THE CROSS

First Principles: The Cross – Appreciating Jesus’ death on the Cross and understanding why we need to hate sin and love righteousness.

Purpose: To hate sin & love God because we appreciate Jesus’ sacrifice. 

Q: How would you define sacrifice? Who would you die for? The Cross is the foundation of Christianity. Sin hurts both God and us. Jesus was fully God and fully human. He experienced the same feelings and emotions we do.

THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST – PART ONE

 

Matthew 26:31-35 31Then Jesus told them, ‘This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: ‘ “I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.”

32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.’

33Peter replied, ‘Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.’ 34 ‘Truly I tell you,’ Jesus answered, ‘this very night, before the cock crows, you will disown me three times.’

35But Peter declared, ‘Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.’ And all the other disciples said the same. – NIVUK

  • Jesus predicted that all His disciples would fall away.
  • What would make you stop following Jesus?

Matthew 26:36-46 36Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’ 37He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38Then he said to them, ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.’

39Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.’

40Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. ‘Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?’ he asked Peter. 41‘Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.’

42He went away a second time and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.’

43When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

45Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 46Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!’ – NIVUK

  • Jesus didn’t want to die. He chose to die. It was an emotional struggle.
  • Prayer enabled Jesus to bear the Cross.
  • Jesus had three of His close friends with Him, and they fell asleep while He anguished! How would you feel?

Matthew 26:47-56 47While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: ‘The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.’ 49Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, ‘Greetings, Rabbi!’ and kissed him.

50Jesus replied, ‘Do what you came for, friend.’ Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. 51With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

52 ‘Put your sword back in its place,’ Jesus said to him, ‘for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. 53Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?’

55In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, ‘Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. 56But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.’ Then all the disciples deserted him and fled. – NIVUK

  • Jesus’ disciples deserted Him despite three years of pouring His life into them.
  • Jesus stops Peter from defending Him. He could have called 12 legions to save Him, but He did not. (One legion was approximately 5,000 Roman soldiers. Twelve legions would be approximately 60,000 angels!)

Matthew 26:57-68 57Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. 58But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome.

59The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward 61and declared, ‘This fellow said, “I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.” ’

62Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, ‘Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?’ 63But Jesus remained silent.

The high priest said to him, ‘I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.’

64 ‘You have said so,’ Jesus replied. ‘But I say to all of you: from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.’ 

65Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, ‘He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.

66What do you think?’ ‘He is worthy of death,’ they answered.

67Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him 68and said, ‘Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?’ – NIVUK

  • Jesus is arrested and taken before the religious officials, where He boldly spoke the truth.
  • Peter follows Jesus at a distance. How does this relate to you?
  • Jesus was talking about raising Himself from the dead, not tearing down a real temple. (John 2:18-21)

THREE RESPONSES TO THE CROSS

 

Matthew 26:69-75 (PETER)

69Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came to him. ‘You also were with Jesus of Galilee,’ she said.

70But he denied it before them all. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ he said.

71Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant-girl saw him and said to the people there, ‘This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.’

72He denied it again, with an oath: ‘I don’t know the man!’

73After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, ‘Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.’

74Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, ‘I don’t know the man!’

Immediately a cock crowed. 75Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: ‘Before the cock crows, you will disown me three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly. – NIVUK

  • Peter disowns Jesus, just as Jesus had prophesied.
  • The sin of cowardice — he was afraid of a servant girl.
  • He was broken at a “heart level” and even wept bitterly, showing godly sorrow.
  • He became the first leader of the first-century church in Acts after being given the “keys of the kingdom” by Jesus. (Matthew 16:18-19)

Matthew 27:1-10 (JUDAS)

1Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people made their plans how to have Jesus executed. 2So they bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor.

3When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. 4‘I have sinned,’ he said, ‘for I have betrayed innocent blood.’

‘What is that to us?’ they replied. ‘That’s your responsibility.’

5So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.

6The chief priests picked up the coins and said, ‘It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.’ 7So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. 8That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: ‘They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on him by the people of Israel, 10and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.’ – NIVUK

  • Jesus is handed over to Pilate, the Roman governor.
  • The sin of betrayal — Judas finally realised his error.
  • Judas gives in to his worldly sorrow and takes his life.

