Actions speak louder than words

Christpoint Church

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Jesus spent the last of his life on earth pouring out for all mankind. He spent the last portion setting up a movement of salvation. He trusted the souls of every convert since then to the unlikeliest of humanity. Eleven disciples - some women and a hundred or so followers - received enough from Jesus in those 42 months to impact the world for 2,000 years. Kingdoms have fought and died, empires collapsed, universities launched, colonies established, and lives forever changed because of one man. Millions will populate heaven because of the word of Christ. So what word or words would be so powerful to make people willingly give their lives to tell others?

The last words Jesus spoke on this earth in his humanity were simple, profound, empowering, and contagious. He hung on a cross, like a criminal between two criminals, and his last words were, “It is finished.” You mean after all of that, after three-and-a-half years, after pouring himself out to a chosen few, that’s the best he could come up with? Well remember, we called these last words empowering and life-changing. Finished was the animal sacrifice for the atonement for sin. Finished was the separation of man from God. Finished was the power of death, hell, and the grave. Finished was the over 250,000 lambs killed for sacrifice during the annual Passover. Finished was the price that would need to be paid for your sin and mine. The last word Jesus spoke has the power to open your doors to salvation and freedom.

That was the last word spoken before his death.

In the book of Acts chapter one, he challenges them and us today to “be his witnesses.” The root word for “witness” is “martus,” which is where we get the word martyr. People would have to die in order for his gospel to go forth. It is no different for us today, something must die in order for his salvation to be applied to our lives.

We don’t know what his last words were when he visited hell during the dark days between his death and his resurrection, but we know his actions, and actions speak louder than words. Ephesians chapter four informs us that he made a visit to hell, and led captives free when he left. So if we will allow his last words to be grounded into our hearts, then we will assassinate the pride in us that separates us from him and truly be able to say it is finished.

There’s a place in Jesus that is freedom. Let’s discover that place together at Christpoint Church this Sunday, at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. We’re on Liberty Square, in Sparta. We’re real people, living real lives, serving a real God.  

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