| He would say to us, "Never preach without preaching | | | | amaze us, or to attract or magnetise us, so that we |
| the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ". | | | | will keep coming to Him, and so that we will remain one |
| Over these past two months, reading from Luke | | | | of His disciples. What lessons! |
| Chapters 22 and 23, we have moved slowly through, | | | | There is Simon of Cyrene, that dark skinned man from |
| from that Passover meal in the Upper Room in | | | | Tripoli. He was interested in Jesus, and became very |
| Jerusalem, through the Garden of Gethsemane and | | | | involved. |
| the trial and crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, | | | | Then there were these women who were weeping |
| our Saviour and Lord. Consider some of the people in | | | | and wailing. We looked at these words of Jesus |
| these verses. | | | | where he was saying that if this is happening to me, |
| Firstly, Pilate. Pilate wanted to do the right things, but he | | | | what will happen at the end of history. |
| didn't. It is so strange. Why? He knew what he ought | | | | There is Joseph of Arimathea. In John 19 at verse 38, |
| to do, but couldn't bring himself to do it. He had power. | | | | he is described as a secret believer, who was filled |
| Politically he was the most powerful man on the | | | | with fear. He comes out almost too late, when Jesus |
| scene. In one sense he had the power of life and | | | | is no longer around physically. |
| death. He could not plead that he was only acting upon | | | | Sometime, I'll come out for Jesus. I'll be a secret disciple |
| orders. | | | | just now, but one day I'll let the world know. No, it has |
| His wife had a dream and we read of this in Matthew | | | | to be now. O, how he took the body, and cared for it, |
| 27. She warns him against doing this, and yet his name | | | | doing what he could, and laying the body in a tomb |
| went into the Creed - "suffered under Pontius Pilate". | | | | which had been prepared for himself. Nicodemus, who |
| He washes his hands of this matter. O, it is not that | | | | had had that night conversation with Jesus was there |
| easy dear Pilate. We cannot wash our hands of some | | | | to help. |
| deeds and decisions. We need the blood of Jesus | | | | Joseph loaned it to Jesus for three days. Did he |
| Christ to wash away sin. | | | | believe that Jesus would rise from the dead? Did he |
| In verse 25 of Matthew 27, look at what the people | | | | know that Jesus would only need it for three days? |
| say, and for 2,000 years they have suffered as a | | | | The cross does not appeal to the intellect, or to |
| result of what they so rashly said. We must be careful | | | | oratory, or to education, or man's wisdom. |
| as to what we say, and write. One day I will be | | | | Yet, it is the cross of Jesus Christ which makes the |
| answerable for every word I preach teach and write. | | | | Church of Jesus Christ unique. |
| Jesus teaches us that, and such teaching should make | | | | Jesus was punished that we might be forgiven, and |
| us careful and cautious. | | | | wounded that we might be healed. |
| Then there is Herod. He liked entertainment and | | | | Jesus endured our poverty that we might share his |
| sensations and miracles, but he did not want to believe. | | | | wealth. Jesus was rejected that we might be |
| If we are taken up with novelty and the things of the | | | | accepted. Jesus was forsaken that we might be |
| world, we will not hear from Jesus. | | | | received. |
| Jesus never comes with novelty. He never comes | | | | Take time to read and study the significance of the |
| with just something new, entertaining, exciting, to | | | | cross of Jesus Christ. |