Jesus’ Cross-Driven Concerns-1 Series

JESUS’ CROSS-Driven CONCERNS-I

Lk. 23:33-49; Jn. 19:17-30; Mat. 27:33-54; Mk. 15:21-39

OR--CONCERNS From The CROSS

Attention:

The Big Picture?

In December 1903, after many attempts, the Wright brothers were successful in getting their “flying machine” off the ground.

Thrilled, they telegraphed this message to their sister Katherine: “We have actually flown 120 feet. Will be home for Christmas.”

Katherine hurried to the editor of the local newspaper & showed him the message. He glanced at it & said, “How nice. The boys will be home for Christmas.”

He totally missed the BIG news – this was the first any human had flown!!

We can be so caught up in the gruesome brutality of the Crucifixion that we miss the Cross-work of Christ!

Jesus’ 7 Words From the Cross:

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”—Luke 23:34

“Today you will be with me in paradise.”—Luke 23:43

“Behold your son...”: “behold your mother.”—Jn. 19:26-27

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”—Mat. 27:45; Mk. 15:33-34

“I thirst”—Jn. 19:28-29

“It is finished”—Jn. 19:30

“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”— Lk. 23:44; Mat. 27:50; Mk. 15:36-38

Need:

To recognize those things which are of greatest significance to our lives & the lives of others.

As Jesus hung on the cross, He voiced particularly important concerns.

At the juncture of life & death, matters of greatest significance are prioritized or become our greatest concern.

What matters are of greatest significance as evidenced from the Cross?

7 Cross-driven Concerns of Jesus.

*And...Any matter of significant concern to Jesus is also of vital significance for us!

1—A Cross-driven Concern of Jesus is...

Your FORGIVENESS(Lk. 23:34)

Explanation: (Lk. 23:34)

Lk. 23:34—“Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

“Fore”—“Give”—To give before...Before the other’s poor & sin-driven response. Regardless of the outcome good or bad.

Jesus’ statement is directed toward His heavenly Father, comes immediately after Luke’s record regarding Jesus’ crucifixion between the “criminals.”

Jesus asks God, His Father, to “forgive them.” However, the identity of “them” is not clear, leaving the reader with at least 3 different possibilities, but probably all three...

1) It could be a general statement regarding the Jews for whom He had come to offer the kingdom of God.

2)It could be a general statement regarding all involved in bringing about the crucifixion, including the Romans.

3)It could be a specific statement regarding the soldiers directly responsible for the act of crucifixion.

In answer to Isa. 53:12e, Jesus intercedes for His transgressors—...And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.”

However the reason for Jesus’ seeking the Father’s “forgiveness” for others is clear.

It is sought because they were unaware of the ramifications of their own choices & actions.

In other words, Jesus did not want “them” to be ultimately condemned for their actions...

Thus there is hope for them even though they have derailed their own means of God’s salvation...for the time being!

While they have breath in them, they have potential to turn to God thru His Christ. This is true & remains for all mankind!

1Cor. 2:6-8—“...we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”

That “they do not know what they do” “is not a lack of knowledge but of an erroneous judgment about God’s activity.”—BECNT

“There is a kind of ignorance that does in part excuse sin: ignorance through want of the means of knowledge or of a capacity to receive instruction, through the infelicities of education, or inadvertency. The crucifiers of Christ were kept in ignorance by their rulers, & had prejudices against Him instilled into them, so that in what they did against Christ & his doctrine they thought they did God service(Jn. 16:2). Such are to be pitied & prayed for. This prayer of Christ was answered not long after, when many of those that had a hand in his death were converted by Peter's preaching.”.....“They were all malefactors, all guilty before God.”—Matthew Henry

“...the petition put up by him is for forgiveness; which is with God, & with Him only; & that for his enemies, his crucifiers: not for those who sinned the sin unto death, the sin against the Holy Ghost, who knowing him to be the Messiah, maliciously crucified him[as :35 describes them], for whom prayer is not to be made; but for those who were ignorantly concerned in it...”.....“not that their ignorance excused their sin; nor was it without sin; nor does Christ use it as a plea for pardon”.....“but this is mentioned as descriptive of the persons Christ prays for, & points out a branch of his priestly office he exercises, in having compassion on the ignorant, & them that are out of the way.”—John Gill