Luke 23:26-49 Responding to the Cross

Introduction:

Contemporary prevalence of the cross

Historical reality of the cross

Theological significance of the cross: Why did Jesus have to die on the cross?

Transition: Having laid the historical and theological foundation of the cross we will go on to the passage. As we read the passage we will focus on the various responses to the cross.

Read passage Lk 23:26-49

Brain storm

We have been on a journey with Jesus through Luke’s gospel. We saw the miraculous birth. The early childhood growth. The baptism where the spirit descended and the subsequent testing. We saw how Jesus came out off the wilderness with great power and ministers to poor, broken, and hurting. He healed the sick, raised the dead, cast out demons, and proclaimed that the very kingdom of God was manifested in their midst. We saw the unveiled glory of Christ on the mount of transfiguration. We observed Christ’s deep humility and the promise of a new covalent at the last supper. We were moved by Jesus’ agony in the garden and his betrayal by Judas. We witnessed the unjust trial as Jesus was railroaded in an illegal trial and sentenced to death. Today will consider the means by which Jesus died, the cross and why the cross cane to be the center and very heart of the Christian faith. As we read the passage of the crucifixion today, I would like you to keep two thoughts in mind. First, the crucifixion is a historical reality packed with theological significance and is the very heart of the Christian faith. Secondly, our response, whether unbelief or belief, will determine our eternal destiny and our relationship with God. As we read through imagine if you were there witnessing the crucifixion and consider the various characters surround the cross. Take notice of how each of these various characters responded to the cross.

Read passage

Contemporary prevalence

Historical reality

Theological significance: why did Jesus have to die. God is merciful, loving, and gracious, but he is also just, good, and obligated to exercise his wrath against the wicked. This is not a popular subject today but we dare not shrink away from proclaiming this truth. God warned Ezekiel if a sinner dies in his sin and you failed to warn him then his blood I will require at your hands. God must punish sin or he is not good.

There is an inmate that I know who was on death row. A short time before his execution the governor of Illinois put a stay on all executions. The reason that many people are in favor of doing away with the death penalty is human error. To many people have been wrongfully convicted and put to death. But God who sees everything, even the thoughts and intents of our hearts, never errors in his judgment. And we must be keenly aware that we all have sinned and fall far short of the glory of God. Furthermore, the wages of sin is death. Apart from Christ, you and I are all on death row and God will not nullify the death penalty as a result of insufficient evidence. Our only hope is a pardon.

We know about pardon’s. President trump has presidential power to pardon and we have seen this on the news lately. Now suppose you and I were on death row and President trump showed up at our cell and said, I want to pardon to show mercy but if I do I will not be good. So in order that justice might be served and a pardon be issued he sits down in the electric chair in my place. Would he do that no! But Jesus Christ did. The reason that Christ went to the cross was so that God would have the appropriate grounds to pardon sinners. He would be able to exercise mercy without ripping off Justice. At the cross the love of God and the wrath of God meet and both are fully satisfied. The cross was a tremendous display of the wrath of God as well as the single greatest act of love in all of human history.

Having established the historical reality and the theological significance, we now turn to examine the various responses that one may have to the cross. It comes down to two basic choices belief or unbelief. The cross is foolishness for those who perish but is the power of God for us who are being saved. Their are many examples in our text, but we will briefly look at

The response of unbelief

Example 1Example 2Example 3

The response of belief unto salvation

Example 1Example 2Example 3

The response of belief unto discipleship

Simon of Cyrene