Cast Your Eyes to Calvary
Notes
Transcript
Series: That Ye May Believe
Scripture: Luke 23:33-49
Subject: Crucifixion
Central Theme: Marveling at the Crucifixion
Objective Statement: You should take some time to meditate and marvel at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ as described in these 4 details in Luke’s Gospel.
Keyword: Details
Points
The Contrast- Christ’s mercy in crucifixion. (v.33-39)
The Conversion- Christ’s effect in crucifixion. (v.40-43)
The Consummation- Christ’s completion of the crucifixion. (v.44-46)
The Consequence- The response to the crucifixion. (v.47-49)
Introduction:
Connection:
“Familiarity breeds cotempt.”
Have you ever heard this phrase?
The idea is that what you get used to- what becomes familiar- is at least taken for granted, and can even be despised.
I grew up for the large part of my life near the beach.
We went there enough that I knew of the frustrations of the beach.
Sand in your bathing suit. Sand in your shoes. Sand in your car. Sand everywhere. Overweight people in tiny bathing suits. It’s hot. There is a lot not to like about the beach.
But if you were to ask me to go to the beach this week, I’d love to be there. It’s been a long time.
When your parents were around, and they were telling you what to do all the time, you may have taken them for granted. One day they won’t be around, and you’d do anything for a phone call- for one more meal- for one more hug.
Familiarity breeds contempt.
Tension
In the culture that we live in, the cross has become familiar.
You see it displayed in churches, around necks on jewelry, at grave markers.
It’s used in art, music, literature.
The word cross has roots in words like crucial, crucible, and excruciating.
Even people who do not believe in God or Christ are familiar with the cross. Many know that Jesus died for sins.
And in our church, the subject is at least in the background, and often in the foreground of every service and sermon.
Our message is Christ crucified.
And with that truth being so declared I’m afraid that the profundity of the cross- the miracle and magnificence of the cross- gets lost in its familiarity.
Oh, that we may not become so familiar that it breeds contempt.
We ought to glory only in the cross of Christ.
My goal today is to have you cast your mind to calvary.
I want you to gaze at it again, as if for the very first time.
I want you to marvel at its importance and its implications.
You should take some time to meditate and marvel at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ as described in these 4 details in Luke’s Gospel.
You should take some time to meditate and marvel at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ as described in these 4 details in Luke’s Gospel.
1. The Contrast- Christ’s mercy in crucifixion. (v.33-39)
1. The Contrast- Christ’s mercy in crucifixion. (v.33-39)
A. The Scene of His Suffering-Calvary.
A. The Scene of His Suffering-Calvary.
33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
The crucifixion of Jesus Christ in many ways is a series of contrasts.
The Giver of Life suffers death.
Crucifixion was a means of capital punishment which was previously unknown to the jews. The Jews knew of strangling, stoning, and the sword, but had not employed crucifixion.
It would have been particularly horrible for the jews because of their belief about hanging.
23 His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.
Among other atrocities, what makes crucifixion so difficult is the length its process. It was a slow torture.
In verse 33 you see Jesus Christ the righteous hanging between two men condemned guilty on either side of Him.
Another contrast here is the contrast betwen Jesus’s mercy and the hatred and mocking of the crowd.
B. The Prayer of His Mercy. (v.34)
B. The Prayer of His Mercy. (v.34)
34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.
What did they not know?
Certainly they understood they were crucifying him.
They understood what they saw.
What they did not know was all of the implications of what they were doing.
Christ really was the Son of God.
There is no moment in all of history more important than these moments on the cross.
They were killing the Son of God, and yet, He was showing incredible compassion.
Father, forgive them.
Did God answer this prayer that Jesus prayed? He did!
36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
In contrast, notice their hatred and vitriol.
C. The Stripping of His Garments. (v.34b)
C. The Stripping of His Garments. (v.34b)
And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
They were gambling over his clothing.
This is described in Psalm 22:18
18 They part my garments among them,
And cast lots upon my vesture.
D. The Scorn of Three Groups.
D. The Scorn of Three Groups.
Look at what they said and did.
