Going to the cross
Going to The Cross
Matthew 27:27-44, Philippians 2:1-18 and Isaiah 53:13 – 54
Matt 27:27-44
The Soldiers Mock Jesus
27 Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said. 30 They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. 31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.
The King on a Cross
32 As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. 33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). 34 There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 36 And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 38 Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40 and 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!"
41 In 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. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, 'I am the Son of God.'" 44 In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
Jesus Dies on the Cross
45 From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. 46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi,a lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”b
47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”
48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49 The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. 52 The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Sonc of God!”
55 Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
The Burial of Jesus
57 As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59 Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.
The Guard at the Tomb
62 The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63 “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”
65 “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.
[1]
The story of Christ going to the cross for you and me will never become old nature or secondary. It is new every time it is read. One point that always remains amazing about the dead of Jesus, for me, is the fact that He knew what was about to happen! He knew the pain, the anguish, the suffering, and the humility that the cross would bring, yet He willingly died for you and for me.
Paul wrote in Rom 5:6-8 Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
What love that God has show to you and to me. It a love that is difficult to demonstrate by us, yet it is the same love that God commands us to freely give to others. It a love that requires others to ask of us –why do they love us, we have not show love to them.
Jesus said in John 3:16-18 16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
It is this measure of love that changes the heart and minds of people and it is this same degree of love that God wants us to share.
Jesus said in John 13:34-35 34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Again He said in John 15:12-13 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
Lastly He said in John 15:17, “This is my command: Love each other.”
God’s love was show to the world before it was ready to accept it.
Our most quote verse about God love.
John 3:16-18 16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
He went to the cross, now it is our turn to show the world His like of love
This kind of love is almost incomprehensible. It is somewhat beyond our mental capacity to reproduce in the same measurement. Somehow, we must learn how to share it.
Now, God has commanded that we learn to love other as He loves us. Impossible, only God can love like God. This is true but neverther less we love as He loved us, therefore, he Not only has He asked this but also has provide a way. Those who simply find it impossible to love some people will rejoice by knowing what the power to love, God has given to you at salvation. Holy Spirit power enables you to think like God as you yield yourself to Him.
Galatians 5:22 – The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Since we to desire to Love others like Christ, let me suggest four promises you should make tonight. These are promises that God will help you keep.
1. Make a promise to serve others as Christ served
2. Make a promise to think like Christ
3. Make a promise to live your life as Christ lived His
4. Make a promise to remember how Christ gave his life for yours.
For you to keep these four promises, it will require you to think like Christ. Question?
How do you begin to think like God in your relationship to other people? One way is understand about the dead of Christ. Knowing about Jesus’ death and resurrection helps you to think more like Him? It will help you to become more willing to go to the cross.
Open your Bible to Philippians 2 – Let me share with you what you already have in Christ – think about your relationship with Him as I read and confirm your answers as yes.
I. Make a promise to serve others as Christ served (Read 4:1-4)
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. [2]
A. There is comfort in knowing Christ as your savior, since this is all true continue in your love for others in this manor. These are true statements that God desires in your life because of His relationship with you.
1. any encouragement from being unity with Christ
2. any comfort from his love
3. any fellowship with the Spirit
4. any tenderness and compassion
B. Then, make by joy complete! There is a unity amongst believers in Christ (Phil 2:2). Unity in what we believe and what we practice. We believe in one God, one Savior, one Spirit, one baptism, and one way to heaven. Make my joy complete by
1. being like-minded
2. having the same love
3. being one in spirit
4. being in one purpose
C. There is a willingness to think of others before yourself (no selfish ambitions).
1. Christ came to seek and to save the lost.
2. Christ commanded me to do the same.
3. I must learn how to think of the eternal state of others that compels me to share the gospel with them.
4. But if I am thinking of others, it might cost me the pleasure of this world? Positions?
5. Remember what God told Paul to write - Gal 2:20
20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
God, help me keep my promise to serve others as you served of them.
