The Cross of Christ dated 18.4.14

Introduction

There is nothing more famous than this death of Jesus which is being remembered and celebrated all over the world TODAY more than 2,000 years later.

The Bible is clear that the Cross is central to New Testament Christianity.

Christianity is not about going to church. Christianity is not about rules & regulations.

Christianity is all about the person & work of the Lord Jesus Christ – a relationship, and the heartbeat of that is his death that first Easter.

Luke wants us to grasp 3 things about that unique event (Luke 23:13-25; 32-46):

1   Definite Death

First, the cross of Christ was a definite death.

Luke wants us to know that Jesus definitely died on the cross.

Today, there are those who would dispute Jesus’ death: that they did not kill Christ, nor did they crucify him, but so it was made to appear to them that they did.

In the 1^st Century, a crucified God was nonsense! A crucified God was a joke. Perhaps this helps us to understand some of the hostility to the idea today. The cross of Christ is very controversial. Christians would contend that the cross is only precious if Jesus definitely died.

2   Deliberate Death

Secondly, Luke wants us to notice that the cross of Christ was a deliberate death. You can see it in the succession of characters who have a hand in the death of Jesus:

• the political leaders - Pilate & Herod: he is innocent, they say it again, and again, and again. But like many politicians, they are weak & so they cave in to popular pressure & hand Jesus over to be killed.
• the crowds –They are the ones who want the terrorists released in favour of the Prince of Peace.
• the religious leaders –the ones orchestrating the whole incident now coming to inspect their handiwork: “If he’s really God’s King what is he doing on a cross?”, that symbol of cursing.
• the soldiers - If this was the best that the Jews can come up with, then they need not worry about them as a threat .

The Gospel account would make us think that the Jewish leaders are in “control”, or the Roman soldiers are in control, or the politicians are in control. But Luke keeps highlighting the way in which Jesus’ death fulfills Scripture, Jesus’ death fulfills God’s Word promised hundreds & hundreds of years before – whether it’s the fact that he’s executed with wicked criminals, v32; or soldiers gambling for Jesus’ clothes, v34. Or they are offering Jesus wine vinegar, v36 – they all fulfilled God’s Word.

Jesus’ death is not some tragic accident – it is God’s intention. It was the climax to his life. It was his crowning achievement. It was Jesus who is in control – not the Jewish people, not the Romans, not Pilate. Jesus died to fulfill God’s plan.

Hours before his death in Luke 22:37, Jesus takes us to Isaiah 53:12:

4 things in the last 4 lines that tell us why his death is triumphant:

2.1 Voluntary Death

Poured out his life to death: he did it willingly, voluntarily – he went to his death on his own accord, was not forced into it, there was no bullying by a grumpy father.

2.2 Substitutionary Death

Numbered with transgressors - he became sin. He was counted as a sinner: this perfect, spotless, sinless, suffering servant was numbered with the transgressors.

2.3 Sin-bearing Death

He bore the sin of many – literally he lifted off the sins of many.

2.4 Satisfactory Death

He makes intercession for the transgressors: enables him to stand between us and God and plead our cause because he has carried our sins (our rebellion, our rejection of God as sworn enemies of God) in his body at the Cross.

The question that is at the heart of Jesus’ death: “If this Jesus is the great Rescuer-King, then why doesn’t he save himself?” 

Although the cross is a place of death, Luke wants us to know that at the same time, in God’s great plan, it is the source of life

3 Divisive Death

The cross of Christ is a divisive death. Luke shows us how different people acting as a mirror for us, respond to the death of Jesus. The question: what about me? What do I make of the cross of Christ? 

First, the people too pre-occupied with trivial pursuits to ponder v34 – getting along with their jobs, consumed by careers, worried about work, reveling in relationships, but missing out on the most important event in history and the greatest opportunity of all time – peace with God.

 

Then a criminal too condemned to care v39. He hurled insults at Jesus and treat God like a servant: Are you the Christ?! Well save yourself & us! Some Christ you are! The cross was a place of death but also a place where so many different people with so many different reasons as to why they did not want Jesus to be their King.

The Bible speaks of sin & acknowledges that sin has 101 different symptoms but at its root is this attitude that says: I will not have Jesus as my King.

Finally, we see a robber who wants to be remembered v40-42.

Now these 2 men, as they face death, have very different outlooks. Our robber – he rebukes the other criminal for insulting Jesus. He steps away from the criminal, he steps away from the crowd – he will not mock Jesus.

He sees criticizing Jesus is like criticizing God. There is a deep reverence for Jesus here. But notice there’s also an honest recognition of his own failings, of his own moral shortcomings.

He sees that he is where he deserves to be – that there is a reverence for God, there is recognition of his sin – and this incredible request for mercy v42. He depends on Jesus alone for his future because he knows that Jesus alone can deal with his past as he dies on the cross.

It was a divisive death!

One treats Jesus as his servant in death: Save yourself & us! But our robber: No, I’m not going to do that. No, I won’t treat God like that. He wants Jesus to save his soul & so he treats Jesus as his King and he says: Jesus, please don’t forget me. Please have mercy on me. There are no excuses. 

That is real faith!

That is the faith that saves. That is the faith that puts us into God’s good books. Faith is a faith that says: I am sorry for what I have done wrong. Thank you for sending Jesus to die for me. Thank you Jesus for doing what I could not do for myself. Please remember me.

And how does Jesus respond? v43.

What do you make of the cross of Christ?

Luke wants us to be in no doubt that although that 1^st Easter was a place of death but it was also a source of life – eternal life for this man & for all who would turn & trust in Jesus.