If you have your Bibles, I want to turn to Luke chapter 23, Luke chapter 23, and while you
! are turning there, I want to acknowledge that Chase Williams is here this morning and just
! completed basic training in the Marines at Parris Island, heads to Camp Lejeune in about
a week.
Chase, God bless you.
Let's give him a hand.
Thank you for your service, my friend.
The most important events in human history.
I was curious as to what people said about that, so I found some lists this week, went
to the authorities.
The Neolithic Revolution was number one.
You don't even know what that is, do you?
It's when we became civilized.
Some of you are still coming, but it's when we became civilized.
Number two was writing.
Number three was the Roman Empire.
Then there was the printing press.
Then there was the age of exploration.
And then the Industrial Revolution.
And then the World Wars.
And then the Internet.
And I don't believe any of them are the most important events in human history.
Because none of them changed eternity.
I mean, they're big.
They're right up there with sliced bread and homemade churned ice cream.
And I don't know why they didn't make the list.
But I found on one list that Jesus was listed number 16.
Behind Buddha and behind Confucius.
Or confusion, depending on how you pronounce it.
I believe the greatest event in human history and in all of eternity
is the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Followed by the birth of Christ.
And some of you may say, well, that's more important
because if that hadn't happened, the second hadn't happened.
Okay, you got a right to be wrong.
But either way, the crucifixion of Christ
is the greatest event in human history.
And people were playing games
at the foot of the cross.
Luke chapter 23.
Beginning in verse 26 to set the setting.
And as they led Christ away,
they seized one Simon of Cyrene
who was coming in from the country
and laid on him the cross
to carry it behind Jesus.
And they followed him
a great multitude of the people
and of women
who were mourning and lamenting for him.
Two others who were criminals
were led away to be put to death with him.
In verse 32.
And when they came to the place
that is called the skull,
there they crucified him.
And the criminals,
one on his right
and one on his left.
And Jesus said,
Father, forgive them
for they know not what they do.
And they cast lots
to divide his garments.
And the people stood by
watching.
But the rulers scoffed at him
saying,
He saved others,
let him save himself.
If he is Christ of God,
his chosen one.
The soldiers also mocked him,
coming up and offering him sour wine
and saying,
If you are the king of the Jews,
save yourself.
There was an inscription over him,
This is the king of the Jews.
One of the criminals who were hanged
railed at him saying,
Are you not the Christ?
Save yourself
and us.
How in the world
did they not get it?
How could they be standing
at the base of Mount Calvary
watching the Savior die
and not get it?
It's hard to understand.
Or is it?
Because actually,
there's often a wasted opportunity
when it comes to the cross of Christ.
Some just stand there.
But verse 35 tells us
that there's some
were just standing there watching.
They were just taking it in.
calmly,
probably dazedly,
standing there
with little to no response.
It does not mean
they were against him.
It does not mean
that they were for him.
They were just bystanders.
Observing,
pondering,
trying to figure it out.
What scares me is
some still do that today.
There's no ill intent.
There's just no response.
There's not much of anything.
Just standing there.
Above his head
hung a sign
that said he was
the king of the Jews.
It was written in Aramaic,
Latin,
and Greek.
Aramaic was the language
of the Jews.
Latin was the language
of the law.
Greek
was for the educated.
And the rest of the folks,
if they could read.
Remember,
Christ was crucified
in a very public place.
place.
A major thoroughfare
outside the city.
Scottish minister
George MacLeod
years ago
said we ought to
keep that in mind
when he said this.
I simply argue
that the cross
be raised again
at the center
of the marketplace
as well as
on the steeple
of the church.
I am recovering
the claim
that Christ
was not crucified
in a cathedral
between two candles
but on a cross
between two thieves
on a town
garbage heap
at a crossroads
of politics
so cosmopolitan
that they had
to write his title
in Hebrew
and in Latin
and in Greek
and at that kind
of place
where cynics
talk smut
and thieves
curse
and soldiers
gamble
because that's
where he died
and that's
what he died
about
and that is
where Christ
own ought to be
and that is
where church
people ought
to be about.
End of quote.
In other words
he died
where he did
for the people
that were standing
around and gawking
at him.
He died
for them.
He died
for people
who are slow
to respond.
He died
for people
who are resistant
to respond.
He died
for people
that just
stand by
and gawk.
He died
for me.
He died
for you.
Let's not
just stand
and watch.
There was
enough
of that
on the day
that he died.
There was
another response
too.
Still is.
