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The Greatness Of Golgotha
Contributed by Clint Shrum on Jan 9, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: Golgotha has never been known as a place of beauty, In this message we see how that wretched place became a place of greatness
THE GREATNESS OF GOLGOTHA
Mark 15:22-25
Intro: Three times in the Bible you find the word Golgotha, Matthew 27:33, Mark 15:22 and John 19:17. Only once in the Bible do you find the word Calvary in Luke 23:33. Both of these words speak of the same place and have the same meaning. Golgotha meaning place of the skull in Hebrew and Calvary meaning the skull in Aramaic. This place Golgotha was not a pleasant place. Some say it got its name from its appearance as a skull and some say because it was a place of execution. But regardless of how it obtained its name it will hold a place in the hearts of Christian as a place of greatness. I want to preach on the subject “THE GREATNESS OF GOLGOTHA”.
Some six hundred yards outside the city gate of Jerusalem stands a small rocky elevated knoll. On top of this knoll countless people have been crucified. But the crucifixion of all of those thieves and robbers and murderers means nothing to me. But the once that was crucified there that was guilty of nothing is the one that has affected all man kind.
I. Plants and flowers did not grow on Golgotha, but the Rose of Sharon showed His beauty there.
A. (Song 2:1) I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.
B. Though His visage was marred more than any man the beauty of the cross holding the Saviour is burnt deep within my heart
II. Golgotha always meant sure death, but to a believer it is the beginning of life
A. Anytime a criminal was sentenced to die by means of crucifixion they knew Golgotha was the place of death
B. And while Jesus did die at Golgotha it was through his death that we could have eternal life
III. Golgotha became a great battleground
A. Although mankind could not see it with the naked eye a great battle was being warred that day on Golgotha
B. The battle between good and evil, the battle for the souls of men
C. Justice and grace met that day on Golgotha
D. Justice demanded payment for sin but Grace paid it all
IV. Golgotha became a place of glory
A. Never in the history of the place had a king visited this place
B. (John 19:21-22) And while the Jews would not accept Him has their king Pilate refused to remove the inscription above the cross