgangseverywhereman.Everywhere.Itscrazyaqua.AreyouguysinagangIasked.Nowayman.WhynotIwondered.Becausetheresnohopeinit.Youjustgetabulletinyourhead.YeahbutwhathopeisthereforyououtsidethegangIdontknow.Ijustwanttogetafuture.Dosomething.WhatsthedifferencebetweenyouguysandtheguysinthegangsIdontknowman.Wejustdontwanttodoit.YeahbutwhynotWhatsthedif-ferenceIgentlypressed.Idontknowman.Idontknow.WerejustluckyIguess.Iletthequestionsitforamomentthenstartedup.WhataboutfathersDoyouhaveafatherathomeIaskedtheyouthinthebackseatwithme.Yeah.Ido.HowaboutyouIaskedthedriver.YeahIgotadad.LivingwithyouYeah.AndtheshotgunridervolunteeredIgotadadtoo.HowabouttheguysinthegangsDotheyhavefatherslivingwiththemNowayman.Noneofthemdo.Somaybefathersmakeadiffer-enceIsuggested.Absolutelyman.Absolutely.WhyIprobed.WhatdifferencedoesafathermakeHesalwaysbehindyoumanpush-ingyou.Keepingyouinline.Yeah.Tellingyouwhatswhatdriv-erandshotgunagreed.AndIwastakensafelyrightwhereIneededtogo.ThedriverevenaskedwhatterminalIwanted.Ontime.Withoutahitch.ThemostamazingmenImetonmytripwerethethreeyoungestonesPabloJuanandRichard--amazingbecauseinspiteofeverythingtheyweretryingtobegood.AndthementowhomIammostgratefularethemenInevermet.ThementowhomIammostgratefularetheirfathers.Itwastheirfatherswhogotmetotheairport.Itwastheirfatherswhokeptmesafe.FATHERS...frompg20