Some try
to get
what they
can get.
When my
grandmother
was too
aged
to live
by herself
she moved
in with my
mom and dad
and sometime
after that
her house
on the
Brandon
Mill
Village
was sold.
and before
it was
we as a
family
went there
to visit
the museum
of my
childhood.
The
treasured
place
where I
got to
spend the
night
with my
grandmother.
The porch
with the
wrought
iron
chairs
and that
couch
swing
felt like
home.
It wasn't
that they
were comfortable
they were
just at
grandma's.
I
rolled
a
mini
matchbox
car
across
that
porch
with a
whole
universe
of a
made up
grown up
world
of a
kid's
imagination.
When you
walked in
that front
door you
walked
into the
living room
with the
oil heater
right in
the middle
of the
room.
I can
still smell
it on
cold days.
The
bedroom off
to the
right
is where
I saw
my beloved
grandpa for
the last
time alive
and later
that night
he died
in that
bed.
My
grandma's
room
with the
two twin
beds
is in
the next
room
and between
those two
beds where
when I was
spending the
night as
a child
her
mutt
mean
dog
laid.
A
staunch
defender
of my
grandma.
I was
afraid to
move.
The dog
made me
hope that
my bladder
held out
all night
for the
risk of
my life.
And then
there was
that kitchen.
That kitchen
where years
before my
grandfather had
fried egg
sandwiches
frying in the
morning before
he went to
the Anderson
Jockey Lot
to sell
tools.
and that
kitchen table
where my
grandmother
drank her
coffee out
of a
saucer,
read her
Bible,
ate her
toast and
cut her
government
cheese.
And then
there was
the enclosed
back porch
where grandma's
washer and
dryer was,
her mason jars
and canned
things and a
cabinet.
That cabinet
held a handful
of outdoor
toys that
stayed at
grandma's.
And I
loved that
five foot
by 15 inch
cabinet.
It was cheap,
nothing fancy,
but it was
special.
It was my
spot.
My mother
had us meet
her there on
that day to
see what we
wanted to keep
and my wants
were simple.
I claimed
the cabinet.
It sits in
our kitchen
today.
As Jesus
hung on the
cross,
there were
people putting
in dibs on
his clothing.
However,
it was not
because they
were sentimental.
It was a
fringe benefit
for the
soldiers to
claim the
clothing that
had been
stripped from
the dying.
And they
divided up
his clothing.
That would
have been
his tunic,
his robe,
his sandals,
the fourth
item would
either be
his cap
or turban
or possibly
even his
undergarments.
They did
not seek
these things
because he
was their
savior,
nor because
he was the
king of the
Jews as the
placard said.
They claimed
him because
it was standard
practice.
They gambled
to see who
would get
the tunic
because John
19 tells us
that it was
a rare
seamless
tunic that
was valuable.
Not special
to them,
but it was
worth money.
They were
just trying
to get what
they could
get.
That's not
the first
time people
were trying
to get what
they could
get from
Jesus.
When 5,000
men and
their families
were fed,
they tried
to follow
Jesus to
the next
meal.
Jesus told
the disciples
to get out
of there as
he escaped
to his own
solitude.
There's an
account in
scripture where
Jesus healed
ten leper
men and
only one of
them came
back to him
to give him
thanks.
It's easy
for us to
ask God for
what we want,
but do we
bother to
come back
and thank
him?
At least
with words.
But even
more than
that with
our lives.
About that
account,
Jesus asked
in Luke
17, 17,
where are
the other
nine?
Why didn't
they come
back?
He gave
his life
for us
knowing
that all
about the
kind of
sinners that
we are.
And yet
he also
still cares
about the
little things
that stress
us out.
Recently on
the night
before Abby
was to drive
home and
return to
work,
she lost
her one
key fob
to her car
the night
that she was
going to leave
the next
morning.
No idea
where it
was.
We lit
a lamp
scripturally,
swept the
house and
searched
diligently.
And I
prayed.
And after
looking in
the same
place three
times,
all four
of us
that were
looking,
we found
it 17
miles away
at my
mom and
dad's
house at
an odd
and hidden
place there
where she
had to plug
up her
phone,
which was
dying.
And we
rejoiced
when we
found it,
that Abby
could go back
home after
being with
us for a
week.
Yes,
Jesus cares
enough about
us, I
believe this
folks, to
help us find
a fob when
we lose it.
He cares
enough to
forgive those
that whipped
him.