1. The Rulers
1. The Rulers
35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.
He was not saving Himself at this moment.
We know now that He did this to save others.
He is the Christ, the chosen of God.
This is precisely why He did not save Himself.
This was His hour.
They did not want what they were asking to happen.
Religious leaders who should have recognized the Messiah taunted Him with the very evidence of His identity.
They were right in their words — He had saved others. But they could not see that He would not save Himself so that He could save them.
2. The Soldiers. (v.36-38)
2. The Soldiers. (v.36-38)
The soldiers were cruel.
36 And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,
Roman soldiers — Gentiles — also mocked. The cross spans every ethnicity and rank; all humanity stands guilty.
They offered Him vinegar — bitter, cheap wine — a cruel substitute for relief.
37 And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. 38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Isn’t it amazing that the Roman soldiers, known for their respect for authority and power, notice that He is called the king of the Jews, but is not on the throne.
Jesus is perceived here as weak.
3. The Malefactor. (.39)
3. The Malefactor. (.39)
39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
Even one of the criminals crucified beside Him joined in the ridicule.
His demand — save yourself and us — reveals a heart that wanted rescue from suffering, not from sin.
Isn’t it also interesting that John highlights from all three parties- the rulers, the romans, the robber- this plea for Jesus to save while Jesus is doing what it takes to save.
Summary-
The contrast is unmistakable: mankind at its worst, Christ at His best. Hatred on every side, mercy flowing from the cross. Marvel at this — while men mocked, Christ interceded.
2. The Conversion- Christ’s effect in crucifixion. (v.40-43)
2. The Conversion- Christ’s effect in crucifixion. (v.40-43)
In the middle of this chaos, mockery and death, a soul is saved.
The cross of calvary- the Lord of Glory- does not just display His mercy- It produces it.
This should cause us to marvel, and to understand the way of salvation.
A. The Rebuke of the Believing Their. (v.40-41)
A. The Rebuke of the Believing Their. (v.40-41)
40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
He demonstrates three marks of genuine conviction:
Fear of God — "Dost not thou fear God?" — the beginning of wisdom (Prov. 9:10)
Self-awareness — "We indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds." — he owns his guilt without excuse
Recognition of Christ's innocence — "This man hath done nothing amiss." — a confession that Jesus is the sinless Lamb
B. The Request of the Believing Thief. (v.42)
B. The Request of the Believing Thief. (v.42)
42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
He calls Jesus Lord — not merely "teacher" or "rabbi."
He looks beyond the cross to a kingdom — exercising more faith than most of the disciples at that moment.
He asks not for a throne, not for relief from pain — only to be remembered by Christ.
This is saving faith in its most elemental form: a guilty man casting himself entirely on Christ.
C. The Response to the Believing Thief. (V.43)
C. The Response to the Believing Thief. (V.43)
43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
"Verily I say" — absolute certainty. No conditions, no probationary period.
"Today" — not eventually, not after purgatory. Immediate, assured entrance.
"With me" — salvation is not merely a place; it is the presence of Christ.
"In paradise" — the word (Gr. paradeisos) pictures a king's royal garden; the highest honor, the best place.
Summary of Point 2:
Summary of Point 2:
The cross has an effect. Even in death, Christ is saving souls. Marvel at this — a dying thief with nothing to offer was given everything by a dying Savior.
3. The Consummation- Christ’s completion of the crucifixion. (v.44-46)
3. The Consummation- Christ’s completion of the crucifixion. (v.44-46)
The crucifixion is not a tragedy that overtook Jesus — it is a mission He completed. Luke records three cosmic signs marking its consummation.
44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 45 And the sun was darkened,
A. The Darkness (v.44–45a)
A. The Darkness (v.44–45a)
"It was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour."
From noon to 3pm — three hours of supernatural darkness at midday.
This is not an eclipse (Passover is a full moon — eclipses are impossible). This is divine.
Darkness in Scripture signals divine judgment (Amos 8:9–10; Ex. 10:21–22).
