The Inscription Of The Cross 03
Jno. 19:19-22

Pilate wrote a superscription that was nailed to the cross on which Jesus was crucified.
It was to tell the people who He was and the crime of which He had been accused.
a. Jewish leaders objected. To say He was “King of the Jews” incriminated them. We are told
that it was written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin. Three major languages of the Roman empire.
(A) Every one in Jerusalem for the Passover could read at least one of these languages.
It was written in Hebrew, the language of those who were supposed to be the most religious, ethical and moral. The language of God’s people. The language spoken by Moses and the prophets.
(a) To the Jews God was self evident. The heavens declared His glory, only
a fool would deny the existence of God.
But, God’s will, spiritual values are made only by direct revelation from God. That made the Jews a special, privileged nation. That is the statement of Ps. 147:19-20, “God declares His word to Jacob, His statutes and His
judgments to Israel. He has not dealt thus with any nation; And as for His
judgments, they have not known them.” This special privilege was enjoyed
only by the nation of Israel. It was as if God spoke to them face to face.
He guided, directed their thoughts and lives through the word of His prophets, by miraculous intervention, by His perfect providential care. It’s only natural that they worship, honor, obey this One God and rear their children to honor and reverence Him. Instead they became proud, arrogant self righteous and disobedient.
In the Hebrew language. The language of Israel’s worship and prayer it is written that Jesus was their king.
You look to your king for guidance, protection, substance. You owe your king allegiance. As King, Jesus has the right to our hearts, lives and our all.
He gave us the perfect example of how life should be lived. How God would live if He lived in human form. How man would live if filled with the Spirit of God.
Jesus sacrificed His own life to pay the ransom for our sins. Purchased us with His blood and pledged Himself to provide our every spiritual need.
Yet like the Jews of old many today reject Jesus as their King.
Accept Him as an Ideal, perfect example, highest illustration of what we should be.
But, like the Jews they don’t want a spiritual savior, king. Physical King.
Constant cry is, “Deliver us from physical enemies of poverty, pain, hardship.”
In short, we want security for this world. We Live for the here and now.
The kingship which offers spiritual security holds no lasting attraction.
Why? Because our allegiance is to the desires of the flesh right now.
But, Jesus will not be denied. He will not be so easily dismissed. The cross still stands. And we need to understand, that reality will never, ever go away.
(1) What was written 2,000 years ago is still written today. Jesus is King.

Jesus is King. Jesus is King of spiritual Israel. Rom. 9:6-8, is true, “ For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "In Isaac your seed shall be called." That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.” That’s you and me and all those who become true Israelites, Israelites Indeed, through the new birth in Jesus.
Paul explained it this way in, Gal. 3:26?29, “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
(b) The inscription on the Cross still stands because in Matt. 17:5, God said,
“This is My beloved Son, hear ye Him.”
The Cross still stands, because the Holy Spirit said in Acts 4:12, “There is no salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." The Cross says, “Jesus is your hope, your only hope.” There is no “pot luck.” He’s all you get.
The Cross still stands, because Jesus spoke the absolute, undeniable, eternal truth, when He said in, Jno. 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
The Cross still stands, because Jesus said, in Luke 14:26?27, “If anyone comes to Me and does not love me more than his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not take up his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple.”
(2) What does the Cross demand? Total commitment of the total person to the total task of being what Jesus died for you to be.
(1) That’s the cost of discipleship, that’s the price of your soul. There are no mark downs, no dickering about the price, no bargain sales. The Cross still stands and so does the price.
(2) There is no peace with God, no hope of God, no salvation from God, until Jesus is the Lord, Master, Ruler, the King of your life.
(1) Thus it is written in the Hebrew language. The language of the people whose hearts should belong totally, and without exception, to God. “Jesus is King!” Is He yours?
(2) Acts 20:32.

Spur - 11/25/2001 am Bob Martin