To the Cross

Introduction

Next Sunday we’re going to celebrate Easter. Of course we know that the reason celebrate is because there was a man by the name of Jesus of Nazareth, who had laid in the tomb, for three days, yet rose again to new life and give us the victory over death!

Now I am excited about Easter, but what we’re going to focus on today are the THREE EVENTS that led up to that glorious Sunday morning and use them as illustrations as to how they relate to the life of the Christian today.

The Bible tells us that Jesus came to Bethany six days before the Passover.

Two days later, Jesus would enter the Temple and take a scourge and run all the money changers out of it.

For the next 3 days, Jesus would teach in the Temple - and be inspected by both the LORD and the people.

Now the Passover was a feast that was established all the way back in exodus, chapter 12 (Apx. 1,400 years earlier). While the COI were in Egypt after the 9th plague, God established this feast as a remembrance of what He was about to do for the COI in Egypt. (Tell the story)

Now some 1,400 years later, Jesus is about to partake of this feast and keep this passover meal - and the next day Jesus would fulfil the purpose of the Passover in His own body.

But first we’re going to look at that feast where Jesus & His disciples ate in the upper room in Jerusalem on the 14th of Abib 2,000 years ago.

I. Dining with Jesus

Here we’re speaking about Jesus in the upper room eating the passover meal with His disciples.

In this point we’re going to look at see how this point illustrates our Salvation.

They were Favored

When we consider the apostles that were in the upper room, one thing that we can say about them is that they were favored by the LORD.

The LORD sought them. The LORD called them.

As I thought about this I considered: Mat. 4:18-20 “And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.”

Jesus also spoke a few parables on this thought:

Parables of the Lost Sheep & Lost Coin: (Read) Luk. 15:4-10.

Church understand this: Just as Jesus sought out Peter & Andrew, just as the shepherd sought out the sheep, just as the woman sought out the silver - OUR LORD SOUGHT OUT YOU AND I! Consider that the God of Heaven thought enough about you to call your name! You are favored in the eyes of the God of Heaven!

They were Favored

They were Filled

Notice that they got up after Supper had ended (Joh. 13:2)- not because they ran out of food, but because they were filled. Jesus made sure that they had enough.

(Ill.) As you can tell, I like to eat. I enjoy sitting down at a table and getting up satisfied. I think that many of you can surely understand what I mean.

That being said, I want you to know that concerning my Salvation, in what Christ has provided for me, I stand satisfied!

The Bible says: 1Cor. 1:23-24 “But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.”

Heb.7:24-25 “But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

Understand that Christ’s Sacrifice is ENOUGH! You don’t need ANYTHING ELSE to satisfy!

You don’t need works, you don’t need water - YOU JUST NEED WASHED IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB! AND THAT BLOOD DOESN’T WASH AWAY!

They were filled

Their Feet were Washed

After supper, the Bible tells us that Jesus got up, girded Himself with a towel and stooped down & washed the disciples feet.

Now Jesus would go on to explain what this is for: Joh. 13:6-10 “Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.”

You see, Jesus doesn’t just wash us whole, He continues to clean that which gets soiled by walking through this old sinful world!

So there’s two things that I hope you get:

Jesus is the one who provides for us the Filling. He's the one who saves us.

Jesus is the one who keeps us clean.

There’s a reason Jesus said: Joh. 10:27-28 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”

We see Dining with Jesus.

II. Decision by Jesus

After they finished in the upper room, Jesus went out unto the Mt. of Olives - He and His disciples.

Once there, Jesus, Peter, James & John go on a little further alone. Then Jesus asks them to pray while He goes a little further. (Luk. 22:39-45)

Here is where the Battle was fought - and won. This is where the decision was made. It wasn’t at the Cross, it was here. Jesus made the decision to follow the Will of God for His Life

Now let’s look at some aspects of this:

The Difficulty

Between the Flesh & Spirit

This is a battle every Christian endures - that between our natural carnal selves and our Spirit.

Church this is a difficult battle! It’s extremely hard - it was hard for even Jesus!

I mean, Jesus is there at the pleading with His Father to let this cup pass from Him! He knew what He was going to have to endure!

The Physical Pain

The Emotional Pain

The Humiliation

It was a Difficult decision because of the force between the Flesh & the Spirit

It was Deliberate

What I mean by that is that Jesus affirmatively, decisively made that decision.

Let me say this: If Jesus went into this trial half-hearted, He’d never had completed it. He’d never accomplished the great work that was before Him if He had.

Now church I want you to know something: God has a plan for your life. It’s an amazing plan. It serves a great purpose in the scope of eternity. Souls are hanging in the balance of the decision you make. AND IF YOU TRY TO STRADDLE THE FENCE, YOU’LL NEVER MAKE IT. YOU’LL NEVER ACCOMPLISH THIS GREAT WORK IF YOU HAVE ONLY A HALF A MIND TO.

Jesus’ great battle - this decision He made in the Garden that set in motion the Redemption of mankind was Deliberate.

It was Accomplished Through Prayer

Jesus prayed - and Christ’s prayer was so intense that He shed blood there in the Garden. (v44)

Church, there’s power in prayer. Jesus knew that. He said: Mat. 7:7-11 “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”

You see Jesus prayed that the cup pass - but MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT He prayed for God’s Will be done - AND THANK GOD IT WAS!

