Easter - The Crucifixion

Next Sunday, we’ll celebrate the most significant event in human history: the resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, before we reach the empty tomb, we must sit at the foot of the cross. Because before Jesus rose, He bled. Before there was life, there was sacrifice.

Today, we’re walking through Luke 23:26–56, the crucifixion of Jesus. But this isn’t just a history lesson. This is the moment that changed eternity. This is the moment that changes you.

Luke 23:26–56

26 As they led Jesus away, a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, happened to be coming in from the countryside. The soldiers seized him and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A large crowd trailed behind, including many grief-stricken women. 28 But Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the days are coming when they will say, ‘Fortunate indeed are the women who are childless, the wombs that have not borne a child and the breasts that have never nursed.’ 30 People will beg the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and plead with the hills, ‘Bury us.’ 31 For if these things are done when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

32 Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. 33 When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left.

34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.[f]

35 The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. “He saved others,” they said, “let him save himself if he is really God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” 36 The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. 37 They called out to him, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 A sign was fastened above him with these words: “This is the King of the Jews.”

39 One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”

40 But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? 41 We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”

43 And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

44 By this time it was about noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 45 The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. 46 Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last.

47 When the Roman officer overseeing the execution saw what had happened, he worshiped God and said, “Surely this man was innocent.” 48 And when all the crowd that came to see the crucifixion saw what had happened, they went home in deep sorrow. 49 But Jesus’ friends, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching.

50 Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish high council, 51 but he had not agreed with the decision and actions of the other religious leaders. He was from the town of Arimathea in Judea, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come. 52 He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 53 Then he took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock. 54 This was done late on Friday afternoon, the day of preparation, as the Sabbath was about to begin.

55 As his body was taken away, the women from Galilee followed and saw the tomb where his body was placed. 56 Then they went home and prepared spices and ointments to anoint his body. But by the time they were finished the Sabbath had begun, so they rested as required by the law.

Jesus Took Our Place

Luke tells us that Jesus wasn’t crucified alone. Two criminals were led out with Him—men guilty of their crimes. But Jesus? He had done nothing wrong. And yet, He’s treated like the worst of them. He’s mocked, beaten, and nailed to a cross like a criminal. And then, with blood dripping from His body and the weight of the world’s sin crushing His shoulders, Jesus says: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

Church, that’s your Savior

Not crying out in rage. Not defending Himself. He’s asking God to forgive the very people killing Him. Why? Because this wasn’t just a tragedy—it was a divine exchange. Jesus took our place.

Romans 6:23 says, “the wages of sin is death,” and someone had to pay. That someone was Jesus. He took what we deserved so we could receive what He earned. Let that hit your heart today: Jesus died for you. He died instead of you.

Grace Is Offered to the Undeserving

As the cross stands tall, one of the criminals joins in the mocking. But the other criminal speaks up. He says, “We’re getting what we deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he looks at Jesus—beaten, bloody, dying—and says, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

What does Jesus say? “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Are you kidding me? No good deeds. No baptism. No church attendance. Just a simple request: “Remember me.” And Jesus says, “I will. You’re coming with me.” That’s grace.

Grace doesn’t wait for you to clean yourself up. Grace meets you right where you are. Grace says, “You still belong.” And maybe some of you today feel like that criminal; you’ve made mistakes, you’ve messed up big time, and you wonder if it’s too late.

It’s not. If you still have breath in your lungs, you still have a chance to say yes to Jesus.

Darkness Fell So Light Could Shine

Luke says it was noon midday when darkness covered the land for three hours. Creation itself responded to the death of its Creator. Then, in verse 46, Jesus cries out, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands.” And with that, He breathed His last. This wasn’t defeat.

Jesus didn’t get killed; He gave up His life. He chose this moment. He laid it down. And in doing so, He took on all the darkness of the world so you could walk in the light. The cross is not just about pain. It’s about purpose.

He was separated so you could be brought near. He was crushed so you could be healed. He was abandoned so you could be accepted. That’s the power of the cross.

The Cross Demands a Response

After Jesus dies, the Roman centurion, this hardened soldier who had likely witnessed countless crucifixions, praises God and says, “Surely this man was innocent.” Other people beat their chests and walked away in grief. Still others, like the women who had followed Jesus, stayed close.

Everyone saw the same cross, but not everyone responded the same way. And the same is true today. The cross demands a response. You can walk away from it and keep living like nothing’s changed…You can feel sad, feel convicted, and then go back to life as usual…Or you can fall to your knees and say, “Jesus, I believe. You died for me. I give you my life.” There is no neutral ground at the cross.

