Randall Caselman
Bella Vista Church of Christ
November 11, 2001 A.M.
Attitudes Seen From The Cross
Reading: John 19.16-27 & Luke 23.39-47
We need to look up to the cross.
Daily... Our minds need to be focused on the suffering Savior who died there for ours sins. All the sermons in the book of Acts look up to the cross. Paul writes to the early church at Corinth saying... When I was among you... I was determined to know nothing except Jesus and Him crucified.
Here it is church... If we will look up to the cross... Seeing Jesus and what He has done for us, we will be eternally changed folk... AMEN?
Jesus said... If I be lifted up... I will draw all men unto myself. The power of the Gospel to save is the cross and what happened there. We need to look up to the cross... We need to point others to the cross.
However... The challenge this morning is to look down from the cross. We want to catch a glimpse of the view Jesus saw... Who does He see? Are we in this crowd... Can we see our attitudes and behavior through the eyes of Jesus? Let's see what we can learn...
First... Jesus saw those who were too busy to care.
Ho-hum another Friday execution... Another Holiday season in the city of Jerusalem. The streets sure are crowded... I wish these people would go home... I've got things to do and the traffic is terrible.
They were so near... Passing within a few yards or feet of the cross... Yet they don't see the suffering Savior... They don't take time to investigate... TOO BUSY!!
O yes they had heard about Him...
Maybe heard Him preach...
Perhaps witnessed His mighty healing power...
Like us... Maybe they had been recipients of His blessing.
Yet, today they are too busy to be interrupted.
Church... Is it possible that we have experienced the forgiveness of our sins at the cross... Yet today... We are too busy to THINK ABOUT... AND RESPOND TO JESUS. Are we so wrapped up in our daily routine that we don't have time to see and appreciate the suffering Savior and what He has done for us.
I hate the words... I'm too busy. I hate them when they come out of my mouth ... Or when they come out of yours!!... Because they are tools of Satan in our lives.
You see... I'M TOO BUSY... Is just another excuse for not doing what we know we ought to be doing...
- Too busy to come to worship or Bible study.
- Too busy to visit the hospital or nursing home.
-Too busy to take food to a family.
-Too busy to be the spouse or parent calls us to be.
-Too busy to read our Bible... Too busy to pray... etc.
And here is one that has become a favorite of mine... Too busy to turn the cell phone off.
Have you noticed we even bring them to worship?... Now folk... That's too busy. I understand that there are a few people, like Jim Johnson, who are on emergency call and need pagers or cell phones in worship. But for the most part... Let's leave the world behind and take time to worship God uninterrupted.
You see... Thinking we are too busy is an attitude. Really... It is thinking some things are more important than they are. Truth is... Not one of us is that busy... but Satan has convinced us that we are.
It is hard to believe that there were people in Jerusalem that day who were too busy to take notice of history's most significant event... Jesus... God... on the cross.
But then some of us are guilty of this kind of thinking today... RIGHT?
Then there were those who were argumentative... and critical.
Note verse 21... Pilate had a sign placed on the cross which read... Jesus... King of the Jews. The Jewish officials objected... Don't write King of the Jews... But he claimed to be King of the Jews. Can you believe it... even in His death... His enemies continue to argue over semantics... Each determined to have their own way.
These Jewish officials missed Jesus... They missed the most important event in their history. WHY??... Because they were argumentative. They were determined to have their way at any and all cost. For three and a half years Jesus had walked among them and taught them about God... but they missed the message.... Because they were focused on the wrong things. They were focused on issues rather than a relationship with God...
You shouldn't be healing on the Sabbath.
You shouldn't pluck grain from the stalk on Saturdays.
You shouldn't be telling people that You were before Abraham.
You shouldn't be saying that You and the Father are one.
You shouldn't be saying that you could rebuild the Temple in three days.
You ought to stop associating with sinners, Samaritans, and tax collectors....
These religious leaders were more interested in issues and semantics than in the Messiah, the Savior... As a result they missed the opportunity for their own salvation. Is it possible to have this attitude today?
-Can we become so wrapped up in church issues...
-Having our own way... CHURCH POLITICS...
-Or just generally being argumentative...
To the extent that we miss the real agenda of the church... That is to seek and save the lost... To preach Christ and Him crucified?
Is it possible to come into the very presence of God... In a service like this...
Where the Spirit of God is moving among the participants...
Where people are being saved... restored... prayed for...
Where Jesus is being memorialized in the Supper...
And then go home to talk about nothing but... Something we didn't like about the service... The translation the teacher used... Maybe the prayers... The songs... The message... Or of all things, how the people were dressed.
You see... An argumentative... critical spirit did not die in the First Century. This idea of... We want our way at all cost... Did not pass away with the last of the Pharisees. It is possible for any or all of us to stand in the very presence of God... and miss seeing His Son Jesus... because of our argumentative... critical spirit. A spirit given us by Satan himself.
The third attitude Jesus saw was that of the coward... Look at verse 22. Pilate says... What I have written... I have written. He acts brave now... But really he is a coward... Folk... Pilate knew Jesus was special.
Personally... I believe Pilate was much closer to accepting Jesus as the Christ than the religious Jews of his day... I mean... He did try to release Him... Saying...
I find no cause for these assertions... No basis for these charges.
I certainly find no reason for crucifixion... I'll have Him beaten and that will satisfy you.