He cares
enough to
forgive those
that hung
him on the
cross.
he cares
enough to
forgive those
that gambled
for his
clothes.
He still
cares enough
for those
that claim
to love
him, but
vaguely show
it with
their lives.
Because people
are still
trying to get
what they can
get.
They're still
playing games
at the foot
of the
cross.
And there's
a third
kind of
person.
Some
mock the
hope in
Christ.
Luke records
that besides
the people
just standing
there, there
were three
different kinds
of people
that were
mocking.
there were
the rulers
which speaks
of the
Sanhedrin,
a group
of 70
religious
ruling
leaders
that most
of which
never liked
Jesus.
They were
threatened
by Jesus.
Jesus was
not afraid
of them.
You were
supposed to
be afraid
of them.
He wasn't
afraid of
them.
He was
not afraid
to confront
them.
He was
not afraid
to call
them hypocrites.
And he
called it
as he
was.
In Matthew
23 he
calls them
whitewashed
tombs.
You look
good on
the outside
but on
the inside
it's dead
man's bones.
There's no
spiritual life
there at
all.
He said
you're like
a cup
that's clean
on the
outside
but yet
inside
is still
nastiness.
He spoke
of their
dead
bones
as being
their
hypocrisy.
He spoke
of the
nasty
cup
as being
one full
of greed
being one
full of
indulgence.
When you
call the
real shots
on people
they sometimes
dislike you
and on the
cross
they mocked
him.
They mocked
how he
saved
others.
Thank God
that he did
bring salvation
but they
desperately
needed salvation
and was so
in love
with the
law
and their
own
performance
that they
thought they
were enough.
They're not
the only ones
though.
Soldiers
mocked him
as well.
They felt
like they
had the
might and
authority
was too
much for
him.
He couldn't
do anything
about it.
They relished
in the misery
and they
scoffed at
his salvation.
Even a
criminal that
was hanging
beside him
ridiculed
him.
Little did
both those
groups know
or that
man know
that their
reaction was
a fulfillment
of prophecy.
Psalm 22
verse 6
through 8
says this
but I am
a worm
and not a
man scorned
by mankind
and despised
by the people.
All who
seek me
mock me.
They make
mouths at
me.
They wag
their heads
he trusts
in the
Lord.
Let him
deliver
him.
Let him
rescue
him for
he delights
in him.
I hope
you pick
up on
the irony
of the
scoffing
because the
only way
that Jesus
could save
us
was by
refusing to
save
himself.
He
was easily
able to
deliver
himself
but his
mission was
to provide
the opportunity
for deliverance
and that
would have
not come
if he
had been
delivered.
He died
on Mount
Calvary for
me and
for you
and for
those onlookers
and for
those lost
religious folks
and for
those hardened
ruthless
soldiers and
for those
guilty criminals
on each side
of him
and for
you
and for
me
and for
all those
people that
he puts
in our
path.
2 Corinthians
5 verse
15 says
he died
for all
that those
who live
might no
longer live
for themselves
but for
him who
for their
sake died
and was
raised.
He was
busy dying
while they
were busy
playing,
gulking,
gambling,
and the
only reason
he hung
there was
to meet
them where
they are
and to
make them
to be
what he
would have
them to
be.
What an
opportunity.
A friend
of a friend
shared with
me an
experience
that he
had that I
can well
relate to
because my
family loves
Disney.
I've been
there,
I've done
it,
spent too
much money
at it
but they
love it.
They love
it.
I've told
them what's
wrong with
the Disney
Corporation.
They don't
care.
They love
it.
My girls
have been
several times
and one of
the grandest
experiences
that a little
girl can have
is to eat
in the top
of Cinderella's
castle.
While
Cinderella and
some other
princesses walk
around and greet
you.
It is an
amazing experience
for most little
girls.
There's always
some brat in the
corner trying to
ruin it for
everybody but
for most folks
it is
just the best.
best $60
eggs and
bacon I've
ever eaten.
Cinderella and
those princesses
come in and
they gravitate to
her like moths
on a flame.
It's amazing to
see.
But one
friend of a
friend had an
even more
memorable experience
there.
Cinderella made
her entrance and
the children rushed
to be near her.
He said if it
had been a boat
we would have
tipped over.
It was amazing.
Cinderella.
The pristine
princess.
Perfectly
typecast.
A gorgeous
young girl with
every hair in
place and
flawless skin
and a
beaming smile.
She stood
waist deep in
a garden of
kids and
wanted to
touch and
be touched.