Let me ask you: What’s your response to the cross?

This is not just a story from 2,000 years ago, it’s your invitation today. To receive forgiveness. To find healing. To begin a life-changing relationship with the Savior who gave His life for you. Jesus took your place. He offers you grace. He carried your darkness. Now He asks for your response.

If today you want to say yes to Jesus…If you want to come back to the God who never gave up on you…If you’re ready to stop running, stop pretending, and just surrender…

Then pray this in your heart with me:

“Jesus, I believe You died for me. I believe You rose again. I give You my heart, my past, my future. I don’t want to live without You anymore. Today, I surrender. Be my Savior. Be my Lord. Amen.”

Next week, we celebrate the empty tomb. But today, we honor the cross, the place where death met its match. And where love paid the price for our freedom.

The cross changed everything. Let it change you.

Easter - Agony & Temptation

Last week, we concluded our Spiritual Warfare series by talking about the Valley of Darkness in Psalm 23.  And today, we are launching our four-week Easter series, and we will look at the temptation  Jesus faced in the Garden, the crucifixion, the resurrection, and the ascension into heaven.

If you have ever given into temptation – and afterward thought – how on earth did I end up here – today’s message will help you out.

In 4th grade, I was playing “Keep Away” on the playground. Keep Away was a little like Rugby and football. We had two teams, and each team would kick off to the other team, and the receiving team would try to run the ball all the way back down the field into the endzone.  We would pass it back and forth…but if you were tackled with the ball, it immediately became the other team's ball. I wasn’t wearing my glasses…so I couldn’t see the ball. The team kicked the ball off to us…I scooped up the ball and began to run like mad toward the end zone.  As the OTHER TEAM is chasing me down, one of my own teammates, Tammy, is behind me screaming, “Back Door!”  “Back Door!” I had no idea that she wanted me to throw the ball back to her. I thought she was yelling at me to go toward the back door of the school…So I aimed for the door and kept going. Suddenly, Tammy grabs the short hairs on the back of my head and jerks me to the ground. The ball fell…the other team picked it up and started making their way down the field. Tammy is standing over me, yelling, “I said, Back Door!”  I felt confused and disoriented.  I couldn’t believe one of my own teammates took me out.

For many, the feeling I felt lying there on the ground is the very same that many have when temptation overtakes them and they give into temptation and choose to sin rather than to obey God’s will. They think, I was running along so well, I can’t believe I did this….How did I wind up down here?

Luke 22:39-46 (NLT2)

Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives. 40  There he told them, “Pray that you will not give in to temptation.” 41  He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42  “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” 43  Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. 44  He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood. 45  At last he stood up again and returned to the disciples, only to find them asleep, exhausted from grief. 46  “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.”

There is a medical condition called Hematidrosis (He-muh-ta-drosis). You can look it up on WebMD. On rare occasions, if an individual goes through intense pressure and stress, they sometimes actually sweat blood through their skin. This wasn’t a pretty picture.  Jesus wasn’t saying a PROPER churchy prayer.  He was kneeling on the ground, groveling, begging, and pleading with God that he would not have to suffer. This was the JESUS – fully God and fully man, experiencing the fear of death, pain, and torture.

But it was not only the concern of physical pain and death that Jesus was experiencing that caused blood to seep out of the pores of his skin. Jesus told his disciples twice to pray… so that they would not “enter into” temptation. Have you ever wondered what temptation was that Jesus was so concerned about? It was not a temptation toward lust. The disciples were not lounging around the couch late at flipping through channels and seeing flesh on TV.  They weren’t browsing the internet. They weren’t rolling dice, playing cards, and gambling money at the local casino. They weren’t fighting with one another or stealing money. It wasn’t a temptation to gossip or slander others.

The temptation that Jesus cautioned his friends about was the very same temptation he was in agony over.  In the Garden…Jesus faced the temptation to do what HE wanted to do, rather than do what God wanted him to do. Jesus was being torn apart in agony because he wanted to be obedient to God – but he didn’t want to walk the talk. Jesus was in agony because he wanted to obey God, but he didn’t want to carry his cross. He wanted to obey God, but he didn’t want to be arrested, whipped, and tortured.  He wanted to free people from their sins, but he didn’t want to be crucified. That is why Jesus sweat blood. He was torn.

