Transcript Slide 1

The People at the Cross
The People at the Cross
Introduction:
1. It was always interesting to me when I was a fire
fighter and EMT to look around the scene after a
fire had been brought under control or an accident
sight had been secured and the victims taken care
as to who was there looking on at the event that
had taken place. Some really got in the way
2. Driving down the interstate you can’t help but
notice all those who slow down to gawk at the
accident that just took place. It’s curious as to
what they think they will see or what they will tell
others later.
The People at the Cross
3. Then you have those who caused an accident
and then elude it altogether to avoid
“blame”.
4. Did you ever wonder about –
THE PEOPLE AT THE CROSS ?
The People at the Cross
• Did you ever wonder who was there?
• Who was not there?
• And WHY?
The People at the Cross
1. Why would such a Lesson be important?
2. Our Study of Biblical Characters is more of a
judgment about ourselves than a judgment
of the Characters themselves.
3. We can and should be able to see ourselves
in each one of them.
4. We find that great teaching can come from
the ones at the Cross as well as those who
were not at the Cross.
5. What will we learn about ourselves through
these characters?
The People at the Cross
I. Those Who Were NOT There.
1. Judas was NOT there.
A. We could call his story the worst of all
human stories, unless of course we do just as
he did.
B. Our story becomes worse than his
because if we learned nothing from what he
did.
The People at the Cross
2. Judas betrayed Christ - Matthew 26:47 – 50
a. With a kiss – LUKE 22:47 – 48
3. God did NOT reject Judas because of this awful
deed. This would denigrate the Goodness of
God. He is not desiring that any one perish.
II Peter 3:9
4. Judas was a “successful hypocrite” he
professed one thing and did another.
5. Judas allowed the Devil to enter his heart, he
was called the “son of perdition” John 17:12
The People at the Cross
7. Eleven of the Apostles were not present at
the Cross, Judas was dead, 10 did not show
up at all, only JOHN went the full distance and
there is no record of him saying anything
while there.
a.
Who is in Our Heart?
b. Where are we at in regard to what took
place At the Cross?
c. Doesn’t Jesus deserve better than that?
The People at the Cross
8. Martha, Mary and Lazarus are NOT mentioned
as being there.
a. These are the people that Jesus spent his final
days with, He loved them – John 11:5.
b. Sometimes you have the least influence over
the ones you love, especially when times are
really tough and trying.
c. Maybe they felt it was too risky to be so close
to one so despised.
The People at the Cross
9. OTHERS WHO WERE NOT THERE.
a. Jesus’ physical brothers, there is no record.
i. John is there and Jesus gives the care of His
mother to him. John 19:25 -27
b. No record of the many people that Jesus
healed as being there.
c. No record of Barabbas being there, his life was
spared because of Jesus. Matthew 27:15-23.
The People at the Cross
II. Some Who Were Present.
1. Simon of Cyrene -When the humanity of Jesus
failed, he could no longer carry the Cross.
Simon was there. Matthew 27:32, Mark
15:21, Luke 23:26
2. Simon was there and when least expected
compelled to pick up the Cross and carry it the
distance. He then stood at the foot of the
Cross.
The People at the Cross
3. The women were there. Luke 23:27-31
a. The ones who did not run away when there
own lives could have been taken by the Romans
or others in the crowd. They wept for Him, later
women helped to bury Him and watch His
tomb, Matthew 27:55-61.
4. Mary, His mother was there. Would we expect
less? What was it like for her to live with the
Savior of the world, even herself? What was it
like to watch her Son go through what He did?
The People at the Cross
5. Mary Magdalene was there. A woman from
whom He had cast out 7 devils, Jesus appeared
to her first after His resurrection. Mark 16:9
6. Three other women were there, Mary the
mother of James and Joses, Mark 15:40,
Salome, the mother of James and John and
Joanne Luke 24:10 and other women also.
7. Women were the last at the Cross and the First
at the Tomb. What a blessing women are!!!
The People at the Cross
8. The Thief on the Cross. Luke 23:39-43
a. Jesus died with sinners to save sinners.
b. This thief was saved, when he was at his
worst moment in life Christ was there for
him. He is there for us while we bear our
Cross for Him.
9. There was a crowd there, it consisted of His
enemies and the Roman soldiers Matthew
26:65 – 68 They came to gawk and make fun of
Him and to kill Him. Matthew 27:27-31, 34 -36
The People at the Cross
10. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus.
a. They asked for the body to bury it. Matthew
27:57-61. We are glad that they did.
b. But, These were men that could have done so
much more when He was alive and yet did so little.
Why is it that we do this even today, it takes the
death of a loved one to make us finally realize what
we have missed?
c. While their action took nerve, it takes even more
courage to Confess Christ in Life, What about your
Life? What is your confession? Matthew 10:32, 33
The People at the Cross
• Conclusion:
1. Judas could have been forgiven by God, he
did not forgive himself, he let Satan destroy
him! Will let him do the same to us?
2. Jesus forgave the 11 Apostles and used
them, he will do the same for us; This gives
us hope!
3. His close friends were not there.
4. His own family deserted Him in his time of
death.
The People at the Cross
4. Many who benefited personally from Him in a
physical way did not show up when He was
stricken for their eternal life
5. The one who cheated death, Barabbas, was not
there when Jesus literally died in his place.
6. Simon went the distance, will we?
7. Will we stand like the women did?
8. Will we wait until it is too late, the thief almost
did and the point here is that there is no respect
of persons with God and “dead bed” confessions
will not be enough.
The People at the Cross
9. Are we His enemies yet today? Romans 5: 10
10. Will we do more than have the nerve to Bury
Him?
11.Where do we all fit in with those who were and
were not present with the People at the Cross?
12. Our Study of Biblical Characters is more of a
judgment about ourselves than a judgment of the
Characters themselves. How would we have been
different?
What MUST You Do to Be Saved?
•
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•
•
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Hear The Word Of God
Romans 10:17
Believe His Word
Mark 16:16, John 8:24
Repent of your sins
Luke 13:3, Acts 2:38
Confess your belief Romans 10:10, Acts 8:37
Be Baptized
Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38
For the Remission of Your Sins
Acts 22:16
Galatians 3:26, 27
• Live Faithfully
Titus 2:11-14