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AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     John 19:17-18

 

And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:  where they crucified him, and two others with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.

 

B.      It has been 2,000 years since that tragic day.

 

C.     I have often wondered what is would have been like to stand at the foot of the cross.

1.       What would I have experienced?

2.       What would I have seen?

3.       How would I have felt?

 

D.     In this lesson, I want us to go back to that day.  I want us to look at some of the things that could be found “At the Foot of the Cross.”

 

I.                    THERE WAS HATE AND THERE WAS LOVE

 

A.     The Jewish leaders stood at the foot of the cross. 

1.       Their hearts were full of hate for this man called Jesus.

a.       They despised His claims.

b.      They rejected His works.

c.       They loathed His popularity.

2.       To see Jesus writhing in anguish brought these men much satisfaction.

3.       At the foot of the cross, they threw Jesus’ claims into His face (Luke 23:35).

 

And the people stood beholding.  And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.

 

B.      In contrast to hatred, there was love also to be found at the foot of the cross.

1.       The love that was there was divine love.

2.       God’s love was being manifested in the offering of Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:8).

 

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

 

II.                 THERE WAS REBELLION AND THERE WAS OBEDIENCE

 

A.     The Jews were in rebellion to God on that day.

1.       The psalmist pictured the event in Psalm 2:1-3

 

Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his Anointed saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

 

a.       They set themselves and took counsel “against” the Lord and His Anointed.

b.      They wanted to “break their bands” and “cast away their cords.”

2.       In Acts 4:25-26, Peter quotes this psalm.  He, then, notes its fulfillment in Acts 4:27.

 

For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together.

 

B.      While the Jews rebelled against God, Jesus was in complete submission to the Father’s will.

1.       In His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed:  “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me:  nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matt. 26:39).

2.       Paul tells us in Philippians 2:8 that Jesus “humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

3.       This was not

a.       Simple obedience

b.      Low-cost obedience

c.       Convenient obedience

d.      Pleasurable obedience

e.       Painless obedience

4.       Jesus’ obedience was difficult, high-cost, inconvenient, agonizing, and painful obedience to God.

 

III.              THERE WERE SINFUL MEN AND THERE WAS A PERFECT MAN

 

A.     Sinful men stood all around the cross of Calvary.

1.       The soldiers were sinful.

2.       The Jewish leaders were sinful.

3.       The Jewish people were sinful.

4.       The criminals who hung beside Jesus were sinful.

5.       Even John and the women who followed the Christ were sinful.

6.       Not one person who gathered around the cross that day was without sin (Rom. 3:9).

 

What then?  are we better than they?  No, in no wise:  for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin.

 

B.      Jesus, however, was a man, but He was a perfect man (1 Pet. 2:21-22).

 

For even hereunto were ye called:  because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow in his steps:  who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.

 

IV.              THERE WAS SIN AND THERE WAS GRACE

 

A.     Just the sins that were immediately connected to the crucifixion were many:  false witnesses, blatant lies, miscarriage of justice, betrayal, denial, fear, cowardice, blasphemy, assault, and murder.

 

B.      In the midst of all of this sin, the grace of God was being manifested to the world.

1.       Man had no cure for his sins.

2.       Only a perfect, human sacrifice could pay the debt of sin.

3.       God’s sending His Son, was the greatest “favor” and the biggest form of “help” that could have been given to lost humanity.

a.       Romans 3:24

 

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

b.      Ephesians 2:7

 

That in ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness toward us, through Christ Jesus.

 

V.                 THERE WAS HURT AND THERE WAS HEALING

 

A.     We cannot fathom the amount of hurt that Jesus experienced during the crucifixion.

1.       We describe it.

2.       We have empathy for Jesus,

3.       But, we cannot really feel the real pain that he felt for hours as He endured the cross.

4.       Two words in the Bible note His pain.

a.       Passion (Acts 1:3)

b.      Suffering (1 Pet. 1:11)

5.       Jesus only reveals His pain while He hung on the cross with two words:  “I thirst” (John 19:28).

 

B.      For man there was no pain.  There was only healing.

1.       Isaiah 53:5; 1 Pet. 2:24

 

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him:  and with his stripes we are healed.

 

2.       Malachi 4:2

 

But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings…

 

VI.              THERE WAS CONDEMNATION AND THERE WAS SALVATION

 

A.     Jesus was a condemned man.

1.       Luke 23:21, 24

 

But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him…And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.

 

2.       Galatians 3:13b

 

…as it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.

 

B.      There was also salvation being provided for mankind.

1.       1 Thessalonians 5:9

 

For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

2.       Hebrews 5:8-9

 

Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.

 

VII.           THERE WAS DEATH AND THERE WAS LIFE

 

A.     At about 3:00 p.m. on that Friday, the Son of God died (Luke 23:46).

 

And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit:  and having saith thus, he gave up the ghost.

 

1.       Pilate had Jesus’ death confirmed by a centurion (Mark 15:44-45).

2.       Joseph and Nicodemus laid the cold corpse into the tomb and shut the door with a great stone (Matt. 27:59-60).

 

B.      It was by means of death that eternal life could be given to all those who accepted the conditions of salvation offered by Jesus Christ.

1.       John 3:14-15

 

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:  that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

 

2.       Titus 3:7

 

That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

 

3.       1 John 5:11

 

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.     At the foot of the cross there were so many things.

1.       There was hate and there was love.

2.       There was rebellion and there was obedience.

3.       There was sinful man and there was a perfect man.

4.       There was sin and there was grace.

5.       There was hurt and there was healing.

6.       There was condemnation and there was salvation.

7.       There was death and there was life.

 

B.      At the foot of the cross, there was Satan and there was God.

1.       Satan was doing all he could to thwart the plan of God and bring harm to Jesus and humanity.

2.       God was doing all He could to bring His plan to pass and to destroy Satan and save man.

 

C.     God won (Heb. 2:14-15).

 

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them, who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject unto bondage.