Some years ago, a 14-foot bronze crucifix was stolen from Calvary Cemetery in Little Rock, Arkansas. It had stood at the entrance to that cemetery for more than 50 years. The cross was put there in 1930 by a Catholic bishop and had been valued at the time at $10,000. The thieves apparently cut it off at its base and hauled it off in a pick-up. Police speculate that they cut it into small pieces and sold it for scrap.
The thieves hoped the 900-pound cross could get them $450. They obviously didn't realize the value of that cross. If they can kept it tact, the cross would be worth over $10,000.
That is the problem, of course—understanding the value of the cross. As the gospel writers relate the story of Jesus' crucifixion, the theme that runs through all the details is rejection. Not only did people not see the value of Jesus, they also didn't understand the value of his death.
I think we’re guilty in a way…the cross has become more of a symbol of religion than a symbol of sacrifice.
We finish a series today called “The Absurd & Outrageous Commands of God”. This being our 7th week, we have looked at commands God issued that seems crazy…they pushed people to a deeper level of faith.
Remember where we started…
God’s commands are meant to meet our challenges.
Today, the command exposes our greatest challenge: Forgiveness.
Now, before you get uptight, we’re not going to talk about the person you need to forgive or the person you need to apologize to. Today is significantly different.
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This is about you. This is about your forgiveness.
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Forgiveness is when you assume the consequences for someone else's wrong.
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That's what Jesus did for us.
My question is not: Do you know that Jesus has forgiven you.
My question is: Do you know what forgiveness feels like? Have owned what Jesus did?
To explain today’s command, I need to verbally paint a picture for you.
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I can tell you today – everyone here – “Jesus loves you and you’re forgiven!”
So many of us hear that, but we do not take ownership of that.
Explain the series we’re in (it ends today).
Today’s command…our final command that we’re looking at:
“Forgive them.”
Luke 23:32-34
Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
I’m sticking to what I said earlier – I’m not sure every one of us has taken ownership of those words. We like forgiveness – we appreciate forgiveness.
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Do we live like we’ve owned that forgiveness?
I believe there is one way to own that forgiveness – it is to understand what Jesus did to give it to you.
Now, the facts I am about to say are exactly that…facts. They are proven historical events. There is more proof for what I am about to tell you then the majority of what we read in a high school history book.
To understand the command, we have to review the most painful details of Jesus’ final hours before He died. You don’t need to take notes. I want you to listen with your hears, but more importantly, I want you to hear me with your heart.
I’ll start with the moment Jesus was officially betrayed…
Betrayal/Abandonment
Luke 22:47-48
While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, 48 but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”
Mark 14:48-52
“Am I leading a rebellion,” said Jesus, “that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.” Then everyone deserted him and fled. A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.
Illegal trial
Mark 14:53-56
They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the law came together.54 Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.
The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.
1. Any arrest could not be made at night.
2. The time and date of the trial were illegal because it took place at night and on the eve of the Sabbath. This time precluded any chance for the required adjournment to the next day in the event of a conviction.
3. The Sanhedrin was without authority to instigate charges. It was only supposed to investigate charges brought before it. In Jesus' trial, the court itself formulated the charges.
4. The charges against Jesus were changed during the trial. He was initially charged with blasphemy based upon His statement that He would be able to destroy and rebuild the Temple of God within three days, as well as His claim to be the Son of God. When He was brought before Pilate, the charge was that Jesus was a King and did not advocate paying taxes to the Romans.
5. As stated above, the requirement of two witnesses in agreement to merit the death penalty was not met.
6. The court did not meet in the regular meeting place of the Sanhedrin, as required by Jewish law.
7. Christ was not permitted a defense. Under Jewish law, an exhaustive search into the facts presented by the witnesses should have occurred.
8. The Sanhedrin pronounced the death sentence. Under law, the Sanhedrin were not allowed to convict and put the death sentence into effect. (John 18:31)
Cat-of-nine tails
Isaiah 50:6
I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;
I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.
Isaiah 52:14
Just as there were many who were appalled at him—his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness—
Crown of thorns
Genesis 3:17-18
“Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it
all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.
The actual crown of thorns may have covered the entire scalp.(Lumpkin) The thorns may have been 1 to 2 inches long. The gospels state that the Roman soldiers continued to beat Jesus on the head. The blows would drive the thorns into the scalp (one of the most vascular areas of the body) and forehead, causing severe bleeding.
Thorns first appeared after the fall, as a sign of the curse. Thus, the crown of thorns He wore (unbeknownst of the soldiers) became a symbols to show that Jesus took on the sins (and the curse) of the world upon Himself.