We see the Difficulty

The Reality

He was Betrayed

As most if not all of you know, Judas would betray the LORD with a kiss & sell Him off to the High Priest for 30pc of silver. Judas betrayed the LORD.

If you live for Christ - you’ll find that people will betray you too. Those that you thought were walking with Christ, not the heathen! People will betray you - Satan has a way of making sure that happens.

He was Betrayed - and you’ll experience that too - I certainly have!

He was Abandoned

Shortly after this prayer in the garden and the ensuing struggle - all of His disciples would forsake Him and flee.

You see - when you live a life dedicated unto God in a world that loves wickedness as much as this one does, there’s going to be very few that will go with you. Some will walk a mile - few will walk two.

(Ill.) I started the 2nd Mile Fellowship back in November. I asked for volunteers to walk with me each month by doing these basic Christian duties with me daily. Out of 80+ ppl. in Sunday morning services, I think 26 or so signed up the first month. Five months later less than half of those are still walking with me. Why is that? Because this world is very good at distracting people. And it goes back to what we spoke about a minute ago, and that is the decision must be deliberate - else you’ll fail. For those of you who stopped, have you considered why?

You see this program served one of two purposes: Either to help you grow in your Christian walk or reveal unto you just where exactly you’re at in your Christian walk.

This just illustrates my point in that if you’re willing to sell out for Christ, don’t expect throngs of people to join you.

The Reality was Jesus was abandoned.

But He was Strengthened (v43)

Listen, the road of complete Surrender is not an easy road - but God is Faithful to help you through it!

We see here that Jesus was sent angels to minister unto Him in His time of need - and let me say this: Jesus will surely strengthen you in yours!

Jesus said: Mat. 11:28-30 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Jesus will Strengthened, and He’ll Strengthen you too!

The Necessity

To Fulfill His Purpose

All of these things HAD TO COME TO PASS - IF HE WAS GOING TO FULFILL GOD’S PLAN FOR HIS LIFE!

I’m convinced that if I were to ask each one of you ‘Do you really want God’s Will for your life, or do you want your own’ - vast majority of you would say ‘I’ll choose my own’. Now you won’t really SAY that, but that’s what your choice would be. Do you know how I know that? Because of your present decisions.

You see, if you really wanted God’s Will for your life - you’d do God’s Will for your life. He’s not hiding, nor is He trying to fool you. We don’t follow God’s Will because we choose not to.

But church - IF YOU ARE ONE OF THE FEW THAT DOES - the only way to fulfill God’s Will for your life is by being willing to Commit to the hard stuff - because it’s a hard road.

The Decision was Necessary

Dining with Jesus, then the Decision by Jesus. Lastly we’ll look at the Dedication of Jesus - going to the Cross

III. Dedication of Jesus

From the Garden to the Cross

Christ Expected

When the band of soldiers came to arrest our LORD in the garden, a fight ensued. During the scuffle, Peter drew a sword and cut of the high priest’s servant’s ear. Then the Bible tells us: Joh. 18:11 “Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?”

Jesus fully expected what was coming. He expected the persecution that was coming. He knew that’s what God had laid upon the path for Him.

This is why I tell you the truth. I’m not up here trying to blow smoke and get you to think that the life of Christ was rosy. No, it was HARD! But that’s exactly what Jesus expected.

You see, if you expect it to be easy, then when you find out that it’s not, you’ll libel to faint by the wayside.

Jesus then went unto Judgment that night

He was mocked, beaten and spat upon - His beard plucked

He was taken unto Pilate, then to Herod & back

He was rejected for a seditionist & murderer by the name of Barabbas

He was then taken to the whipping post and had His flesh pulled from His body

Crown, staff, robe & off again

Then led up Mt. Calvary, where He’d be laid down & stretched out upon a tree and nailed unto it.

Raised up to hang naked and destitute gasping for air between two thieves.

He’d cry out ‘FATHER FORGIVE THEM FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO’

He’d look down on His mother looking upon Him

He’d speak forgiveness unto a thief that hung beside Him

He watched as they cast lots for His vesture

He’d cry out ‘Father why hast thou forsaken me?’

He’d say ‘I thirst’ as His tongue clave to His jaw

He’d then cry out three words of Victory - ‘IT IS FINISHED!’

He’d finally commit His Spirit unto His Father and give up the Ghost.

Which leads to our next point, and that is that He endured.

Christ Endured

For hours of torture - He endured!

He could have given up, but thank God He didn’t!

He could have looked down from the Cross through time & saw my face and said ‘He’s not worth it’ - BUT THANK GOD HE DIDN’T!

At any moment in time, He could have put an end to the hurt, suffering & pain - BUT THANK GOD HE DIDN’T! HE ENDURED

Church, that’s what we need to do. We need to endure!

The reason is, finally because Christ Enjoyed

Christ Enjoyed

Heb. 12:1-2 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

If we’ll only endure - at some point, we’ll get to enjoy a rest.

But I don’t know that we’ll ever really enjoy it if we don’t endure as Christ did.

Conclusion

The night is coming. There’s going to be a time of rest - but that time is not now!