THE CROSS
TEXT: Luke 23 (selected verses) W. Max Alderman
INTRODUCTION: The cross today is a vivid symbol of a great past victory that involved horrible pain and crucifixion. When we see our shiny crosses that symbolize this past event, we must also remind ourselves that it was really an “Old Rugged Cross”, as the song says, that Jesus bled and died on. Today we want to examine the events that surrounded the cross and then notice the after event that we term the resurrection. Had there been no resurrection, then there would have been no need for the crucifixion and for the cross.
I. THE ANGER BEFORE THE CROSS
The court that took place was a tribunal of mockery and shame that was created to make an innocent man appear to be guilty… No, it was much more than that. It was a court of men who arranged themselves in judgment, to make the God-Man appear to be a felon of the worst kind. The anger of the human race, as depraved as it was, was gathered together in the person of those who cried “Crucify Him” to pass judgment on the One whom never knew sin.
A. THE ANGER WAS ABSOLUTLEY UNECCESSARY. (Vv. 13-16; V. 22)
Had our wonderful Savior been guilty of some horrendous crime or had in some way brought corruption or harm upon the human family, then there may have been a reason for such anger. Pontus Pilate could find absolutely no legal indictment against Him. This is the way that he worded his findings: “I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:” There was no reason to try or condemn the Son of God, but they did anyway.
B. THE ANGER WAS ABSOLUTELY UNCONTROLLABLE. (Vv. 17-21)
Reins could not be put upon this angry crowd. They were determined in their judgment. They maliciously were going to convict an innocent man, even if it meant releasing a thief and murderer while doing so. This so vividly characterizes the human race today. We are so prone to bringing about our own destruction as we condemn the good and then sanctify the evil. The codes of our law are being written to justify evil and to condemn that which is good. It is the same attitude today as it was then as we promote that which is Biblically wrong and then condemn that which is Biblically right. Notice these examples:
1. We condemn prayer and Bible reading in our schools, but allow vulgar and violent “freedom of speech” that can get away with saying anything and everything.
2. We will put a person in prison for taking a dog’s life, but legally permit a doctor to take a little babies life.
3. We place pornography in our grocery stores and then take the Ten Commandments from our courtrooms…
If Jesus was being tried today, there would still be those who would cry “Crucify Him!”
C. THE ANGER WAS ABSOLUTELY UNRELENTING (Vv. 23-25)
This crowd could not be talked out of doing what they were intent on doing. They acted as a mob and could not be stayed. (Romans 3:9-20 shows that we to would have done no better)
II. THE AGONY OF THE CROSS (Vv. 32-37)
According to a report by medical doctor, Mark Eastman, the suffering Jesus experienced on the cross is almost unbearable just to think about.
For example, before Jesus’ trial he was flogged by the Roman guards. "This process typically involved a whip with numerous leather thongs, 18-24 inches long, with bits of metal, bone or glass embedded in the leather.... Scourging was an extreme form of punishment. The skin on the victim’s back was usually shredded, thus exposing the underlying muscle and skeletal structures. Severe blood loss and dehydration were the rule. Many victims died from such scourging.
After the scourging of Jesus, the Roman soldiers beat Him a second time with their hands and with a reed. Then they put on him a crown of thorns.
Then, the crucifixion took place. "It is arguably the most painful death ever invented by man and is where we get our term ’excruciating.’ It was reserved primarily for the most vicious of criminals."
Even though Pilate, the Roman Governor, said, "I find no fault in this man," he gave in to the jealous crowd and allowed Jesus to be crucified. With his arms stretched out Jesus was nailed to a wooden cross. "The nails, which were generally about 7-9 inches long, were placed between the bones of the forearm (the radius and ulna) and the small bones of the hands (the carpal bones)," permanently destroying the largest nerve in the hand "called the median nerve.... In addition to severe burning pain the destruction of this nerve causes permanent paralysis of the hand."
