Sermon Extras

SERMON NOTES

Good Friday 2021- “Responding to the Cross” Luke 23:32-56

INTRO> Fleming Rutledge in her book “The Undoing Of Death” tells a story about a friend of hers who was having trouble finding a church that she liked, Mrs. Rutledge recommended a certain church of a certain denomination and her friend responded and said, “Oh, no I could never go there” “Why” Fleming asked. “I would have to look at that big cross they have behind the altar with that figure of Christ hanging on it. It would upset me terribly!” – “The Undoing Of Death” pg 116

• The very famous song that we sing in church, “In Christ Alone” written by Stuart Townend has been in the top 5 most sung songs in churches since the song was released. A very large denomination here in the United States was putting together their hymnals for their denomination and wanted to include the song but there was one problem, they didn’t like the line that reads, “Till on that cross as Jesus died, The wrath of God was satisfied..” They went back and forth and finally re wrote the song and changed it to, “Till on the Cross as Jesus died, the love of God was magnified..” 

APP> You see, we could go on and on but there is something here, there is a problem…. We don’t know how to respond to the cross but one thing is clear: 

Big Idea> The Cross of Jesus requires a response. 

CONTEXT> You see, that is what Luke is showing us in our passage today, he is showing us that everybody is responding to the cross, even creation itself is responding v44 when darkness covers the earth. Luke is showing us that there are two groups of people in this passage: 1) Those who respond rightly 2) Those who respond wrongly and the application is very clear…. it’s as if Luke is leaving the question up to us: “Which one are you” 

Those who get it Right:

• The Repentant Thief v42

• The Centurion Soldier v47

• Joseph of Arimathea v50

• The Women v55 

APP> So how do we respond to the cross, rightly? 3 Quick things. 

• You must resist the crowds. v35-36,v39

• Luke in his whole Gospel account has been showing us the difference in the crowds and the committed. There is only one thing that these crowds agree on, Jesus can’t be the Messiah.
• Paul says in 1 Corinthians that the cross is a stumbling block to the world… why? Because it appears foolish. 

APP> In today’s outrage and cancel culture this seem so appropriate. *ILL> I recently watched an interview with an author who wrote a provocative book that a lot of people disagreed with, the interviewer was rude and kept blasting the author. Finally, the author asked, “Have you read my book?” The interviewer said, “Well, no.” 

APP> You see, you can’t reject the cross based on other people’s opinions. Jesus won’t let you off that easy. 

2) You must release your ultimatums. v39

• “One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” Luke 23:39 Do you see what this thief is doing? He is laying down an ultimatum to Jesus, “If you are the Messiah, then save us and I will believe!” 

APP> If you are saying, “Jesus I will follow you, I will serve you, I will love you If __________” Whatever is in that blank is what you are really serving, what you are really loving. “Do you see the difference between what the first thief says and the second thief? You see, the first their says, “I’ll be with you if you get me out of this.” The second thief says, “I’ll suffer anything IF I can be with you.” Are you willing to do that… are you willing to make God the non-negotiable?… Until you do that, don’t expect a life transforming encounter with Jesus.” 

3) You must reveal your own brokenness. v40

• “But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

“Until you see the cross as that which is done by you, you will never appreciate that it is done for you.” John Stott. 

Big Idea> The Cross of Jesus requires a response.