Sunday, March 10, 2024 AM
BECAUSE HE LIVES: The Crowds Around the Cross
Mike Teel, Pastor
Focal Passages:
26 As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28 Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then “‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’ 31 For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?” 32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 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. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” 36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” 38 There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews. 39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” 44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. 47 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” 48 When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. 49 But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things. —Luke 23:26-49
THERE WAS A
CROWD
… that came to the cross that day.
–Just who was included in this Cruel Crowd?
–And Jesus went willingly to the Cross for us because He loved us.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. —John 3:16 (KJV)
Let’s examine a few of the characters of that cruel crowd.
1.
CRUEL
35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” —Luke 23:35
–Some in this crowd were represented by the Pharisees, Sadducees – religious leaders of that day.
–They desired Christ crucified because He was a threat to their way of life.
2.
CRUEL
35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” 36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” 38 There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews. 39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” —Luke 23: 35-39
–As Jesus was being crucified there were those who mocked, insulted and humiliated Him.
–The crowd walked by defiantly, rebelliously. They spit upon Him; they hurled hurtful words at Him.
–We think we would never do this to Jesus. But is that really true? Aren’t we just as guilty in a different kind of way?
There was a cruel crowd around the cross …
THERE WAS A
CROWD
26 As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. —Luke 23:26
–Most likely, the vast majority of us do not belong to the Cruel Crowd but to the Careless Crowd might be a greater possibility.
–It is so easy and desirable today to think – if it does not involve me, leave me out of it! And I agree.
1. How many needed to be involved?
–Did you ever stop to think about how many actual people it took to crucify a person? To crucify Jesus?
–Josephus, the great Jewish historian, tells us typically 5 Roman Soldiers was used. On rare occasions they might get by with 3.
2. The day of Jesus’ crucifixion.
–Jesus took up His cross (usually only the cross piece called the patibulum) early Friday morning and began his walk down the street in Jerusalem called Via Delarosa which is Latin and means “Painful Path”.
–I want you to imagine with me as He walked through the different stations on the way to Mount Calvary.
–It was business as usual.
–No one stopped or even noticed the execution of some common criminals.
3. The careless crowd.
–They weren’t opposed to Jesus – they just were too busy with other things.
–They knew things about Jesus and what others were saying about Him but there were just other things in life that needed their attention and energy.
–Notice how even those who knew Jesus followed at a distance.
There was a cruel crowd and there was a carless crowd …
THE
CROWD
1. A COMMITMENT TO
39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” —Luke 23:39-43
–Amazing – here was a man at the beginning of the day that was not fit to live in society but by days end was fit to live with a KING.
2. COMMITMENT TO
47 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” —Luke 23:47
–Influenced by Jesus’ example, His lifestyle.
3. COMMITMENT TO
46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. —Luke 23:46
–Tetelestia – It is finished (John 19:30). The debt is paid in full!
–Notice He did not say “I am finished” but “It is finished”
–Salvation is complete and the price of redemption has been paid.
LIVE IT OUT
Which crowd do you most identify with this morning?
Which crowd would you like to identify with this morning?
Who can you invite to come to our Easter Services?