The Road To The Cross #1
Luke 23:26-32
A. The road to the cross is known, in Latin, as Via Doloroso,
The way of Sorrows. It led
from the court of Pilate to the hill called Golgotha, the place
of the skull.
The streets are crowded with Jews from all over the world to observe
the Passover Feast.
a. Suddenly the streets are filled with shouts and the rattle
of armor. Soldiers are beating and
shoving three men as they drag their crosses to the hill of execution.
Leading the
procession is Jesus and He is a pitiful sight.
(A) Bruised, dirty with dried blood, totally exhausted. The night
before he had been
betrayed, arrested, falsely accused, mocked, beaten, spit upon,
scourged, crowned.
(1) Now, from loss of blood and sheer exhaustion and the weight
of the cross, He
collapses and this grim procession comes to a halt.
Men stare, women weep, soldiers curse and the criminals take advantage
of the moment to rest.
Isnt that an accurate picture of life with all its
ugly, sordid, brutality and sin? Does not this reveal the depth
to which mankind has sunk in darkness of depravity and the loveless,
selfishness of sin?
This world would be hopeless if not for the fact that we can look
past this scene and see, in this fallen figure, the only hope
and salvation of mankind.
In that crowd was a man named Simon from Cyrene, a city in Ethiopia.
A Jew who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover.
Just an innocent bystander. Stopped to see what all the noise
was about when a Roman soldier grabbed him and forces him to help
Jesus.
Not knowing who Jesus was, he felt humiliation, anger and resentment.
Helps Jesus carry the cross to Golgotha. Having done so he remains
to the end.
By an act of Gods providence he is compelled to witness
the crucifixion of Jesus.
How often has God used some compelling incident to bring us to
Calvary?
Confronted with some irksome task, or some humiliating burden
not of our own making. And we whine and complain because we dont
understand why God allows us to be put into such humiliating situations.
Yet looking back we see the reality of Rom. 8:28.
We later discover that it was that unpleasant chore that led us
to Calvary.
Im sure, that years later Simon realized this unpleasant
incident was the greatest moment in his entire life.
Simon was privileged to carry Christs cross in the hour
of His deepest humiliation. And this moment brought salvation
to life of Simon of Cyrene.
He found the Crucified Christ to be inescapable. Forced into a
decision.
In Mark 15:21, we are told that years later his children were
Christians.
Jesus is just as inescapable for you and me today. With Jesus
its always decision time. Matt. 12:30.
Lk. 9:23.
That calls for commitment and sacrifice. Crucify self so Jesus
is supreme.
The road to Calvary is not a railroad taken by self righteous
hobos riding on a glory train. Its the road that must be
trodden in the footsteps of Jesus.
1 Pet. 2:21-25. The road trodden by Jesus leads to the crucifixion
of self, so that Christ reigns supremely in you life.
2. In the crowd along the street is a group of sympathetic women
who begin to weep.
(1) Jesus says, weep not for me. Not being unappreciative
of their sympathy.
(1) Never cold, calloused, unthoughtful. He loved humanity and
healed their sorrows.
(1) Invited all who were weary, heavy laden to come to Him for
rest.
(2) Hes saying, Dont cry tears for whats
happening to Him. Because of this death and sacrifice you
can have hope and the sure promise of salvation.
(3) Instead, shed your tears for the sin that made this cross
a necessary altar of sacrifice. Because of your sin, the Lamb
of God must die. Weep for yourselves. You may not realize it,
but you sin put Him there.
(2) Brethren, isnt this our burden also? Yes! But is it
possible that we have forgotten that fact?
(1) Have we become so familiar with the cross that we can sit
in soft pews in comfortable building and hear the story of the
Cross without doing what He commanded, Take up you cross
daily and follow Him.
(2) Thats the hard part. But, its worth what ever
it takes.
(2) Beside Jesus are two criminals. Derelicts of humanity, menace
to society. The takers who tear down, plunder, no morals. Scabs
on the running sores of the world.
(1) Not surprising to see Jesus with them. Hes there in
the place of Barabbas.
(1) What is surprising? Hes put there, not by the riff-raff
of the world. Hes put there by those who profess to be decent,
upright, moral and God-fearing.
(2) Those who professed the loudest to be the people of God.
(3) He upset their play pin of self righteousness. But, thats
not surprising.
(4) Thats what most do when brought face to face with Jesus.
It disturbs them, and like Cain, they rise up and kill Him.
(2) Most dont kill Jesus with the sword. Kill Him with indifference,
disobedience.
(1) Thats the cowards way isnt it. But, thats
how most people do it.
(2) He makes us see ourselves and our sin. So we dont want
Him around.
(3) Isa. 53:12, says, Jesus is numbered among the transgressors.
Do you know who put Him there? We did!
(1) Vs. 5. We are the ones who should be on the cross. We like
Barabbas have been set free because another died in our place.
(2) Because of His perfect sacrifice we have Hope. He died in
our place.
(3) The Via Dolorosa. The Road of Sorrows. The road of the Cross.
(4) It is the road to glory, victory and the only road to eternity.
Above all things in life, make sure your feet are set firmly on
that road. Its the only road that leads to heaven.
(5) Acts 20:32
Spur - 11/11/2001 am
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