Matthew 27:11-26 (PILATE)

11Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, ‘Are you the king of the Jews?’

‘You have said so,’ Jesus replied.

12When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. 13Then Pilate asked him, ‘Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?’ 14But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge – to the great amazement of the governor.

15Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. 16At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas. 17So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, ‘Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?’ 18For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.

19While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: ‘Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.’

20But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.

21‘Which of the two do you want me to release to you?’ asked the governor.

‘Barabbas,’ they answered.

22‘What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?’ Pilate asked.

They all answered, ‘Crucify him!’

23‘Why? What crime has he committed?’ asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, ‘Crucify him!’

24When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. ‘I am innocent of this man’s blood,’ he said. ‘It is your responsibility!’

25All the people answered, ‘His blood is on us and on our children!’

26Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. – NIVUK

  • The sin of indecision (omission) — Pilate’s indecision was a decision. He cared more about people’s opinions than God’s opinions. He was man-focused, not God-focused.
  • We are all Barabbas and deserve to be crucified for our sins.

THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST – PART TWO

 

Matthew 27:27-44 27Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers round him. 28They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ they said. 30They spat on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. 31After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

32As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. 33They came to a place called Golgotha (which means ‘the place of the skull’). 34There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 36And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37Above his head they placed the written charge against him:

THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS

38Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40and saying, ‘You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!’ 41In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42‘He saved others,’ they said, ‘but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, “I am the Son of God.” ’ 44In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him. – NIVUK

  • Summarise the events leading up to the crucifixion.
  • Why do you think Jesus refused the gall (a painkiller) while on the Cross? How do you personally respond to hurt, pain, or suffering?

Matthew 27:45-46 45From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. 46About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ (which means ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’). 

47When some of those standing there heard this, they said, ‘He’s calling Elijah.’

48Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49The rest said, ‘Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.’

50And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

51At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

54When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, ‘Surely he was the Son of God!’

55Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. 56Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons. – NIVUK

  • Jesus was crucified at 9 AM (Mark 15:25) and remained on the Cross for six hours. After three hours, darkness came over the whole land.
  • At this moment, Jesus took upon Himself the sins of the entire world.
  • Do you think God abandoned Jesus at this point? (Isaiah 59:1-2) Yes — sin separates us from God. For the first time in eternity, Jesus felt that separation.

2 Corinthians 5:21 21God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. – NIVUK

  • Jesus became sin on the Cross for us, even though we might never repent.
  • His goal was that we might become the righteousness of God.

Matthew 27:57-61 57As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. 61Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb. – NIVUK

  • Jesus was buried in a rich man’s tomb, fulfilling the prophecy in Isaiah 53:9.

THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST — PART THREE

Matthew 27:62-66 62The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, “After three days I will rise again.” 64So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.’

65‘Take a guard,’ Pilate answered. ‘Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.’ 66So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard. – NIVUK

  • Everyone knew exactly where Jesus was buried — refuting later claims that people went to the “wrong tomb.”
  • Roman soldiers secured the tomb to prevent any attempt to steal Jesus’ body.

Matthew 28:1-10 1After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

2There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

5The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7Then go quickly and tell his disciples: “He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.” Now I have told you.’

8So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

9Suddenly Jesus met them. ‘Greetings,’ he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshipped him. 10Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.’ – NIVUK

  • Jesus is RISEN!
  • He appears to His disciples and encourages them.

OUR RESPONSIBILITY

Isaiah 53:4-64Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.

5But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

6We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. – NIVUK

  • Substitute your name into this passage. Our sins made us responsible for Jesus’ death on the Cross.
  • Do you truly hate your sin because of how it hurt Him? (Proverbs 13:5)

1 Peter 2:21-24 21To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

22‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’

23When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24‘He himself bore our sins’ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed.’ – NIVUK

  • Jesus suffered for each of us individually.
  • We must die to sin and live for righteousness.
  • What is the hardest sin you need to surrender?

Challenge: Die to sin and live for righteousness out of gratitude for the Cross. Are you more like Peter, Judas, or Pilate? Which response will you choose? Take time for confession and develop a plan for repentance. Read Appendix B — The Medical Account of Jesus’ Crucifixion or watch the Cross Video.