Kenton Beshore is Executive Producer of the small group curriculum Liquid, a new revolutionary video-based resource for small groups and church-wide campaigns. Visit www.experienceliquid.com to learn more.
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THE USUAL SUSPECTS
• Caiaphas, Judas, Pilate, Jewish people, us
THE UNUSUAL SUSPECTS
• Jesus
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep . . . The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life . . . I sacrifice it voluntarily . . . For this is what my Father has commanded.” John 10:17-18
• God . . . the Father
“Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?” Romans 8:32
“But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed . . . you nailed him to a cross and killed him.” Acts 2:23
THE UNUSUAL STORY
• Passover Exodus 12
“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’” John 1:29
“It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose him as your ransom . . .” 1 Peter 1:19-20
• Day of Atonement Leviticus 16
“But because Jesus lives forever . . . he is able, once and forever, to save . . . He lives forever to intercede . . . he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin . . . Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins.”
Hebrews 7:24-27
• The serpent in the wilderness Numbers 21
“And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:14-16
• The plan from the beginning Hebrews 10:1,4-5
THE MYSTERY OF THE CROSS
• Sin is horrible
“Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.” I Peter 3:18
• God’s love is wonderful
“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” Romans 5:8
• Forgiveness is total
“You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.” Colossians 2:13-14
• Relationship is possible
“And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place . . . let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him . . . Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.” Hebrews 10:19-20,22-24