II. Make a promise to think like Christ – He was thinking as a servant to others – servant mindset
A. Philippians 2:5-11 (Read)
B. Christ found comfort in being obedient to His Father
James 4:10 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
(from New International Version).
Jesus knew who he was. He knew his relationship with God and the Holy Spirit. Likewise, you should know yours.
You are Children of the living God, Children of the Father, Children of the promise, Fellow-citizens with the saints, Friends of God, Friends of Christ, Heirs of God, Heirs of the kingdom, heirs of salvation, joint-heirs with Christ, light of the world, men of God, royal priest, servant of Christ, Sons of God (81 titles and names of Saints). His sheep, ambassadors, soldiers
C. Christ was willing to think of others before Himself – let us talk about His love for you – in his love, he knew that it would require going to the cross. He knew that it would require suffering and shame. He knew that many would not understand his love and would reject him. He knew all this, yet He still came to this earth for you.
Open your Bible to Isaiah 52: 13
1. Isaiah 52:13-15 - Many will be astonished when they discover who Christ is. (before it happened – results are told)
2. Many will not believe the good news – 53:1 – Even today, many still refuse to believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus would not wait for them to believe.
3. He will be raised as an ordinary man. Some people believe that Jesus was a good man; others say he was a prophet, and many more questioned his very existence. You have read that many stated, “Is He not the son of a carpenter?”
4. He will be our sacrifice. (53:3-5)
When those closed to you are suffering with physical, emotional, spiritual pain, you want to ease their burdens. You might even think if it were possible to carry some of their problems, you would, just to give them some relief.
Jesus knows better than you about your worries and cares; listen as I read, Isaiah 53:4-5.
5. Many will flee rather than believe. (53:6) (this is a problem today)
I will not believe in the story of the cross.
I will not allow some faith to tell me how to live.
I will follow my own path – a path that will show how to love other people. Just this week, we hear of another who thought he would find love outside of Gods ways.
God loves you and wants you to know about Christ love for you
6. What did God say about Jesus’ death for you?
a. Christ died willingly (53:7)
b. Christ died for all (53:8)
c. Christ died without sin (53:9)
d. Jesus knew the cost of your salvation would be His life.
e. Serving others has a cost – it will cost time to change a life, it will cost financially to change a life, it will cost emotionally to change a life, it will cost humility to change a life. Jesus gave all that He had in order for everyone to be reconciled with God but not everyone will accept his love and sacrifice. Jesus know this before He came to this earth, still knowing this truth, Jesus came for your and me.
7. What was God’s part? How did He feel (53:10 – 11)?
C. This is the mindset of God and Jesus about the crucifixion of Jesus.
Make a promise to serve others as Christ
Make a promise to learn how to think like Christ
III. Make a promise to live your life as Christ lived His (open to Philippians 2:12)
A. Philippians 2:12 – Therefore,
B. God is working in you because of Him (2:13)
C. Work without complaining and disputing (2:14-15)
D. Hold fast the Word of life (2:16)
D. If I gift my life to help you to find yours, I am glad and rejoice with you.
E.
Make a promise to serve others
Make a promise to learn how to think life Christ
Make a promise to live your life as Christ lived His
IV. Make your communion in remembrance of how He gave his life for your eternal salvation.
A. Remember that Jesus willingly gave His life for you.
B. Remember that God wants you to have the same mindset for serving others.
C. Remember that you willingly accepted Jesus Christ as your love and savior.
D. Remember that He said, John 13:34-35 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
When you capture the essence of servicing others willingly, without partiality, and sacrificially, then you are being to understand the mind of Christ.
V. Remember this tonight
A. Jesus died on the cross in your place that you could have forgiven of your sins and eternal life with Him
B. God said that if you would ask him to be your savior right now, you could have a home in heaven. Whosoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
C. This is God’s will – that no one should perish but all should come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
D. Let’s come to that knowledge right now.
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a Some manuscripts Eli, Eli
b Psalm 22:1
c Or a son
[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Mt 27:45-66
[2] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Php 2:1-4