JOURNEY TO THE CROSS
RESPONSES AND CHOICES
“Via Dolorosa,”- the sorrowful way.”
John 19:11 "You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above.”
Matt 26:53 “… do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?”
1 Peter 2:24 “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed.
John 19:16-17 So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, 17 and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.
Some responded in Ignorance.
Luke 23:26 As they led him away, they seized Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country, and laid the cross on him to carry behind Jesus.
Romans 16:13 “Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.”
Some Responded in Sorrow.
Luke 23:27-31 A large crowd of people followed him, including women who were mourning and lamenting him. 28 But turning to them, Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and your children. 29 Look, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the women without children, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’, 31 For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
The real tragedy is to misjudge who He is.
Jesus wants repentance not sympathy.
The severity of His prediction was meant to awaken and lead to repentance and real faith in Him the Crucified and Resurrected Lord Jesus.
Some Responded in Shameless Indifference
Luke 23:34b “…And they divided His garments and cast lots.”
Psalm 22:18 “They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.”
They forever stand as examples of those who too involved with their daily lives to worry about the significance of the cross.
The Rulers Mocked Him.
Luke 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."
They thought that it was weakness that kept him nailed to the cross but it was power, the power of his love.
By refusing to save himself, he provided salvation for the world.
The Soldiers Mock Him.
Luke 23:36-37 “The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, 37 and saying, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself."
Pilate Mocks the Jewish Religious leaders for defying.
Luke 23:38 “And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
Even the Thieves Mocked Him
Luke 23:32-33, 39-41“ There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. 33 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.”
Luke 23: 39, “Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us."
Luke 23:40 “But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?
At Least One Responded In Faith
Luke 23:41 "And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong."
At death there are no atheist.
He confessed Christ As Savior. Luke 23:42 "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom."
Christ’s promise to the thief extends to all who believe in him today.
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