The Place of The Cross 02
Luke 23:33

A. The place where they crucified Jesus is called, in Greek Calvary, In Hebrew Golgotha, in English the place of the skulls. It was called that before Jesus died there. Today the site is unknown so any thing we might say about it’s physical appearance is purely speculation.
In A.D. 43 The 1st great persecution against Christians was begun by Saul of Tarsus in Jerusalem in Acts 8:1.
a. July 18, 64 a fire broke out in the Circus Maximus and spread over Rome. To divert
suspicion from himself Nero blamed the conflagration on the Christians. In A.D. 70 the
Romans destroyed Jerusalem and drove all Jews from the city. After the Constantine
Empire the city was lost to the Muslims in 400 B.C. And not one Christian lived there until
the Crusades in the year 1099. No one really knows where the hill of Calvary is located.
That does not matter, because the “Where of Calvary” is of no real importance. What is
significant, important is that we know “WHAT” took place there. “There they crucified Him.”
The place of the cross is called Calvary. There sin does it’s worst.
(1) There the spotlight is on sin and it’s terrible destructive power. There we see sin in
all it’s ugliness. We see sin as it really is, the worst enemy man has ever faced.
(a) Sin is so terrible it slew the Son of God in whom there was no sin.
Watch Him suffer and die on calvary and discover the horrible reality of sin.
Face the cross and we are brought face to face with ourselves and the terrible fact of sin in our own lives.
Rom. 3:2; Rom. 5:8.
(2) At Calvary we’re made to see how hideous, cruel, condemning sin really is. More than that, it tells us whose sin it was that put Jesus on the cross.
I am made to realize the tremendous price God paid to redeem me and release me from the guilt, power and penalty of sin.
Only by the death of the Son of God could we be set free and receive the hope of forgiveness and inherit eternal salvation.
In Matt 13:44?46, Jesus told two parables that illustrate Christ’s estimation of our worth to Him and what His worth should be to us. The greater the price the more precious is the thing purchased. That’s how precious our salvation should be to us.
We need to stand at Calvary and look Jesus squarely in the face.
Come to the realization of our lost condition and the destructiveness of our selfishness and disobedience.
On Calvary sin does it’s worst. It is there the Son of God pays the full price for our redemption.
(A) The Place of the Cross is called Calvary. There we see Love at it’s best.
He was nailed, despised, mocked and rejected. By whom?
Those who claimed to loved God the most. People who claimed to be religious above all others.
They mocked, “If you are the Son of God come down from the cross and prove you really are God’s Messiah.” Criminals taunted Him by saying, “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us.” They were to carnal and irreligious to understand that He was doing just that. He was paying the ransom price for their sin. The truth is, those nails were powerless to hold Him there.
He could have come down from that cross but He didn’t. I’m glad He didn’t.

I’d still be the slave of Satan. In my sin, lost forever, condemned eternally and I’d have no hope or joy in this life or in the life to come.

They nailed Jesus to the cross. But, it was not the nails that held Him there. His love for you and me held him on that cross. It would not let Him go. His love and our sin nailed Him there.
And because He stayed, His shed blood paid the full ransom price of our sin.
That’s the proclamation of Jno. 15:13.
2. Jesus demonstrated His love for you by not coming down from that cross.
(1) How have you proven your love for Him. Remember, He died for you. You are the reason He died on the cross.
(1) I am the reason, you are the reason Jesus died on the cross.
(1) “I came unto the cross one day, That stood on Calvary. I watched them lead my Lord away, And nail Him to a tree. And as the darkness dimmed the view, I chanced to catch His stare. I bowed in shame, for then I knew, I nailed my Savior there. The Jews cast not the only stone, that bruised and brought a tear. Nor did the Roman stand alone, and thrust that cruel spear. But many prints of agony, That marked Christ’s face so fair. Were from the wounds imposed by me, I nailed my Savior there. My sin led Jesus to that cross, For me the Savior bled. He took my sin and bore its dross, And died there in my stead. Oh, wondrous love that He should show, such grace, when I, too, share. An equal guild, for well I know, I nailed my Savior there.”
(2) Only because He loved us and remained on the cross that our sins are washed
(2) Only because He loved us and died on the cross do we have eternal life.
(1) Only because He loved us and died on the cross am we are justified, sanctified and one day I will be glorified.
(2) He is the only reason Heaven’s door has been opened so you and I can enter.
(3) You and I should give our lives in return, for we nailed or Savior there.
(2) Jno. 14:1-4.
(1) Do you love Him with the same love and intensity with which He loves you?
(2) Acts 20:32.

Spur - 11/18/2001 am