JESUS’ CROSS-Driven CONCERNS-I
Lk. 23:33-49; Jn. 19:17-30; Mat. 27:33-54; Mk. 15:21-39
OR--CONCERNS From The CROSS
Attention:
The Big Picture?
In December 1903, after many attempts, the Wright brothers were successful in getting their “flying machine” off the ground.
Thrilled, they telegraphed this message to their sister Katherine: “We have actually flown 120 feet. Will be home for Christmas.”
Katherine hurried to the editor of the local newspaper & showed him the message. He glanced at it & said, “How nice. The boys will be home for Christmas.”
He totally missed the BIG news – this was the first any human had flown!!
We can be so caught up in the gruesome brutality of the Crucifixion that we miss the Cross-work of Christ!
Jesus’ 7 Words From the Cross:
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”—Luke 23:34
“Today you will be with me in paradise.”—Luke 23:43
“Behold your son...”: “behold your mother.”—Jn. 19:26-27
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”—Mat. 27:45; Mk. 15:33-34
“I thirst”—Jn. 19:28-29
“It is finished”—Jn. 19:30
“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”— Lk. 23:44; Mat. 27:50; Mk. 15:36-38
Need:
To recognize those things which are of greatest significance to our lives & the lives of others.
As Jesus hung on the cross, He voiced particularly important concerns.
At the juncture of life & death, matters of greatest significance are prioritized or become our greatest concern.
What matters are of greatest significance as evidenced from the Cross?
7 Cross-driven Concerns of Jesus.
*And...Any matter of significant concern to Jesus is also of vital significance for us!
1—A Cross-driven Concern of Jesus is...
Your FORGIVENESS(Lk. 23:34)
Explanation: (Lk. 23:34)
Lk. 23:34—“Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”
“Fore”—“Give”—To give before...Before the other’s poor & sin-driven response. Regardless of the outcome good or bad.
Jesus’ statement is directed toward His heavenly Father, comes immediately after Luke’s record regarding Jesus’ crucifixion between the “criminals.”
Jesus asks God, His Father, to “forgive them.” However, the identity of “them” is not clear, leaving the reader with at least 3 different possibilities, but probably all three...
1) It could be a general statement regarding the Jews for whom He had come to offer the kingdom of God.
2)It could be a general statement regarding all involved in bringing about the crucifixion, including the Romans.
3)It could be a specific statement regarding the soldiers directly responsible for the act of crucifixion.
In answer to Isa. 53:12e, Jesus intercedes for His transgressors—...And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.”
However the reason for Jesus’ seeking the Father’s “forgiveness” for others is clear.
It is sought because they were unaware of the ramifications of their own choices & actions.
In other words, Jesus did not want “them” to be ultimately condemned for their actions...
Thus there is hope for them even though they have derailed their own means of God’s salvation...for the time being!
While they have breath in them, they have potential to turn to God thru His Christ. This is true & remains for all mankind!
1Cor. 2:6-8—“...we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”
That “they do not know what they do” “is not a lack of knowledge but of an erroneous judgment about God’s activity.”—BECNT
“There is a kind of ignorance that does in part excuse sin: ignorance through want of the means of knowledge or of a capacity to receive instruction, through the infelicities of education, or inadvertency. The crucifiers of Christ were kept in ignorance by their rulers, & had prejudices against Him instilled into them, so that in what they did against Christ & his doctrine they thought they did God service(Jn. 16:2). Such are to be pitied & prayed for. This prayer of Christ was answered not long after, when many of those that had a hand in his death were converted by Peter's preaching.”.....“They were all malefactors, all guilty before God.”—Matthew Henry
“...the petition put up by him is for forgiveness; which is with God, & with Him only; & that for his enemies, his crucifiers: not for those who sinned the sin unto death, the sin against the Holy Ghost, who knowing him to be the Messiah, maliciously crucified him[as :35 describes them], for whom prayer is not to be made; but for those who were ignorantly concerned in it...”.....“not that their ignorance excused their sin; nor was it without sin; nor does Christ use it as a plea for pardon”.....“but this is mentioned as descriptive of the persons Christ prays for, & points out a branch of his priestly office he exercises, in having compassion on the ignorant, & them that are out of the way.”—John Gill
Lk. 23:35—“And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.”
What this is, is the ‘blasting’ of a religious society founded upon God’s graces, but which sidelines that grace for the sake of the religion.
The wayward ignorance of the Jews & Romans would be remedied after Jesus resurrection. Then they would no longer be acting in ignorance.
*Many wanted to follow Messiah, but observing Jesus in flesh hindered them from grasping His divinity & thus from following thru with their desire to follow Him.
Anything can be forgiven--IF--it is turned over to the Lord. Blasphemy against the Spirit(Mat. 12:31) is a continual sin that never submits to God thru Jesus. Therefore because it remains continuous, it remains unforgiven.
Until blasphemy is surrendered to God thru Christ Jesus, it remains blasphemy.
Mat. 12:30-33—“He who is not with Me is against Me, & he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. Therefore I say to you, every sin & blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. Either make the tree good & its fruit good, or else make the tree bad & its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.”
