JESUS’ CROSS-Driven CONCERNS-III
Lk. 23:33-49; Jn. 19:17-30; Mat. 27:33-54; Mk. 15:21-39
OR--CONCERNS From The CROSS
Attention:
It’s Missing!
Sherlock Holmes & Dr. Watson go on a camping trip, set up their tent, & fall asleep. Some hours later, Holmes wakes his faithful friend.
“Watson, look up at the sky & tell me what you see.”
Watson replies, “I see millions of stars.”
“What does that tell you?”
Watson ponders for a minute & then states,...
“Astronomically speaking, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies & potentially billions of planets.
Astrologically, it tells me that Saturn is in Leo.
Chronologically, it appears to be approximately a quarter past three.
Theologically, it's evident the Lord is all-powerful & we are small & insignificant.
Meteorologically, it seems we will have a beautiful day tomorrow.”
“What does it tell you, Holmes?”
Holmes is silent for a moment, then speaks. “Watson, what it tells me is that someone has stolen our tent!”
Watson was oblivious to the obvious fact that his tent was missing!
The Church & Christians can be oblivious to the obvious... that while we bicker about ‘this that or the other thing,’ that there are literally millions of people who do not know Jesus!
We can be so focused on extraneous ‘pressing’ matters that we totally miss the BIG picture!
Likewise, we can be so caught up in the sorrow, & gruesome brutality of the Crucifixion of Christ, 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.
We have found that A Cross-driven Concern of Jesus is...
1. Your FORGIVENESS(Lk. 23:34)
2. Your DESTINY/Future/Eternity(Lk. 23:43)
3—A Cross-driven Concern of Jesus is...
Your CARE & OBLIGATION(Jn. 19:26-27)
Explanation:(Jn. 19:26-27) Family/Care/Relationships
Jn 19:26—“When Jesus therefore saw His mother, & the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!”
Several people stood by the cross of Jesus.”—BECNT
Jesus, knowing He will soon die on the cross, unable to further care for His mother’s needs, surrenders her care to John—the son of Zebedee(Mat. 4:21; Mk. 3:17; Lk. 5:10)—“the disciple whom He loved”—the apostle(Mat. 10:2; Lk. 6:12-16; Acts 1:12-13, 26).
Jn 19:27—“Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.”
Evidently Mary’s husband, Joseph is out of the picture. So Jesus has particular obligation as the first-born son to provide care for his mother.
Why was Mary’s care not given to Jesus’ half-brothers or half-sisters?...
Mat. 13:55-56—-(Those who knew Jesus’ family said of Him)-—“Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, & Judas? “And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?”
Why was Mary entrusted to the apostle John instead?
John was “the disciple whom Jesus loved”(Jn. 13:23; 20:2; 21:7; 21:20).
Jesus knew John’s future & John’s demeanor. Jesus knew his mother would not be neglected spiritually or physically in John’s care!
God’s intent for all people is that they have a compulsion to express tangible concern for those closest to them. Sinners saved by grace are particularly expected to have that compulsion thru the Holy Spirit!
Caring involves inward Humility, Holiness, & Love to express outward Love, Gentleness, Compassion, & Appreciation...Without inward humility before God, no effort of caring can be complete!
We are compelled to pay great nurturing attention to our parents—who have taken on the dutiful inclusions & sacrificial trappings of parenthood. Godly, loving parents intentionally take it upon themselves to bring their children safely to & thru every juncture in life.
Argumentation:
*Ex. 20:12—““Honor your father & your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.”
*Eph. 6:1-4—“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father & mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: “that it may be well with you & you may live long on the earth.” And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training & admonition of the Lord.”
*1Tim. 5:3-4, 8, 16—“Honor widows who are really widows. But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home & to repay their parents; for this is good & acceptable before God.”.....“But if anyone does not provide for his own, & especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith & is worse than an unbeliever.”.....“If any believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve them, & do not let the church be burdened, that it may relieve those who are really widows.”
