Pulpit Message Introduction for Mar. 16

Pulpit Message Introduction for Palm Sunday
I Corinthians 1:22-25, it is written, “Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” Jews want miracles. They want to see exciting things to happen before their eyes. Greeks want wisdom, they love knowledge. But Paul told us we preach only one fact one message i.e. Christ crucified.
Many people preach about Christ and say they are following Christ. But some want Christ of their own taste only. They do not preach the Christ crucified or the Christ in the Bible. I pray God to help us understand what Christ we preach. In I Corinthians 15:3-4 Paul said, “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scripture, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” To Paul nothing is more important than Jesus crucified. On this Palm Sunday let us recall that important event that Paul talked about.
Luke 23:33-46: When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the chosen one.” The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews save yourself.” There was a written notice above him, which read: This is the king of the Jews. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shinning. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. God help us treat this event the most important message in our life.

講壇信息介紹
哥林多前書一章22-25節說：“猶太人是要神蹟，希臘人是求智慧；我們卻是傳釘十字架的基督。在猶太人為絆腳石，在外邦人為愚拙；但在那蒙召的，無論是猶太人，希臘人，基督總為神的能力，神的智慧。因神的愚拙總比人智慧，神的軟弱總比人強壯。”這裏說，猶太人要的是神蹟，他們要看得見，讓人興奮的事物。希臘人追求智慧，研究學問，但使徒保羅說：我們卻傳一件事，不是傳一個道理，而是傳‘那一位釘十字架的基督。’
很多人傳基督，講基督，追求基督，然而很遺憾地，有些人所要的基督，不是釘十字架的基督，也不是聖經裏的基督。我們何等需要主幫助我們知道，我們所追求的是甚麼。哥林多前書十五章3-4節說：“我當日所領受又傳給你們的，第一，就是基督照聖經所說，為我們的罪死了，而且埋葬了，又照聖經所說，第三天復活了。”第一原文是第一要緊的意思。保羅說他所領受，要傳給我們的，最要緊的是甚麼呢？就是照著聖經所記載，基督為我們的罪死了，埋葬了，而且第三天復活了。在保羅的心目中，沒有一件事比主耶穌被釘十字架更緊要。
路加福音二十三章33-46節記載當時的情況：到了一個地方，名叫髑髏地，就在那裏把耶穌釘在十字架上，又釘了兩個犯人：一個在左邊，一個在右邊。當下耶穌說：“父啊，赦免他們！因為他們所做的，他們不曉得。”兵丁就拈鬮分他的衣服。百姓站在那里觀看。官府也嗤笑他，說：“他救了別人；他若是基督，神所揀選的，可以救自己吧！”兵丁也戲弄他，上前拿醋送給他喝，說：“你若是猶太人的王，可以救自己吧！”在耶穌以上有一個牌子寫著：“這是猶太人的王。”那同釘的兩個犯人，有一個譏誚他，說：“你不是基督嗎？可以救自己和我們把！”那一個就應聲責備他，說：“你既是一樣受刑的，還不怕神嗎？我們是應該的，因我們所受的與我們所做的相稱，但這個人沒有做過一件不好的事。”就說：“耶穌啊，你得國降臨的時候，求你紀念我！”耶穌對他說：“我實在告訴你：今日你要同我在樂園裏了。”那時約有午正，遍地都黑暗了，直到申初，日頭變黑了。殿裏的幔子從當中裂為兩半。耶穌大聲喊著說：“父啊！我將我的靈魂交在你手裏。”說了這話，氣就斷了。但願這個事實成為我們一生中最要緊的信息。