Cross
From the beating, Jesus walked on a path, now known as the Via Dolorosa or the "way of suffering", to be crucified at Golgotha. The total distance has been estimated at 650 yards. A narrow street of stone, it was probably surrounded by markets in Jesus' time. He was led through the crowded streets carrying the crossbar of the cross (called a patibulum) across His shoulders. The crossbar probably weighed between 80 to 110 pounds. He was surrounded by a guard of Roman soldiers, one of which carried a sign which announced His crime of being "the King of the Jews" in Hebrew, Latin and Greek. On the way, He was unable to carry the cross.
Nails
Studies have shown that nails were probably driven through the small bones of the wrist, since nails in the palms of the hand would not support the weight of a body. In ancient terminology, the wrist was considered to be part of the hand. Standing at the crucifixion sites would be upright posts, called stipes, standing about 7 feet high. In the center of the stipes was a crude seat, which served a support for the victim. The cross beam was then lifted on to the vertical beam. The feet were then nailed to the vertical beam. To allow for this, the knees had to be bent and rotated laterally, being left in a very uncomfortable position. The conviction sign was hung above the victim's head.
Crucifixion
Crucifixion was a practice that originated with the Persians. The Romans perfected it as a method of execution which caused maximal pain and suffering over a period of time. Those crucified included slaves, traitors and the lowest types of criminals. Roman citizens, except perhaps for soldiers who deserted, were not subjected to this treatment.
The crucifixion site "was purposely chosen to be outside the city walls because the Law forbade such within the city walls...for sanitary reasons ... the crucified body was sometimes left to rot on the cross and serve as a disgrace, a convincing warning and deterrent to passers by." (Johnson) Sometimes, the subject was eaten while alive and still on the cross by wild beasts.
The procedure of crucifixion may be summarized as follows. The cross beam was put on the ground and the victim laid upon it. Nails, about 7 inches long and with a diameter of 1 cm ( roughly 3/8 of an inch) were driven in the wrists . The points would go into the vicinity of the median nerve, causing shocks of pain to radiate through the arms. It was possible to place the nails between the bones so that no fractures (or broken bones) occurred.
There were several different types of crosses used during crucifixion. In Jesus' time, it was most likely that the cross used was a T shaped (or tau cross,), not the popular Latin, or t shaped cross which is accepted today.(Lumpkin)
Having suffered from the beatings and flogging, Jesus suffered from severe loss of blood. It’s nearly certain that He would be dehydrated state.
When the cross was erected upright, there was tremendous strain put on the wrists, arms and shoulders, resulting in a dislocation of the shoulder and elbow joints. The arms, being held up and outward, held the rib cage in a fixed position which made it extremely difficult to exhale, and impossible to take a full breath. The victim would only be able to take very shallow breaths. (This may explain why Jesus made very short statements while on the cross.) As time passed, the muscles, from the loss of blood, last of oxygen and the fixed position of the body, would undergo severe cramps and spasms.
Due to the shallow breathing, the victim's lungs begin to collapse in small areas. The kidney would usually begin to fail due to the loss of blood from the numerous beatings, resulted in an increased strain on the heart, which beats faster to compensate. Fluid then builds up in the lungs. Under all this stress on the body, the heart eventually fails.
The average time of suffering before death by crucifixion is stated to be about 2-4 days, although there are reported cases where the victims lived for 9 days. Jesus is believed to have been alive for 6 hours while on the cross – evidence that He was practically beaten to death before even being nailed to the cross.
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So, what was His response in all of this?
Luke 23:32-34
Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Jesus was physically and mentally beaten to death and one of His commands was that you and I be forgiven.
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So...what does it mean for you to own what happened on the cross?
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You understand the price paid for you to receive it.
The power to receive and extend forgiveness is found in Christ.
What have you been doing with that forgiveness? Is your life impacted by the fact that He allowed his skin to be beaten off, nails driven through his body, and hung in front of the city? Will you hear Christ’s command – that we be forgiven – will you allow it to consume you today?
Look at it this way:
1. You and I both start bound with shackles (show shackles)
2. Many of us go to church – start being nicer people – but we keep the shackles on because we never owned the forgiveness.
Romans 10:13 (NIV)
“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Once you own God’s forgiveness, 2 major events can happen:
1. Release you from your shackles.
2. Release others from their shackles.
PHYSICAL WORSHIP:
If you are ready to own Jesus’ forgiveness – to go public with this…If you are ready to own Jesus’ forgiveness at work – school – w/ your friends – family. If you’re ready to own Jesus’ forgivness as YOUR forgiveness…
I have a gift for you – but this gift comes with a stipulation: If you wear this white wrist-band (representing your forgiveness) you must lean and rely on God to help you own your forgiveness each and every day. I want you to look at your wrist and be reminded that what Christ went through allows you to see white rather than black. You see heaven instead of hell.
