What Jesus Saw
Lk 23:26-46
INTRO: Christmas season is a time of remembering the baby Jesus & the Christmas story
1. Next Sunday is Christmas and of course we will concentrate
on the nativity story
2. But today I want us to see past the Birth to the purpose of
Jesus being born of a virgin in a little town called Bethlehem
3. Let’s look at the cross, more that that lets look at the person
on the cross
a. People wear crosses as jewelry, but looking at their life it
does not reflect the life for which the person on the cross died
b. Jesus came into this world at Bethlehem’s stable for a
reason
1. To hang on the old rugged cross
4. We see Jesus on the cross in our imaginations, in our
reasoning as we read the crucifixion story
a. We remember Jesus’ sacrifice in the Lord’s Supper
b. Crosses on walls, on steeples, on sides of roads remind of
Him who hung on the cross
5. But I want us to see something else.
a. Not just see Jesus, but see what Jesus saw while on that cross
I. Jesus Saw the People He Came For
1Ti 1:15 This [is] a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
Lu 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
A. Important Question: Is there a person or people that you
would not go try to win to the Lord?
1. I submit to you, if there is any one that you refuse to try t
reach, for what ever reason
a. Your cross is not on your back, are not bearing your cross,
nor following Jesus
B. He came for & saw all people while bearing His Cross
1. When carrying it up the Via Dela Rosa, The way of Sorrows
a. Carrying that old wood after being beaten through the night
b. He saw the women & the people on the Street of Jersalem
1. He warned them of the coming Judgment
a. Particularly to the Jewish people and those who have rejected Him
as the Messiah Lu 23:28-29 But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed [are] the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
2. Once nailed to the Cross, Jesus saw His mother & Disciple John
a. What a heartache that had to be for her, to see her son
treated in such away
b. But equally heart winching was him to look down in all the
shame & humiliation of the crucifixion and see his poor
old mother having to go through this with him
c. He in these final moment made arrangements for her
Joh 19:26-27 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own [home].
3. But also there was a man who had been compelled, forced
into carrying the cross the rest of the way up Calvary when
Jesus fell under the load
a. Simon of Cyrene: Tradition says he was black man
b. Jesus saw across ALL racial, Ethnic, national & Social
Boundaries
4. Two thieves: Both Guilty, both lived lives apart from God’s
ways, His Word and were unrighteous people
a. Richard V. Devotion at nursing Home reminded us of
Jesus’ birth in a lowly, dirty barn, filth of animals, feed trough
1. To tell you and I, the poor, beggarly, those down & out
2. The God of this world the creator of the Universe has not forgotten
them
5. The Crucifiers Also: The Jewish Leaders, Mob & Roman Soldiers
a. Religious, Political, Powerful, Violent, Cruel, hateful
b. ALL, Good or Bad Jesus Saw
6. He saw the World, the people of the world Jn 3:16
a. Not just Jews or of Judaism, nor Christians
1. But Muslims, Buddhists, Shintoist, Cultists, Atheists
Joh 12:47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
b. Jesus doesn’t see people like we see people
1. We see people either like us or not like ourselves
a. Either they’re one of us or not
b. Jesus Saw people dying without hope, Hell bound
1. He understood He was the only remedy for the terminal disease of
Sin
C. Yes Jesus saw mankind’s predicament, situation
1. Time running out, Eternity facing each & every one of us
a. He understood the seriousness of the situation and the dyer
consequences of not being saved
Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
II. Jesus Saw the Sin, That Had to Have a Remedy
(forgiveness only answer) Lu 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.
A. Sin the Disease that Afflicts ALL Men
Ro 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Ro 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
1Jo 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
B. Sin is the Pollution of the World
1. Complain of Pollutions: Air, water, trash on side of the road
a. But pollution of this world doesn’t have eternal
consequences
2. The Pollution of the human heart, soul is the root of our
Problems, pain, strife, suffering, Tragedies
C. Sin the Death of the World: kills Jas 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Ro 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
1. Sin brings death, Innocence, Relationships, Young & Old
a. Sin Separates man from God, that is death ultimate death
b. Eternal death, separation is called the 2nd death
1. Names of those NOT in the Lamb’s Book of Life are cast into the
lake of fire
D. Sin’s End, Hell Eternal Damnation
2Pe 3:9 (the Lord is) not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
1. Jesus sees and knows what will happen to any individual
without God’s saving grace in their life
a. He knows the destructiveness of Sin, It’s punishment
b. He knows the ONLY Remedy for Him to die on that Cross
III. Jesus Saw the Darkness of being Forsaken by the Father
Mt 27:45-46 “Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
A. Obvious Quote of Ps 22:1
1. Some would say Jesus was so physically, emotionally
strained He was incoherent
a. No, Obvious quote & fulfillment of Prophecy
B. But Why?, Why did Jesus say WHY?
1. Never heard Jesus ask the Father Why before
a. Could have many times
“Why let Satan tempt him?” “Why hunger, Fast for 40 days?”
“Why surrounded by such failures?”
“Why the enemies constantly hound him?” “Why Judas betray him?”
“Why Peter deny him?” **(not even) “Why the cross?”
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
2. Showing a Deep Deep Issue
a. Asking a Rhetorical Question, Answer He already knew
b. But ask for the audience to make a connection, understand
deep truth
3. Father Forgive His Prayer just Prior to this
a. God’s forgiveness had to cost somebody
b. But at that moment the relationship & fellowship was
unbroken
4. Later He’d pray Lu 23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
a. There will be a reuniting, but in between something
monumental is happening
5. At the (rare) point, moment (darkness) Jesus could no longer
see the presence of the Father
6. There was such a intimate relationship only the only
begotten Son could have with the Heavenly Father
a. But NOT now, Why?
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Ga 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that hangeth on a tree:
7. At that moment time, in history: ALL the SIN,
a. ALL the ugliness, vial repulsive, abhorrent Evil was laying
upon the Rose of Sharon, the Sweetest of all Souls, Jesus
b. Jesus bore our sin, 1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
8. He became a curse & Our Holy & Just God could no longer
look or acknowledge His own son
9. What is the Worst thing about Hell?
a. NOT: the flames, the worms, the endless falling, the darkness, All
the evil inhabitants nor the Pain & suffering
b. NO GOD: To not Have God in our life is more than we
can bear, means no life, no hope, No joy, no peace, no love
IV. Jesus Saw the Job Done
Joh 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
Tetelesti “It is Finished”
A. Prisoner crime paid for: *Written on Parchment by Official “Tetelesti”
1. Crime paid in full, finished the sentence, the punishment
2. The entire Price of our Redemption been paid for
a. We are Set free
B. All He Needed to do, All He Had to Do, All He Could do,
All He Would Do HE DID!
1. Salvation is for those who will accept Jesus and the work He
has done on our behalf by faith
a. Repent is to acknowledge your sin Jesus died for your sin
1. Turn to Him accepting Him and His accomplishment on the cross
for payment of your sin
2. Putting your faith in him you confess to Him and the World Jesus is
your Lord & Savior
INVITATION
1. Be Foolish to work all life, saving, skimping, retire, take all
you’ve earned & throw in river
a. More foolish to try to earn the impossible, but yet is
available by Jesus and to reject Him
2. God Loves you, has done every necessary for your sins to be
forgiven, all you have to do is turn to Jesus in faith
a. He sees you as you are, loves as you are but loves you too
much to leave you as you are, come that He might cleans &
change you.
