The Effect of the Cross

What the Cross of Jesus Christ Does to People

Luke 23:32-47

I.         Introduction (1 Cor 1:17,18,22,23)

A.      The Effect of Santa on kids - grabs their attention! They are mesmerized

B.       To some people, the cross is Jewelry, or a symbol, or a statement of religious belief. But to the sinner, it is everything!

C.       If you are saved this morning, I mean a real believer, then the cross both HAD an affect on you, and still has an affect - let's look at what it does to people!

II.       Message - The Effect of the Cross (Luke 23:32-47)

A.      It Causes Confusion (23:32-38)

1.        About God's ways of doing things - among the disciples (Mk 8:31-38)

a         People looked for a Conqueror - Christ came to die

b        The disciples expected Jesus to be crowned - Jesus came to be crucified

c         Everything was backwards, and upside down (Isa 55:8)

2.        About Christ's place in the world - surely not among thieves (Cf Luk 7:34)

a         The wise men expected to find Jesus born among royalty

b        The Pharisees expected to find Jesus among themselves

c         The Roman soldiers expected to find Jesus among rebels

d        But Christ belonged to the sinner - and He loved it!

3.        About real forgiveness (23:34)

a         Only God can forgive sins (Ps 103:10-12)

b        So forgiveness begins with HIM - not with yourself

c         Forgiveness is obtained when the sin is paid for - not based on just a few words of "I'm sorry."

d        If Jesus offers forgiveness, why go any place else?

e         Once forgiven, you can forgive anybody (Eph 4:32)!

4.        About why Jesus could not save Himself (23:35-37)

a         It is called a sacrifice - you lose that others might gain - that is the mind of Christ (Cf Rom 9:1-4a)

b        If Christ is to save anybody, He cannot save Himself

c         Same is true in this life - if you are going to be a soul-winner, it will cost you so that it may be free to others!

5.        About whether Jesus would ever be King (23:38) - by the looks of it, He failed! His life was only a mockery, and failure!

a         Yet He was King of heaven - stepped down to become a pauper

b        And He was King at His birth - wise men knew that!

c         But He was King rejected - not what people wanted - no market

d        But none of it changes that He is LORD (Philp 2:5-8)

B.       It Creates Conflict (23:39-42)

1.        Division sometimes in the home (Luke 12:51-53)

2.        Conflict among friends - these two others on the cross were friends before they met Jesus!

3.        But most of the time, conflict in the heart

a         Is the cross sufficient for ALL my sins?

b        Isn't there anything I must do? (Acts 16:31)

c         Isn't there an easier way?

d        Do I have to give up EVERYTHING?

1)       My idols

2)       My goodness

3)       My own understanding - start looking at it honestly now

C.       It Conquers the Real Enemies (23:43-46; Col 2:11-13). Constantine claimed to have a vision seeing a "cross" in the sky and being told to go and conquer with as his symbol - it was an Egyptian Ankh, not a cross. And he conquered with swords and arrows, but Jesus said conquer with the Sword of the spirit!

1.        The Penalty of Sin - the sins of the thief, and the sins of the whole world

2.        The Power of Sin (Rom 6:9-14)

3.        The Prince of Darkness - Satan's power was defeated at the cross (what looked like a defeat on the cross was realy a VICTORY)!

4.        The Predominance of the Old-Me - the thief made Jesus His LORD (2Cor 4:5). The cross conquers the old man in me, and sets up Jesus as my King of kings (Gal 2:20)!

D.      It Convinces the Skeptic (23:47)

1.        It proves that we are all sinners - not just misguided (2Cor 5:14)

2.        It proves the seriousness of sin

a         When you look at the death of Jesus Christ - in its fullness (not in Hollywood’s fakeness) you see that death and hell are real, and that sin kills and damns

b        If an innocent man like Jesus went through all that on the cross, what do you think we sinners will go through when we die!

c         That cross proves that sin is serious business (like a drug cartel, or the Mafia), and needs to be dealt with!

3.        It proves that God IS there, and cares, and will do what is necessary to redeem us (Titus 2:14) - The cross is God's statement of I LOVE YOU!

4.        And it convinced:

a         That hardened Roman Centurion - who had seen a lot of deaths, and a lot of slaughter, and a lot of troubles - but had never seen anything like Jesus on that cross!

b        It convinced also Joseph of Aramathea - a very rich man

c         And Nicodemus finally - that very religious man

d        AND ME on June 15, 1980! A very lost man!

E.       It Crowns the Believer (Gal 6:14)

1.        With salvation - that is what this world needs - to be saved from their sins, and to know it, and to be able to live free from it - THAT'S GLORIOUS!

2.        With a new life - His death gave me new life

3.        With something to do - to go forth and conquer

a         The darkness

b        The deceit

1)       That all paths lead to heaven

2)       That most everyone is on their way to heaven

3)       That the Bible's message has no relevance for today

4)       That God died a long time ago

5)       That sin is not sin any more

6)       That hell no longer exists

7)       That evolution is the real force in the universe

8)       That the government is our only real hope

4.        With real joy - I PERSONALLY KNOW GOD because of Jesus! I will not get excited about ANYTHING else like I get excited about what my Saviour did for me on Calvary!

III.     Conclusion - So, What affect does the cross have on you this morning?

A.      Does it Cause Confusion?

1.        About God's ways of doing things - among the disciples (Mk 8:31-38)

2.        About Christ's place in the world - surely not among thieves (Cf Luk 7:34)

3.        About real forgiveness (23:34)

4.        About why Jesus could not save Himself (23:35-37)

5.        About whether Jesus would ever be King (23:38)

B.       Does it Create Conflict? At home? Among friends? In your heart? Like, whether the cross of Jesus was sufficient, and whether there is now anything more for me to do?

C.       Has it Conquered all your Real Enemies?

1.        The Penalty of Sin

2.        The Power of Sin

3.        The Prince of Darkness

4.        The Predominance of the Old-Me

D.      Has it Convinced the Skeptic in You?

1.        That we are all sinners - not just misguided (2Cor 5:14)

2.        That sin is serious

3.        That God IS there, and cares, and will do what is necessary to redeem you?

E.       If it has done any of the above, then you like Paul will be able to say, "There is nothing else in this whole world that I glory in like I rejoice in the finished work of Jesus Christ on that old rugged cross!"