THE CROSS MADE THE DIFFERENCE
Colossians 1:19-21
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR: COMING UP SHORT
1. A man retired from British royal service. Three years later he was invited back to a party. He saw a woman across the hall that he recognized.
2. Suddenly her eyes fell on him, she smiled and started across the room. He frantically tried to remember her name but drew a blank. He knew her brother worked...he couldn’t call it up.
3. She held out her hand and said, “It’s good to see you again. How are you?” He said, “Fine! Is your brother still working?” She cocked her head and said, “Yes. He's still the King!”
B. TEXT
“19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled.”
C. THESIS
1. It’s because of the Grace of God that we are saved today. Heb. 9:22 Says, “Without the shedding of blood there is NO REMISSION [from sin]!”
2. None of the world’s religions can save their adherents, because apart from the atonement by God’s chosen sacrifice there can be NO FORGIVENESS!
3. I want to touch on at least three people who were present during the trial & crucifixion who were profoundly influenced by Jesus. This message is entitled, “THE CROSS MADE THE DIFFERENCE”.
I. THE CROSS MADE THE DIFFERENCE FOR BARABBAS
A. FACTS ABOUT BARABBAS
1. Barabbas was a notable prisoner, (Matthew 27:16) the most famous criminal in custody.
2. Barabbas was called a murderer and he incited revolution against the Romans (Mark 15:7, Luke 23:19, Acts 3:14). Barabbas was also a robber (John 18:40).
3. When Barabbas woke up that morning, he was...
a. supposed to be executed; last day to live.
b. brought to Pilate before a crowd; trick?
c. crowd chose him instead of Jesus! Shock!
d. He was set free; Jesus to scourge & cross.
4. Jesus took HIS beating, HIS cross, HIS death. Barabbas should have died for his crimes, but didn’t.
B. NO LIFE WITHOUT DEATH
1. The only reason you are alive today is because something has died. Each time you eat, something has to die first.
2. We eat meats, & fruits, vegetables, and grains. So every time we eat, animals and plants have to die.
3. Every day that we live, we endorse the principle that life comes out of death.
4. Spiritually, the reason you can live is that Jesus died for you. There would be no life without His death! Thank God for the Cross!
II. THE CROSS MADE THE DIFFERENCE FOR THE DYING THIEF
A. REMARKABLE FAITH
1. In Luke 23:39-43, we find the conversation of the two thieves who were crucified with Jesus. Like Barabbas, they were guilty of crimes and deserved to die and to miss heaven.
2. But one thief defended Jesus and said to Him, “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus replied “Truly I say unto you, today you shall be with Me in paradise.” (42-43)
3. This is one of the most remarkable events in the Bible. As nameless agony engulfed them as they were hoisted up on crosses, impaled to their deaths, one man focused and trusted in Christ for salvation.
B. WHERE DID HE GET HIS FAITH? He’d watched Jesus!
1. WHEN NAILS DRIVEN, He himself had struggled. It took the 3 strongest soldiers to hold him down. He had cursed and screamed in pain. BUT JESUS didn’t struggle. He had only prayed; "Father, Forgive them...." ‘Who is this Man?’
2. According to historians of that time, it was common for crucified persons to scream and curse at the onlookers, in their pain. But though the mob and chief priests laughed and jeered, Jesus didn’t revile back, but bore the insults with quiet Majesty.
3. THE INSCRIPTION above Jesus’ cross read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." That was the thief’s little Bible.
4. The FACE OF JESUS. His eyes were like none that the thief had ever seen before. Eyes of sorrow, yet of love. Majesty and misery, suffering and sacredness: the Lamb of God!
5. Most of all, being in the PRESENCE of CHRIST, the thief felt he was in a church service; God was near!
C. PICTURE OF GOD’S GRACE
1. Christ was crucified between two thieves: in them were represented all the men/women who have ever lived.
2. At the Cross of Jesus, all humanity is divided into 2 groups; those who trust Jesus and are saved, and those who reject Him and are lost.
3. If Jesus can take a thief straight from the jaws of hell and translate him to heaven, He can take you there too. Trust Him!
III. THE CROSS MADE THE DIFFERENCE FOR THE CENTURION
The first 3 Gospels all tell us how the Roman Officer – Centurion – overseeing Jesus’ crucifixion, also expressed faith in Jesus, along with the other soldiers.