TEMPTATION IS STRONGER WHEN YOU ARE ALONE

All he asked of his friends was that they stay awake and pray.  This was a group of friends that he had “done life” with for the past three years. Jesus had healed Peter’s mother-in-law. He had blessed them with a ridiculous catch of fish that they could profit off of. He laughed with them, spent time with them, and invested in them even when nobody else would give them the time of day…He gave them hope. He showed them God’s love. And now, when Jesus wanted his friends to pray, they couldn’t even stay awake.

So, Jesus faced the worst time of his life, alone. Maybe you know what that is like. Maybe you know what it is like to face difficulties, changes, temptation, diagnoses, and fears all alone. Perhaps you do not have any friends who will gather around you and pray with you as you walk through struggles in this life. You don’t have too anymore.  I can not say this more plainly: Join a lifegroup!

Last fall, Kristy and I joined a life group.  And, we are growing to care for one another. We are growing to trust one another.  We are building friendships rooted in the Word of God, his love, and love for each other. If you are walking through life alone, you do not have to. Maybe you have joined a lifegroup in the past and it wasn’t a good fit. Try again. God has a circle of friends waiting for you.  They will help you turn and trust in God during seasons of challenge and change.  And, they will be able to stand with you when you face temptations of all kinds.

If you are a follower of Jesus…and you are serious about following Jesus, you understand that…

NO BELIEVER IS IMMUNE TO TEMPTATION

1 COR. 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to man…

As a follower of Jesus, sometimes we convince ourselves that other believers have it together and WE are the only ones who struggle with sin. We know others struggle with the temptation to sin – but we sometimes convince ourselves that others don’t struggle like WE DO. We think, “They read their Bibles all the time; they don’t struggle like me…Something must be wrong with me…”

Every marriage is hard.  Parenting is hard. Finances are hard. Obedience to God is hard. Life is hard. And just like Jesus faced in the Garden, in the midst of the HARD, temptation OVERTAKES us all and we give into temptation and sin.

So where does that temptation come from? I am convinced that our MEMORIES can stir up a desire and temptation to sin. Think about it. Jesus was and always will be God. Jesus existed long before he became a human.  He knew what it was like to EXIST as LORD overall. Before he became a human, he could do all He wanted to do.

But when he became a human, he gave up his rights as God…and in the Garden…Jesus was tempted to TAKE UP his rights once again. His MEMORIES of his LIFE AS GOD stirred up this DESIRE he faced to take control of his own life and do what he wanted to do. And you and I need to understand that…with certainty:

PAST PLEASURES CAN REIGNITE PRESENT TEMPTATIONS
(JAMES 1:13-14)

Usually, we are only going to be tempted to do something that we like to do.  We are only going to be tempted to do something that we find pleasure in.

There are things that we like and things we do not like. For instance, chocolate. The only reason you find pleasure and enjoy eating chocolate is because you have tasted it before.

James 1:14 (NLT2)

Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.

A DESIRE to sin occurs only because we have experienced it or something similar to it before…and we liked it! Maybe the experience came through people, places, or your past. Maybe you remember how you used to live before you became a follower of Jesus. Memories of experiences that appealed to us in the past, can stir up temptation in our present and future. If we enjoyed it in the past, our flesh tells us we will enjoy it again.

This highlights the importance of guarding our families, ourselves, and our marriages today. We may have messed up in the past – but we know if we give into those pleasures in the future, it could damage those around us, and hinder our relationship with God. Parents, it is vital that you stand with your children to guard their eyes and hearts while they are young. Internet filters, cell phone apps, password codes for the tv channels…  If your child or teenager ever stumbles one time in this area – those lingering memories of what they saw will stay with them for a lifetime. So guard against creating new memories that could lead to temptations by gathering with friends and practicing prayer, because,

PRAYER + GODLY FRIENDS = POWER TO OVERCOME
(JAMES 4:6-8, HEB 2:18)

If you have been walking blindly into temptation after temptation…strengthen your prayer life. Begin to pray on a regular basis what Jesus prayed in the Garden – not my will, but your will be done. Ask God for his will to be done in your marriage, with your children, at your work…Ask God to help you be content and trust in His plan for you.

The brother of Jesus, writes in James 4:7:

James 4:7-8 (NLT2)

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8  Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.

We see Jesus demonstrate this truth in the Garden.  He humbled himself before God. He bared his soul. He resisted temptation and God strengthened him. And Jesus will strengthen you today. Whatever you are facing. Whatever you are challenged with. If you surround yourself with friends. If you begin to pray like never before and humble yourself to God…Every temptation you face in life CAN be overcome.  You have Jesus on your side fighting for you…

Hebrews 2:18 (NLT)

Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.

And I thank God that He has not left us alone to walk in this world. He has given us friends, he promises to help us himself.