WELCOME

1. WELCOME VISITORS – You are our Honored Guests Members - You are Greatly Appreciated. Gospel Meeting July 31st – August 3rd Greg Dismuke - Speaker

2. Gospel Meeting Theme: "The Salvation of the Lord" • Bible Class - - The Results of Salvation • A.M. Worship - - The Place of Salvation • P.M. Worship - - The Free Course of Salvation • Monday - - The Doctrine of Salvation • Tuesday - - The Alternative to Salvation • Wednesday - - The Person of Salvation

3. The Nails Did Not Hold Him On The Cross! JOHN 20:24 – 28

4. The Nails Did Not Hold Him On The Cross! • JOHN 20:24 – 28 • There is no doubt that the Nail Prints are there, the evidence that Christ was Nailed to the Cross is there. • However, “The Nails Did Not Hold Him On The Cross.”

5. The Nails Did Not Hold Him On The Cross • I. Jesus Certainly Was Nailed To The Cross • Remember, I didn’t say he wasn’t nailed to the cross, our text certainly testifies to the fact that he was nailed to the cross, JOHN 20:24-28 • Thomas doubted until he saw the scares. • Luke tells us that after they scourged Christ, he carried his cross to Calvary, where they crucified Him. LUKE 23:32-33 • One might even think while standing there looking on, how helpless he was nailed to the Cross. MATTHEW 27:42 – 43 “…Saved others, himself he cannot save…”

6. The Nails Did Not Hold Him On The Cross • II. Jesus Could Have Removed Himself From That Cross At Anytime. • Christ did not have to stay on that Cross if he had not wanted to. • Psalms 91:11 -12 –“For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep the in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.” (MATTHEW 4:6) When the devil tempted Him to throw himself off of the pinnacle of the Temple. • 1. He could have got off of that cross, He could have had help getting off that cross at any time. • 2. Angels could have simply removed him from that cross.

7. The Nails Did Not Hold Him On The Cross! • When questioned by Pilate, Jesus refused to answer him – Pilate speaks to his own power to release or crucify Christ. • When Jesus does answer Pilate, He states, “Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above:…” JOHN 19:10 – 11. • A power from above allowed Pilate to do what he did. • That power could have been used at anytime to get Christ off of that cross.

8. The Nails Did Not Hold Him On The Cross! • What, then held Him on that Cross?

9. The Nails Did Not Hold Him On The Cross! • What, then held Him on that Cross? • Love for His Father • Love for Mankind • Love for His Disciples/Us • Love for the life ofONE sheep • THE POWER, THE INSTRUMENT WHICH HELD HIM ON THAT CROSS WAS HIS OWN POWER, HIS OWN WILL, HIS OVRWHELMING LOVE FOR EACH AND EVERYONE OF US.

10. The Nails Did Not Hold Him On The Cross! • His Life was something that no “Man” or “Nail” could take from Him unless He allowed it to. • JOHN 10: 14-18“I am the good shepherd, andknow my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold: them must I also bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. NO MAN TAKETH IT FROM ME, BUT I LAY IT DOWN MYSELF. I HAVE THE POWER TO LAY IT DOWN OF MYSELF, AND I HAVE THE POWER TO TAKE AGAIN, THIS COMMANDMENT HAVE I RECEIVED OF MY FATHER.”

11. The Nails Did Not Hold Him On The Cross! • Conclusion: • 1. There can be no doubt that Christ was nailed to the Cross • 2. He wasn’t weak and helpless so that he could not save himself from such an ordeal. • 3. He had the angels at his call to remove him, even keep it from happening at anytime. • 4. No man had any power to do to him what was done except that it was given to him from a higher power. • 5. However, he loved his Father and He loved us too much to come down off of that cross, NAILS did not hold him on the Cross – LOVE DID?