A. HARDNESS OF CENTURIONS
1. As appointed over 100 soldiers, this man was especially good at killing. He was good at what he did. He’d done many crucifixions before.
2. He’d probably supervised the terrible scourging of Jesus. He was a hard man.
3. This kind of work was his everyday job. Why would he care about one Jewish criminal?
B. REASONS FOR HIS CONFESSION
1. BIBLE RECORD, “Now when the centurion and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, ‘Truly this was the Son of God’” Mt. 27:54.
2. When these men saw the:
a. holy nature of Jesus;
b. His willingness to suffer;
c. Heard His gracious, forgiving words;
d. Saw the Sun darkened;
e. Saw how Jesus controlled the moment of His death;
f. Saw the storm unleashed and the felt the earthquake after He died, they became convinced all this was NOT COINCIDENCE, BUT EVIDENCE that Jesus WAS the Son of God!
C. THE CROSS MADE THE DIFFERENCE
1. Something happened to everyone who got close to Jesus!
2. They found themselves near:
a. A Power from beyond this world;
b. A Person who’s Majesty encompassed all time and space;
c. Near a heart-tearing Love which bid them humble themselves and surrender to grace.
3. Some did and some did not.
IV. THE CROSS MADE THE DIFFERENCE FOR ME AND YOU
A. LONG SHADOW OF THE CROSS
1. The Cross of Jesus made the difference in all of their lives.
a. Barabbas was impacted.
b. The dying thief was saved.
c. The Centurion and his men confessed that Jesus was the Son of God.
2. Have you and I been eclipsed by the Cross of Jesus? Has its great shadow been cast over us?
3. Have we seen the Glory of the Son of God and made our vows before God?
4. “So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. For the message God delivered through angels…every violation…and every act of disobedience was punished. So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak? And God confirmed the message by giving signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever he chose” Heb. 2:1-4, NLT.
B. OUR REACTION
1. God tells us we can’t straddle the fence.
2. Jesus said that "No Man Can have 2 Masters." Mt 6:24.
3. God is a jealous God: "Thou shalt have no other Gods before Me."
4. “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means hostility against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God” Jm. 4:4.
5. God says, "Choose... whom you will serve."
6. DON’T SIT ON THE FENCE
a. There was a man who, when it came to spiritual things, straddled the fence. He heard God say, “Get on the Lord’s side or on the devil’s side,” but he kept sitting on the fence.
b. One day the angels came and got all the people on God’s side of the fence and took them to Heaven. Then the devil came and took all the people on his side to Hell.
c. Lastly the devil came back to get the man on the fence, but he said, “You can’t get me – I’m not on your side, I’m on the fence!” The enemy replied, “You’re wrong! You see, I own the fence!” And he took the man away to Hell. Lesson? Don’t sit on the fence!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUS.: Cross with No Discomfort?
1. Ray Jordon tells of being in a group in Jerusalem that wanted to follow the path that Jesus took on His way to the cross. It was hot that day and he noticed that the leader had an umbrella over his head to protect him from the discomfort of the blazing sun.
2. It struck him as to the amazing contrast between this and the real incident. They wanted to follow the path of Christ, but did not want any discomfort in doing so.
3. Leslie Weatherhead had a Christian from India tell of what it cost him to follow Christ, and it put him to shame when he considered how little it cost him to follow the cross of Christ. This Indian man heard the call of Christ in a Methodist church in Madras. He came from a Brahmin family and his father was the head of the community.
4. When his father heard of his decision for Christ he blazed with anger. He tied him to a pillar in the courtyard of his home. He stripped the turban from his head, a mark of indignity in the East, lashed his back with whips till the blood ran, and let him stand in the hot sun for hours. They even poured the contents of the sewage bin over his head. They put two large scars on his face with red hot irons. His own mother died of shock before him.
5. Finally his sister cut him loose, & he escaped to the hills. He eventually became a chaplain in the army. This man was treated worse than a criminal, but because it was suffered for Jesus, he was simply bearing his cross. Are we? [Glenn Pease]
B. THE CALL
1. THE CROSS MADE THE DIFFERENCE with Barabbas, the dying thief, and the Centurion. Has the cross made a difference in you?
2. Prayer & LORD’S SUPPER.