"The positioning of the feet is probably the most critical part of the mechanics of crucifixion. First the knees were flexed about 45 degrees and the feet were flexed (bent downward) an additional 45 degrees until they were parallel to the vertical pole. An iron nail about 7-9 inches long was driven through the feet between the 2nd and 3rd metatarsal bones. In this position the nail would sever the dorsal pedal artery of the foot, but the resulting bleeding would be insufficient to cause death.
"The resulting position on the cross sets up a horrific sequence of events which result in a slow, painful death. Having been pinned to the cross, the victim now has an impossible position to maintain....
“Crucifixion ... is arguably the most painful death ever invented by man.”
"The result is that within a few minutes of being placed on the cross, the shoulders will become dislocated. Minutes later the elbows and wrists become dislocated.... As time goes on, the victim is less and less able to bear weight on the legs, causing further dislocation of the arms and further raising of the chest wall, making breathing more and more difficult. The result of this process is a series of catastrophic physiological effects"
Eventually the heart begins to fail, the lungs collapse, and the victim suffocates. He dies a slow, unbelievable excruciating painful death.
Some question whether Jesus really went through all of this resulting in His death.
ILL: Here is a letter written to a local advice column along with the response:
Dear Eutychus:
Our preacher said, on Easter, that Jesus just swooned on the cross and that the disciples nursed Him back to health. What do you think? Sincerely,
Bewildered
Dear Bewildered:
Beat your preacher with a cat-of-nine-tails with 39 heavy strokes, nail him to a cross; hang him in the sun for 6 hours; run a spear through his side; embalm him; put him in a tomb for 72 hours and see what happens. Sincerely, Eutychus
III. THE ANSWER AFTER THE CROSS (Luke 24:1-6)
The title of this message is “The Cross”. Though we placed emphasis on the cross, with a greater emphasis being placed on, “The Christ upon the Cross”. Now, may we look beyond the cross? The question is being asked, because of the concern of those who were “much perplexed” at not finding the body of Jesus in the tomb. Instead the stone was rolled away. May we notice?
A. FIRST, THE QUESTION: (V. 5)
“Why seek ye the living among the dead?” Certainly, this is a great and wonderful question. It is great in that it testifies to the fact that Christ is raised from the dead.
B. THEN, THE ANSWER: (V. 6)
“He is not here, but is risen”. There are many proofs given to show that Christ was raised from the dead. Notice these that are compiled from the Scriptures.
The Top 10 Reasons to Believe In the Resurrection:
#10- The Jewish prophecies speak of "One who would die for the sins of many." (Isaiah 53:4-5) The Apostle Paul points out that without the resurrection, we would still be in our sins. (1 Corinthians 15:17)
#9- Lack of DNA Evidence...which brings me to the next three points:
#8- The empty tomb. You cannot collect evidence from a missing body.
#7- The guarded tomb. The punishment for a Roman guard falling asleep was punishable by death.
#6- If there was a dead body, Rome and the chief priests would have produced it to squelch the mounting evidence of the resurrection. Where’s the body?
#5- Women were given a place of honor by becoming the first apostles. Jesus showed his resurrected body to women first. Only Jesus would have given women, especially in that day, this honor: Jesus told them to go and tell the Jesus’ brethren the good news about the resurrection. If this was a fairy tale, men would have been the culturally accepted ones to first discover the empty tomb.
#4- Eye witnesses: over 500 people saw Jesus’ resurrected body at the same time!
(1 Corinthians 15:6)
#3- The disciples changed from being cowards, to being willing to die for what they saw. If Jesus Christ wasn’t raised from the dead, if it weren’t true, Peter, the other disciples, and the rest of the early Christians, would have remained silent to protect themselves from persecution, torture and death!
#2- The Apostle Paul, a well-known, devout Jew, who hated Christians and wanted to kill them; until he met the risen LORD. That would be like Osama Bin Laden becoming a Christian and telling the world about it.
And, the #1 reason to believe in the resurrection of Jesus: Because he said so! (John 2:19-20) Jesus predicted his death and resurrection. Jesus cannot be ’just a good man’, or ’a prophet’. He was either a liar and has deceived millions of people for centuries. Or, he was crazy to call himself God. Or he is the Risen Christ, and he told the truth! You decide. (Keith)