*Ruth 1:7-10, 14-17; 4:13-15—“Therefore she went out from the place where she was, & her two daughters-in-law with her; & they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each to her mother’s house. The LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead & with me. “The LORD grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.” Then she kissed them, & they lifted up their voices & wept. And they said to her, “Surely we will return with you to your people.””.....“Then they lifted up their voices & wept again; & Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. And she said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people & to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” But Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, & more also, If anything but death parts you & me.””.....“So Boaz took Ruth & she became his wife; & when he went in to her, the LORD gave her conception, & she bore a son. Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a close relative; & may his name be famous in Israel! And may he be to you a restorer of life & a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him.””
Gal. 5:22-23—“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”
Eph. 4:32--5:2—“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us & given Himself for us, an offering & a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”
Why would Paul think it important enough to pen those words? Because he knew the ‘natural’ tendencies of men!
Lk. 10:25-37—“And behold, a certain lawyer stood up & tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” So he answered & said,” ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, & with all your mind,’ & ‘your neighbor as yourself.’” And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this & you will live.” But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Then Jesus answered & said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, & fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, & departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came & looked, & passed by on the other side. “But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him & bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil & wine; & he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, & took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, & said to him, ‘Take care of him; & whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ “So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go & do likewise.”
Care involves mercy, & sacrifice.
2Pet. 1:2-9—“Grace & peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God & of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life & godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory & virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great & precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, & to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours & abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, & has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.”
Care involves many combinations of internal & external expressions.
*Mat. 15:3-6—“He answered & said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? “For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father & your mother’; &, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ “But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”-- ‘then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.”
*Mk. 7:10-13—““For Moses said, ‘Honor your father & your mother’; &, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ “But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban--(that is, a gift to God),’ then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.””
Mat. 9:36—“But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary & scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.”
Mat. 14:14—“And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; & He was moved with compassion for them, & healed their sick.”
Mat. 15:32—“Now Jesus called His disciples to Himself & said, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days & have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.”
Mat. 18:23-35—“Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife & children & all that he had, & that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, & I will pay you all.’ “Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, & forgave him the debt. But that servant went out & found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; & he laid hands on him & took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ “So his fellow servant fell down at his feet & begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, & I will pay you all.’ “And he would not, but went & threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. “So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, & came & told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. ‘Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ “And his master was angry, & delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
Php. 2:3-4—“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”
...And how much more so when the interests of the other is your own loving mother!
Christians/the Church can pretend to be comprehensive in our ministries, but we are compelled by the Holy Spirit to be attentive to widows, orphans, & aliens/sojourners!
Illustration:
It would probably be safe to say that most of the citizens of Florida above poverty-level, have air-conditioners/Your AC keeps the temperature at a tolerable level/Your AC keeps the humidity at a tolerable level protecting your more delicate valuables/Your AC allows you to live inside your homes without fear of becoming prey to mosquitoes, & sand gnats & yellow, deer, & dog flies!/We rightly panic if something happens to the AC!/We see to the AC’s maintenance if there is even the slightest hint of malfunction/CARE & OBLIGATION
Aging family members—Parents-Siblings-Aunts-Uncles-Cousins, etc.—Cannot live on their own without some help or a great deal of help/Do we just comfort ourselves by denying their plight?/Or do we rather put our hands to the task & truly help them?/CARE & OBLIGATION
When we know that someone you love will no longer have your help...You make it your business to provide a substitute/CARE & OBLIGATION
Application:
?How does Your CARE & OBLIGATION answer Jesus’ Cross-driven Concern?
?How have You acted on those matters of great significance to Jesus?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Holmes’ & Watson’s different observations—Watson’s missing the obvious.
Action:
Cross-driven Concerns of Jesus are...
3. Your CARE & OBLIGATION(Jn. 19:26-27)
1. Your FORGIVENESS(Lk. 23:34)
2. Your DESTINY/Future/Eternity(Lk. 23:43)
Pt. 3 only! Presented 04/09/2017am to:
FBC of Carrabelle
206 Storrs Ave. SW(SE Ave. ‘A’)
Carrabelle, FL 32322
Pts. 1-3 Presented 04/17/2011am to:
Needmore Baptist Church
1620 Mt. Vernon Rd.
Woodleaf, NC 27054