However on
the other side
of the room
was a little
seven or
eight year old
boy.
His age was
not easy to
determine because
his body was
disfigured.
He was
dwarfed in
size.
His face
was disfigured.
His countenance
was shy.
He stood
across the
room
watching
quietly
and
wistfully
holding the
hand of his
older brother.
You know
that he wanted
to be there
with the other
children.
But even
just telling
you can
sense his
feeling of an
outcast.
That fear
of rejection
once again.
you can feel
the fear.
Fear of being
taunted
again.
Fear of being
mocked one
more time.
Wouldn't it be
nice if Cinderella
made her way
over there?
If you've been
to Disney
you know she
did.
that's
exactly what
she did.
She
noticed the
little boy.
She
immediately
began to
walk in
his
direction.
Gracefully
politely
but yet
firmly
she inched
her way
through the
crowd of
children until
she finally
broke free.
She walked
quickly across
the room and
when she got
there she
knelt down
to eye
level with
this stunned
little boy
and she
placed a
kiss on
his cheek.
She met
him in
the state
that he
was in
right where
he was
and that's
the relevance
of the
story.
Rather
than a
princess of
Disney
today we're
considering the
prince of
peace.
rather than
a boy
and a
castle
we look
at a
thief on
the cross.
However in
both stories
mercy was
given.
Love was
shared and
a loving one
gave a gesture
that's better
than words.
Jesus meets
us where we
are.
But he does
more than
Cinderella can.
Cinderella just
gave a kiss and
when she
left she
took her
beauty with
her.
The boy was
briefly delighted
but in reality
he was unchanged.
But Christ
meets us
where we are.
He meets us
in the state
that we're in.
He makes us
what he would
have for us
to be.
Christ gave
us his
beauty and
took on our
sinful
deformity.
Isaiah
chapter 55
53 verse
4 and 5
puts it this
way.
Surely he
was born,
surely he has
borne our
griefs and
carried our
sorrows.
Yet we
esteemed him
stricken,
smitten by
God and
afflicted.
But he was
pierced for
our transgressions.
He was crushed
for our
iniquities.
Upon him
was the
chastisement
that brought
us peace
and with
his wounds
we are
healed.
Christ
changes
everything.
So let's
quit just
standing there.
Come across
the room as
you are and
come to
Jesus.
Let's quit
playing games
at the foot
of the cross.
Let's quit
making a
mockery of
what Christ
has done
for us
and instead
as he gave
his life
for us
may we
give our
lives to
him.
May we
entrust
him
with all
that we
are
and simply
accept the
greatest offer
that we
have ever
or will
ever
receive.
Hope
in the
Lord Jesus.
God
with every
head bowed
and every
eye closed
this morning
I want
to ask
you
do you
know the
Lord?
Have you
ever
surrendered
your life
to follow
the Lord
Jesus Christ?
Have you
ever admitted
the sin
that is in
your life
separates you
from him
and that
you need
his
cleansing?
You need
him to
change you
and empower
you?
You need
to surrender
your ways
to his
ways?
If that's
never happened
to you I
encourage you
today to come
down this aisle
when we stand
to sing.
I'd love to
share with you
what it means
to give your
heart and life
to the Lord
Jesus.
Maybe you're
here today
and you have
done that
but you've
never
acknowledged
that publicly.
Jesus by
his commission
and by his
example shows
us that the
acknowledgement of
that publicly
is through
baptism.
If you've
never been
baptized as a
believer it's
coming up in
just a few
weeks.
Let's get
together and
let's talk
about it.
Maybe you're
here this
morning and
God's leading
you to Pickens
First Baptist
Church.
You've
worshipped with
us.
You felt the
spirit of God
leading you to
be here.
You feel led
to come.
I'd love to
guide you in
that process.
Or maybe
you're here and
you're gawking
or gambling
or just
gabbing
and it's time
to change
and you know
that.
and I am
so thankful
that the
same Christ
that came
to where
we are
comes to
where we
are today.
Meets us
where we
are.
Get it
right with
the Lord.
You can do
that where
you'll stand.
You can do
that at this
altar.
You can do
it with a
pastor praying
for you.
I don't know
what God's
told you to
do.
I just
tell you
you need to
be obedient to
follow his
lead.
Trust him.
You can
trust him.
Heavenly
Father,
work and move
in our midst
right now,
I pray.
Help us to
simply be
obedient to
follow your
will and your
way in our
life.
In Jesus'
precious name,
Amen.