The Cross

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Our sermon will be on Luke 23:26-49

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The Cross

Introduction

The Cross - Luke 23:26-49

For Halloween, Cristy dressed up as a cat. She had these cat ears on and she put some makeup on so that she looked like a cat. She was cute.

I don’t remember why, but she decided to come over to our cat “Bat Cat” and just greet him.

You have to understand that Bat Cat is pretty chill. He is really gentile.

Well, Bat was sitting on the wood floor. Our wood floor is pretty slick.

I’m setting up what’s about to happen.

Cristy bends down and starts talking to Bat, and Bat’s eyes almost pop out of his skull.

Bat then tries to run away, but instead all we see is a ball of fur, paws, and ears as Bat is running in place.

He finally got traction and shot off like me at a green light.

Needless to say, Cristy knows how to make an entrance.

Jesus knew how to make an entrance.

Today is Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday is the day that we celebrate the so-called Triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. He has spent 3 years or more in ministry and this is the culmination of everything.

Most of us know what happened.

He had the disciples get a colt that had never been ridden

As Jesus starting entering into Jerusalem they laid down clothes on the road before him

They cut down branches and spread them out as well

The people started rejoicing and praising God and saying: “ ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

This is not an accident - they are proclaiming him as the messiah

The Pharisees knew what they were saying and got upset and told Jesus to stop them

Instead, he says if they didn’t the stones would cry out

Jesus knew how to make an entrance.

But less than a week later, some of those same people shouted crucify him.

Today, we are going to talk about the last week before he died.

Luke 23:26–49 NKJV

Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus. And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him. But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!’ Then they will begin ‘to say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!” ’ For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?” There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots. And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.” The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.” And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ ” Having said this, He breathed His last. So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!” And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned. But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

The Way of the Cross

The way to the cross was an interesting one. Jesus did a lot of things during this week:

He cleansed the Temple

He was questioned about his authority - he shot right back Was John from heaven or from men

He spoke many Parables

He was asked about Tribute Money - He said “Render therefor to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s

He talked about his 2nd coming

And the destruction of Jerusalem

He had the last supper with his disciples

He was betrayed by Judas

He was tried and convicted without any evidence

There is something to note here: do you remember about the Passover Lamb? Do you remember that he was to be held back for 4 days until he was sacrificed?

Well, the triumphal entry was on Sunday - how many days was it until he was sacrificed? 5

Did you know that it doesn’t mention Friday in any of the gospels?

It says that it was almost the sabbath so we assume that it happened on Friday.

However, do you remember what we talked about what the next day would be after the passover lamb? it was a sabbath as well.

It’s possible that all of this happened in 4 days just like the passover lamb.

The Weight of the Cross

We talked about how Jesus got to the cross, how he entered Jerusalem, how he taught the people, how he taught his disciples, and how he was betrayed.

What we didn’t talk about was how difficult a process this was for Jesus.

He knew he was about to be betrayed by one of his disciples. He also knew that most of his disciples would run away and deny him.

Jesus also knew that he was about to be hung on a cross.

I’ve gone through some difficult times. I’ve felt alone and defeated.

But nothing I’ve been through compares to the agony that Jesus experienced.

It all came to a head after they were done with the last supper.

They left the upper room and went to the Garden of Gethsemane.

Jesus did like he often did, he withdrew from the others, and he prayed.

We need to understand, that although Jesus was God, he was also human. Somehow, his deity was veiled.

He needed the father, he needed comfort for what was about to happen.

He prayed “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”

Luke 22:42 NKJV

saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”

The stress was so much that it says his sweat became like great drops of blood.

While this is going on, his disciples fell asleep.

This passes, but The Weight of the Cross doesn’t.

After Jesus is betrayed, he is led to the Sanhedrin, then Pilate, and then Herod.

At last, he is tried by Pilate again.

He is beaten, and led away.

That brings us to our text in Luke 23

Not only the weight of world was on him, but also the weight of the cross itself.

It was too much so they asked Simon the Cyrenian to carry the cross for him.

Our Lord, our savior was at a breaking point and it was just going to get worse.

In the mist of this, Jesus addresses those there, warning of the coming judgment.

It may seem like a strange time to talk about what would happen to Jerusalem, but I think I understand.

A few years ago, I was at the abortion clinic in Tulsa.

The weight of what was happening to Jesus was great, but he knew with this defeat came victory.

The Wonder of the Cross

And as God told Isaiah hundreds of years before, Jesus was numbered with the transgressors. He was crucified with criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.

I want you to get a picture of what was happening.

They took his clothing and cast lots for it.

They mocked him, the rulers and the people around as well as the criminals that were being crucified

His crime was written and placed above him “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS”

As near as we can tell, his feet were nailed to the cross together and his hands were nailed spread apart

While this was going on, one of the criminals mocked him and said “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us”

But the other one saw something else.

I think he saw The Wonder of the Cross

He said:

Luke 23:40–42 NKJV

But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

Something happened to him - He saw The Wonder of the Cross

He probably saw Jesus among the people. He heard the stories about how he taught the truth.

He may have even met the blind man.

What if his sister was healed?

What if he knew Lazarus?

Whatever it was he knew that Jesus didn’t deserve this.

Maybe he remembered Isaiah’s prophecy about the suffering servant.

He changed his mind.

He finally understood who Jesus was, and what he was doing.

So Jesus said to him:

Luke 23:43 NKJV

And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

The criminal knew the truth, he knew The Wonder of the Cross

He saw the facts about Jesus and he changed his mind.

Often we take a term like repentance and we turn it into something it’s not.

To repent is to change your mind - to totally change your mind.

That will mean saying your sorry, that could mean crying and slobbering all over an altar.

I didn’t. To be honest, I don’t remember crying. I remember resigning myself and asking God for help.

It wasn’t at an altar - I was on the floor beside my bed.

The wonder of the cross is that Jesus has reached out his arms to us.

He has bridged the gap between us and God

His death on the cross paid the cost for our sin

Do you remember what Jesus’ offence was: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS

Well, our offences were on that cross as well.

Now, my sin is no longer counted against me.

I am free from my sin, I don’t have to worry about it any more.

The thief of the cross shows us that Jesus was thinking of sinners

As Jesus hug on the Cross

He was thinking of the Lost

He was thinking of all of us

It’s true that Jesus died about 2000 years ago. It’s true that he died for us. Do you believe?

Here’s what I know:

One day, I will make an entrance like Jesus did. I will come into the new Jerusalem.

And I will be welcomed by Jesus.