I'll give you another choice... Rather than kill an innocent man, let me sentence Barabas.
Pilate even tried to get off the hook of deciding on Jesus, by sending Him to Harod.
In fact... John 19.12 plainly states that Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept on shouting... Crucify Him... Crucify Him... If you let this man go, you are not friend of Caesar. So... finally, Pilate gives in... Pilate is a coward.
Perhaps Pilate is the most famous ALMOST in history...
Almost persuaded Christ to believe..
Almost persuaded Christ to receive...
Almost cannot avail...
Almost persuaded is but to fail...
ALMOST... BUT LOST!!
How many of us here this morning are like Pilate...
Almost ready to accept Jesus...
Almost ready to submit to genuine New Testament baptism...
Almost ready to forsake the ugly sin that so easily besets us...
Almost ready to lift Jesus up to our children, friends and neighbors...
ALMOST is but to fail... ALMOST but lost.
Some that day were insensitive... Note the soldiers in verse 23. These men had God... the Creator... Sustainer... Provider of the universe... In their sight. The One who gave them life... and kept them alive... was hanging above them. His blood was literally dripping at their feet... yet they played games. I wonder if they heard Him say... Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.
So close to the cross... So far from the Savior.
These soldiers were not the last great game players were they?... Sometimes we are guilty.
-We play dodge ball... Do almost anything to keep from receiving and obeying Christ.
-We play trivial pursuit... So focused on the trivial... That we don't even see Jesus.
-We play Wheel of Fortune... So into this world and the things of this world, that we give things spiritual a back seat.
-Some play hockey... They are not as much interested in winning, as they are in just religiously beating up on others.
-Some play gossip...
-Some play board room... They see the church as a place to exercise their political power.
-Some play fruit basket turnover... Every time the music stops they move to another congregation.... Never stay anywhere long enough to build a meaningful relationship or to find their place to work for Jesus.
-Some play roulette... If everything is perfect they'll land in services Sunday morning.
-Some play Russian roulette... Taking a terrible chance with their souls by associating with the wrong crowd.
-Some are guilty of playing church... We go through all the right motions... Yet we never really give our heart to the Lord.
But... You see... Religion is no place for playing games. Religious game playing places us in real jeopardy... We jeopardize our souls and those precious ones who follow our example.
On the cross... Jesus also saw love demonstrated. Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother... His mother's sister... Mary Magdalene and John.
Ladies... It is dangerous to stand so close... Don't you think you ought to move back some?
John... Remember what happened to Peter?... He was standing too close, and they took him for a follower of Jesus... This kind of behavior might get you killed.
Hey... These things didn't matter to this little group... Because they really loved Jesus. Do you notice what Jesus does for them?... He puts them together in an even closer relationship.
Church... When people truly love Jesus...
He empowers them to love one another...
He enables them to care for... And see after one another...
And He places them in a closer... intimate spiritual family... In a relationship that is not possible outside of Him.
The question is this morning... Do we love Jesus??
Some resist Jesus out of belligerence... This is the case of the thief in verse 39. You see... Satan never quits... He never gives up...
He will use any and every heart...
Any and every mouth...
Any hands that will yield to him.
So, one of the thieves gives and we hear him say... Save yourself and us if you be the Christ... If you be the Messiah.
There are those today who have allowed Satan to so influence their thinking that they are completely numb to God's call... both through the Word and providentially. hey have heard sermon after sermon after sermon... invitation after invitation... but will not respond to God's love and grace extended to them... In genuine obedience.
And then when God worked providentially in their lives... Calling them to a closer walk with Him... Through suffering... Through disappointment... Through losses of one kind or another... YET... They will not give in... SAD... SO SAD!!
Folk... If you fit into this category this morning... I need for you to listen for just a moment.
Your sins are never so bad that God is unwilling to forgive and forget through the blood of Jesus.
It is never too late for you to come to God. But you must know this... Not one of us are promised tomorrow. We can only claim the moment... This moment....
Satan whispers... You have plenty of time.
Jesus says... Today is the day... Now is the time for salvation.
I beg you... Do not put off doing whatever you need to do to be right with God this hour.
Then finally... Jesus saw and acknowledged the attitude of repentance.
When we put the Synoptic Gospels together with John's narrative... We find that, at first... both these thieves were verbally abusive to Jesus. Matthew tells us that both hurled insults upon Him. But later... Luke says one became a changed individual... And out of Godly sorrow repents saying... We are punished justly... We are getting what we deserve... But this man has done nothing wrong... Jesus remember me when you come into your Kingdom.
Sweet music to his ear... Today, you will be with me in paradise.
Audience... Salvation is extended...
To those who will see Jesus for who He is... And believe in Him...
To those who will acknowledge Him... Confess his name...
Those... Who in Godly sorrow will repent of their sins...
And put Him on in New Testament baptism..
Those on Pentecost who understood that they had contributed to this crucifixion cried saying... Men and brethren... What must we do?
We are all familiar with Peter's reply... Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins... and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Audience... Nothing has changed...
You too can enjoy forgiveness and the indwelling Spirit of God by faith... Repentance and Baptism.
Others of us... who are His children, can work on these attitudes seen from the cross...
Overcoming those which are inappropriate...
And holding to those that bring us closer to God and closer to one another.
However the lesson has spoken to you this morning... Respond... as we stand and sing this invitation song together...
Will you come?
