Calvin Synod Herald, 2014 (115. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2014-03-01 / 3-4. szám
4 CALVIN SYNOD HERALD The Day of The Cross Every year we have the tendency of re reading the events of the last portion of Jesus’ life with great interest and compassion as we approach Holy week, Good Friday and Easter. In the Gospel of Matthew chapter 27 between verses 33 and 36 the word “they” appears a few times. If you consider the entire Gospel of Matthew the word “they” appears 28 times. Here in the story the word ‘they” relate to those who were present at the crucifixion. There were at least three groups of people there that day, just as there are almost always, three groups of people in every gathering. Let us look at these three groups in consideration to the life, death and resurrection of our Lord... First: the Crowd of Sympathy The crowd of sympathy is the first crowd of people that were there that day. These are those who stood by with tears in their eyes. They were sobbing, and saying, Why? Why? Are they killing Jesus? What did He do to them? Who has He hurt, and not helped? What wrong has He done? This is always the way it is with the sympathetic crowd. They always stand by in sympathy. But that is all that they did. They didn’t try to defend Him. They didn’t cry to Pilate to release Him and not Barabbas. They just stood there and cried! This crowd is also with us today. They stand by and watch as God’s servant is led to be sacrificed. They sometimes cry and say how terrible things are, and that they are all in favor of the Word of God, but these never lift a finger to help, they just stand by and cry. Next let us look at the second crowd that was at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ that day. The Crowd of Antipathy What does that word antipathy mean? It means, total opposition to Jesus Christ and His ministry. This is the crowd who shouted to Pilate; Crucify Him! Crucify Him! Crucify Him! This crowd wanted Jesus to die. He was a threat to them. His teachings were directly opposed to their life style. He was a threat to expose their crooked ways, and they hated him. Hated Him so much that they rejoiced in watching the Son of Man die in agony and pain! This crowd is also with us today. This is the crowd that wants to bum all the Bibles, close the door to every true Church in the neighborhood. They hate Christianity and its teachings so much they want to eradicate it from the face of the earth. There is one thing about this crowd though. At least you know where they stand. There is no mistaking of what they want and who they are. This is how it was with the crowd of antipathy. Next we are going to look at, The Crowd of Apathy This is the worst of the three crowds. Apathy means, total unconcern or people who just don’t care. No matter what is going on, they don’t care in the least bit. There motto is, "Whatever!" This crowd was there just to see what was happening. They didn’t care either way as to who was dying. They just came along for the ride, and to see someone else die. They didn’t care who was dying, or how many were dying, they just wanted to watch! We have this crowd with us today too. They drive by our houses of Worship, and never bat an eye in its direction. If they do look this way it is to say, "that is nice" but they never come to church, never read the Bible. They are totally unconcerned. They just don’t care! The crowd of Sympathy; the crowd of Antipathy, and the crowd of Apathy are the three crowds that are always present, and I can see these crowds at the foot of the cross that day as Jesus hung on that old rugged cross, these crowds were all there watching. Are you in one of these three crowds today? Next, we see not only three crowds, but we can also see three crosses on Golgotha. Jesus was not crucified alone! He was in the middle of two thieves. Godless sinners, on both sides of this righteous man. If I may, I would like to name each of those three crosses that day. The first one I would like to name; The Cross of Rejection I think that this cross was on the left side of Jesus’ cross. This cross held the thief that cried to Jesus, "If thou be the Son of God? Get thyself down and get us down also." He didn’t really believe that Jesus was the Messiah. His words of rejection were, "If thou be?" Showing his doubt in the one being crucified next to him. The second cross, I think was the one on the Right side of Jesus. I call this cross: The Cross of Reception This was the thief who said to Jesus; "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." This is the cross which held the one to whom Jesus replied, "Today, thou, shaft be with me in paradise." Many today, Praise God! Belong to this cross of reception. If more people would get totally right before God today, there would be many more laborers in the harvest. "The harvest is plenteous, but the labors are few; Jesus said, ’Therefore pray ye that the Lord of the harvest would send forth labors into his harvest." The third cross is the center cross. That one in the middle, the one between these two thieves. The only human who had no sin! And we shall call this: The Cross of Love Romans 5:8, says, "But God commendeth his love toward us in that while were yet sinners, Christ died for us." It was not the nails that held his hands to the cross, It was love! Love kept Him on that altar of wood that day that THEY, crucified him. His love is so great that no amount of suffering could have stopped Him for taking you place and my place in being punished for sin. He became sin for us, on the hill called Calvary! Have you ever seen someone who is filled with God’s Love? I have. Next I would like you to also see that there were; Three Cries The first is: The Cry of Unbelief "If thou be the Son of God," Do you see the doubt! This man as so many today, want to ask Jesus for proof as to who He really
