The Journey to Calvary
(Mark 15:21, Luke 23:26-31, John 19:19-22)
INTRO
1. Calvin Miller said, "One cannot even begin to understand the life of Christ without understanding His death."
2. JUST FOR YOU
In Peggy Noonan’s book When Character Was King, she tells about a meeting between President
George W. Bush and President Vladimir Putin of Russia. It was their first meeting as world leaders
and Bush wanted to be sure they connected-- that they looked for depth of soul and character, not
simply had a political meeting.
Bush brought up a story he had read about Putin. His mother had given him a Christian cross that
Putin had had blessed while in Jerusalem. Bush had been touched by the story.
Putin told a story in response. He had taken to wearing the cross, and one day had set it down in a
house he had been visiting. Strangely, the house had burned down, and all Putin could think about
was that his cross was lost in the ruble. He motioned for a worker to come to him, so he could ask
him to look for the cross. The worker walked over to Putin, stretched out his hand, and showed him
the already recovered cross.
Putin told Bush “It was as if something meant for me to have the cross,” inferring that he believed in
a higher power.
Bush said, “Mr. Putin, President Putin, that’s what it’s all about—that’s the story of the cross.”
The story of the cross is that God intended it just for you.
Source: SermonCentral staff. Citation: Peggy Noonan. When Character Was King, pp 306-307. New
York: Viking, 2001.
3. A cartoon has been found in the ruins of ancient Rome showing how crazy the Christian message seemed to the people of that time. It’s a caricature of Jesus’ crucifixion, showing a man’s body hanging on a cross – but the body has a head of a donkey. Standing to left of this cross is a man with his hands raised in worship. Underneath is the inscription, “he worships his God!”
4. As we head into the crucifixion and then resurrection of Jesus Christ, I find these portions evoke emotions like no other. But I also know we do not want to zip past the death of Christ to celebrate the Resurrection. We need to pause and ponder.
MAIN IDEA: The cross is about a holy God, a sinful people, and the God-man Savior, Jesus Christ, providing reconciliation between God and man by providing the ultimate sacrifice for sin.
TS------- In order to better understand the events of Calvary, we can look at some of the persons involved in that traumatic but precious scene.
I. Simon the Cyrene (Mark 15:21)
1. Cyrene. Libya
2. A Jew in town for the Passover/Feast of Unleavened Bread, first strong looking guy who was walking by….
3. This innocent bystander would likely become a follower of Christ….Mark points out the names of his sons as though they were known to the church
4. Romans 16:13
5. This horror turned out to be a blessing for Simon; indeed, God often uses trauma and hardship in our lives to draw us to Himself….He shakes us to wake us…
6. Ray Botz’s song, "Watch the Lamb," portrays this event well…
Application: Some of you have a testimony like Simons’—a tragic or traumatic experience shook you and awakened the sense within you that you need God….maybe that awful thing that happened ended up being the best thing in your life!
The cross is about a holy God, a sinful people, and the God-man Savior, Jesus Christ, providing reconciliation between God and man by providing the ultimate sacrifice for sin.
II. The Mourning Women (Luke 23:26-31)
1. This is a potion of Scripture often overlooked, so let’s read it: Luke 23:26-31
2. Jesus carried not only the sins of the world, but their griefs; He grieved over the destruction of Jerusalem that would come in 70 AD because His own people rejected Him..
3. Acts 3:19-20
4. These women were probably disciples….what was left of the Palm Sunday crowd…
Application: Jesus knows our griefs and the trials that will befall us as well; He does care, but He also allows these for reasons beyond us….We are not the first generation to ask the question, "Why?" How do we know God loves us? Life? No. The cross (Rom 5:8)
The cross is about a holy God, a sinful people, and the God-man Savior, Jesus Christ, providing reconciliation between God and man by providing the ultimate sacrifice for sin.
III. The Savior Himself (John 19:19-22)
1. They offer Him wine mixed with myrrh (a tranquilizer)---He refuses
He has to drink the cup of wrath given Him by the Father for our sins…
2. He cries out, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
(1) These people are held accountable by Peter in the book of Acts for crucifying an innocent man
(2) But the Father did not hold them guilty for crucifying the Son of God because they did not understand this…
(3) Here we can see a principle repeated in the Word: we need to confess the sins of which we are aware to the Father, but we sin many times in ways we do not even realize…. "If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin."
3. He has dialogue with the repentant thief and promises Him, "Today you will be with me in paradise." Even in His suffering, Jesus Christ is ministering to others around Him!
The cross is about a holy God, a sinful people, and the God-man Savior, Jesus Christ, providing reconciliation between God and man by providing the ultimate sacrifice for sin.
IV. The Two Thieves (Luke 23:36-43)
1. Jesus crucified along with them at Golgotha…
2. Hebrews…outside the city….
3. Two thieves, both abusive at first….
4. Later, one comes to his senses, repents, and makes a request of Jesus…
5. Jesus says, "Today you will be with me in paradise…" Lessons:
(1) salvation can be instanteous….was crucified lost, died saved
(2) salvation is NOT by good works, baptism, rituals…
(3) salvation by faith alone
(4) at death, the believer is present with the Lord….
The cross is about a holy God, a sinful people, and the God-man Savior, Jesus Christ, providing reconciliation between God and man by providing the ultimate sacrifice for sin.
CONCLUSION
1. Have you come to church this morning lost? You can leave here saved!
2. If you have never accepted Jesus Christ, don’t delay: developing a relationship with God right here is what you were created for---to glorify Him. You have not begun to live until you have a saving relationship with God!
