THE STEPS OF A KING

The Crucifixion

Why is it that the Easter Season and Tax season always happen at the same time?

President Herbert Hoover was the first President to give his salary back to the government. Now the government would like everybody to do it.

A fool and his money are soon parted. The rest of us wait until income tax time.

Don't you long for the good old days when Uncle Sam lived within his income and without most of yours?

When making out your tax return, it's better to give than to deceive.

An income tax return is like a girdle. If you put the wrong figure in it you’re likely to get pinched

Benjamin Franklin said, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes.”

In all the history of mankind there has never been any event more certain, more assured, more definitely planned than the crucifixion of Christ. The steps of King Jesus were planned and purposed long before the time He left heaven, was born in a manger in Bethlehem, walked on this earth, lived a sinless life; His steps took Him to a cross planted on a hill called Golgotha; there, to experience a cruel death so that all of mankind could be provided with the means of salvation.

Nothing has ever been more certain than that death.

God did not have to come up with plan B. Christ’s crucifixion at Calvary was not a detour, it was His divine destination.

Matthew 27: 32As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. 33They came to a place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). 34There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 36And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews. 38Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”

41In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42“He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

45From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. 46About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Why did God have to arrange the steps of His Son so that Jesus would endure the trial, the beatings and the crucifixion?

Acts 4: 12Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

When Jesus proclaimed the Word in the Temple they called Him “Teacher.” When Jesus entered Jerusalem they waved palm branches and called Him “King.” When He rose from the dead 3 days after the crucifixion they called Him “Lord.” But the title you see attached to Jesus more than any other throughout the entire Bible is “Lamb of God.” He is the one who was to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins.

In Acts 16 a Philippian jailer fell down before the apostle Paul and cried out, “What must I do to be saved?” He knew something was radically wrong and the he needed a radical solution.

Liberal teachers have tried to move away from the idea of “being saved” that phrase sounds too much like backwoods tent revivals with people walking on sawdust covered floors.

We have advanced beyond that, we are more intellectual and refined. We need to talk nice to people about joining the church and discovering the god that is already within them and not get anyone upset by talking about their lost condition.

Well, Ladies and Gentlemen, lost people had better be walking on something, whether it is sawdust floors or brand-new plush carpet to get to Jesus because there is salvation in no one else.

The steps of Jesus were programmed to lead Him to this event, to the crucifixion.

Matt 27: 31After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

It was just a matter of hours between the trial and the crucifixion. There was to be no delay in this execution. The Passover was about to be celebrated and the Jewish leaders did not want their holy day desecrated by the dead bodies of criminals. Jesus is too exhausted, too weak to carry his cross, so to help keep the process on a quick pace, the soldiers draft a man from the crowd, Simon of Cyrene, to carry the cross. Many Bible scholars believe Simon to have been a black man. The black man has carried many an unjust burden on his shoulder over the course of history, but none like this.

Mark 15: 21A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.

Mark’s readers know him as the father of Alexander and Rufus. Mark is writing to Christians, therefore, the Christians must have known Alexander and Rufus. Something happened to Simon and his family as a result of this event. It may very well be that Simon came to Jerusalem to sacrifice his Passover lamb and there he met the Lamb of God who was sacrificed for him.

You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself!

Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”

Does that sound familiar? - The same temptation as Satan – If you’re the Son of God tell these stones to become bread;

if you’re the Son of God throw yourself down from the highest point of the temple

41In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42“He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.

Their intent was to mock and ridicule, but in fact, they were prophetic.

If only those people who ridiculed Jesus then could see the irony in their statements and how ridiculous their attempts to stop the Kingdom of God were. And if only the people today who ridicule Jesus could see the irony in their statements and attempts.

Huge Education Victory for Texas Students

"If our students do not feel the freedom to simply raise their hand and ask a question in science class, then we are no longer living in the United States of America." Ken Mercer, Texas State Board of Education (SBOE)

Common sense, combined with the pressure of at least 14,000 constituent communications in favor of allowing students to discuss all sides of a science theory, finally prevailed.

restore the twenty year standard of "Strengths and Weaknesses" to the new science TEKS (standards) for the next ten years of textbooks. This motion failed by a 7-7 vote.

The radical liberals, Darwinists, atheists and secular humanists attending from around the country quickly claimed victory to the army of national print and television media present.

By Friday afternoon their language "evolved" to words and remarks that cannot be put in print.

Friday morning, proposed a final amendment to the new “analyze and evaluate” language. After two slight language amendments to the SBOE passed the final TEKS language regarding science curriculum by a vote of 13-2.

This historic decision for the new science TEKS for grades 3-12, includes all areas of science.

The language passed with the following statement: (underlined items are for my emphasis).

In all fields of science, analyze, evaluate, and critique scientific explanations by using empirical evidence, logical reasoning, and experimental and observational testing including examining all sides of scientific evidence of those scientific explanations so as to encourage critical thinking by the students.

Clearly, the important Legislative Intent is to protect the academic freedom of Texas students. Our students should no longer feel "chilled" from discussion by those in authority who mIght claim there is no diagreement or weakness in a scientific theory.

"Textbooks and teachers will be required to teach “all sides” (scientific evidence both for and against and supportive and not supportive) of a scientific theory. I believe the new language implicitly requires that weaknesses be taught and is just as strong as the old language."

Yes, I realize the Texas statewide print media apparently once again "got it wrong." But it was perfecly clear to anyone on the floor of the SBOE that our liberal opposition was not happy.

Perhaps the website headline for the Texans for Better Science Education describes it best: "Darwinist monopoly on public schools decisively broken in Texas...Darwinists confused...Militant Secular Humanists are outraged."

The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday: "The Texas Board of Education approved a science curriculum that opens the door for teachers and textbooks to raise doubts about evolution."

In conclusion, my favorite memory was a remark from one of the California atheists who sat behind my desk. After we passed one historic amendment after another, this atheist cried out: "Oh my God!"

43He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”

45From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. 46About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Of the 33 years that Jesus walked the earth when was He the most in God’s will?

When He turned the water into wine? It’s not yet my time

When He spoke to the winds and the waves and calmed the sea? He was asleep

When He feed the 5,000? He told the disciples, “You give them something to eat.”

Jesus was never more in the will of God than when He cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

This is what you need to remember today

2 weeks ago– some things won’t make sense until Jesus is glorified

Last week – the king can repair what has been damaged

Today – there will come a time when you will be in the will of God and in that place you will feel forsaken

Don’t you wish Jesus would have responded to those insults and the ridicule?

-Don’t just cleanse the Temple, pick it up and move it 2 blocks down the road

-Open up the eastern sky and give them a video clip of end-time events

The steps of the King took Him into the will of God. The will of God

11Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12In a loud voice they sang:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,

to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength

and honor and glory and praise!”

13Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb

be praise and honor and glory and power,

for ever and ever!”

14The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

THE STEPS OF A KING - Crucifixion