THE 3 CROSSES OF CALVERY
Place Allendale Baptist ( In view of a call)
Date September 16, 2001
Luke 23:32-33: 39-43
Introduction
Several days ago, my wife received an E-mail of sculptures of Jesus on the cross. The unique thing about these pictures they were of sculptures made of sand. Sand castles. They were beautiful. I thought of the detail, the planning & the pain that must have went into this artwork. As I looked at these pictures I also thought about the crucifixion. The planning of God. The great detail. But most of all the pain.
As we look at these scriptures that tell us of the crucifixion, it tells us of the awesome love God has for us. There were 3 crosses @ Calvary. Each one tells a special story. Let’s look at the 3 crosses of Calvary.
I. THE MIDDLE CROSS.
A. Occupied by Jesus. The Son of God. Without sin.
B. Scene of the crucifixion.
1. Brutal: He was beaten & whipped (cat of 9 tails)
2. Hands & feet nailed to the cross.
3. Crown of thorns pressed on His head.
C. Placed between 2 thieves.
1. The middle was a place of honor or in this case the one seen as the worst of the worst.
2. This is true because of the sins that He bore. My sins & yours.
3. **** THIS MAN DIED FOR OUR SINS*****
II. THE CROSS ON THE LEFT.
A. Occupied by a thief.
B. We do not know what the crime was but it was punishable by death.
C. He blasphemed Christ. Save yourself & us if you are the Christ.
D. He wanted to be saved from the situation of the cross.
E. We see no repentance. (He had the Burger King mentality; he wanted it his way)
F. He challenged Jesus, along with others, to save Himself from the cross, when He was saving others by the cross.
G. *** this man died in his sins***
III. THE CROSS ON THE RIGHT.
A. Occupied by a thief.
B. He admits he deserves what is being done to him.
C. *** True repentance acknowledges the justice of God in all punishment of sin***
D. Though Jesus never defends Himself, this thief does. He says “He’s not one of us”
E. Look @ his prayer. Not the sinners prayer. Did not go to Sunday School. He did not walk down the aisle & make a public profession of faith.
F. We do see true faith, repentance, & belief in Christ
G. We do not know if he had ever heard the Gospel, but he did see the gospel on the center cross.
H. *** This man died away from his sins.***
Invitation
The story is of after the Titanic sank & people began to reach shore, the rescuers made two lists. One for those that were saved & one that were lost.
Same for these crosses, one lost one saved. The great thing about this is you can change from one to the other.