When we forgive, we do not exonerate the forgiven one of all wrong so that there is no need for justice. But we do not require the justice. We do recognize ignorance, & free ourselves & the one(s) who wronged us, from any fleshly prejudices.
It is imperative that you seek to undo/thwart ignorance regarding God. That is to be our answer to the God who continually seeks us with His truth in every realm of life. A person who does that is a person who is faithful, trusting God in all things.
The Scripture is undeniably filled with direct & indirect instruction regarding the need for all people to increase their personal knowledge of God.
2Pet. 1:2-4—“Grace & peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God & of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life & godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory & virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great & precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
Php. 1:8-11—“For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ. And this I pray, that your love may abound still more & more in knowledge & all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere & without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory & praise of God.”
2Pet. 3:17-18—“You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace & knowledge of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now & forever. Amen.”
“Forgive”—afihmi—1) To send away—1a) To bid going away or depart—1a1) of a husband divorcing his wife, 1b) To send forth, yield up, to expire, 1c) To let go, let alone, let be—1c1) To disregard, 1c2) To leave, not to discuss now, (a topic) 1c21) of teachers, writers & speakers, 1c3) To omit, neglect, 1d) To let go, give up a debt, forgive, to remit, 1e) To give up, keep no longer; 2) To permit, allow, not to hinder, to give up a thing to a person; 3) To leave, go way from one. Strong—(to send; an intens. form of eimi, to go); To send forth, in various applications.
“Know”—eidw—1) To see; 2) To know—2a) To know of anything, 2b) To know, i.e. get knowledge of, understand, perceive—2b1) Of any fact, 2b2) the force & meaning of something which has definite meaning, 2b3) To know how, to be skilled in, 2c) To have regard for one, cherish, pay attention to(1Th 5:12). To see with the mind's eye, signifies a clear & purely mental perception.
Argumentation:
Lev. 19:22—“‘The priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before the LORD for his sin which he has committed. And the sin which he has committed shall be forgiven him.”
*Mat. 6:9-15—““In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom & the power & the glory forever. Amen. For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
*Rom. 3:21-28—“But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law & the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all & on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned & fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just & the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.”
Rom. 4:1-8—“What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, & it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin.””
*Rom. 10:1-4—“Brethren, my heart’s desire & prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, & seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”
Rom. 11:26-27—“And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.””
Acts 13:38-39—““Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; & by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.”
*Acts 17:30-31—““Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.””
Rev. 20:12, 15—“And I saw the dead, small & great, standing before God, & books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.”.....“And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”
Forgiveness is a necessity to live in the Book of Life!
Rom. 8:35-39—“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Forgiveness is a necessity to minister in this way!
2Cor. 4:6-12—“For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God & not of us. We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed-- always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you.”
Forgiveness is a necessity to minister in this way!
Illustration:
Chuck Swindoll recounts:
On June 17, 2015, a young man entered Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, & joined a prayer meeting already in progress.
For the next hour, he talked & participated in the experience.
He cordially addressed the pastor.
The people gathered in the church were black parishioners who had come to their place of worship.
Without warning, the young white man, who sat among them, with evil in his heart, killed 9 of them in cold blood because of the color of their skin.
*Ethel Lance was one of the elderly ladies who was killed that day.
Days after the shooting, Ethel Lance’s daughter had openly offered the person who murdered her mother full forgiveness for his heinous act.
Could you do that? Forgive your mother’s murderer? Before he repented? Whether he repented?
“Forgiveness is hard, otherworldly work. In order to forgive, we have to walk the same path as our Savior, fully enabled by His Spirit. Jesus, after all, while hanging on the cross prayed for His Father to forgive the ones who cruelly nailed Him there(Luke 23:34).”
When we lived in Wesley Chapel, FL in a ‘cookie-cutter neighborhood/Each yard was planted in 1 of 3 types of grass—Centipede, St. Augustine, or Zoysia/Zoysia is very fine leaf blade(used on golf greens); St. Augustine very wide leaf blade & Centipede medium blade/Either is fine for certain uses/But if you have children, Centipede is the way to go/It holds up under traffic unlike St. Augustine & Zoysia/You could say it is very Forgiving/When abused it grows back with a vigor as if the abuse never occurred/FORGIVENESS
A substance/vehicle/shingles/grass/—of abuse/Knocked down but spring right back/We speak of it as being ‘very forgiving’/FORGIVENESS
Application:
?How does Your FORGIVENESS answer Jesus’ Cross-driven Concern?
?How have You acted on those matters of great significance to Jesus?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Upon seeing the news of Orville & Wilbur Wright’s first mechanized flight, the local newspaper editor said, “How nice. The boys will be home for Christmas.” He missed the big picture!
Action:
Cross-driven Concerns of Jesus are...
1. Your FORGIVENESS(Lk. 23:34)
Pt. 1 only! Presented 04/02/2017am to:
FBC of Carrabelle
206 Storrs Ave. SW(SE Ave. ‘A’)
Carrabelle, FL 32322
Pts. 1-3 Presented 04/17/2011am to:
Needmore Baptist Church
1620 Mt. Vernon Rd.
Woodleaf, NC 27054