9 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord God,
That I will cause the sun to go down at noon,
And I will darken the earth in the clear day:
10 And I will turn your feasts into mourning,
And all your songs into lamentation;
And I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins,
And baldness upon every head;
And I will make it as the mourning of an only son,
And the end thereof as a bitter day.
The Father turned the lights out over the earth as His Son bore the sins of the world — a visible sign that the wrath of God was being poured out on the cross.
B. The Division of the Veil (v.45b)
B. The Division of the Veil (v.45b)
and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
"The veil of the temple was rent in the midst."
The veil was 60 feet tall, 4 inches thick — torn not from bottom to top by human hands, but rent in the midst by God.
The veil separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place — where God's presence dwelt. No man could enter except the High Priest, once a year, with blood.
When Christ died, the barrier between God and man was removed.
The way into God's presence is now open — not through ritual, not through priest — but through the blood of Jesus Christ (Heb. 10:19–20).
C. The Declaration (v.46)
C. The Declaration (v.46)
46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
"Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." — A quote from Psalm 31:5, the evening prayer of Jewish children.
5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit:
Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.
Jesus does not have His life taken from Him — He gives it up. (John 10:18)
18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
"He gave up the ghost" — a deliberate, willing surrender of His spirit at the moment of His choosing.
The mission is complete. (John 19:30 — "It is finished.")
30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
Summary of Point 3:
Summary of Point 3:
Creation itself bore witness to what was happening at Calvary. Darkness. A torn veil. A voluntary death. Marvel at this — Christ did not merely die; He finished the work of redemption.
4. The Consequence- The response to the crucifixion. (v.47-49)
4. The Consequence- The response to the crucifixion. (v.47-49)
The crucifixion demands a response. Luke records three groups who responded — and the variety of their reactions still mirrors the crowds that hear the gospel today.
A. The Centurion — A Response of Conviction (v.47)
A. The Centurion — A Response of Conviction (v.47)
47 Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.
A Roman soldier — a career executioner — glorified God at the sight of Christ's death.
He had seen hundreds die. He had never seen a man die like this.
The mercy, the prayer for forgiveness, the darkness, the torn veil, the voluntary death — together they produced conviction in the heart of a Gentile soldier.
He does not yet have full theological clarity, but he has this: Jesus was innocent. Jesus was different. Jesus was righteous.
Application: The cross will produce conviction in the most hardened of hearts when the Spirit moves.
B. The Crowd — A Response of Contrition (v.48)
B. The Crowd — A Response of Contrition (v.48)
48 And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.
They came as spectators — drawn by curiosity or bloodlust — but they left beating their chests, the biblical gesture of grief and mourning (cf. Luke 18:13).
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Something changed. What they witnessed broke through.
Application: True preaching of the crucifixion should never leave people unmoved. It is not a story to observe — it is a sight that should break the heart.
C. The Companions — A Response of Contemplation (v.49)
C. The Companions — A Response of Contemplation (v.49)
49 And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.
These are His own — those who loved Him — standing at a distance, watching.
The word beholding (Gr. theoreo) means to gaze attentively, to contemplate with sustained attention.
They did not fully understand yet what had just happened. But they stayed. They watched. They took it in.
Application: This is the posture the preacher calls us to today — not to rush past the cross, but to stand and behold it. To marvel at what happened there.
Summary of Point 4:
Summary of Point 4:
No one who truly encounters the crucifixion remains the same. Conviction. Contrition. Contemplation. Marvel at this — the cross still produces a response in every soul that honestly beholds it.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Luke gives us four details of the crucifixion — not to simply inform us of historical events, but to call us to meditate and marvel.
The Contrast — He was crucified among criminals and prayed for His killers. Marvel at His mercy.
The Conversion — A guilty thief was promised paradise. Marvel at His grace.
The Consummation — Darkness fell, the veil tore, and Christ finished the work. Marvel at His accomplishment.
The Consequence — Hearts were broken. Lives were changed. Marvel at His power.
Do not rush past Calvary. Stand with those women from Galilee — afar off, beholding. Let the cross do what it has always done: produce in you wonder, worship, and surrender.
